Russian Cars -- Auto Industry of the USSR Exhibition 2014

In August we visited the VDNKh, a permanent expo and entertainment facility here in north of Moscow where I am based, as I mentioned in this post -- Pictures from an Exhibition.

I also mentioned there that the Space Pavilion there was at the time hosting a car exhibition -- Auto Industry of the USSR. I made some pictures, and here they are.

Entering the exhibition.

Oldies on the ground floor in the middle, such as this GAZ AA truck.

GAZ GL-1, a sports car.

Truth to tell, I am a bit wary of these examples. Obviously, they were heavily restored but the line between restoration and replication is a bit blurred here.

GAZ GL-1

GAZ M-415 pickup.

This is more after my taste -- GAZ M 20 V Pobeda.

ZiM GAZ-12.

Three Chaikas. the first one is a very interesting example.

It is a RAO (RAF) GAZ 13 S Chaika -- a Chaika customized by Riga Auto Plant (RAF). 

Served as an ambulance car for senior party and government officials. One was gifted to Fidel Castro, I think.

Check out the taillights and the dual bumper integrated exhausts.

GAZ 14 Chaika, rode in one once as a passenger.

GAZ 53A truck.

The cupola of the Space Pavilion. A replica of the Soyuz-Apollo conjoined spacecraft was suspended under it in Soviet times.

 

Moskvtich cars.

Moskvitch 412.

Moskvitch Izh 412 in a rally livery, and with a roll cage too.
 

A thing of beauty!

Moskvitch 411 Wagon, all wheel drive.

Moskvitch 410 all wheel drive.

A regular two-tone Moskvitch 402.

Moskvitch 402 and a woody in front of it.

Three Moskvitch cars, 402 in front.

Moskvitch 2137 Wagon (Estate), another rally tested car.

ZAZ 968 A Zaporozhets... with side air scoops, air cooled.

ZAZ 968 M - no air scoops.

Truck -- Ural ZiS 355 M.

ZiL 41045 Limousine.

Lada cars.

VAZ 2101 Zhiguli (Lada) in rally livery.

VAZ 2103 Zhiguli (Lada).

2103 and 2106 behind it.

VAZ 2108 Lada Sputnik. Three-door front wheel drive, the first front wheel drive Lada.

GAZ 3105 Volga...  not a production model.

And that's all. Unfortunately I didn't make any more pictures, although I definitely could have.

On reflection, my laziness to take more photos cost me entire missed marques, such as all GAZ 21, -24, -31xx(x) Volgas, most of the GAZ M 20 Pobedas, some trucks and some other assorted, but still interesting, stuff. Well, maybe next time...

Also, visitors were not allowed to touch the vehicles, open the doors, so no interior or real close-up shots but that's the exhibition's rules so beyond my control.