Gaz VOLGA M21 Goes for a Drive

In the old Soviet Union cars took years of waiting to acquire and what you got depended on your status. If you were important enough you could buy a Volga like this one, the Mk3 Gaz Volga M21
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[@tasospappas6627]

I love how you appreciate those cars. Doug DeMuro recently made huge fun of it without even understanding that it was absolute luxury in USSR back in the day

[@mr-wx3lv]

Doug demuro compares everything with modern stuff. If it doesn't do 0-60 in 2 seconds, he'll condemn it...

[@tasospappas6627]

@@mr-wx3lv Exactly. Some of his reviwes are nice, but when he does old cars he is just ridiculous

[@planestrainsdogsncars4336]

I rarely stop a Doug Demuro road test half way through..but I did on that occasion.. relentless patronizing nonsense.

[@haziqhashim2618]

That review is just comedy. Those pills😂.

[@bluruckuscrx8124]

Doug reviewed the M24 Volga not the M21, but I agree Doug is an asshole he made fun of it because it was made in a socialist country

[@nuclearlad]

There was a famous soviet comedy "Beware of cars!" that focused on these cars as objects of great prestige. The protagonist was an insurance agent who would steal them from owners he deemed corrupt or generally crappy people and sell them to give the proceeds to charity. It then focuses on the cat and mouse game between him and the detective tracking him down. I think the humor still holds up, and last I saw it was on youtube with subtitles, if anyone wanted to check it out and get some of that vintage Brezhnev-era comedy (there was a bit of a loosening of censorship then).

[@kyle8952]

i remember that film by Eldar Ryazanov, a really excellent director, he even kept working after the USSR fell apart, making movies about the deterioration of society. I like the soviet era stuff by him better, it's happier.

[@nuclearlad]

@@kyle8952 yes, there was always an element of social critique in the films. For instance in the film mentioned above, there's a biting observation that these cars are supposed to be for the most "deserving" members of society, but in fact the owners end up being the corrupt and criminals. not a subtle jab at social issues.

[@stephenjcuk7562]

That's was one of the best unbiased reviews of a Cccp car I have seen. Positive and enthusiastic. Many youtubers just find a reason to laugh, you didn't.

[@furiousdriving]

Thanks, I didnt think it was a comedy car or a bad car but a product of its time and society. There are bad cars that should be laughed at, but thats for bad or cheap design

[@jkeelsnc]

It is surely not laughable. it was quite a good car for its intended purpose where it was intended to be used. Sometimes simplicity is a better choice.

[@simbastra]

A truly beautiful vehicle. That speedometer should have gotten a design award.

[@thomasjordan5578]

Copied 54 Ford Astra Dial.

[@mr-wx3lv]

I love it. Just love the rustic charm of eastern European cars..

[@petetongue6561]

I have one, it is an ex KGB Colonels car, he threw in his uniform. I looooove mine. It just keeps going and is tough as hell.

[@hughjass1044]

The very embodiment of simplicity. What a beautiful car! If they sold such things today, by any manufacturer, I'd buy one in a heartbeat!

[@SoupyMittens]

Lada still sells simple little cars similar to this, albeit much less luxuries.

[@tonys1636]

Everyone knocks Russian Soviet era vehicles but those built in Russia were built like tanks and reliable, something which could not be said of those designed and built in satellite states like East Germany and other Communist Countries. The Engineering may have been agricultural and low tech but was easy to get repaired by a blacksmith or local village garage, often the same place.

[@jkeelsnc]

Simplicity has a quality all its own. This is something we have completely forgotten in the modern era.

[@eozcompany9856]

Most of these were used as taxis in Czechoslovakia. tough, dependable and comfortable really great for such use.

[@ofirs5830]

Did they come in Diesel versions as well?

[@eozcompany9856]

@@ofirs5830 No, diesel engine were only fitted for export all of the GAZ 21 taxis in the eastern block countries used the standard petrol engine, just like the one in the video.

[@jimmyj1969]

Popular as taxis in greek countryside these Volgas, due to being so tough! I remember going in cycladic islands, as a kid, back in the '70s, and all taxis on the island (3-4 of them) being Volgas!

[@pcno2832]

It does kind of remind me of the old Checker cabs we had here; with interchangeable parts for most years, they must have been much easier to keep on the road.

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

When I was a kid there was an old guy who had one of these, bought it second hand in the USSR in the early 80s and had it until he passed in the mid 2000s. The thing guzzled fuel like a tank, was slow and parts were non-existent for it, but no Mercedes or Audi could ever come close to the quality and comfort of it.

[@williamegler8771]

No Mercedes Benz could approach the quality? Are you serious... Mercedes Benz vehicles built during the same time period were the pinnacle of automotive craftsmanship.

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

@@williamegler8771 Yeah until they rusted to bits, or the HVAC system broke, or the dashboards cracked, etc etc...

[@bluruckuscrx8124]

@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge you don't know anything about Mercedes from the same era, there are literally thousands of old Mercedes W123 still running like new in countries in Africa

[@williamegler8771]

@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge There are still thousands of Mercedes Benz vehicles from the 70's 80's and 90's being used as daily transportation all over the world. Especially in Africa and the Middle East. In Germany they were used extensively as taxi's and routinely accumulated 1,000,000km or more. How many Volga's can claim the same?

