ZIS-110. Soviet luxury car

The car of a representative class of the highest category ZIS-110 was created in 1945. The machine was intended for servicing the Kremlin's nomenclature, government and ministers. The model was a load-bearing frame structure of increased strength, capable of withstanding the additional weight of the armored body, since the machine had to meet special safety requirements.

American "Packard"

Starting to develop the model ZIS-110, a group of engineers tried to take into account the indifferent attitude of JV Stalin to the American car of the "Packard" brand. The Packard 180 Touring Sedan of 1941 was the basis of the project. The car ZIS-110 turned out more "Packard", but the appearance of the "American" as a whole was able to adopt. Was borrowed and the engine - row "eight". All other units and units were supposed to use domestic production.

Armor Protection

The ZIS-110 model became a headache for designers at the stage of development of the car's safety belt. Since the machine was supposed to be armored, I had to recalculate all the body parameters. There was not enough free space in the doors, where the armored cars were located, the mechanisms of the window regulators were interfering. A heavy reinforced roof required more powerful body racks. With the booking of feathers problems were less, the wings, both front and rear, the hood and boot lid allowed to build armored plates up to 8 millimeters thick. Armored modification received the index "115".

ZIS-110. Characteristics

Dimensions and weight parameters:

• Length of the car - 6000 mm;
• Height - 1730 mm;
• Width - 1960 mm;
• Ground clearance - 200 mm;
• Wheel base - 3760 mm;
• Front track - 1520 mm;
• The rear track is 1600 mm;
• Weight - 2575 kg;
• Capacity of gas tank - 80 liters;
• Fuel consumption - 23 liters per 100 kilometers, in a mixed mode.

Power point

The engine ZIS-110 petrol, with carburetor injection, had the following parameters:

• Configuration - in-line arrangement;
• Working volume - 6005 cube / cm;
• Torque - 392 Nm at 2000 rpm;
• Number of cylinders - 8;
• The maximum power is 141 liters. from. At 3600 obor. in a minute;
• Number of valves - 16;
• Piston stroke - 108 mm;
• Diameter of the cylinder - 90 mm;
• Cooling - water;
• The recommended fuel is AI-72 gasoline.

The transmission is a three-speed mechanical synchronized. The lever speed switch is located on the steering column to the right.

Chassis

The first Soviet cars with independent front suspension began to be developed at the time when the ZIS-110 project was launched. Before that, all models, both cargo and passenger, were equipped with a beam of the front axle on the springs.

Since the "one-hundred-tenth" was designed as a government order, it became the very first model with an independent front suspension. The swivel mechanism was a pivot pin type, connected to the worm assembly by means of an adjustable pull rod. The left and right units of the front suspension were connected by a movable rod of the transversal stabilizer.

Rear suspension - a bridge with two semiaxes and a planetary differential operating in hypoid lubrication. The whole structure was suspended on semi-elliptic springs. The hydraulic shock absorbers were installed in a military type, taken from a light armored personnel carrier, since the armored car had considerable weight. The whole system was rigidly connected by a beam of lateral stability.

Assembly

The entire chassis was based on the riveted frame from the channel. On the front side members of the engine was mounted. From above on a frame the skeleton of a body, then wings, a cowl, a cover of a luggage carrier, all internal equipment and in the last turn doors was mounted. The assembly was done manually, although it was believed that the car is produced serially. Each car was assembled by a team of four people, who then was responsible for the quality of work.

Interior

The government ZIS was originally conceived as a luxury representative car, in which it is possible to invite foreign guests, ambassadors of foreign states, other officials. Passenger seats were given special attention. To make them especially soft and comfortable, the cushions were filled with coconut limes, which have excellent springing properties. And regular covers, which stretched from above, were sewn in several layers with gasket linters.

Seven-seat limousine never loaded completely, usually except for the driver in the car were two or three more people. Thus, it was possible to maintain the impression of a spacious cabin with a high level of comfort. In the garage of the Central Committee of the CPSU there was a special post for dispatch manager. Knowing about the upcoming trips - to the airport, to the meeting of delegations, the maintenance of solemn events - this employee sent cars in the right amount, the benefit of them was more than enough.

In each car, the floor was covered with expensive carpets - Persian or even Tekin. Seats and door panels were lined with high-quality velor, leather upholstery at that time was not yet. There were no air conditioners either, but ventilation in ZIS-110 cars was considered quite efficient. Noiseless fans filled the lounge with fresh air continuously.

In winter, all ducts switched to heating mode. The temperature in the cooling system was about ninety degrees Celsius, it was enough to heat the interior. A portion of the hot air was drawn to the windshield to avoid its fogging. To quickly heat the interior of the car, fans were also used, which drove the heat into the cabin through the deflectors.

