GAZ 3110 Volga

Friday 8 April 2011
By the start of the 1990s, GAZ was in a crises state, with the exception of the -3102, its models were more than a decade old and funds that it hoped to acquire for its future developments such as the -3105 never arrived. GAZ-31029 became a cross-breed of the GAZ-3102 and GAZ-24-10, production of which ceased in 1992. The new model had a more aerodynamic front bodywork. The model was also the first in the series to introduce injector engine ZMZ-4062.10 with four valves per cylinder, although carburetor engines were also available. Also unlike the 3102, the 31029 featured a station wagon. The latter, unlike the sedan, still retained most of the rear styling of the -24 series.
Initially the car enjoyed popularity, given the archaic age of the GAZ-24-10 it replaced, but the economic hardships of the 1990s meant that soon its reputation would be broken by the poor quality of assembly and corrosion problems, and the older 3102, still produced on the special conveyor was soon given preference after it was made available to the public following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite this and its short production run, GAZ set a record of more than 115 thousand per annum with the 31029.
GAZ never intended the 31029 to be a permanent model, but with no replacement available, the company opted to continuously modernise the existing vehicle. In 1996, the GAZ-3110 arrived, in the new model, GAZ tried to upgrade the car to a new standard inline with the 1990s trends. Externally all except the door panels were re-styled and replaced. The car received new front and rear designs which saw the return of chrome finishes. Power-assisted steering became standard, along with new 15-inch wheels and Lucas brakes.
A major new feature of the 3110 was that in addition to the standard engine selection of the 31029, was the introduction of two diesel engines ZMZ-560 and ZMZ-561. Moreover beginning in 2001, following the upgrade at GAZ factory itself, the -3110 now received modern acrylic paintwork, which drastically reduced the corrosion problems that plagued the Volgas.
In 2003 the -3110 received ball-joint front suspension, also Steyr turbo diesel engines became available. The estate version of the 3110, the Volga 310221, along with the 310223 ambulance, remains in production as of 2008 along with the GAZ-3102 on its separate conveyor line.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2300 cc
- horsepower: 95 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 175 km/h

KIM 10-51

Thursday 31 March 2011
AZLK (АЗЛК - Автомобильный завод имени Ленинского Комсомола in Russian) was a Russian automobile factory (Moscow), the maker of the Moskvitch brand.
Founded in 1929 as KIM, or Communist Youth International, the plant became MZMA (Moscow Small Car Factory) in 1939, before finally changing its name to the more familiar Avtomobilny Zavod imeni Leninskogo Komsomola (AZLK), literally "Lenin Communist Youth League Automobile Factory" in 1969.
Beginning in 1939, the factory's passenger cars were sold under the Moskvitch ("Muscovite") brand. The plant was originally under the authority of Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (GAZ – Gorky Automobile Factory) founded at about the same time, but by 1939 it was operationally independent.
AZLK's role under the Soviet system was the production of small cars, which could be classified as anywhere from compact to mid-size. AvtoVAZ and IZh were also charged with producing vehicles in the same category as AZLK, while GAZ handled the large car and full-size segment.
Following privatization in 1991, AZLK adopted Moskvitch as its corporate name, as it had already been used on all of the company's cars dating to 1939.
The construction of the plant called Moscow Car Assembly Factory (Russian: Московский автосборочный завод) began in 1929. In 1930 the production of Ford A and Ford AA from parts that were provided by Ford Motor Company began. In December 1930 the plant was named KIM (Zavod imeni Kommunsticheskogo Internatsionala Molodezhy, Russian: КИМ (Завод имени Коммунистического Интернационала Молодежи) - Communist Youth International, literally "Factory named after Communist Youth International"), from 1930 to 1939 its official name was Moscow Car Assembly Factory named after KIM (Московский автосборочный завод имени КИМ) and then from 1939 until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War it was called Moscow Car Factory named after KIM (Московский автомобильный завод имени КИМ). In 1933 the production of Ford A and Ford AA ceased. On August 1, 1933, the factory became a subsidiary of GAZ and produced GAZ AA using parts from GAZ. In 1939 KIM was no longer the subsidiary of GAZ. In 1940 KIM started to produce their first own model, the KIM 10-50 (two-door saloon) based on the Ford Prefect. There was also a convertible named KIM 10-51. Around 500 cars both KIM 10-50 and KIM 10-51 were made before until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. In the early 1941 approximately 2 prototypes of KIM 10-52 were built. It was a four-door saloon which was the major difference between KIM 10-52 and KIM 10-50. There were plans for mass production of this car but they were interrupted by the beginning of the war.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1172 cc
- horsepower: 30 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 90 km/h