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

@@bluruckuscrx8124 Oh I know plenty, I had a w123. I talk from experience, they're not as bulletproof as people think.

[@TheHerbas123]

Loved the video, informative, no stupid laughter off things you didn’t know , no comparing to modern cars, loved❤ finally a perfect review of old car. Take care and good luck, waiting for next video ❤

[@bartl9956]

My dad had two in the sixties, one with a Perkins diesel as far as I know. That engine survived the car and was sold to someone who put it in a yacht. In the Netherlands the were used as taxis in Rotterdam.

[@TempoE200]

Great to hear about this! We operate one with the Rover Diesel. What a combination...

[@krissjacobsen9434]

These were common in Norway back in the 50's and 60's. Especially as taxi's. Also, until 1960 there was a sales embargo on western cars in Norway. You needed a special approval to be allowed to buy a European car (i.e. you needed a car to be able to do your job, or you was a high-standing member of the society). However, sovjet cars could be bought by everyone, so this was one of the few semi-modern, large cars normal people could get their hands on back then. When the embargo was lifted, nobody wanted these old sovjet cars anymore, so they are now extremely rare.

[@kadi7471]

..wow that’s an interesting one..never heard of that😱

[@truxton1000]

Yes the sales embargo was due to the fact that the country "needed hard currency" for the more important goods, not luxury items like cars... In those days the trade balance was very important to keep positive or as close to positive as possible. All this is not important anymore as most western countries produce very little themselves and import everything from low cost countries, so to have a good trade balance is regarded as "old fashioned"?! Well I think this is a mistake and the western countries will bitterly regret this in the long run,

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@truxton1000 It's also worth mentioning that the Soviet Union made and exported a lot of wristwatches for precisely the same reason. Marques such as Poljot, Luch, Pobeda, Raketa, Slava, among others made the USSR the second largest maker and exporter of watches consistently after WWII, only behind the Swiss.

[@jkeelsnc]

@@truxton1000 Quite true. Corporations were more concerned with short term profits in the last 50 years rather than long term economic viability and stable national security interests in the long run and that is how the west (and the US) has gotten itself into this mess. China, of course, has completely taken advantage of this and capitalized on it and one day it will cost us all something. They will be able to hold us by the balls one day when we can't cough up money to pay for things and then we will be at their mercy. I am sure they planned all of this long ago, know what they will do, how it would be done, etc all along. The western countries do not plan ahead 50+ years and execute patiently over time to make sure they get exactly where they want to be decades from now. China does and our short sighted vision and greed will be our down fall one day.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@truxton1000 Refreshing to see a fellow intelligent person. This love affair with cheap Asian goods, and the war against the Labor Movement, have completely destroyed our once thriving middle class. Most of us are just working class or downright poor. Except, of course, for the rich.

[@martinstewart5205]

What a beautiful car I would buy one today if they were re-produced I love the simplicity of it and it looks fantastic far from beautiful than the disposable muck produced today 👍

[@petetongue6561]

I have one that belonged to an ex KGB Colonel, and he threw in his uniform. It is sexy as hell. I am about to buy another one as I have loads of people wanting to buy mine. I cant tell you how much fun it is. It is as tough as a soviet tank too.

[@robertbalazslorincz8218]

I'd buy one too, yeah

[@telabib]

I really like that car.

[@professormicron6470]

5:40 That thing behind the spare wheel is actually a starting crank. It came as standard on every Volga GAZ M-21 and GAZ-24. You should try a GAZ-24 one day, it has really cool looks as well

[@Pfirtzer]

2 CV has it also Ami has it. Handy.

[@jkeelsnc]

Interesting about the starting crank. I imagine it came in handy from time to time when the battery was dead (very cold weather) or if there was a problem with the electric starter motor (or solenoid). I also imagine that one would have to very careful when using the starting crank as it could easily break your hand. However, when the need of using it 300km from the nearest service centre was necessary it would come in quite handy on a -40C Siberian morning. A roll start would also work nicely in 1st or 2nd gear if you have a hill (not guaranteed) or people to help push it (even less guaranteed).

[@misters2837]

Prof. Micron - I came here to say that about the crank!

[@AlejjSi]

@@Pfirtzer And also the Ladas had it (at least the first ones). In Russia it was essential, you had to be able to escape the cold even if the battery would be dead, otherwise you would be dead.

[@volvo480]

Russian cars had to be build with simplicity and sturdiness in mind. A Russian explained to me the difference between their country and ours, that once you leave the city in Russia, there is hundreds of miles of nothing (miles and miles of bloody Überwald as Pratchett would describe it). And only the main roads are paved. If your car breaks down, you have to either do your own roadside repair or hitchhike to the nearest town to find someone to repair your car. They could fix a Lada or Volga, but with a western car you're shit out of luck.

[@paulc9588]

There is a well-known story about the British Ambassador to the USSR breaking down in his Rolls Royce on his way to the Crimea with his family for summer vacation. The fan belt had broken. Hundreds of miles from the nearest town and no garage nearby. He walked to a collective farm and they helped him out by quickly modifying and fitting a tractor fan belt. A relatively simple job granted but shows resourcefulness, especially given that Rolls Royces are not exactly common in that part of the world.

