The GAZ-51 was a Soviet 2.5-tonne light truck built by the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) from 1946, and it was the most common GAZ truck of the 1950s and 1960s. Its all-wheel-drive version was the GAZ-63. Over 3.4 million units of all modifications were built. This page covers the key figures, the history, the variants and the questions people ask most often.
GAZ-51 at a glance
| Manufacturer | Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) |
|---|---|
| Production years | From 1946; modernised GAZ-51A built until 1975 |
| Payload | 2.5 tonnes |
| Drive | 4×2 (the all-wheel-drive GAZ-63 is a separate model) |
| Units built | 3,481,033 (all modifications, per Russian Wikipedia) |
Russian and English sources agree on the payload and the production period. The total count comes from Russian Wikipedia only.
History
The first GAZ-51 prototypes were built before the Second World War, and series production started in 1946. The earlier GAZ-AA had become outdated even by Soviet standards, and development of the GAZ-51 began in the mid-1930s. In 1955 the modernised GAZ-51A replaced the early model and was built until 1975.
The GAZ-51 was produced under licence abroad as well. In Poland it was built at FSC in Lublin as the Lublin-51.
Design and features
- A 2.5-tonne light truck; its design work began in the mid-1930s, when the earlier GAZ-AA was already considered outdated.
- The GAZ-93 tipper was built on the GAZ-51 chassis.
Variants
- GAZ-51A (1955–1975): modernised version that replaced the original GAZ-51.
- GAZ-63: all-wheel-drive version, built after the Second World War alongside the GAZ-51.
- GAZ-93: tipper body on the GAZ-51 chassis.
See also: the GAZ collection, the GAZ 63 and the GAZ 66.
GAZ-51 questions and answers
When was the GAZ-51 made?
From 1946. The modernised GAZ-51A was built from 1955 to 1975.
How much could a GAZ-51 carry?
2.5 tonnes.
What is the difference between the GAZ-51 and the GAZ-63?
The GAZ-51 is a 4×2 truck, while the GAZ-63 has all-wheel drive.
Video: GAZ-51 truck
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- GAZ-51, English Wikipedia: history, design, GAZ-63 and GAZ-93
- ГАЗ-51, Russian Wikipedia: payload, production years, total units built
- GAZ-51 at the Riga Motor Museum, Wikimedia Commons: photo and licence
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