The MAZ-503 was a heavy Soviet dump truck of the Minsk Automobile Plant, developed on the base of the MAZ-500 lorry. Its quarry-type body with low sloped sides was made for carrying soil and rock, and the modernised MAZ-503A stayed in production until 1977.
MAZ-503 at a glance
| Maker | Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), Belarus |
|---|---|
| Production | 1965–1970 |
| Modernised version | MAZ-503A, 1970–1977 |
| Based on | MAZ-500 lorry |
| First prototype | 1958 |
| Pilot assembly | 1963 |
| Body | quarry type with low, sloping sides |
| Purpose | hauling soil and rock |
| Alternative body | MAZ-503B with high straight sides and an opening tailgate |
| Unbuilt versions | MAZ-503S northern, MAZ-509B 4×4, MAZ-510 single-seat cab |
The MAZ-503 is covered only by the Russian Wikipedia article; this page is based on one source.
History of the MAZ-503
Seven years from prototype to the line
The MAZ-503 was developed on the base of the MAZ-500 lorry. Its first prototype was built in 1958, after which the tipper went through long trials. Pilot assembly began in 1963, and series production ran from 1965 to 1970. The body was of the quarry type, with low sloping sides, for carrying soil and broken rock.
The MAZ-503A and MAZ-503B
From 1970 to 1977 the plant built the modernised MAZ-503A, which received the body already used on the MAZ-503B. The MAZ-503B itself had high, straight sides and an opening tailgate, a shape suited to other kinds of load.
Prototypes that stayed prototypes
Several versions of the MAZ-503 never reached the line. The MAZ-503V was an experimental MAZ-503 with the floor of the body heated by exhaust gases, and the MAZ-503G was the same idea applied to the MAZ-503B. The MAZ-503S was a northern version. The MAZ-509B was an all-wheel-drive version that stayed experimental, the MAZ-510 was a tipper with a single-seat cab built in 1962, and the MAZ-511 with an 847 trailer was a side-discharge tipper train, also left at the prototype stage.
Design and features
- Quarry body: low sloping sides made for soil and broken rock.
- MAZ-500 base: the cab-over lorry gave the tipper its layout and running gear.
- Long development: the first prototype of 1958 reached the line only in 1965.
- Heated-floor experiments: two prototype versions warmed the body floor with exhaust gases.
MAZ-503 versions
- MAZ-503 (1965–1970): the standard quarry tipper.
- MAZ-503A (1970–1977): modernised version with the MAZ-503B body.
- MAZ-503B: high straight sides and an opening tailgate.
- MAZ-503S: northern version, not produced.
- MAZ-510 (1962): prototype tipper with a single-seat cab.
- MAZ-511 with an 847 trailer: prototype side-discharge tipper train.
The MAZ-503 was the tipper of the MAZ-500 family, and its line was continued by the later MAZ-5549 and MAZ-5551. More are in the MAZ collection.
Sources
- MAZ-503, Russian Wikipedia: production years, body, versions and prototypes
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