SovAvto Website.
| Model | GAZ-12 "ZIM" | |
| Seating | 6 | |
| Curb weight, kg | TOTAL | 1,940 |
| front axle | - | |
| rear axle | - | |
| Gross weight, kg | TOTAL | 2,390 |
| front axle | - | |
| rear axle | - | |
| Payload [carrying capacity] weight, kg | - | |
| Permissible [semi-]trailer weight, kg | - | |
| Length, mm | 5530 | |
| Width, mm | 1900 | |
| Height, mm | 1660 | |
| Wheelbase, mm | 3200 | |
| Track width, mm | front | 1460 [toe-in: 1.5-3 mm] |
| rear | 1500 | |
| Minimal ground clearance, mm | under front axle | 200 |
| under rear axle | 200 | |
| Minimal radius of turn, m | b/n curbs (outer front wheel) | - |
| b/n walls (extreme exterior dimension | 7.4 | |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 120 | |
| Fuel consumption, liters/100km | 15.5 @ 50-60 km/h; 18.5 @ 90 km/h | |
| Acceleration time from 0-100 km/h, seconds | 37 | |
| Transmission | gearbox | 3 speeds |
| gearbox ratios | I - 3.115 / II - 1.772 / III - 1.000 / R - 4.005 [since late 1951 - 3.738] | |
| main gear ratio | 4.55 bevel gear w/ 2 satellites | |
| transfer case ratio | - | |
| clutch | single-disk, dry, w/ fluid coupling | |
| Wheels | number | - |
| tire size | 7,00-15 | |
| tire pressure, kg/cm2 | 2.25 in front / 2.25 in rear | |
| Suspension | front | independent, w/ wheel oscillation in vertical transverse plane, hydraulic bilateral-action shock absorbers |
| rear | on two longitudinal semi-elliptical springs, hydraulic bilateral-action shock absorbers | |
| Steering | gear | cone worm and 2-ridge roller |
| gear ratio | - | |
| Brakes | braking distance, m | - |
| service (foot) | drum brakes w/ hydraulic drive to all wheels w/ self-retarding braking shoes | |
| parking (hand) | drum brakes w/ mechanical drive to rear wheels | |
| Filling capacities, liters | fuel tank | 80 (A-72) |
| engine cooling system | 13 | |
| engine lubrication system | 7.5 | |
| gearbox housing | 0.9 | |
| axle housing | 1.7 | |
| steering system cylinder | - | |
| shock absorbers | - | |
| hydraulic brake drive | - | |
| air filter | - | |
| Carburetor | K-21 downdraft, duplicated | |
| Electric equipment | 12 volts | |
| Accumulator battery | 6-ST-68-E'M GOST 959-51 | |
| Generator [alternator] | G20; 220 watts | |
| Relay-regulator | - | |
| Starter motor | ST20 or ST20-U; 1.6 h. p. | |
| Timer-distributor | R20; gap 0.35-0.45 mm | |
| Spark plugs | NA12-15AG; 14mm; gap: 0.70 - 0.80 mm | |
| Engine | engine type | GAZ-51 forcified, 6 inline cyl., carb., 4-stroke, sv |
| cylinder work order | 1-5-3-6-2-4 | |
| maximum horsepower, hp | 90 @ 3,600 rpm | |
| maximum torque, N·m | 21.5 | |
| displacement, liters | 3.485 | |
| compression ratio | 6.7:1 | |
| bore/stroke, mm | 82 / 110 | |
| Years of production | 1950-1959 | |
| Overall units produced | 21527 | |
| Wheel arrangement | 4 X 2 | |
| Pictures | 15 KB (color, front/side view
in SPb [8]) 17 KB (color, rear view in SPb [8]) 27 KB (color, front view [122]) 34 KB (color, rear view of beige ZIM and another rear of a black ZIM [122]) 38 KB (color, interior view seen through closed front passenger door [122]) 30 KB (color, interior view seen through open driver's door [122]) 27 KB (color, view of ZIM emblem on the hood [122]) 21 KB (color, rear view [7]) 69 KB (color, dashboard view [7]) 13 KB (color, ambulance [7]) 54 KB (b/w, side view, ambulance [GAZ-12B ZIM] [7/28]) 25 KB (color, front/side view [4]) 10 KB (color, side view [GAZ-12 is the pink one] [9]) 33 KB (color, front view* [43]) 39 KB (color, rear view* [43]) 27 KB (color, front view [40]) 27 KB (color, rear view [40]) 27 KB (color, interior view [40]) 15 KB (color, side view, drawing [106]) 31 KB (color, front view of ZIM and GAZ-M-13 Chaika [122]) 16 KB (b/w, front view, drawing [103]) 11 KB (b/w, side view, drawing [105]) 36 KB (b/w, side view, first prototype (?1948) [7/28]) 69 KB (b/w, side view, cabriolet** [7/28]) | |
* These 2 photos are of GAZ-12 "ZIM" that has been put on narrow gauge railroad chassis and served for years as a personal railroad trolley of some railroad chief. According to records, this unusual combination of auto and rail has hit 3 persons and innumerable amount of horned cattle. (Obviously, very few of the technical parameters listed here apply to this vehicle).
** The cabriolet did not have a special index denotation because very few of them existed; perhaps only 3 vehicles.
This was one of the first Soviet limousines. However, this model also had an ambulance modification, whose technical characteristics were somewhat different from those of the limousine version. GAZ-12 had a climb of 24 degrees in front and 18 degrees in the rear. "ZIM" is an abbreviation for Zavod Imeni Molotova (Plant named in Molotov's honor). Also a few cabriolet cars were made, but never produced serially. GAZ-12B ambulance on the other hand was on serial production. It had a glass partition behind the front seat, sliding-out stretchers and two folding seats. On the front part of the roof was a red cross lamp and on the front left fender was a spot light.
Here are a few photos from 14 November 1999. [the date on photos is
different because Maxime must have forgotten to change the time after he came
back from Russia]. In it you can see Maxime's
1968 
GAZ-M-21Volga
and Tim's 1959 GAZ-12 ZIM. Tim's ZIM
has GAZ-24 engine, which appears to be a bit too weak for such a heavy car.
| 53 KB color, front view, Maxime and his son next to the Volga, Tim next to his ZIM, and myself in the "elegant British" cap in the middle [29] |
| 55 KB color, front view Maxime's wife and son on Volga, Tim on ZIM, and myself in the middle again [29] |
| 37 KB color, front view of Volga and ZIM |
| 52 KB color, side view of Volga and Tim on his ZIM |
| 52 KB color, rear view of Volga and ZIM |
| 39 KB color, front view of Volga and ZIM with city streets lights after dark |
| 32 KB color, radiator view of ZIM with city streets lights after dark, nice chrome shine |
| 31 KB color, "what do we see when looking out the ZIM windshield?" rear view of Volga |
| 29 KB color, under the hood of ZIM, but the engine is from the newer GAZ-24 "Volga" |
| 35 KB color, under the hood, with a non-original 4 cyl. GAZ-24 90 hp. engine |
| 30 KB color, interior view of ZIM, radio and clock are add to the "antique" view of this car |
| 37 KB color, interior view of ZIM, steering wheel and other driver's controls |
| 26 KB color, interior view of ZIM, Tim's silhouette can be seen as he masterfully keeps up with Maxime in front of us |
| 32 KB color, ZIM logo on the front of the hood |
| 29 KB color, ZIM logo on the side of the hood |
Page created on Wednesday, September 23, 1998. Page last updated on Saturday, December 08, 2001 10:21:15 PM EST.
