ZAZ Zaporozhets (2nd gen) 966/968/968M 1966-1994

[Naxho]

968 & 968 m

[El_diablO]

this was our first car back in Baku, Azerbaijan nearly 15 years ago... engine was in the back, and used to heat up all the time when we went up hill... me and my brother used to push it all the time b/c it broke down almost everyday... we still have it on our garage...

[Man of Steel]

Zaz 968M Zaporozhets #6

[Man of Steel]

ZAZ Zaporozhets (Ukrainian: Запоро́жець) was a series of rear-wheel-drive superminis (city cars in their first generation) designed and built from 1958 at the ZAZ factory in Soviet Ukraine. Different models of the Zaporozhets, all of which had an air-cooled engine in the rear, were produced until 1994. Since the late 1980s, the final series, ZAZ-968M, was replaced by the cardinally different ZAZ-1102 Tavria hatchback, which featured a front-wheel drive and a more powerful water-cooled engine.

The name Zaporozhets translates into a Cossack of the Zaporizhian Sich or а man from Zaporizhzhia or the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Zaporozhets is still well known in many former Soviet states. Like the Volkswagen Beetle or East Germany's Trabant, the Zaporozhets was destined to become a "people's car" of the Soviet Union, and as such it was the most affordable vehicle of its era. At the same time, it was rather sturdy and known for its excellent performance on poor roads. Another important advantage of the Zaporozhets was its ease of repair. The car's appearance gave birth to several nicknames that became well known across the Soviet Union: horbatyi ("hunchback", owing to ZAZ-965's insect-like form; although ZAZ factory workers never used this nickname), malysh (English: Kiddy), ushastyi ("big-eared", due to ZAZ-966 and ZAZ-968's round air intakes on each side of the car to cool the rear-mounted engine), zapor ("constipation"), mylnitsa ("soap-box", for ZAZ-968M, lacking "ears" and producing a more box-like appearance).

Numerous special versions of the Zaporozhets were produced, equipped with additional sets of controls that allowed operating the car with a limited set of limbs, and were given for free or with considerable discounts to disabled people, especially war veterans - similar to SMZ-series microcars. These mobility cars would at times take up to 25% of ZAZ factory output.

Second generation (1966-1994)
ZAZ-966
The second generation of the Zaporozhets was a series of subcompact cars, production starting of the ZAZ-966 in November 1966, although the prototype was first demonstrated in 1961. It had a completely restyled bodywork (done entirely by ZAZ), no longer resembling the Fiat 600 and arguably similar to the Chevrolet Corvair, Hillman Imp or the NSU Prinz. This was an effort to cure some of the ZAZ-965's issues, such as torsion bars that lost tension, suicide doors, and engine overheating and noise. The engine was the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) 887 cc (54.1 cu in) MeMZ-966A. A radio was standard equipment. The price had inched up, too, from 1,800 roubles at the ZAZ-965's debut to 2,200 by 1969.

While featuring a larger two-door notchback saloon body, it still featured an air-cooled V4 engine and featured more prominent air intakes – the so-called "ears", although a decorative chrome grille was also present. The car's rear suspension was also replaced. The ZAZ-966 started out as the simpler ZAZ-966V (ЗАЗ-966В in Cyrillic) with the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) engine from the ZAZ-965A, which was also featured on all later models. Much like the ZAZ-965A, the ZAZ-966V was also produced in several special variants for the disabled (VR, VB, VB2 - until January 1973). It was produced in tandem with the ZAZ-965 from November 1966 to May 1969.

ZAZ launched an upgraded ZAZ-966B in 1968, powered by a new 40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS) 1,197 cc (73.0 cu in) MeMZ-968 V4, while the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) ZAZ-966A-powered model became the ZAZ-966-1 which was only ever produced in small numbers.[12] The ZAZ-966B, weighing in at 780 kg (1,720 lb), was heavier than the earlier model, but faster, reaching 75 mph (121 km/h).

The ZAZ-966 was discontinued in 1972, with the introduction of the ZAZ-968.

ZAZ-968
The ZAZ-968 and its modifications were produced from 1971 to 1980. It featured the same 40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS) 1,197 cc (73.0 cu in) MeMZ-968 V4 as the ZAZ-966, but the exterior design was slightly modernized. The most obvious alteration was replacing the fake chrome grille in the car's front with a horizontal chrome decoration. Among other changes was a less austere dashboard and better front brakes. The ZAZ-968 was discontinued in 1978,[1] having been produced simultaneously with the newer 968A since 1973, which was produced until 1980. It introduced new safety measures, including a new steering wheel and a plastic dashboard instead of the earlier metal one. The ZAZ-968A also had its variants for the disabled (the ZAZ-968R, B, B2, AB, and AB2) with the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) 887 cc (54.1 cu in) engine.

Toward the end of 1974, the up-market ZAZ-968A debuted, surviving until 1979. Among its improvements was a padded dash, energy-absorbing (collapsing) steering column, and seats from the VAZ-2101. The export ZAZ-968E (destined mostly for the Eastern Bloc) had headlights modified to meet international standards, a safety glass windscreen, and an anti-theft steering lock.

Nicknamed "Zapo" in the Eastern Bloc, the ZAZ-966 was also popular in Western Europe, including some Scandinavian countries and France. Some markets swapped the original engine for a 956 cc (58.3 cu in) Renault unit.

ZAZ-968M
n 1979, the ZAZ-968 series was replaced by the modernized ZAZ-968M. Prototyped in 1977, it had the "ears" removed and replaced much of the chrome exterior with black plastic. Its interior design was also upgraded, featuring a closed-space glove compartment and a slightly more modern dashboard. It was offered with either the MeMZ-968E (40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS), carbureted, low-compression for 76-octane fuel); ZAZ-968GE (40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS), dual carburettor); or the MeMZ-968BE (50 hp (37 kW; 51 PS), 8.4:1 compression, for 93-octane). Instead of the side-mounted "ears", the hood lid and rear quarter panels were louvered.

The ZAZ-968M was the last Zaporozhets model and also spent the most time in production, spanning a career from 1979 to 1 June 1994. Some of its special variants include the ZAZ-968MB2, for drivers who had only one foot, the ZAZ-968MB for drivers who had no feet.

Planned ZAZ-968s with 1,300 cc (79 cu in) or 1,400 cc (85 cu in) engines were never realized.

Export versions
Among the export variants produced by ZAZ were ZAZ-965E, ZAZ-965AE, ZAZ-966E, ZAZ-968E, and ZAZ-968AE, which had improved features compared to vehicles made for the home market. Depending on target markets, commercial names Jalta or Eliette were used for these models.

In total, 3,422,444 Zaporozhets vehicles were manufactured and powered by air-cooled engines from the Melitopol factory from 1960 to 1994.

Source: Wikipedia

[Man of Steel]

ZAZ Zaporozhets #8