Dashboard

On the flap in front of the driver were all the necessary sensors and indicators. The dashboard was compact and occupied a small part of the "torpedo". In the center was a speedometer with a dial of a rectangular shape. The arrow was illuminated with colored lights. At a speed of no more than 60 kilometers per hour, the green burned, from sixty to 120 the yellow one, and at a speed of more than 120 kilometers per hour red was switched on. The scale of the speedometer was indicated by numbers without zeros. "6" - sixty kilometers per hour, "10" - hundred kilometers an hour, "12" - one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour and so on.

All control sensors and instruments were signed, not indicated by icons or symbols. On the left of the speedometer were the gasoline level indicators in the tank and the water temperature in the cooling system. On the right there was an ammeter indicating the charge of the battery and the oil pressure sensor. In the same place were placed arrows of direction indicators, flashing red, a blue light bulb (high beam) and green, indicating the ignition on.

To the right there was a radio receiver, below the tuner there was a speaker. More to the right, opposite the passenger seat, was a built-in "glove box" - a box for small things. The panel and the frames of the instruments, the steering wheel, the control levers were of classical ivory color, in this style all the first Soviet cars - ZIS, ZIL, Pobeda, Volga, Moskvich were designed.

In the USSR, there was a tendency to produce passenger cars in a single style, common to all models. It was fashionable to decorate the exterior with chrome or nickel-plated details, moldings, decorative metal plates and nameplates. Soviet retro cars and today are distinguished by an abundance of glittering attributes.

This is especially noticeable in the example of GAZ-21 Volga, in which the windshield is encased in a chrome frame four centimeters wide, and the whale whisker grille is the decoration of the entire front of the car. Other retro cars of Soviet manufacture are also distinguished by spectacular sparkling elements.

Cabriolet

In 1949, the ZIS-110 production facility with an open top was launched at the Stalin plant in two versions - a phaeton and a cabriolet. Cars without a roof were required for festive departures of the high command of the Soviet Army, during military parades, and trips to the city in good weather for members of the Politburo and the government of the USSR together with foreign guests.

Model ZIS-110 "cabriolet" looked very organically on the streets of Moscow, when the motorcade of Kremlin limousines left the alignment of Tverskaya Street, crossed Red Square, went to the Moskvoretsky Bridge and followed towards Bolshaya Ordynka. Convertibles had a folding roof made of soft black tarpaulin, which with the help of an electric drive moved out of a special niche and covered the car in case of bad weather.

In addition to cabriolets, phaetons were produced that did not have rear door windows. These cars were used for the departure of the Minister of Defense, when he was taking the parade on Red Square on May 9. In the government garage there were three phaetons of ZIS-110 gray-blue. Two cars drove to the parade, and one was always ready, in reserve. Each car was equipped with a special stand in the middle of the cabin, for which the Minister of Defense or the person who replaced him was holding. Phaethons also had a retractable roof, but it was almost never used.

Repair and service

The ZIS-110 representative cars were assembled manually and passed extensive tests, and then the state acceptance followed. Therefore, there were no technical defects, breakdowns, engine failures and other mechanisms. The operation of the machines was low-intensive, each VMS for a year passed no more than fifteen thousand kilometers. Once in two years cars were written off, but none of them fell into private hands - individual possession of a government limousine was not allowed.

The service was conducted regularly, on a technical map, in specialized Kremlin workshops. In case of need of repair the car went to the center of diagnostics, and then - in the department of profile restoration. Spares ZIS-110 "received" strictly according to the results of technical expertise, but there was never a defect in them.

Cost

The assembly of one car cost a round sum, ZIS-110 was considered one of the most expensive objects of the Soviet car industry. But since the machine was produced for the nomenklatura officials, there was never a conversation about the cost. Money was allocated in sufficient quantities and always on time.

Today, the ZIS-110 is a rare car, its value as a technical tool may not be high, but the history of the car creates truly sky-high prices. Any collection of old cars can be decorated with this model, released in the fifties of last century. ZIS-110, whose price varies from 185 thousand to half a million dollars, is an advantageous investment of capital. The cost of the car will never fall below today's limit, it can only rise. This is the conjuncture of the market of rare Soviet cars.

Modifications

During the production of the ZIS-110, six different modifications were produced:

• 110A - ambulance;
• 110B - the car with a body "phaeton";
• 110V - cabriolet with awning;
• 110P - all-wheel drive modification, experimental development;
• 110 SH - the car of management, staff;
• ZIS-115 - armored.