[@furiousdriving]

TP summed it up perfectly!

[@jkeelsnc]

Quite true. And it is actually amazing that this same principle was not maintained in the US (short sighted greed) considering that also in the US sometimes you can drive 100 miles between cities or even in some areas between small towns and if your car breaks down you could be SOL (which is one reason companies like Toyota do so well in the US while the crappy Detroit brands get kicked in the shins for their poorly built garbage). Of course, USSR/Russia is an even more extreme case and the GAZ 21 was simple enough that someone with moderate mechanical ability and a few tools could mend it on the side of the road enough to get home or to the next city, town, destination, etc. Cars nowadays? Not so common anymore to be repaired that way as they are too complicated to fix without very expensive diagnostic tablets, computers, scopes, etc. Very technical and of course on occasion only the dealer has the right "scan tool" or special tool for a certain kind of repair (which is totally ridiculous). Right to repair needs to be the norm (simple design, all schematics, mechanical diagrams, tools, scan tools, etc should be required to be readily available for the car at any time). Granted one has to buy the tools, scan tools, etc but those should not be limited to only ones sold by the car manufacturer (and they should be affordable to mere mortals) and all of the schematics, diagrams, etc should be (at the minimum) available online for free. Design should allow most work to be possible with as few specialized tools as possible.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@jkeelsnc Japanese cars are not all that great. There is nothing good about rubber timing chains that break, nothing good about having the water pump in the timing gear cover where it is a major time-consuming job to replace it. The traditional Full-size American car was the best you can get in this country.

[@exxusdrugstore300]

@@michaelbenardo5695 Nooooo they were not, lol. I owned a Town Car. I now own an Accord. The Accord is a better car by miles.

[@Bumper3D]

What a lovely example! They did have an export market outside of the USSR, in fact they were quite popular as taxis in Finland around the 50s and 60s as there were severe import restrictions for all cars except for the "eastern" ones like Volgas, Skodas etc. Apparently the Soviet cars weren't all that bad, as Ladas were top sellers up here until the very late 80s, despite the fact that all import restrictions ceased to exist in the 60s.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

The only reason the ladas sold fairly well (top sellers is really stretching it) was because the finnish government got hefty discounts on them in exchange for goods such as paper, chemicals and ships built in finnish yards, since the soviets always was a bit short on cash...hence they were dirt cheap to buy. Also, there were no "severe" import restrictions for other cars either.

[@Bumper3D]

@@AlfaGiuliaQV Yeah, the cheap price might have added to their popularity. For a short period of time there were restrictions on importing cars, and probably other produce, too. For the reasons you stated above, USSR cars were exempt of the import limitations. Google "Tuontisäännöstely".

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@AlfaGiuliaQV What? Severe restrictions on imported cars (read: from mainland Europe) existed in Finland until 1960. Only way to get one before then was to either be an important, high-ranking member of society or prove that you actually needed a car to do your job. Soviet cars were never under such restrictions, which contributed to their popularity. After 1960, though, these GAZs basically faded away like independent cars have a tendency to here in the States.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

@@jakekaywell5972 Wow, i didn´t realize my farmer grandparents were so high ranking that they could buy a brand new Volkswagen in 1958. Thanks for the info, american.

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@AlfaGiuliaQV I'm guessing that because your grandparents were farmers, it was deemed that they actually needed a car to do their jobs. You're welcome for the information, but feel free to some research on your own if you like. Your own anecdotes are not the end all and be all, after all.

[@Werkplaatsvlog]

That’s very interesting! One of our viewers send me the link to this video. We’re currently working on a Gaz M21 in the Netherlands right now, hope to have it driving next week.

[@lukem9962]

wondered what happened to that gaz

[@Sohave]

Hi Emil! You rock! God luck with your 21 Volga project!

[@mikekaatman3194]

Veel succes mannen..upload een video als ze klaar is.

[@jkeelsnc]

Well, Assuming you are getting the parts adequately it should be relatively easy to repair! Good luck with your Gaz 21.

[@recoveringnewyorker2243]

As a retired auto mechanic in the United States, I find this car fascinating! Jay Leno, about nine years ago, profiled his 1966 Gaz Volga.

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

What a beauty. I was surprised by how much style the interior has . I would be happy to travel down the road in it, even if I was in the boot.

[@petetongue6561]

I have one, it is an ex KGB Colonels car, he threw in his uniform. I looooove mine. It just keeps going and is tough as hell. Drove mine from Kiev to Nottingham,

[@bobjohnson1587]

If you were in the boot on the way to a KGB interrogation centre you might have a different opinion! lol

[@neilwalsh4058]

What a fabulous car and a great find Matt. I'm fascinated by Eastern Bloc cars in general but the Volga and the Chaika are simply stunning.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

Solid as a rock! Love the sound of the gears and the column shift looks quite snappy. That back lit speedo is straight out of a 1955 Ford Customline 😊. Such a simple, rugged car and so stylish. Brilliant. Thanks for showing it to us. 👍😊

[@furiousdriving]

Isnt it fantastic! So many great details

[@PaulinesPastimes]

@@furiousdriving ✨ A star!

