FAP 1314: the truck that became FAP’s signature model

The FAP 1314 was a two-axle off-road lorry produced by Fabrika automobila Priboj from 1962 until 2003, the year the last example of the 1414 line was built. It became the best-known and most numerous model of the factory, valued for its endurance and its ability to work far from paved roads.

FAP 1314 at a glance

The 1314 has no English Wikipedia article; this page is based on the Serbian article on the model, with company history from the English article on FAP.

History of the FAP 1314

From Saurer to the FAP 13

FAP began building trucks in 1953 under a licence from the Swiss manufacturer Saurer, and its first models, the 4G and 6G, took their names from their gross weights of four and six tonnes. The 1314 was developed from those Saurer-based vehicles as a two-axle off-road lorry for carrying freight and towing trailers. Serial production started in 1962 under the simple designation FAP 13, a name that combined the 13-tonne gross weight with the 130 hp of its six-cylinder FAMOS diesel.

The four-digit name

At the beginning of FAP’s cooperation with Mercedes-Benz the truck designations became four-digit, and the model was catalogued as the FAP 1313. That name was soon displaced by the improved FAP 1314, which used a stronger FF engine from FAMOS instead of the earlier F engine. In the four-digit scheme the first pair of digits stood for the gross weight in tonnes and the second pair for the engine output in tens of horsepower; the 1313, for example, took its number from the 130 hp engine.

More than forty years of service

Serial production of the 1314 lasted until 1995, while the related 1414 was built in small numbers until 2003. Over more than forty years the lorry became the trademark of the factory, known for its durability, its cross-country ability and its low rate of breakdowns. Even decades after production ended it remained a familiar sight on the forest roads of the former Yugoslavia.

Bodies and the Alerad

The basic models were the tipper and the cargo truck, but the chassis was also fitted with a wide range of bodies: fire engines, municipal and forestry vehicles, tankers for fuel and water, livestock carriers and specialised cranes. A four-wheel-drive version was sold under the name Alerad, from the English “All Roads”, and it was widely used by the Yugoslav People’s Army. The army also took the 1314 as a fuel or water tanker, a fire engine, a mobile workshop and an auto-lift.

Design and features

• Saurer-derived chassis: a simple, strong two-axle layout developed from the licensed Saurer 4G and 6G trucks.
• FAMOS diesel: a water-cooled six-cylinder engine of 130 or 145 hp, the stronger FF unit arriving with the 1314.
• Many bodies: the chassis could carry cargo beds, tippers, tankers, cranes, fire equipment and workshops.
• Alerad 4×4: a four-wheel-drive version for the army and for work off the road.
• Long life: production ran from 1962 into the 1990s, and the related 1414 was built until 2003.

FAP 1314 versions

• FAP 13: the original 1962 designation, a 13-tonne truck with a 130 hp FAMOS engine.
• FAP 1313: the first four-digit catalogue name, soon replaced by the improved model.
• FAP 1314: the main production version with the stronger FF FAMOS engine.
• FAP 1414: the final development, of which the last example was built in 2003.
• Alerad 4×4: the four-wheel-drive version used by the Yugoslav People’s Army and civilian operators.

The 1314 was the best-known model of FAP before the Mercedes-based FAP 2026 and the FAP 2220 took over the heavier classes.

Video: Vlaca Sumaher muci FAP-a

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• ФАП 1314, Serbian Wikipedia: production dates, Saurer basis, FAMOS engines, Alerad, variants
• Fabrika automobila Priboj, English Wikipedia: Saurer licence, Mercedes-Benz cooperation, factory history