GAZ-51 -- Vintage vehicle cards of the USSR #14

From the original Soviet card (translated):

GAZ-51 (1946-1955) The most widely produced Soviet truck. After its modernization in 1955, it was called the GAZ-51A. It was produced under license in the Polish People's Republic under the brand "Lublin" and in the DPRK as "Sunrig". Engine displacement - 3485 cc, power - 70 hp, length - 5.53 m, curb weight - 2710 kg, speed - 70 km/h, payload - 2500 kg.

Additional research information:

The GAZ-51 was a Soviet 2.5-ton light truck produced by Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod from 1946, becoming a cornerstone of postwar Soviet transportation with over 3.4 million units built, and laying the foundation for many specialized variants.

The GAZ-51 originated from the prewar GAZ-11 engine project (GAZ-11-51), which began in 1937. Its design was influenced by the American Dodge D5 engine, purchased and adapted for Soviet production.

The initial prototypes appeared between 1939 and 1941, but World War II interrupted production. Postwar development incorporated wartime lessons and components from the reliable Studebaker US6 trucks used by the Red Army.

The GAZ-51 was designed as a 4×2 truck with a payload of 2.5 tons, intended primarily for civilian transport on roads rather than off-road military use, which was handled by the all-wheel-drive GAZ-63 variant.

Serial production of the GAZ-51 officially began in 1946 after a presentation to Soviet officials in 1945. Early models had simpler cab designs, and in 1955, the modernized GAZ-51A version entered production, featuring a more refined cabin, increased payload handling, and improved comfort. Production in the Soviet Union continued until 1975, with the GAZ-93 tipper variant produced until 1976. During its production run, over 3.48 million units were manufactured.

The truck was also produced under license in other countries: as the FSC Lublin-51 in Poland, the Yuejin NJ-130 in China, and the Sungri-58 in North Korea.

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