[@randolfo1265]

It's actually like a scale down version of early fifties American cars, the proportions are pretty good. The lower and wider style you speak of (1:33) came later, like 1959 and up. Great review, what a nice example!

[@karoltakisobie6638]

I love dashboard of this car. Simple, elegant and very functional. So unlike fighter jet cockpits we get today. Thanks

[@supertrinigamer]

No bloody way you are driving one in Britain! I'm living in the UK too and I absolutely adore these cars. I can't begin to express how lucky you are to drive one of these. I own a KMZ, Kiev motorcycle, and they're pretty rare too.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

There was a 1965 right hand drive estate version of this used in Thunderball, The Saint and The Champions. I presume that must have been a Belgian assembled one...

[@furiousdriving]

Was it a V8?

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@furiousdriving , not sure, sir! The registration was CPK 110C, but sometimes they stuck fake foreign plates on it.

[@rockymac3565]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting According to IMCDB (Internet Movie Cars Database) it was a 1965 Volga M-22 estate with the registration GPK 110C (not CPK), and also featured in The Professionals and the film 'No Sex Please; We're British'. I don't think it was a V8.

[@russellflacco7811]

Of all of the you tube automobile hosts/drivers you are about the most entertaining and well versed of the group. You put some effort into these vids. Happy to see the trees are blooming back in the empire.

[@truxton1000]

As usual very well done. I would have expected som complaining but the car is respected for what it was, a sturdy, spacious, reliable and good looking car. I travelled in eastern Europe in the late 80's and could see these many still on the road. 80 hp and 1440 kgs, not "fast" but ok. Today's insane car reviews where reviewers like JayEmm, Doug Demuro, Joe Achilles etc regards a car going from 0-60 in 8 seconds as "slow" is just too ridiculous to comment on. I still regard a car that does 0-60 in under 10 seconds as if not fast more than good enough for modern traffic as speed limits are painfully low anyway.

[@jkeelsnc]

Quite true. i agree. Anything under 10 seconds from 0-60 is usually adequate for most people and most cars. I don't need 0-60 in under 4 seconds for daily driving. I'd rather have reliability, refinement, and adequate (decent) handling than an all out performance car anyway. However, something can be said for what i would consider a "mild" sleeper (mainly because it won't attract the police too much).

[@michaelbenardo5695]

People nowadays are to speed-crazed. That's why the horrible accident rate nowadays.

[@AlejjSi]

My grandpa had one back in the day. He bought it new in Czechoslovakia in 1965, so it too was a Mk.III. We still have the side wing "Волга" bolted on to the garage door. He was not in the party or anything, he worked in agriculture (in 1965 he was 32) as a combine harvester driver and they were payed the best (after the party officials of course), because their work was very hard, the combines didn't even get a roof back then. So he and my grandma, who used to drive with him and later became an accountant (she was very smart and knew how to work numbers) earned enough on the 60's to buy the Volga and build a house (of course with just their own bare hands on evenings after work). And so they were permitted to get hold on one (in Czechoslovakia you didn't own a car, you were a holder of the car even though you payed for it. The registration documents titled you "Car holder", not "Owner" and you had to get a permission to hold one before buying it). They even had to pay extra money for it, because in 1965, a big sporting event called "Spartakiade" took place and all of the available Volgas had to go to the taxi drivers, so to discourage anybody from buying it, they upped the price. It did cost around double the price of the Skoda Octavia or later the 1000MB back then (65 000 Czechoslovak crowns). They had it right until 1988, when they bought a new Skoda Favorit, which we own until now. Granpa always praised the Volga for being reliable, comfortable (yes, they did sleep in it when on travel, didn't have to waste time building a tent :D) and the torque it had. He always said that you would pull off on first, ten go for second, third and on third it would go all the way to Moscow :D And of cours, in among his friends and coworkers, who maybe had a Skoda or bette a Lada, his car was king even in the 80's. To this day, I still have the original owners manual in Russian and the receipe from the showroom, though I actually never saw it. But I've seen few on the road still in actual use. My brother, who works in a used cars showroom once called me to show up, because they had a Volga M21 in the yard. It was an early Mk.I and I was able to examine it and sit in it. It was sooo comfortable. Thank you for this video, I really like you appreciate cars no matter from where they came.

[@AlejjSi]

@@boyarin2269I donť think anybody adressed this thing, because all people have kept the same registration documents after the regime change. only the laws probably got changed from "car holding" to "car owning". The registration papers stayed the same for some years into the 90's, only on the front page the name of the state and the symbols changed and the "Holder" page canged to "Owner" page. And the system probably re-registered them automatically as owners and also I think nobody really noticed. The only re-registration that was forced was for those that had their cars registered in the "Gottwaldov" area, because after the regime change, Gottwaldov (named after the first communist president Klement Gottwald) regained it's original name "Zlín" (as was the case in the former GDR with Chemnitz aka Karl-Marx Stadt). After this rename, the old numberplates were taken back and scrapped and all cars re-registered. One correction: the regine fell at the end of 1989, so if there was to be a re-registration, it would be in 1990. From 1990 to the end of 1992 Czechoslovakia was a democratic state. After the split, there was probably a re-registration in Slovakia, who formed a new system of numberplates, but people were obviously allowed to keep the old registration and numberplates for a very long time, because as a kid on holiday in Slovakia, I recall a lot of old numberplates in around 2004 on the cars. But for example the Slovak army still keeps the old Czechoslovak (and now Czech) numberplates on their old pre 1989 cars.

