In 1966, FIAT (Italy) began mass production of a new model of a compact passenger car FIAT-124 with a classic layout, which, having the simplicity and reliability inherent in this scheme, surprised everyone with a spacious and comfortable (out of class) interior, very capacious, deep trunk and excellent driving performance, thanks to which it was deservedly recognized as the most successful and popular car of the year.
The success was achieved primarily due to the increase in the width of the car compared to other subcompact cars. To make this possible, the designers had to work hard to ensure good handling and stability of the car in relation to the occurrence of skidding; to do this is the more difficult, the greater the ratio of the wheel track to the base. The compact engine made it possible to shorten the hood and lengthen the interior accordingly, which made it possible to almost completely avoid the introduction of wheel arches into it, both front and rear wheels. The first saved the driver and the passenger sitting next to him from interference with the legs, and the second made it quite convenient for the left and right passengers to sit in the back seat. In addition, the entire interior was «in the database» (between front and rear wheels) vehicle, i.e. in the zone of greatest comfort in terms of vertical vibrations of the body.
The lengthening of the cabin also made it possible to increase the width of the doors, which made it very convenient to get in and out of the car. Due to the increased width of the cabin, the separate front seats were moved away from the side walls of the body, and this significantly improved the comfort for the driver and the passenger sitting next to him. In front of the passenger seat, it was possible to place a very spacious storage box in the front panel.
In order to increase the usable volume and depth of the trunk, an ingenious design solution was found and implemented - a vertical arrangement of the fuel tank and spare wheel along its edges.
As a result, the FIAT-124 designers managed to find hidden reserves that were still lurking in «classical» layout, and, retaining its advantages, to create a car that immediately appealed to the widest range of buyers. All this gave grounds to accept FIAT-124 as a prototype of a new, most massive small car created for our country, which later received the name VAZ-2101 «Zhiguli». Life has shown that this decision was correct.
However, despite its advantages, the FIAT-124 car, in the form in which it was produced in Italy in 1966, could not be directly put into production in our country. As shown by a very large volume at the Scientific Automobile and Automotive Institute (US) research and testing, FIAT-124, despite its advantages, had a number of shortcomings, especially significant for our country with its more severe climatic and road conditions than in Western Europe; After all, it is not for nothing that they say that there can be no good or bad car, regardless of operating conditions. So, insufficient strength of the body, durability of the brakes, a number of other shortcomings were revealed. It took many years of hard work of NAMI employees, who, together with representatives of the Volga Automobile Plant under construction at that time and the FIAT company, made many changes to the design of the car in order to, while maintaining the good qualities inherent in it, create a car that would be really convenient, reliable and durable during its operation in our country.
Big changes have been made to the body, which has become incomparably more durable. The outdated engine with a lower camshaft position installed on the first presented FIAT-124 samples was replaced by a completely modern engine with a capacity of 62 hp, suitable for further forcing. With an overhead camshaft, which subsequently made it possible to create for a family of cars «Zhiguli» 70 power motors (for VAZ-21011), 77 (for VAZ-2103) and 80 hp (for VAZ-2106). The disc brakes of the rear wheels, in which the friction pads of the pads wore out quickly due to intense pollution, were replaced by drum brakes, which turned out to be very durable; in addition, this measure made it possible to increase the effectiveness of the hand brake. The thickness of the friction linings of the front disc brake pads has been increased. Improvements also affected the anti-corrosion protection of the body, starting qualities of the engine, windshield wipers (was introduced «intermittent» mode of operation) and many other systems and units. Many of these improvements have been implemented by FIAT on cars produced in Italy.
As a result, today «Zhiguli», in addition to the layout advantages mentioned above, they have a number of valuable qualities and features that deserve special mention.
The car body in order to increase passive safety has a variable rigidity along the length. The hood and trunk are made more pliable than the central part, which houses the passenger compartment. Due to this, in the event of a frontal collision or rear impact, the hood or trunk is relatively easily deformed, while absorbing the kinetic energy of the impact; at the same time, the central part of the body is deformed little, and this reduces the likelihood of serious injury to the driver and passengers.
The high overall reliability of the car is further emphasized by the fact that, unlike many other cars, malfunctions, as soon as they occur, usually do not lead to a quick and complete failure of the car on the road, but increase gradually, enabling the driver not only to reach the parking lot but also to prepare for the repair work. The foregoing refers to the wear of the clutch, cardan joints, and a number of other components and parts. The exception is the elements of the ignition system, the failure of which can occur suddenly.
