"The king of the road"

On the work with the great Russian avtokonstruktor V. A. Grachev says automotive journalist and historian Vyacheslav Mamedov.

For the first time about great Russian avtokonstruktor, the Creator of the national school of design of wheeled Rovers, I learned to the walls Bauman. N. Uh. Bauman of the mouth of Professor V. S. tsybina, which hours, once a week ran a workshop for those who wanted to know about cars more than given lectures. Members of the group studied at the Department, "Wheeled vehicle", had the second form of secrecy, and therefore they are entrusted with information about classified General designer of Special design Bureau (SKB) of ZIL and some of its developments.

ZIL-135LM (8 × 8) of the sample in 1963. Issued more than 5,000 units.

Here then it became clear who is the author of concerning is very unusual for the time eight-wheel all-terrain vehicles ZIL-135 LM with two median average bridges and the legendary three-axis snowmobile ZIL-Э167, pictures of which are in the mid 60-ies was in printing.

ZIL-Э167 (6x6) supervised the sample 1962 year the distinctive emblem of the "running elk", the former only at this unique car, remaining in the only instance, although the need for her Northern and Eastern parts of the great country was huge.

No doubt, each we would distribution to get it in its RCS, but applications young professionals in 1973, the plant is not given. The passion for the fourth year hydropneumatic suspensions, course and diploma projects on the subject (I chose this site for the proposed at diploma 4-wheel floating vehicle) in the result was the reasons that I was assigned to the Mytishchi engineering works (MMZ), where a special unit just start designing a tracked chassis with hydropneumatic suspension, the same I made her cum. In principle, all I was satisfied, for the only road in the MMZ took more than two hours.

To try to drag me on ZIL SKB Grachev took a friend of mine who completed an internship with KB is the suspension, but it was aimed at work in another place. In one day he said that waiting for me along with a copy of the graduation project head this KB S. G. vol. The showing of the drawings and a long interview ended with a great for my result: ZIL took the translation me in MMZ SKB! I just had to come in Ministry and sign the necessary papers. As I said, I S. G. Volsky, the decision was made by V. A. Grachev.

So, in the spring of 1973 the year I got into an amazing team, created a wonderful Chief designer, where he worked by the best specialists in their field, and worked! In the first days of acquaintance with new my tasks approached my drawing Board, a trade Union activist was taken aback by the question, "Refrigerator "ZIL" is needed? And we can bring in, speak to the house." And chief of Bureau suddenly asked sternly: "How many days per week you can work overtime, say to 19 or 21 hours?" About to completely abandon overtime, of course, not be a conversation, could. Agreed to 2 and then 3 long days, up to 21 hours.

Refrigerator "ZIL" model 1973 years, famous for their reliability and durability

Started the stressful days. I learned that a similar pace of life in SKB – almost the norm, otherwise it was impossible almost every year (!) to create a new model off-road truck. For his long life (1903 – 1978) V. A. Grachev has developed 88 models. And then we have worked on multipurpose chassis ZIL-132Р with reversepolarity the positions of the three major bridges, and a year model truck ZIL-132A with side platform went on the test.

ZIL-132A sample 1969

V. A. Grachev then surprised me a lot. During the discussions of the technical issues he was very corrosive, and his highest qualification allowed anyone, even the venerable designer, make comments and give suggestions, which are always taken because they are appropriate.

GAZ-61-40 sample 1940 years (driving V. A. Grachev, next to the machine A. A. Lipgart)

Many years later I learned that the freelance designer Vitaly Andreevich began to work in youth the early 30-ies on the plant. Egorova in his native Tomsk of post-secondary educational institutions, and then SKB created "under it" at the decision of the Marshal G. K. Zhukov, was the years of work in Gaza, where he created the famous all-terrain vehicles GAZ-64, GAZ-61, GAZ-67, three-axle vehicle with the wheel formula 6x4 GAZ-AAA, self-propelled gun with drive 4 wheel armored car BA-64.

BA-64B model 1942

GAZ-67B 1944 sample years (see photo 1949 version year drop the false radiator grille) – the famous "Ivan-Villis"– our response of lend-lease jeep Willys MB

But is not all. If not transfer modern, built from scratch in the late 40-ies of the rocket industry of the Dnipropetrovsk automobile factory, Grachev would have had much more to do on Ukraine, because he was the Chief designer of this great enterprise, today known worldwide as "Pivdenmash". But and what he did there in 1944 – 1951 years, is striking: developed family of 4-ton trucks DAZ-150, the first domestic forklift with a hydraulic RAM, a large floating car(BAS) DAZ-485, adopted on armed with first USSR pneumatic drive of brakes and bus centralized control air pressure.