[@garygriffiths2911]

You often say that the next car may be 'something entirely different' - that mission is accomplished I think!

[@TheChill001]

that's probs the best trim and colour combination I've seen on a GAZ so far

[@davidjames2910]

Back in the 1950s, that design must have been the business, and it's lovely now. Thanks for showing these unusual vehicles that many of us may have heard of but don't get to see.

[@philipmulville8218]

Hi Matt, many thanks for this excellent and accurate review. I have many positive memories of Volgas from my years living and working in the USSR. In fact, on my first visit, I was collected at Leningrad Airport by a government official in a black Volga. The car was surprisingly comfortable, and came complete with several aerials and phone - which worked! Obviously I can't say anything more as my mission was Top Secret!

[@furiousdriving]

'Official business'. taps nose...

[@mikbe2579]

The M21 was also available with automatic gearboy and as the M23 (KGB), with a 195HP 5.5l V8 engine.

[@runoflife87]

The soviet Cadillac. Nice looking but ancient. Some Volgas also made it to the UK market in RHD version (you can one of those in James Bond movie). Local market also had 3-speed automatic gearbox. BTW your Russian is pretty good.

[@lemonacidrounds7293]

@JamesPhox Zavod Imeni Stalina and Zavod Imeni Lenina

[@lemonacidrounds7293]

@JamesPhox Right. I didn't know. Writing down what I've heard many years ago

[@theshowman8478]

Being a collector of vintage CCCP (USSR) watches, I would love one of these ! Yes I know it's a car not a watch, but is full of pre Perestroika history. Love it. It's so cool to know that Yuri Gagarin had one of these.

[@petetongue6561]

I have one, it is an ex KGB Colonels car, he threw in his uniform. I looooove mine. It just keeps going and is tough as hell. Drove mine from Kiev to Nottingham, I am going to buy a new one soon, owned by a senior army officer. These things are amazing. Mine will be up for bids.

[@JohnnyPaton]

Magnificent. The Mk3 Cortina had a Floor mounted windscreen washer button too

[@planestrainsdogsncars4336]

So did the Renault 16 with wipe function.

[@seancooke4127]

And the Mk 1 Ford Fiesta. Very useful.

[@roguedalek900]

Chrysler had the rubber windscreen button into the mid 60s on some models IIRC . Chrysler also used the back-lit speedometer in the early 60s too

[@Oyvind88]

What a great car, my dad love these cars, R.I.P dad😁❤️🇳🇴

[@AlejjSi]

My granddad had one, from 1963 to 1988. Always very fond of it. Sad that I never saw it (I'm born in 1992).

[@emjayay]

The sculpture suggesting rear fenders around the rear wheel openings is like on a 1952-54 Ford. The half dome speedometer with the backlighting window is found on 1954 and 1955 Fords, including the original two seater Thunderbird, which shared a lot of Ford sedan bits of each of its three years . The windshield/front quarter window immediately brought the 1952-54 Fords to mind. The first prototype Gaz VOLGA M21 was shown in May 1955. Some 1930's American cars had a manual throttle control like on this car, but never in postwar cars until actual speed control options in the late 1950's, first showing up on high end cars and later proliferating, but it took awhile.

[@jimmyj1969]

Not strange - Ford always had connections to the soviet car industry, even since the 1920s!

[@gryfandjane]

Fascinating! By the way, Fords had a very similar “skylight” speedo binnacle in the early 50s here in the USA. I always thought that was a pretty slick feature.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

54 - 55, and on the Thunderbird, 1956 as well.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

It reminds me of those Zenit cameras, blatant copies of the German counterparts of the time. They were very sturdy and well made.

[@planestrainsdogsncars4336]

Oh yeah ..the Voigtlander

[@jakekaywell5972]

Zenit cameras were actually independent designs. It's the Zorki series that are blatant Leica copies.

[@replevideo6096]

I agree about steering column change. My first 4 cars had steering column gear change and bench seats. The worst was a 1955 Morris Oxford where the rubber bushes in the linkages were all knackered and replacements were not available. I managed to bodge it up with some thick walled polythene tubing which I found in an engineering supplies shop. After the bodge it became a perfect smooth change with no spare play in it.

[@HarborLockRoad]

Agreed, i had a 1965 Studebaker cruiser with the " 3 on the tree", as we called it in the states. It was horrible due to the bushings having worn out.

[@carsyoungtimerfreak1149]

Very nice, thank you. Column gear change levers were common in the 50s and 60s. Even the first Giulia's had a column gear change lever! And... they are coming back for auto boxes, which makes a lot of sense. The auto box selector handle on the floor is really a waste of space...

[@michaelbenardo5695]

FACTS! I don't like manual gear change on the floor either, unless it is a big truck or a sports car.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Glad to hear that they are coming back for automatics.