Pleasant features of the engine are its high throttle response, i.e. the ability to easily and quickly gain momentum after a sharp press on the accelerator pedal, as well as the ability to work steadily at low idle speeds and develop sufficient power soon after a cold start. These qualities are achieved thanks to the careful development of the carburetor and intake tract, in particular, due to the heating of the throttle body by the working fluid taken from the engine cooling system.
«Zhiguli» are distinguished by a low level of internal noise and vibration, which is especially noticeable during intensive acceleration and movement at high speeds. This was achieved thanks to a well-thought-out system of noise and vibration isolation of the engine compartment, the entire body, careful balancing of rotating parts, as well as an effective exhaust noise dampening system; the latter reduces the level of not only internal but also external noise.
A peculiar and very common feature «Zhiguli» is to equip them with very effective auxiliary systems and devices, which in some cases surpass the corresponding systems of cars of a higher class. So, for example, installed on «Zhiguli» 6ST-55 battery, although it has a lower nominal capacity (55 Ah), than the 6ST-60 battery used on GAZ-24 vehicles «Volga», but due to the higher electrical characteristics (less thickness and more plates) provides a higher discharge current in the starter mode (191 A vs. 180). Starter power «Zhiguli» (1.77 hp.) has no equal among domestic cars with gasoline engines (starter power «Moskvich-412» - 1.1 l. s., GAZ-24 - 1.4 liters, truck ZIL-130 - 1.5 liters). Generator «Zhiguli» also features increased power.
For the first time used in domestic practice, the cooling system with an expansion tank that prevents the formation of vapor-air locks, and with a thermostat that almost completely stops the circulation of fluid when the engine is cold, determines the rapid warm-up of the engine, its reliable cooling, including in the most difficult conditions, and the efficient operation of the system heating and eliminates the need for manually operated radiator shutters.
The engine as a whole is characterized by very high reliability and durability. The established norm of its mileage before overhaul (100 thousand km) in practice, under operating conditions by motorists, it overlaps 1.5–2 times or more.
The gearbox provides throughout the entire life of the engine until overhaul, ease and clarity of switching with short lever strokes. Greater durability and efficiency of synchronizers is achieved due to the high precision of manufacturing parts and the increased size of the rings.
The cardan transmission consists of two relatively short cardan shafts with an elastic intermediate support, which, in combination with an elastic coupling on the gearbox output shaft, ensures the absorption of the resulting vibrations.
Disc brakes of the front wheels have great advantages compared to drum brakes: with equal effort on the brake pedal, they allow you to get a more intense and smooth deceleration of the car, evenly «take» both on the left and on the right side, thanks to which the car continues to move in a straight line when braking, are cooled better and, therefore, do not reduce their efficiency as a result of overheating during long and repeated braking. For the first time in domestic practice, the hydraulic drive of the brakes includes a pressure regulator, which automatically changes the braking intensity of the rear wheels depending on the load on them; it reduces the chance of blocking (yuza) rear wheels and the occurrence of a skid of the car.
The rear suspension of the car is not spring, as is usually practiced, but spring with jet rods. This is a more advanced solution. This suspension improves the smoothness of the car.
In the electrical circuit, for the first time, plug-in installation was used, that is, the connection of wires using not threaded connections, but easily detachable, but quite reliable plugs.
The device of the light signaling controls - the location of the light switch on the steering wheel, the presence «flashers» - well thought out functionally and, as it is now recognized, is much more convenient than the usual scheme (central switch on the front guard and foot switch for low and high beams).
Numerous indicator lamps make it easier to monitor the operation of various engine systems, warn the driver of a malfunction of the hydraulic brake actuator (in models VAZ-2103, -2106 and -21011), and also remind him of a low fuel supply, the handbrake position and the extended carburetor choke control handle (the latter - only in cars VAZ-2103 and -2106).
Cars «Zhiguli» are characterized by low labor intensity of maintenance and current repairs. This is due to their overall high reliability, unusually long maintenance intervals (after 10 thousand km for a run-in car), the practical absence of grease nipples, the replacement in many cases of cotter pins with self-locking nuts, as well as the use of new high-quality oils, lubricants and working fluids.
It must be said that with all the positive properties that we have mentioned, for «Zhiguli» characterized by a relatively low dead weight, which also indicates a high technical level of their design.
As a result, the VAZ-2101 car created on the basis of FIAT-124 «Zhiguli» absorbed all the best from its prototype and, being well adapted to our conditions, turned out to be among the cars of its class at the level of the best foreign models.
The same applies to other models of the family «Zhiguli».