 

DAZ-150 "Ukrainian" produced in 1951

For the creation of the BA-64 and BAS V. A. Grachev were awarded two Stalin prizes in 1942 and in 1951, but the work Grachev was carried out in SKB on Zile. And to create the 1954, SKB, he took a most active part in the transfer of proceedings BAS on another company, the development of a triaxial all-wheel drive vehicles on the basis of the truck ZIS-150, but also intercity bus ZIS-127. I should say that the V. A. Grachev were not only an outstanding designer, but and the most experienced test pilot, who has always, as far as health permitted, tried to check the equipment himself.

 

Amphibian ZIS-485 (BAV) of the sample in 1950 years released up to 1962.

Special atmosphere in SKB was due to the extraordinary personality of the Main, differing sensitivity to colleagues, intelligence, kindness, and easy communication. Apparently, a lot came from family home. V. A. Grachev was born in the family of a businessman, his mother was a country doctor. That is non-proletarian origin is not allowed talented young man (even built a glider of his own design) to finish the Tomsk Polytechnic Institute. To the mobilization for construction of the auto giant in Nizhny Novgorod, he has worked as a loader, projectionist, to serve in the army as a mechanic, to work on engineering positions. And as he played on the piano!

Vitaly A. Grachev on the background of his most legendary prototype all-terrain vehicle ZIL-Э167

V. A. Grachev encouraged the designers who took part in testing of vehicles. Used in fully that and can I. With his consent after a solid amount of design work I went with a team of testers in the summer on Ukraine, and in the winter in the Komi Republic, in the town of Ukhta, a traditional place, where SKB had their ATVs on cross 1-2-metre-high snow.

A more recent version of ZIL-49065 "Blue bird" near the layout of the lander "the East"
(Museum of cars ZIL)

Each month V. A. Grachev were having a planning meeting with team CSC, at which summarized the work done and outlined a plan to the future. In inclement weather it was carried out in the great hall, in the summer – on the air. Main performed, usually standing on one large green boxes, which during the war the plant received components according to lend-lease to build American trucks. You should have seen with what attention the audience listened to the Chief! Then V. A. Grachev has noted those who are doing a great job and criticized those who did not true; true there was not enough. The authority of V. A. Grachev were on a great height.

It is important to note that evening work is paid for at higher rate, and it was another reason to worship the Main. He took on an extremely difficult development, from given on other plants. Such work is well funded. Since the end of 60-ies SKB performed the work on providing space forces all-terrain means of salvation, and also special equipment for search delivery base landers. These machines differed sharply from the usual ATVs. Have them were fiberglass waterproof housing to enable them to stay perfectly on-track, aluminum frame, powerful radio navigation complex, crane installation, comfortable cabin for the astronauts and more. For astronauts to Zile developed even the Ergometer!

ZIL-49042 prototype "Blue bird"

The team building was the focus of attention. For young people organized cultural and sporting trips to the body styles-kung on nature of the nearby towns and cities are often held in the summer of health and sports events; it all reminded with the good feelings. Never forget how well it was organized the celebration of the 20th anniversary of SKB on-site testing base near near Moscow Chulkovo.

ZIL-49061 – serial "the Blue bird" sample 1975 years

When it was built all-terrain vehicle ZIL-132Р, traditionally, the entire team of CSC gathered at gate of the experimental plot, where he collected the first sample. I happened to be near V. A. Grachev. The truck no matter adjusted torsion independent suspension had lowered the front, raised back, yeah still roll on one way. V. A. Grachev were angry, but responded with humor: "Is like fried bug!" - this expression, of course, not forgotten.

PES-1 – Search-macorina installation type 1 model 1966 years was to take the coiled spacecraft with the landing site at any rough terrain

The most recent large work, headed by V. A. Grachev, was the creation of the complex of the three wheel all-terrain vehicles of the family ZIL-4906 and compact rotary all-terrain vehicle ZIL-4904; in the Assembly of the first three samples of cars in 1975 was able to take part and me. V. A. Grachev the time was often sick and very Hollywood. On it was just painful to watch. In 1978, he noted on the sheet-the calendar date below which everything is painted over in red pencil. "Will continue without me," he said. It was his last day on the factory.

 

The first domestic snegohod ZIL-4904 sample 1972 year
(went to complete with  the"Blue bird")

Through the efforts of the head of the automotive Department of Polytechnical Museum E. S. Baburin in the early 80-ies has opened a special exposition, dedicated to V. A. Grachev, who has long received the unofficial title of "king of the road". A good in the country is necessary to open a special Museum dedicated to this man and his achievements. Moreover, quite a lot of unique examples of all-terrain vehicles was created in SKB, enthusiasts Oldtimers rescued from destruction even gradually restored. It's a pity that such a Museum no one plans to open, and because the legacy Grachev – our national treasure, on which is to educate young people.

ZIL-4972 sample 1995 years – the modern successor of the glorious "the Blue bird"

PS From photographer A. Klimova – K happiness is a unique all-terrain vehicles, V. A., Gracheva not died and in mostly caught in government "Military and technical Museum" in Moscow Chernogolovka (gvtm.ru), where and are in more or less survival condition (shooting 2014)..