[@DavidUKesb]

What an amazing car. I really like that. No doubt the 'Top Gear' fanboy bedwetters will be along in a minute proclaiming it to be rubbish because it doesn't 'go fast'!

[@roguedalek900]

Sometimes you don't need fast. You just need to get there. It beats walking in the siberian cold.

[@komradentomolog7701]

There is a volga which has a stronger engine,but literally in my country you can't drive over 120,so for me it would be useless

[@michaelbenardo5695]

And you should see the accident rate here in the US, with all those high-powered foreign cars around. If airbags and seat/shoulder belts hadn't been invented, the death toll would be like a war zone.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@roguedalek900 Blame the Japanese for re-activating the horsepower race.

[@RichieRouge206]

Wow this is a monster! Really getting the oddballs on test lately and this is the stuff that is so much more interesting than supercars. Great video Matt!

[@furiousdriving]

Totally agree, supercars dont do much for me, Id rather be looking at something a bit different

[@Grahame59]

Love the see-through speedo, makes you wonder why other manufacturers didn't have them. Easy to think of this as a big Moskvitch but that would be so wrong; this car is clearly superior in every way. I remember reading a contemporary review of a Moskvitch (in Motoring Which?) which described the brakes as being 'at best, dangerous'! This Gaz is gorgeous.

[@woodstocknun]

Gagarin was a lucky man getting the blue dashboard, the entire world looked in envy.

[@johang7498]

This is something very different, I love the variety in cars you drive. I think it's quite a stately and stylish car in black, definitely one that makes a visual impact.

[@skodakatie7341]

Great piece of Soviet history, I used to own a Lada 2107, badged Lada Riva here in the UK, this car would have been very elitist compared to my humble Lada back in the USSR.

[@SgtSnazzerino]

I have a weird fascination with Soviet autos. Some of my favorites are the ZAZ 968s and the Lada "Riva" Estate/Wagon (Otherwise known as the VAZ 2104 I believe). Hubnut reviewed a 2104 a few years back.

[@simongray8019]

Fully agree, DeMuro just mocks them. He should spend more time looking at the reasons why these vehicles were produced and why people had to buy them. He's lucky he had a choice......

[@milksheihk]

Using the brake light as a blinker is also a typically American thing, even now.

[@123sheepdip]

and Canadian.

[@justas525]

Well done Comrade. I hope you don't see it outside you're house at 4 in the morning. 🤣

[@asmodeane]

Thanks for the video, quite a trip down the memory lane, my grandpa had one of those in Russia in the early 80s, I have vague memories of sitting on the huge (especially for a child) front "couch" and the scent of low octane gasoline...

[@mahtebubekele9342]

The grandson of the Wolayta King Tona Gaga, Fitawurari Desta Fiseha, was driving this car. There were only three GasVolga in Addis Ababa. It was powerful like Jeeps and Land-rover cars.

[@robinm1211]

Great video! Thank you for respecting the different priorities and design choices eastern europe made in our car designs! Very informative and detailed! Can't wait for more proper vintage stuff!

[@efexefex2824]

When i was a child, my grandfathers friend had one of these, but in the grey color. Still remember how was sitting on the back seat, it was begining of 80s and Lithuania was a part of USSR. It has own sound of transmission and exhaust, still remember :) It quite rear car nowdays, but you can find them in my country from time to time and even by one in good condition, usually they restored by fans of these cars.

[@jkeelsnc]

And a worthy car of restoration. With simple maintenance I imagine it can be daily driven (with some care about how it is driven and assuming adequate access to parts).

[@robertbransby]

What a thing of beauty! I can just imagine KGB agents being driven around in those. Great vid as usual 👍👍

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

Yep

[@AlejjSi]

They even had a special V8 version called the M23.

[@HansDelbruck53]

@@AlejjSi He mentioned that in the video.

[@AlejjSi]

@@HansDelbruck53 Missed that, my bad.

[@flight2k5]

Why would that make you excited?

[@alansimpson835]

You can definitely see the American influence in the styling and I love the way they were built from proper thick steel. Just imagining the Russian spies sliding about on that bench into each other during some furious cornering

[@Hound87]

What a machine, I really like that!

[@kadi7471]

..friend of mine still has one of these in his garage..he’s had owned it for years..if my memory serves well it has a diesel engine in it out of a fork truck..I remember when I was a kid back in Poland in late 70s and early 80s riding in them quite often as they were still in use as taxis..always liked that instrument binnacle..nice review mate👍

[@grayfool]

Didn't see that coming. Mind you that's probably what a lot of Russians said in the sixties, just before they disappeared as well. Very cool.

[@patrickrocks3312]

Now that was a very interesting car well done Matt.

[@eozcompany9856]

Now we just need a test of the early 60s Škoda Octavia and it would be perfect.

[@fhwolthuis]

Or a Zhiguli 😁

[@eozcompany9856]

@@fhwolthuis Moskvitch would be nice too!

[@fhwolthuis]

@@eozcompany9856 sure! And a Volga M24

[@eozcompany9856]

@@fhwolthuis also the Wartburg 353 could be added to the list!

[@jonathanthorpe1653]

A Trabant 601 would make great content.

[@Brommear]

Watching this on the anniversary of Gagarin's flight!

