History Lesson: GAZ 13B (ГАЗ-13Б Чайка)

Hi!
As I promise in last post, today I'll show you photoshoot of my conversion of GAZ 13 to GAZ 13B :)

Make: GAZ

Model: 13 "Chaika"
Model maker: IST Models for DeAgostini's Poland "Kultowe Auta PRLu" Scale: 1:43 diecast
List of mods:
-cutted roof
-material roof placed behind rear seats
-painted interior
-painted additions on exterior
-new USSR registration plates

GAZ 13B was a short series of convertibles, in production from 1961 to 1962. Production reach 20.




Engine was the same as in normal car, 5.5 V8, pulling out 195HP. Car was capable to reach 159km/h.


Gearbox has special gear, called "D". Unlike today it didn't mean "Drive" but "Defilade".


Car drives really slow and dignitaries can cheer citizens. In open version of car it was the most used gear :)


Joseph Stalin. He never drives Chaika, because of his death in 1953, but if he live longer, he'll probably do.


Władysław Gomułka-he was I Secratary in PRL. He drives Chaika really often.





Interior was super-luxury, because car wasn't in regular sale, only politicians can get it.


Car was equipped with lot of chrome parts, like american cars from 50.


You can see two little chairs-they were always closed, but sometimes they can take two passengers.


Two passengers on front, two on small chairs and three on rear-Chaika was capable to carry 7 people


Dashboard was very luxury, with lot of real wood extensions.


As scale car pictures 13B version, you can see folded material roof behind rear seats.


Car comes to production in 1959.


...and stays to 1981.


I add black paint to front grille and 1977 state-owned-registration-plates


Red centercaps probably never gets its way to Chaika, but lot of russian limousines had this addition.


Rear exhaust tips was covered with bumper.


Car in it's full glory. In Poland they use it also after PRL ends. In 1991 car opens parade and was used as papamobile. Car, started in decade of Stalin's-one of most cruel people in the world-death, thirty years later carries Polish catholic pope, Jan Pawel II. What an irony!
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See you soon ;)
Brociu
! :)