The GAZ-52 is a Soviet medium-duty 2.5-tonne truck built by the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) from 1962 to 1989. It was nearly identical to the GAZ-53 and was produced alongside it. This page covers the key facts, the history, the variants and the questions people ask most often.
GAZ-52 at a glance
| Manufacturer | Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) |
|---|---|
| Class | Medium-duty cargo truck |
| Payload | 2.5 tonnes |
| Production years | 1962–1989 |
| Sibling model | GAZ-53, almost identical |
The GAZ-52 and GAZ-53 are distinguished by their lighting, wheel rims and payload. The GAZ-53 carried 3.5 to 4 tonnes, the GAZ-52 2.5 tonnes.
History
The GAZ-52 and GAZ-53 range was designed in the 1950s. The first GAZ-52 prototype was built in 1956 as a modernised GAZ-51 with a new front end on the same chassis and engine. In 1958 a new cab, inspired by contemporary American trucks, was developed.
The Russian source notes that a hybrid model was developed in 1962–1963 with the engine of the most mass-produced Soviet truck. The GAZ-52 went into production in 1962 and was built until 1989, alongside the GAZ-53.
Design and features
- A 2.5-tonne cargo truck, which keeps the payload of the earlier GAZ-51.
- A new cab from 1958, inspired by contemporary American trucks.
- Lighting, wheel rims and payload differ from the GAZ-53, which is how the two are told apart.
Variants
- GAZ-52: the 2.5-tonne truck described here, 1962–1989.
- GAZ-53: the near-identical truck with a higher payload.
- GAZ-52F: the series of 300 trucks built from 1958 to 1959 in the earlier range.
See also: the GAZ 53, the GAZ 53-12, the GAZ 51 and the GAZ collection.
GAZ-52 questions and answers
When was the GAZ-52 built?
From 1962 to 1989.
How much could the GAZ-52 carry?
2.5 tonnes.
How is the GAZ-52 different from the GAZ-53?
Mainly by its lighting, wheel rims and payload.
Video: GAZ-52
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- ГАЗ-52, Russian Wikipedia: 2.5-tonne payload, 1962–1989, hybrid model 1962–1963
- GAZ-53, English Wikipedia: design history of the GAZ-52 and GAZ-53, differences between them
- Old Soviet GAZ-52/53 family truck, Wikimedia Commons: photo and licence
