The ZIL-164 was a four-tonne truck built by ZiL from October 1957 as a modernised ZIS-150. Its updated ZIL-164A of 1961 carried parts of the future ZIL-130, and the family remained in Soviet fleets long after production ended in 1965.
ZIL-164 at a glance
| Maker | ZiL, Moscow |
|---|---|
| Production | October 1957–December 1964 |
| Modernised model | ZIL-164A from December 1961 |
| Class | 4 t 4×2 cargo truck |
| Engine | 5,560 cc inline-6, 90–100 hp |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual |
| Brakes | air-operated |
| Length | 6,700 mm |
| Weight | 4,100 kg (ZIL-164A) |
| Top speed | 70 km/h |
| Replaced by | ZIL-130 |
History of the ZIL-164
From the ZIS-150
The ZIL-164 was a modernisation of the ZIS-150, the main Soviet truck of the 1950s, which itself had replaced the ZIS-5 on the line in 1947. The 164 differed outwardly by vertical grille bars and a new bumper; the engine received light-alloy cylinder heads and a higher compression ratio, the braking system was revised to work with trailers, a preheater was added and the chassis and cab were changed. Production ran from October 1957 to December 1964. In December 1961 the ZIL-164A appeared as a transitional model, with the clutch, gearbox, propeller shafts, parking brake and dampers of the future ZIL-130.
Mechanics
The truck was a 4×2 with a 5,560 cc six-cylinder engine; the ZIL-164A produced 100 hp at 2,800 rpm and 33 kgm of torque at 1,100–1,400 rpm. The gearbox was a five-speed manual, the brakes were air-operated, and the rear axle had twin tyres on leaf springs. The ZIL-164A weighed 4,100 kg, had a gross weight of 8,250 kg and could carry four tonnes on asphalt and 3.5 tonnes on dirt, towing a trailer of up to 4,500 kg. It was 6,700 mm long on a 4,000 mm wheelbase, reached 70 km/h and used 27 litres of fuel per 100 km at 40 km/h. There was no power steering. The 164 and 164A are easy to tell apart by the louvres on the bonnet sides.
The 164A and its versions
The ZIL-164A was accepted after trials in 1960 and entered the line in October 1961. It was built until 1965. A long list of versions existed: the ZIL-164R for trailer work, the ZIL-164D with shielded electrics, the ZIL-164G dump chassis, the ZIL-MMZ-164N tractor unit, and the MMZ-585I and 585K dump trucks. The 164A family included the 164AR with a 109 hp engine, the 164AD, 164AG, MMZ-164AN, MMZ-585L and MMZ-585M, plus the ZIL-166 and 166A gas-powered trucks.
Working life
The ZIL-164 and 164A were the workhorses of almost every Soviet vehicle fleet. Specialised plants built vans, tankers, fire engines and cranes on the chassis, and some depots made their own machines, including the first cassette cement tanker in the USSR. The first Soviet series-produced tanker for liquefied gas, the ATsZhNG-4-164A, was mounted on the 164A chassis. In the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany many trucks received German-built bodies. The trucks worked until the late 1970s and some into the early 1990s, helped by their simplicity and by their shared parts with the long-lived ZIL-157. The ZIL-130 replaced the family from 1964.
Design and features
- Modernised ZIS-150: a revised engine, new grille and bumper and a stronger chassis.
- Transitional 164A: clutch, gearbox and brakes taken from the future ZIL-130.
- Air brakes: a system that could also operate a trailer’s brakes.
- Fleet workhorse: basis for vans, tankers, fire engines, cranes and dump trucks across the USSR.
ZIL-164 versions
- ZIL-164 (1957–1961): the basic cargo truck.
- ZIL-164A (1961–1965): modernised truck with ZIL-130 components.
- ZIL-164R: version for working with a trailer.
- ZIL-164D: shielded electrical equipment.
- ZIL-164G: chassis for dump trucks.
- ZIL-MMZ-164N: tractor unit.
The ZIL-164 was a development of the ZIS-150 and was replaced by the ZIL-130; its mechanicals were shared with the ZIL-157. More trucks are in the ZiL collection.
Sources
- ZIS-150, English Wikipedia: ZIS-150 history and mechanics, ZIL-164 as successor
- ЗИЛ-164, Russian Wikipedia: production dates, modifications, technical data
