GAZ-3102

GAZ-3102

Technical details

Faced
with these constraints, GAZ continued to modify and alter (read
simplify) the make-up of the car. One such result was the ZMZ-4022 motor
with a stratified charge
or in original terms—"prechambered—torch ignition". Similar to Honda
CVCC design, GAZ experimented with such technology in the early 1950s,
and its patent dates to 1968. Now that it had time to spare, it was
decided to introduce this novelty. To keep production costs low, the new
engine retained all of ZMZ-24Ds key features: 4 cylinders, OHV,
displacement etc. However the material of both cylinder block and head
was now aluminium. The big novelty was four additional inlet valves that
charged the combustion prechambers. Feeding this was a three barrel
carburettor, where the draft from third barrel was directed into the
four prechambers. The spark plugs were located inside these chambers,
and lean fuel-air mixture in main cylinders was ignited by conical jets
(the "torches") from these prechambers. Compared to the ZMZ-24D, power
rose by 10 hp to 105 at 4750 rpm. Though the car was 50 kg heavier in
weight, it could now do 0–100 km/h acceleration in 16.2 seconds
(compared to the 22 on the GAZ-24) and the top speed also rose from 145
to 152 km/h. Whilst not exactly impressive dynamics by the turn of the
decade, its fuel economy figures were: from 10.5 litres per 100 km on
the GAZ-24 to 8.5.

History

With
the new engine, and in simplified trim, the new car was re-christened as
GAZ-3102. Still hoping to introduce the V6 powerplant at a later date,
the GAZ-3101 designation was retained for it (and will used for the V8
"Chaser" models). Power steering and automatic gearbox were also removed
from the make-up. The "new" Volga was re-submitted to Moscow for the
go-ahead to production in early 1980 and was showcased at the Moscow Olympics
to the wider public. Despite the general interest in the car, it would
take a completely different route for the production order to finally
come.


Back in late 1976 GAZ launched its third-generation limousine, the GAZ-14 Chaika.
Unlike the 3101, GAZ was able to secure the necessary go-ahead and
funding for this limited vehicle. It also kept its original upsize design philosophy and compared to its predecessor, the GAZ-13 Chaika,
the GAZ-14 turned out to be a much bigger and more prestigious car.
Though the country's economy was stagnating at an alarming rate, its
ageing ruling class (the nomenklatura)
was increasing, as were its appetites, and in the semi-official
hierarchy, not everyone was entitled to upgrade from the old Chaika to
the new one. As a result, GAZ-13's assembly, a car developed largely
from the 1956 Packard Patrician and built since 1959, was continued alongside the new Chaika, despite its obvious archaism for the time.

Start of production

It would take a tragedy to break this paradox situation. On 4 October 1980, outside the city of Minsk, a truck rammed the motorcade killing the First secretary of the Byelorussian Communist Party, Pyotr Masherov.
It remains controversial if this was an "accident" given his political
ambitions, but he died in a GAZ-13 Chaika (though his status not only
allowed him the GAZ-14, but even the flagship ZIL-4104
limousine). In the aftermath, GAZ had to endure criticism that it was
producing an archaic vehicle, and in 1981, the last GAZ-13 departed
Gorky. Such turn of events left the Soviet third-ranking nomenklatura
without a status car, for whom the standard GAZ-24 Volga was no longer
acceptable. It was here that the GAZ-3102 finally found its role, never
to be sold to the public or be available to it as taxi or ambulance. An
estate version, though developed, never saw assembly.


In April 1982 hand-assembly of this car began at the specialised
unit on the factory that built the Chaikas, with an annual production of
about 3000 cars. Despite its status and assembly quality, by the
mid-1980s it was clearly an out-of-date automobile compared to its
western counterparts (Mercedes-Benz W124, Volvo 760, Renault 25, Nissan Cedric etc.). It was planned that both the GAZ-3102 and GAZ-24 be retired by the end of the decade. With ascendancy of Mikhail Gorbachev, the start of perestroika
and the appointment of Nikolay Pugin, former administrator of GAZ as
Minister of Automobile Production, headway was made into development of
their replacements by the new 3103/3104/3105 family. As a temporary
measure, GAZ was able to use most of the mechanical upgrades of the 3102
and retrofit them to the GAZ-24 (see GAZ-24-10) in 1986.

