SUVS FROM STRELNA | MODEL CONSTRUCTION

When these elegant cars appear on the road, they arouse the interest of others. Yes, and how not to draw attention to the two (already “series”!) exactly the same jeep, eye-catching beautiful design and sophisticated rational design! At stops I had to hear the puzzled questions: “What is this machine? The new model UAZ rural version of the “Niva”?” Drivers — and they are also the designers of their ATVs smile: “No, it’s not “field” — “Neva”!” Puzzled by the response of passers-by in disbelief considering the cars and do that in front of them homemade — so a “factory” they look.

The fact that the car was born from “a couple”, can be called natural. The designers of the jeep — the inhabitants of the Leningrad suburb of Peterhof, Nikolai Yakovlev and Vladimir Kapusta — inseparable most of his life. Studying in the same school, work at the same factory, collective, now family, camping — all this contributed to their decision: if we build cars, so just two the same! Type of the machines selected did not hesitate: of course, ATVs, indispensable in the summer travels, trips to pick mushrooms and fishing, and can carry and the required load. In the embodiment of the idea took six years of hard work.

Although with the technique of Nikolay and Vladimir were friends since childhood, sufficient experience autocostruzione they had. So was preparing for the implementation of his ideas thoroughly. Has drawn dozens of sketches, equipped with a common garage different, in most homemade devices and equipment. Produced semi-automatic welding under voltage of 220 V, the shear of the original scheme for cutting metal thickness up to 4 mm, special tool. Perhaps in this seriousness of approach to work lies the main reason for success of automakers from Strelna. I can not believe that jeep “Neva” is actually the debut of the young enthusiasts “autosome”.

Fig. 1. Car “Neva”.

One more important detail: as the acquisition of component parts and materials they immediately processed the necessary documents. The metal managed to acquire the plant, engines, transmissions, axles and various parts bought at a thrift store. Turning was performed at the club of technical creativity at vocational schools in Petrodvorets. As a result, when the registration of cars in GAI no difficulties arose.

And now it’s time to tell us more about the jeep. “Neva” is a four-wheel drive car with a body, easily transformable into a pickup truck. Design all-metal frame. Dry weight 1400 kg.

Fig. 2. The layout of the car:

1 — front axle 2 — front suspension, 3 — front bumper 4 — radiator 5 — the engine VAZ-2101, 6 — frame tent 7 — rear bumper, 8 — tool tray, 9 — tank, 10 — rear spring, 11 — front axle, 12 — transfer box, 13 — frame 14 — gear box, 15 box for the battery, 16 — tool box.

The vehicle frame consists of two longitudinal side members, positioned with some toe-in, and three cross beams. The spars have a fairly complex section. They are based on two welded together by water tubes Ø 32 mm, which is also welded top box attached two l-shape bent sheet steel. The height of the cross section of the spar ranges from 120 mm in the Central part of the frame up to 80 mm in the extremities. The cross beam of square section is welded from steel sheet 2 mm thick, with front beam also serves as a reserve tank for oil, so it has the drain and filler holes with plugs. In addition to the cross bars, additional rigidity to the frame attach the two diaphragms, bent sheet steel (front 2 mm rear — 1.6 mm).

The engine is borrowed from the VAZ-2101 with the transmission (though the car N. Yakovlev, the last is taken from the VAZ-2103 is, perhaps, the jeep is the only significant difference). Air and oil filters a few converted.

Transmission and chassis used on GAZ-69 with the use of individual parts from the UAZ-469. Single cardan shaft between the gearbox and transfer box is hand made. However, coupling the cardan and d-pad in this serial, from GAZ-69.

As the springs of both bridges used rear leaf springs of the car GAZ-24 “Volga”, but to improve the softness of the stroke applied homemade earrings is 20 mm longer than on the “Volga” (the size obtained experimentally). Shock absorbers — also from GAZ-24. Springs are installed parallel to the side members of the frame, that is at an angle to the axis of the machine. However, this did not worsen their work.

Body — sheet steel, thickness 1,0—1,2 mm. And all it consists of relatively small (no more than 1 m) panels interconnected by spot welding.

Fig. 3. Frame with frame elements and suspension.

Fig. 3. Frame with frame elements and pendants:

1 — rear bumper, 2 — tool tray, 3, 17, 19 cross beams, 4 — earrings spring 5, the longitudinal spar 6 — rear skirt (steel sheet 1.6 mm), 7 is a hinge mounting spring, 8, and 9 the mounting brackets of the threshold, 10 — bracket, 11 — front skirt (sheet 2 mm), 12 — wheel at the moment of writing, 13 — bracket, steering gear, 14 — front bumper, 15 — under engine bracket, 16 — hole for the front mount of the shock absorber, 18 — the threshold (on the side view is not shown). On the section In the dash-dotted line shows the vertical axis of the threshold.

Fig . 4. Front:

1 — longitudinal girder frame, 2 — U-shaped radiator frame, 3 — radiator, 4 — cowl, 5 — a horseshoe-shaped loop, 6 — flexible hose to the stove, 7 — the frame of the hood.

