GAZ 14 (Chaika) (diecast 1:43, GAZ)

This is GAZ 14 Chaika, a very unique, rare and desirable model today for most collectors who collect Eastern Block models. This model is unique because it was made at the Gaz factory from 1985 to 1988 were the real car was made. In general GAZ-14 "Chaika" is a Soviet representative car of a large class, assembled at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1977 to 1988. In total, 1,144 vehicles of this model were manufactured. On orders from Mikhail Gorbachev, the blueprints and tooling were destroyed as part of his "fighting privileges" campaign under perestroika. From a technical point of view, the car was a deeply modernized version of its predecessor, GAZ-13. At the same time, the new model was significantly larger and, in fact, "gone" to a higher subclass, closely approaching the dimensions, technical characteristics and levels of comfort and equipment for the ZIL models of the highest class. Large-scale models of GAZ-14 cars were produced directly by the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1985 to 1988. Despite the rude performance and mediocre coloring quality, the model is a desirable rarity for most collectors. The model repeated the fate of the "big" car - all the molds and data were destroyed. In general though the GAZ 14 Chaika (seagull) was hierarchically one step below the top-of-the-line ZIL, it is arguably the best luxury sedan the Soviet Union ever designed and manufactured. It was technologically superior to its longer wheelbased cousins and because it was shorter, it was relatively more nimble. The GAZ 14 was equipped with a 5.5 liter aluminum block V8 (with two 4-barrel carburetors) that was good for 220 horses. It could haul the Black Beauty up to 109 mph. Officially, the 5,700 pound car got 17.6 miles to the gallon. Some of these limousines had armor and thick bulletproof glass.
In 1968, there already existed a full-size mock-up of the future "Seagull" of the second generation, whose appearance obviously went back to a generalized image of a high-class American car of those years, without copying directly any particular model or group. The project was approved by the dummy commission in 1969, after which they began to make prototypes. Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, the way of the new model to production was very long. The first series of prototypes was built on the basis of the GAZ-13 chassis (designer - Lev Eremeev). However, the creators of the car did not satisfy their aesthetic and technical qualities. The combination of a low line of the roof and a forced high due to the engine's hood dimensions violated the visual proportions, and the seats, which were lowered together with the roof, required the extension of the wheelbase to preserve the necessary legroom for passengers. More serious layout changes were required. In 1971, the running prototype of the second series was built. It already had a modified chassis with a wheelbase increased by 200 mm and a lower engine. The exterior of the car was created by Stanislav Volkov, a graduate of the Art and Industrial School named after. VI Mukhina, who later worked on the design of the family "GAZelle". Subsequently, until the mid-1970s, several more prototypes were built. They had different design options, gradually approaching the one that was subsequently chosen for the production model.
In 1975, pre-production copies were tested in a wide variety of road conditions, including extreme ones, on the roads of the Crimea and the Caucasus, and in 1976, after eliminating the identified shortcomings, the same route was already passed by state acceptance tests, as a result of which The car was finally recommended for production. Nevertheless, even at the beginning of its release, the car looked quite modern in the stylistic direction, than it was due mainly to the protracted crisis of the American automobile industry of the 1970s, when the updating of the model lines slowed down many times, and the development of design in general practically stopped . Moreover, in USA, roughly comparable in class with the "Seagull" frame "full-size" cars were produced in similarly designed bodies until the late eighties and mid-nineties, in particular: Cadillac Fleetwood and Cadillac Brougham - until 1992, Lincoln Town Car - until 1989 Oldsmobile 88 - until 1985, Chevrolet Caprice - until 1990, Ford LTD Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis - until 1991. Subsequently, most of the above models were restyling, which consisted mainly in replacing the body for a more modern and aerodynamic, and produced: the company General Motors - d the second half of the nineties, Ford Motor Company - before the start of the 2010s.
In general, the car was unpretentious and repairable, its performance characteristics were beneficially affected by the high quality of parts and assemblies. The main complaints of drivers caused the layout of the workplace and the heating of the automatic transmission, which reduced ride comfort.