Star 25

Saturday 8 May 2021

Star 25 was a Polish medium-duty truck produced in 1960-1971 by Fabryka Samochodowych Star in Starachowice.

In 1956, a prototype of the Star 25 truck was presented, which was the result of many years of construction work carried out at the Automotive Industry Design Bureau in Warsaw, aimed at developing a successor to the Star 20 model produced since 1948. Compared to the standard N20 and N23 cabins, the new type was characterized by better acoustic and thermal insulation, more efficient heating and better visibility from the driver's seat. The vehicle was powered by a prototype S470 inline 6-cylinder gasoline engine with a capacity of 4196 cm³ and a maximum power of 69.8 kW (95 HP). The drive unit was locked with a 5-speed manual, unsynchronized gearbox. The load capacity of the prototype Star 25 was increased to 4,000 kg, thanks to the strengthening of the spring mounting and the use of two arm shock absorbers in the front suspension.

The lack of technical and financial possibilities, as well as the need to quickly replace the Star 20, led to the start of serial production of the Star 21 car in July 1957, in which only some of the modernized elements from the prototype developed in 1956 were used.

Serial production of Star 25 started in 1960. The vehicle body is mounted on a longitudinal welded frame made of pressed sheet metal. The chassis uses a rigid front axle suspended on semi-elliptical leaf springs and two hydraulic arm shock absorbers. At the rear, there is a drive axle suspended on semi-elliptical leaf springs, additionally supported by auxiliary leaf springs. A new pump with increased efficiency was used in the brake system. The drive of the Star 25 is powered by a Polish, 6-cylinder, inline S472 gasoline engine with a capacity of 4196 cm³ and a maximum power of 69.8 kW (95 HP). The drive unit was locked with a 5-speed manual, unsynchronized gearbox.

Star 25 was equipped with the N20 wagon cabin produced by the SHL plant in Kielce, or a simpler, cheaper and less comfortable N23 cabin, produced by FSC. These cabins have undergone minor changes involving the use of light indicators in place of the arm and central wiper motors. Due to financial and technical reasons, it was not decided to use the K26 type cabins constructed in 1956.

Along with the standard version of the Star 25 model, the production of the Star C25 truck tractor was started, adapted to work in a set with a single-axle box semi-trailer type D60 or a box semi-trailer type D40, which were produced by Zakłady Budowy Nadwozi Samochodowych in Kożuchów. The next production version was the Star W25 rear discharge car. The production of this model was carried out with the participation of ZNTK in Oława, which was the manufacturer of the unloading box and the hydraulic chute mechanism. The design of the C25 and W25 models was based on a shortened box chassis, in relation to which the wheelbase was reduced by 50 cm. In order to ensure the possibility of transporting large-size loads, the Star 25L model was introduced to the offer. This vehicle had an elongated frame, thanks to which the wheelbase was increased to 3850 mm. The extended undercarriage was also used in the Star A25P model, intended for firefighting bodies.

Technical data:
- engine: S6
- capacity: 4196 cc
- horsepower: 95 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 80 km/h