— First we tried to use fiberglass, but nothing happened. Then opted for the metal, — says Nikolay Yakovlev. However, this is understandable: Nicholas works as a welder, and he, of course, such technology is familiar. It is worth bearing in mind for each homebrew: it is very important to find “your” material.

— Body we started with… doors! — adds Vladimir Kapusta. Maybe to some it will seem unexpected. However, those who already have some experience autocostruzione, you know: the manufacture of doors — one of the most complex operations. Not surprisingly, many homebrew tend to use the finished doors from the production machines. Unfortunately, such decisions often run counter to the requirements of the General design.

The most common operation in the construction of the body is flexible. To run it in a vise is not very convenient, so Yakovlev and Kapusta has equipped his garage with an electromagnetic plate: this has greatly increased productivity.

For doors used steel sheet with thickness of 1.4 mm, and the rest of the body assembled from panels 1.2 mm thick; with the exception of the front wings, which went to mm steel. The punch used is very limited: basically when fitting the windscreen. The panels were docked by means of spot welding, which of the usual pliers was done by a simple device shown in the figure.

Behind the windshield perimeter welded water pipe, which together with the front frame awning functions as the arc of safety when tilting the machine.

Hinges and door locks improvised, although it would be advisable to use ready — say, cars. The handle and the lifting mechanism glass — from “the Muscovite-2140”.

Glass cockpit borrowed from the VAZ-2121 “Niva”. For their installation, the designers found a simple and effective solution: the perimeter of the window under the rubber seal welded area of the steel with thickness of 1.2—2mm. to Knock out the flare would be much more difficult.

Bumpers are procured by rolling from a steel sheet with a thickness of 1.6 mm, which had to turn two specially shaped roller and to build a basic rolling machine.

Hood — steel panels covered by the perimeter frame of thin-walled tubes Ø 16 mm. in Front of the windshield provided a ton of foam pad, which removed the wipers. The hood can be pushed forward on a makeshift horseshoe-shaped hinges. Last hinged on a U-shaped frame, which is simultaneously stand the radiator.

Fig. 5. Hood:

1 — frame, 2, 4, 5, 6 — panel, 3 — foam pad, 7 — a horseshoe-shaped loop.

Fig. 6. A typical joint of the body panels:

1,3 — panel, 2 — point weld.

Fig. 7. A device for welding panels:

1 — pliers, 2 — clamps, 3 — copper plate, 4 — flanging panel, 5 point seam.

Fig. 8. The scheme of installation of the tank on the frame.

Fig. 9. Typical attachment points of glass (A — frontal, B — door):

1 — body panels, 2 — parts, 3 — glass, 4 — rubber seal.

Fig. 10. Scheme of fastening of glass to the tent:

1 — polyethylene 2 — load (sand), 3 — tarp tent, 4 — glass, 5 — sheet plywood.

Fig. 11. The scheme of folding the rear seats through the conversion of jeep into a pickup truck.

The rear side of the car also has a frame made of thin tubes; outside it is covered with steel sheet with thickness of 1.2 mm, and the inside is hardboard.

The steering is taken from GAZ-69, but because of the peculiarities of the layout of the tilt steering column had a little bit reduce. Brake system — from the GAZ-24.

Lights — motorcycle, from “Cezeta”. Initially all four lights were positioned horizontally, the machine, as they say, not looking. Then the couple lifted by 10 mm — and everything fell into place. The front of the car has become quite a finished look.

The rear lights are from the “Moskvich-2140”, the headlights and the turn signals homemade. Instrument panel GAZ-24, but the top panel of its own production of foam covered with fabric.

Originally performed by tank cars. It is a welded sheet steel tank with a volume of 80 l, mounted on the frame between the two rear cross beams.

The frame of the tent is made of water pipes Ø 25 mm. Under the roof there are four thinner crossmember, three of which are removable. The Windows of the awning affixed to the plexiglass. The method of attaching Plexiglas to the sheet was very effective, so it can be recommended to all lovers of autocostruzione. The tarpaulin around the perimeter of the window, sew a pocket, put it the glass and the edge is impregnated with dichloromethane (or acetone) as shown in the figure. The tarpaulin is laid on a flat surface (e.g., plywood), covered with plastic wrap, and load — best sand.

The front seat of the car GAZ-24 “Volga” is slightly altered. Rear — improvised, it is planned to Refine, to refit the machine in the truck they turned into the rear wall of the cab.

In conclusion, briefly about operational data. Perhaps the main advantage of the jeep — good flotation. Last winter during one of his trips fishing Nikolay and Vladimir were in heavy snowfall over ice grew whole drifts of snow. But a self-made vehicles, this barrier appeared to be uneasy, while near the “Niva” was forced to wait for help.

In the embodiment of the pickup’s maximum load capacity (when a rear spring becomes horizontal) is 800 kg. Car V. Caputo goes ka petrol AI-93, and its fuel consumption is around 10 liters per 100 kilometers. The jeep N. Yakovlev engine converted into petrol a-76; fuel consumption in this case is slightly higher.

The comfort of the car and cargo capabilities of a pickup truck managed to combine Leningrad enthusiasts automodellista Nikolai Yakovlev and Vladimir Kapusta in a jeep of his own design. “Neva” — as they called their ATVs in performance is not inferior to industrial designs.

S. BALAKIN

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