Think that's enough fyreline, as it's all I have too!
But below is the story of this minivan, translated from Russian by my computer, along with a couple more pictures:
QUOTE
December 18, 1963 in the newspaper Pravda published a small article about creating a new minivan Start with fiberglass body , which is largely turned over representation of the potential of plastics in the mass automotive industry. Despite the significant contribution to the development of our industry , the project a short time later was forgotten , so the history of creation of the minivan has acquired numerous rumors , speculation and legend. We managed to track down the creators of this car , and participants in those events .
This amazing story began in the days when the head of the main motor control of Lugansk National Economic Council was appointed as an energetic and proactive , AS Antonov , who a day could not live without some innovative ideas. One of the ideas - building / caravan with a body made of glass - was assigned to the team Severodonetskoye auto repair center ( Sarbu ) Trust Mintyazhstroya transport enterprises of Ukraine. Why fiberglass ? First , while the government's campaign gathered momentum for the introduction of alternative materials, the main of which was plastic. And secondly , the region abounded in the chemical industry, which produced fiberglass, epoxy and other polymers .
... After the construction of this trailer is a young team of auto repair base , headed by GV Dyachenko and chief engineer avtotresta AG Ivanov conceived to try their hand at creating a car. Everyone realized that the car - it's more complex design that requires a serious approach to development and design . But this just adds excitement, which has played an important role in this initiative .
To create a minibus on Sarbu was organized by the engineering department at the experimental site, where work has begun to boil over the project. Invited two graduates of the road Kharkiv Institute YM Balyasnogo and BF Krutenko who had experience working with fiberglass bodies in the development of racing cars Hadi.
During the team faced a lot of problems because , in essence, created the technology of manufacturing fiberglass bodywork. But the enthusiasm of workers and their desire to prove himself knew no boundaries.
First-born of these initiatives was a large-scale (1:10) a layout minivan , which was named "Start" . Over his appearance labored artist-designer YI Andros. When the final design of the "Start " has been approved by all members of the team and the leadership of the Regional Party Committee , have begun making a plaster life-size model . After this, on top of the layout began vykleivat kontrformu that the inner side has taken all its outlines. Subsequently, in this kontrforme inside and produced a body of minibuses.
For greater rigidity the "Start " used fixtures , pasted fiberglass : they help the body were fastened doors, floor and welded steel base frame . installed on the frame bridges and engine from GAZ-21.
The first vehicle "Start" ivory with cherry band is a touring version : in the cabin are three - seat sofa (two along the exterior and one lateral at the end of the salon) , cupboard , hood was used as a table, and in the trunk was mounted washbasin camp .
Start later releases : change the logo and added a jumper in the side window.
"Start" gathered at Sarbu a half months before the end of 1963. At the plant I am trying to board meeting of the State Committee of Automotive and Agricultural Machine Soviet Union , where the designers pushed the leaders of local party officials. The College was dedicated to industrial applications of plastics, was supposed to hear the reports of directors of many plants on the use of plastics in the automotive and tractor industries.
Therefore, many corrections to the design of the car had to be made during assembly , which were day and night. Finally, in mid-December, " Home ", successfully covered the distance of almost 1000 km , arrived in Moscow , where last week created a furor among the public, had " light up " on the central television program " Time ", and in Pravda and in the Kremlin. In addition, this vehicle was exhibited in December 1963 at ENEA USSR and has been featured NS Khrushchev , who was pleased with the machine. So the "Start "and its creators were all-Union fame.
In Severodonetsk designers returned to the real heroes , and having received the go-ahead from the chairman of the Committee of Automotive and Agricultural Machine USSR NI Strokin to supply 50 " volgovskih " sets with gas in January 1964 began to build the "Start " , one of whom decided to donate PE Whisperwing , first secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine. This white van with a blue stripe has already had a standard passenger compartment with individual seats, but , as befits a car for top officials , was to "highlight "- an autonomous system of special communication KGB, with the antenna mounted on the roof of the body. Special Communication was installed directly in Kiev with participation of engineers Sarbu .
Lugansk relative "Start" - a company car LASZ director .
Of the remaining parts obtained from GAZ -21 employees Severodonetsk avtorembazy managed to establish small production vans, some of them fell into a historical chronicle of the country. For example, a "Start" , seconded by Mosfilm, filmed in the movie " Prisoner of the Caucasus " , while another worked on regional TV and radio studios of Lugansk and occupational services are often glimpsed in many activities. This vehicle is of particular interest , since the only special vehicles , issued in Severodonetsk based on the "Start" : it fitted with special equipment , outwardly he was distinguished by large antennas, and speakers on the roof. According to some reports , this machine is used for its primary " occupation " until the end of 1980 .
Once the centralized delivery of components from the Gorky automobile plant ceased production of minivans at Sarbu focussed on specific orders from organizations in the presence of GAZ -21 , usually from discarded car -taxi. Thus , for three years with a small (1964-1967) in Severodonetsk was only released about 100 minibuses "Start" .
In 1964, Antonov , who was at the forefront of this project was transferred to Donetsk National Economic Council. And because he wanted to "Start "is available at the new location , at his insistence duplicate tooling for the production of body also passed Donetsk carpool trust " Glavdonbasstroy . The park depot had about 1000 cars , there were good working area for repair of rolling stock. Therefore, in this territory in kontrforme made on Sarbu the contour of the finished body ( the layout of that time was not preserved ), began to manufacture and assemble , mini- twins who got their own name " Donbass " . They were given no more than a decade .
Van Donbass "differs from only expressive emblem.
Unfortunately, the project vans "Start" , despite the innovation and promise , has not received further development for several reasons: " crude " and labor-intensive technology of fiberglass car bodies, not godivshayasya for mass production , high cost materials , lack of Gorky's units. But the main reason , according to the creators of the machine , has become the envy of the excluded laurels of glory , " the leaders of factories and research institutes automakers, who were trying to insert a stick in the wheel to prevent the implementation of the project in which they were out of work. Naturally, these bureaucrats have done everything to staff a small plant to abandon its initiative.
It would seem , and the end ... if you do not remember another remarkable piece of history "Start" . In late 1966 , when the issue Sarbu minivan was almost collapsed at Lugansk car assembly plant at the initiative of the Director DA Melkonova began independently to develop tooling for the manufacture of their "own "" Starts ".
At LASZ manufacturing technology fiberglass body is radically different from Severodonetsk: body minibus vykleivalsya " not kontrformy inside and on top of a natural wooden models . more time consuming in terms of handling the external surface, which required longer trimmed and putty . Because of this, to establish serial production was not on the forces - the plant could produce a batch of 20 pieces.
Now aware of a few surviving vans mark " Start " on former Soviet territory - three in Moscow and one in Kramatorsk.
Collected in Lugansk minibuses differ from the original " start " side of the inclined rack instead of triangular like Severodonetsk cousin . In addition, they had a suspension of the car " ZIM " , which gave them a smooth ride . These vans factory workers affectionately called " Luganchyk . From the words of his son Melkonova , one of them has long been the official car his father ...
That is so sad fate of this project. It is regrettable that the development of the "Start " was not given appropriate attention to the "top" , although the theme of alternative materials in automotive and relevant now. But the minivan "Start" was the first plastic car that got public recognition.
A. Yakubenko , photos from the archives of LN Katunin and A. Yakubenko .
Are deeply grateful to Lyudmila Katunin for their invaluable assistance in preparing this material.
UNQUOTE