Later history

However the collapse of the Soviet Union,
and Russia's difficult entry into the market economy froze these
ambitions permanently. In 1992, the stampings of the GAZ-24 would
completely deteriorate, and using the 3102s press forms, the GAZ-31029
would result on the conveyor (effectively the anticipated end-result,
more than a decade late). At the same time, hand assembly of the
GAZ-3102 has all but ceased as the target market, the mid-level
officials, now had access to foreign cars, with whom the GAZ-3102 could
not compete. No longer tied to the state, in 1993 GAZ made the 3102
available to the public. Again this was a temporary measure, as the
small-volume unit anticipated a new car (in the form of GAZ-3105 and
GAZ-3111, see below), but "temporarily" lacking one would leave a
sizeable workforce unemployed. Without a stablemate (the GAZ-14 Chaika
was forcibly retired in 1988, again see GAZ-3105 section) GAZ now had
the resources to increase volumes to ten thousand per annum (which it
reached in 1996).


Adoption for greater volume assembly would require several
modifications (or simplifications) to be performed. The novel, but
ultimately troublesome in maintenance stratified charge ignition was
removed, replaced by a standard ZMZ-402 engine. Another change was the
location of the fuel tank and spare wheel. The original GAZ-24 had its
tank under the boot, and the wheel fixed inside it, occupying a generous
cargo volume. For the GAZ-3102, the fuel tank was moved behind the rear
seat, and the spare took its place. Not only did this increase safety,
but also ease of access at the petrol station (the hatch was located
just below and slightly behind the C-pillar). For economical reasons,
the GAZ-31029 retained the original configuration and in unifying the
stamping forms, the 3102 was fitted with the older layout.



It
is not hard to estimate the production year for any GAZ-3102 just by
visual examination. The lower location of the fuel hatch—after 1993.
Metallic paint—after 2001. Original door handles—before 2005.

Despite a higher price, the GAZ-3102 enjoyed relatively good sales,
and remained in demand. Compared to the GAZ-31029, it had a notably
higher reputation for build quality. When the former was to be retired,
and replaced with the GAZ-3110, the 3102 was fitted with 3110 upgrades,
but not upgraded externally, as its look had become classic. The
upgrades included a 5-speed gearbox, fuel-injected ZMZ-406 engine,
ventilated Lucas
disc brakes, a single rear axle, power steering, new electric dashboard
and trim. In fact, all these features would be first tested on the
GAZ-3102, before being introduced to the mass-produced Volga.


This final arrangement would enter into a pattern, that would
hold until 2009. Any novelty would first be introduced in the 3102,
would be then fitted to the 3110 (and 31105 after 2005). Changes would
include body-coloured door handles, electronically regulated door
mirrors with indicator lights and twin-torsion beam rear suspension,
removal of the archaic kingpins from front suspension, and new engines
such as the ZMZ-405 or licence built Chrysler DOHC and Steyr
Diesels. In early 2009, after nearly 26 and a half years in assembly,
the GAZ-3102 would be finally retired. A total of 155,850 cars were hand
built over the period, including 27 thousand original Volgas with the
ZMZ-4022 engines.

Variants

Like
the GAZ-23 and the GAZ-24-24, specialised V8 "Chasers" also existed,
and these retained the original GAZ-3101 designation. The GAZ-31011
carried the ZMZ 503.10, a modernized version of the GAZ 24-34's closed
crankcase ventilation engine^[​1][​2]
that is itself based on the Chaika's original engine, the ZMZ-13 with
195 hp. The GAZ-31013, on the other hand, had the more powerful twin
carburettor 220 hp ZMZ 505.10 based on the V8 from the newer GAZ-14. No
more than 300 such cars were produced for the 9th Directorate and its
successor, the Federal Protective Service until 1996.^{[​3][​4][​5]}


There were also a number of prototypes built: the 1983 31025 with 70 hp (52 kW; 71 PS) 2,112 cc (129 cu in) Indenor diesel; and the 3102L with longer wheelbase, from 1987.^[​6]