ZIC-155: legend among Soviet buses

• ZIC-155: legend among Soviet buses

This old bus for people who lived in the Soviet Union - a true symbol of the Soviet era of the postwar period and the middle of the last century. This legend is not very comfortable and not very productive, but rightfully takes its place in the history of the domestic automobile industry.

In the 50s of last century the streets of many of the more or less large cities in the country can be seen here such a handsome man. He issued this bus from 1949 to 1957 and became the most mass bus in the history of the Soviet Union. It is interesting that until 1956 was called the bus ZIS, but in the light of those events in the country, it was decided to rename the ZIL-155.

It is necessary to clarify that in the USSR buses are very often produced on the basis of existing trucks. ZIS-155 was no exception in this respect. He inherited the truck ZIS-150 units. Some of them have been changed, but on the whole machine is very similar technically. In this case, the bus did not frame in its classic sense. The body was metal, aluminum steering plates with rivets.

Settle into the ZIS-150 could have 52 passengers, 28 of which were at the same time to sit down. bus interior heated. To services of passengers in the winter time there were four water heater connected with the engine cooling system. However, as history has shown, heating was (to put it mildly) so-so. In the summer for ventilation could open the windows. Heater was not in the driver's cab. He adds "hardcore" unpressurized compartment and the engine, through which exhaust gases infiltrate. Despite the overall good ergonomics of the driver's seat, fly in the ointment was the need to change gear too often. At the bus it was not a small turning radius. With a length of 8.2 meters in the body he was 9 all.

The capacity of 5.5-liter carburettor engine of the bus did not have to operate at a maximum load of 10 tons. At 100 kilometers the vehicle ate 33-40 liters of gasoline, depending on the driving speed. We were ZIS pneumatic brakes and dependent on processors suspension. Braking distance at a speed of 30 km / h is 13 meters. It is noteworthy that throughout the time of release of the bus, he never modernized.