[@pekkajohannesvirkkula7473]

This car was a backbone on Finnish Taxi traffic during the late 1960 and - 70's

[@martinda7446]

''Something that doesn't happen with Western cars'' (long production runs)... I thought about that for a moment... British Leyland esp. Austin. Morris? Mini, Volkswagen, A series engines, VW air cooled engines..2CV Renault 4, 5. Reliant all models. Spitfire, Midget Etc. I think models across Europe used to have long lives, often up to ten years and sometimes much, much more. The Americans would change models every year or two to stimulate the market. The Japanese too, even more. Europe was much more conservative during the time the Volga was released. Today we do expect regular model changes which is a bit crazy I think. I wish I could still go out and buy a Mini. Great to see the Volga, can't be many here. Bought over by some crazy Russian no doubt.

[@furiousdriving]

We had long runs of the same car but engines, trim, colours exterior mouldings changed, these had 3 grills and badges in that time

[@martinda7446]

@@furiousdriving Ha, ha, ha yes of course. The Lada at least had an engine update and even a decadent luxury model! After 30 years...

[@profrumpo]

Another terrific review of a very unusual car. Love you channel, really enjoy the tinkering and projects plus the reviews, you really do deserve more subscribers. Thanks for creating so much to enjoy, especially in these troubled times, a great way to relax.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

That cruise control lever would have come in handy for the KGB boys when travelling through the vast steppes of kazakhstan.

[@Bratfalken]

But I doubt that it can hold a certain speed if it's up or downhill, just a carburettor opening like on an old tractor!

[@jkeelsnc]

Or across the hundreds and thousands of miles between towns and cities in Siberia!!!!!! I can imagine the party officer or KGB agent driving from Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk or Irkutsk (assuming they didn't just always take the Trans Siberian Railway to get to such places). Such a distance would often take days (even now) and I bet this car was up to the task (if a bit slowly).

[@faithlesshound5621]

It used to be called a "hand throttle."

[@pcno2832]

@@faithlesshound5621 I remember that expression from the owner's manual of my 1968 Fleetwood. It was the last Cadillac with the old-fashioned rotary dial cruise control and the manual was warning drivers to turn it slowly so as not to end up in a ditch.

[@loveforever8661]

My grandma has it very nice car memories from this times , nostalgia 💚

[@gman8606]

A couple of those actually made it to my Danish hometown where they served as Taxi's- in the first half of the 60th. I never drove in though- Taxi's were for the rich people and we weren't rich. But I remember how they looked

[@leighhogben1423]

Wow what a brilliant car! Ive just seen those wipers i think a Mr Ian Seabrook might get excited seeing those in action !! Thanks once again for a fab video on this rare car. 👍

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

At last, a sensible review of a classic soviet car. Unlike Doug DelMuro. Keep up the good work.👍10/10

[@TempoE200]

First of all - great presentation of a great car!!! The "wiper knob" is the electric fan and the heating's temperature can be adjusted by a valve in the engine compartment... That knob "you don't know about" is for the wipers, perfectly hidden by the hanging down door keys. Oh - and the steering wheel should be of beautiful "Volga Yellow" colour, whilst the dash was usually in body colour. 🤠

[@SPH56]

I have to say that I was quite amazed at the short throw of the column shift as many US cars of this era had very willowy gear change mechanisms.

[@andrewstones2921]

I clicked on the Doug Demuro video and then after a few mins I switched to watching this, I know your reviews and Doug’s are very different but yours are much les biased and much better in my opinion.. perhaps it’s just because I’m originally from the UK and appreciate reviews from a UK perspective more than from a US angle.

[@roguedalek900]

These have always fascinating to me . It has a 50s Ford look. I always imagined these with a oh say BL 2.5L six cylinder . I'd add a laycock O/D if it were mine.

[@nickwills6042]

Great video! I'm glad you aren't laughing like crazy and being a petulant child like a certain Mr Demuro was in his GAZ video recently...! 😂

[@volvo480]

That was my first thought too...

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Doug also sells signed photos of himself with various cars for $50.00 a pop.

[@furiousdriving]

Maybe it was Doug who left the dislike?

[@terryatkinson3182]

Can't stand Doug or people like him. So I don't watch him.

[@seancooke4127]

@@terryatkinson3182 maybe Doug should be sentenced drive only a 1984 Vauxhall Nova 1.2 Merit Saloon for 6 months. Then do the Volga review again. Ah hahaha haha. Twit.

[@glynjones2540]

The Autocar tested one in 1960 and gave it an excellent report with the exception of heavy pressure required for the brakes. However, 0-60 in 30.3 secs and max 79.5 mph was hardly competitive, neither was 17.6 mpg at a steady 70. That dash layout was very similar to early Mk2 Zephyrs which I think followed the '53 Mercury. My father's Rover P3 had that type of aerial and all P4s from 1954 to 1962 had foot operated washers as did early Mk3 Cortinas!

[@michaelbenardo5695]

40s Fords, 40s and 50s Buicks, and 50s Hudsons used that type of radio antenna.

[@narabdela]

In the 1950s, my dad had a Standard Vanguard that had one of those roof aerial thingies.

[@HarborLockRoad]

I want a volga or moskvich because we cant work on our own western cars anymore, too complex. These are simple, rugged, and reliable as a tractor!!!

