FSC Żuk
Żuk A15B at the Bratislava Transport Museum (Bratislava, Slovakia)
The FSC Żuk (“beetle”) is a van produced by Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych in Poland between 1959 and 1998. It was based on FSO Warszawa, which in turn was licensed from the Soviet passenger car GAZ-M20 Pobeda, and so was similar to a Soviet developed van, the RAF-977. The chassis, suspension and engine from FSO Warszawa formed the basis of the Żuk and the Nysa light vans designed in the late 1950s. About 587,818 were manufactured.
Overview
The Żuk was sold mainly to state organizations, but also to individuals. After 1989, as the Polish economy was liberalized, the Żuk kept its traditional markets and won over many more individual buyers. In the final few years of production, it ran in parallel with its successor, the Lublin van, as a cheaper alternative.
The Żuk came in a range of body styles. The most common were the van and the light 1.1-ton pickup truck. Rarer variants included a minibus and a long-cab truck. Unusually for a van, it had independent front suspension. After about ten years in production, the front of the cab was restyled. No further changes were made, except for a minor change in the number of vents above the headlights.
The Żuk was a favorite among farmers, and groups of them were a common sight at local markets, where they were used to transport crops from the fields to the farmers’ own stalls. The Polish postal service (Poczta Polska) used large numbers of Żuks painted in a dull orange color, and local fire services used them as personnel carriers or even as mini fire engines in rural districts.
The Żuk was shipped to the Soviet Union in panel van form. From the 1970s to about 1990, it was also manufactured in Egypt under license as the ELTRAMCO Ramzes.
Variants
There were two main types of Żuk trucks, the ones with the original slightly “rounded” front and the more angular improved version. The change was made at the end of 1960s.
- A-03: older version pickup with optional tarpaulin cover.
- A-05: older version van, rear compartment has only rear window, no side windows.
- A-06: newer version van, similar to A05 except the nose.
- A-07: van for cargo or passengers, similar to A06, the rear compartment has side windows.
- A-09: older version flatbed truck with optional tarpaulin covered box.
- A-11: newer version of the A09 flatbed truck.
- A-13: newer version pickup, similar to A03.
- A-15: firefighter truck, first based on the A05 then later on the A06 van, with reinforced roof structure.
- A-151: firefighter truck similar with a front-mounted fire pump.
- A-16: crew cab version of the A11, with shorter bed.
Characteristics
Manufacturer: Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych (FSC Lublin Automotive Factory)
Assembly: Lublin (Poland)
Years of production: 1959—1998
Length: 4310–4400 mm
Width: 1820–1850 mm
Height: 2180 mm
Engine: 4 cylinders; 2120–2417 cc
Power: 50–70 HP
Max speed: 90 km/h
Fuel consumption: 10 l/100 km
Weight: 1340 kg
See also:
