Re: ZIS 110

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2008/7/28 14:28:31

This is an interesting thread, I have been intrigued by the Packard - Zis connection for years.

According to the information I have, the straight eight Packard - like Zis was produced until 1959. If it had a projected service life of 20 years, official stocks of repair parts would have been maintained until 1979.

Thus it would not be surprising if such stocks survive to the present day.

In the US there are stores of NOS parts for Studebaker, Hudson, and other cars that went out of production decades ago.

There is even a warehouse full of NOS Hupmobile parts, for a low production car that expired in 1941.

I thought there were at least 2 Zis sedans in the US. One captured during the Korean War in the early 50s. The other, privately imported from Europe in the 50s or 60s. Now I hear there is a convertible as well.

Russia has used the metric system for many years, since the 1917 revolution if not earlier. So it is possible that dimensional differences result from rounding off, when translating American measurements into metric terms.

Incidentally, copying an existing design is a common shortcut. Ford copied Studebaker's flathead six when they wanted a new six cylinder for 1941. Studebaker took a pretty close look at the new Cadillac V8 before they designed their own V8 and even consulted with Cadillac engineers. The resulting engine had a marked resemblance to the Caddy but differed in several important details.

The Russians seem to have done the same thing, copying an existing design but altering it where necessary, or where they felt they could improve the original.