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

What a lovely day for a scenic urban test drive.

[@peterlazarus1876]

Fascinating control and dashboard layout. The speedometer is stunning 👍

[@local38on-tv]

Ah i knew a man who owned one of these or something really similar, I rode in it once and let me tell you it was much more comfortable, roomy and neat than any Mercedes or Cadillac I’ve ever been in, it felt great being in something that guzzled more gas than any Cadillac or Mercedes of the time

[@rayfridley6649]

That style of speedometer was also installed on the 1954 & 1955 Fords.

[@O1Richard]

Cheaper than a Humber Hawk? Much better build than many English cars of that era and much stronger too.

[@jimbrown2044]

I always thought there is a strong resemblance in these Volgas to the mid50 s Hudson jet which is a similar size and the dashboard is virtually identical....possibly some willys aero in there too.

[@planestrainsdogsncars4336]

Kinda reminds me of a Borgward Isabella from some angles.

[@mattsbeamer]

my Russian family were driven about in these, back in the USSR, but the bigger v8 engined version. my dream russian car is the Volga 21 but build around my dream car, the E31 BMW 8 Series. When the 8 series was discontinued they built a convertible version on the E64 6 Series :)

[@garyhardwick8489]

I enjoyed that. I like quirky,unusual cars and I love former Eastern Bloc cars such as this,the likes of which we never really saw in England.

[@Mark1405Leeds]

I seem to recall our family MK2 Cortina had floor mounted windscreen washers!

[@Dogapult]

Cheers on the great video. Best English-language review of an M21 on KZbin. It's funny, friends in Russia talk about how terrible these cars are, because they think about them in comparison to the sort of person who could buy them, i.e. comparing something like the Volga to a Cadillac. If you step down your expectations to what the sort of cars it'd actually compete with, it'd be fairly competitive, I think. A couple of small things, I am by no means an expert on the cars, but the V8 was never in the estate, (which was M22, in case you're curious why they went from 21 to 23) even in the export markets. Also, production dates are slightly off, I don't believe even the prototypes were running around in '53, there's period photos of them in '55ish, and I believe the production models came out around mid '56.

[@hayamburuk]

I remember crossing the border into Ukraine and seeing loads of these loaded up with onions and other produce, headlamps shining into the sky - that instrument panel glows pale green at night and looks amazing. I'd love one of these, I'd take the kids to school in it

[@rogercarr4427]

Tremendous, and a great effort in getting the car here and in that condition. Well done Kiril!

[@MrBubbleszone]

Thank you:)

[@derrickrees8895]

Buick featured the Turn-down Radio Aerials from about 1941 to the end of the divided windscreen era .

[@jakekaywell5972]

Honestly, this is a fairly underrated car. I'd gladly park it next to my '62 Studebaker GT Hawk and drive it regularly, just because absolutely no one has seen a GAZ in the States and there is a sorta-Soviet connection Florida has thanks to Cuba and all that resulted in the Cold War.

[@furiousdriving]

Was there much flow back of soviet stuff to Florida? Obviously Cuba got lots of American cars and influences

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@furiousdriving I'd say a flow definitely happened, pretty much all from Cuban ex-pats. You'll see a few Ladas and Moskvitches here and there and every once in great while a GAZ. One time I saw a ZIL limousine and was completely floored by it. It was the height of apparat-chic!

[@furiousdriving]

@@jakekaywell5972 Wow, I need to visit Florida now, NASA and old cars!

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@furiousdriving Cuba always had lots of American cars.

[@HarborLockRoad]

I think the next generation gaz 24 would have made a better choice for a badge engineered Studebaker than the toyota/ datsuns they were looking at for 1967-70

[@mapascrapuje]

So guys: It's not a "massive wheel brace". This is a starting handle - it should be in a material case, as original. You switched places the choke, and "manual cruise controler". Free space by the left of gloves box, is dedicated for cigarette lighter. Horn oryginally is actuating by this thin chrome ring on the steering wheel. Something under the dasboard - You don't know what it is, it is a 2-speed wipers swich. The mileage meter has 5 digits, so we usually really don't know what is the mileage IN FACT;). By the way... Soviet secret service car, was rather GAZ M23 (M22 was a combi/wagon) witch V8 engine, developed in 1962 year. Nice close-up video shots, i've never seen in YT before. Regards from Poland.

[@alexandr_guluta]

always love when foreighners don't hate soviet cars. (unlike doug demuro )

[@maxidyne]

Just love it! Great details everywhere. Another great review, this is why I love this channel.

[@furiousdriving]

Thanks, its a fascinating machine!

[@ivankozhunkov9629]

I love the style of GAZ 21, she looks very graceful! The estate/wagon version of GAZ 21 was named like GAZ 22 and when the estate version was new, in the most they were used in different state organizations or in the trade industry or as a taxi cab (sedan/saloon GAZ 21 also was a taxi cab) or as an ambulance car.

[@ronaldfazekas6492]

The late 1940's US Buicks had the antenna mounted over the center of the windshield (windscreen) with the same knob to turn it down--and the early 1950's Nashes had the seats that reclined into a bed--screens were available for the windows