The GAZ-62 was a small cab-over 4×4 army truck built by the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) in the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1962. It was designed for rough roads and for the airborne forces, carried about one tonne of cargo or a dozen people, and never left the pilot-batch stage: the plant chose the larger GAZ-66 instead. Here are the specifications, the story of the three different vehicles that carried the GAZ-62 name, and what made this compact truck unusual.
GAZ-62 at a glance
| Manufacturer | GAZ, Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), USSR |
|---|---|
| Production years | 1959–1962 |
| Units built | 69 according to Russian Wikipedia (40 in 1959, 21 in 1960, 5 in 1961, 3 in 1962); another source says “about fifty” |
| Layout | Cab-over (forward control), 4×4, front axle can be disengaged |
| Engine | GAZ-51F, a more economical version of the GAZ-11: 3.48 L inline-six, petrol (A-66), carburettor |
| Power and torque | 85 hp at 3,000 rpm and 215 N·m (some sources round the power to 80 hp) |
| Gearbox | 4-speed manual, floor-mounted lever, transfer case with a reduction gear |
| Wheelbase | 2,700 mm |
| Length / width / height | about 4,850–4,870 mm / 2,100 mm / 2,250 mm (cab and canvas top, unloaded) |
| Ground clearance | 285 mm |
| Curb weight | 2,570 kg |
| Payload | 1,000–1,100 kg (sources differ); maximum trailer mass 1,200 kg |
| Top speed | 80 km/h at full load |
| Fuel | 105 L tank; about 16 L/100 km in tests |
Figures are taken from the sources listed at the bottom of the page. Where they disagree slightly, the table shows a range.
History: three vehicles with one name
The index “GAZ-62” was used for three different experimental vehicles, which is a common source of confusion.
- First GAZ-62 (early 1940s): a 4×4 truck based on the GAZ-MM. It passed tests in spring 1941, and the project was shelved when the war began.
- Second GAZ-62 (early 1950s): a bonnet-type light 4×4 truck seen as a Soviet answer to the Dodge “three-quarter”, shown at VDNKh in 1958. A 3D reconstruction of a 1953 GAZ-62 prototype of this type is pictured below.
- Third GAZ-62 (1959–1962): the compact cab-over truck described on this page. It was first planned with a bonnet; in 1958 the plant decided to build it as a cab-over.
Why it stayed a small series
The cab-over GAZ-62 was recommended for production, but it needed work on the engine and transmission, and Marshal Chuikov, commander of the Soviet ground forces, reportedly favoured the two-tonne GAZ-66 instead. The GAZ-66 then reused the cab of the GAZ-62 with minimal changes. The pressings made for the bonnet-type cab were handed to the Ural plant and used for the UralZIS-355M cab.
Design and features
Cab-over layout
Placing the driver above the engine let the designers keep the truck very short: only about 4.85 m long on a 2.7 m wheelbase. For comparison, the GAZ-66 is about 5.65 m long. The cab and the cargo area both carried canvas tops. During testing the closest foreign counterpart was the German Unimog.
Drivetrain
- 3.48 L inline-six petrol engine, derived from the GAZ-11 family
- Four-speed manual gearbox and a transfer case with a reduction gear
- Front axle that can be disengaged
- Telescopic shock absorbers and cam-type inter-wheel differentials on the cab-over version
Off-road and military use
- Carries 12 people or about 1.1 tonnes of cargo in difficult conditions
- Fording depth of 80 cm and a climbing ability of 32°
- Range of about 650 km on a 105 L tank
- Described as a vehicle for the airborne forces; claims about helicopter carriage and parachute drops are repeated in the literature, although at least one reference treats them with caution
Variants
- GAZ-62: the basic model
- GAZ-62A: the same truck with a winch mounted behind the front bumper
GAZ-62 compared with the GAZ-66
| GAZ-62 | GAZ-66 | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Cab-over, 4×4 | Cab-over, 4×4 |
| Length | about 4.87 m | about 5.65 m |
| Payload | about 1.1 t | about 2 t |
| Outcome | Pilot batch, 1959–1962 | Chosen by the plant instead |
More Soviet trucks and cars from the same plant are in our GAZ collection, including the GAZ 66, GAZ 63, GAZ 51, GAZ 67 and GAZ 69.
GAZ-62 questions and answers
When was the GAZ-62 built?
The cab-over GAZ-62 was built in 1959–1962. Earlier experimental vehicles with the same index appeared in the early 1940s and early 1950s.
How many GAZ-62 trucks were made?
Russian Wikipedia gives 69 units (40, 21, 5 and 3 in successive years). Another source speaks of about fifty, so treat the exact number as approximate.
What engine did the GAZ-62 have?
A 3.48 L inline-six petrol engine called GAZ-51F, a more economical version of the GAZ-11, rated at about 85 hp (some sources say 80 hp).
Was the GAZ-62 a mass-production vehicle?
No. It was built as a small series, and the larger GAZ-66 was chosen for mass production instead.
Is the GAZ-62 the same as the GAZ-69?
No. The GAZ-69 is a separate vehicle. The GAZ-62 name was used for several different experimental trucks, which is why photos from different years look nothing alike.
Video: GAZ-62 4×4, 1959
Video by kauchookie on YouTube.
Sources
- ГАЗ-62, Russian Wikipedia: specifications, production figures, variants
- Auto.ru Magazine: the story of the three GAZ-62 vehicles
- Za Rulem: the story of the GAZ-66 and its GAZ-62 cab
