50 years have passed and somehow unexpectedly it turned out that such a work machine, familiar from childhood, became the national record holder for longevity.
Although it is produced and is still in good demand, the durability and reliability of the loaf is such that in the province you can often find cars on the move that are older than their drivers. This is how we are accustomed to seeing her: unprepossessing, but rather cute in appearance, rusty in places, often battered, almost always dirty, but trouble-free like a peasant horse, which will always take and on which both to the world and to a feast and to good people.
But, we think, few people know that some of these horses had a completely different life - under the hot southern sun and bright blue sky, on rocky mountain roads that keep exciting ancient Roman names via Appia, via Aurelia, via Flaminia.
When in 1916 the famous Italian businessman Fernando Martorelli opened the trade in English Rolls-Royces in the Apennines, he could not imagine that his grandchildren Vittorio, Luigi and Filippo would prefer Russian SUVs to executive cars.
It all started with Luigi's fascination with rally raids across the Sahara. It was then that he drew attention to the very durable Soviet jeep GAZ-69. But it was not enough for a representative of a well-known trading family in Italy to simply ride it. Signor Martorelli contacted Autoexport, carried out a corresponding advertising campaign and launched the sale in Italy of GAZ-69, and soon the new Ulyanovsk off-road vehicle UAZ-469.
I must say that in the 70-90s, UAZ cars were in very good demand in Italy. The sporting successes of the Martorelli brothers contributed a lot to this. In 1975, Luigi Martorelli's team on four UAZ-469B and one Dnipro motorcycle made an 11-thousand-kilometer run across the sands of the Sahara (photo 1 and photo 2), in 1985-92 the youngest of the brothers, Filippo, on a specially prepared UAZ, repeatedly became the Italian champion in off-road racing.
Ordinary UAZs sold in Italy by the Martorelli brothers also differed significantly from the serial Ulyanovsk products:
UAZ-469B version with native gasoline engine UMZ-451M (2500 cm3, 75 hp) was called UAZ-Explorer, with a Peugeot XD2 diesel engine (2500 cm3, 76 hp) - UAZ-Marathon, with a Vittorio Martorelli VM turbodiesel (2400 cm3, 100 hp). from.) - UAZ-Dakar, with a FIAT gasoline engine (2000 cm3, 112 hp) - UAZ-Racing.
From a technical point of view, the level of UAZ-Martorelli was already approximately equal to the modern UAZ-Hunter.
On Italian UAZs, power steering, sports seats and a hard roof first appeared as standard equipment, although the climate contributed to the fact that most cars were supplied with a soft top.
The most significant improvements, such as installation diesel engines carried out Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, smaller ones, including customizing the car for a specific customer, the Martorelli brothers carried out at their production bases in Rome and Milan. A small obstacle course was built right outside the gates of the Martorelli factory, including a water-filled ditch with concrete walls at an angle of 45 ° and a springboard.
Specially prepared machines stormed the moat and performed spectacular ski jumping right in front of potential buyers. In total, from 1973 to 1999, Martorelli sold 6662 UAZ vehicles in Italy, that is, more than in the same years went to private owners in the Soviet Union!
It is difficult to say what proportion among them were UAZ-452 vans, but judging by the surviving photographs of the company warehouse, there were about 10% of them.
In Italy, loaves were sold in two versions: with the native Ulyanovsk engine and with the already mentioned 78 hp Peugeot diesel engine. Probably, the latter were the majority, since almost all the loaves that have survived in Italy to this day are diesel. As far as can be judged from old photographs, the greatest demand was for unglazed cargo vans, although many of them were converted by local firms into passenger vans.
It was just such, converted UAZ-452, a few years ago, still carried tourists along the slopes of Mount Etna. However, these alterations are nothing compared to what small firms specializing in the production of mobile homes made from ordinary Ulyanovsk loaves - campers for autotourists.
History has preserved only a few brands that worked with Russian SUVs - Arca, Grand Erg, Schieppati, Caba, but there were many more. When converting into a camper, the body of the Ulyanovsk van was radically altered: as a rule, the roof was raised (recall that the height from floor to ceiling in a standard loaf is only 1315 mm), sleeping places, a dining and kitchen block, a toilet and an autonomous heater were equipped.
All this was done with a truly Italian taste, which is now familiar to us from household appliances and furniture. At the same time, of course, the base chassis with its unique cross-country ability was preserved. Why she was Italian is hard to say. I think it's a matter of national character. Those who have been to Italy, especially southern Italy, probably noticed that this is one of the least asphalted countries in Western Europe. In addition, raids across North Africa are extremely popular among Italians, and stories of traveling on loaves across Iceland and Turkey can be found.
On the image camper from Schieppati... In 1983, the Auto in Fuoristrada magazine conducted joint tests of this UAZ in the Sahara with off-road campers on the Renault-Saviem TP3 chassis (a prototype of the Czech Avia, known in the USSR) and IVECO Daily. As expected, the UAZ proved to be the most passable and least comfortable.
On the image camper Arca... In 1972 in "Tekhnika-Youth" was published illustrated with this particular drawing. The article told about the expedition of the "Quattroruote" magazine to the Sahara on such a UAZ. Now this picture often appears on the Internet, and our "uazovody" ask "What is it, and where is it done. Unfortunately, nowhere ...
The picture shows the "Grand Erg" camper. Our Italian colleagues do not know anything about him, not a single car has survived to this day, only advertising brochures have survived. But they say that someone somewhere once saw such a car.
This dark blue "loaf" in the standard low body was equipped by Grand Erg. In the 1980s, the Martorelli brothers, the Institute of Geography de Agostini and the magazine Quattroruote embarked on an expedition to Iceland. This car is not missing either! In 2008, it surfaced at a sale in Cagliari on the island of Sardinia. Even all the advertising inscriptions have survived! This car also went to one of the members of the Association and sailed to Naples for repairs.
Helicopter pilot Lorenzo Dutto (nickname Bukhanka) also lives near Rome. His red "loaf" was one of the first in UAZ-Italy. Now she demands body repair... I don't know if Lorenzo will take it on, he was recently invited to work in America. But, I think, the car in UAZ-Italy will not be lost.
Addition: The red "loaf" of Lorenzo Dutto (Bukhanka on their forum) was acquired this year by the president of UAZ-Italy, Maurizio Raso (Mauz). Now he has three UAZs: a UAZ-469 with a Peugeot diesel engine, on which he traveled to Moscow and Ulyanovsk in 2005, a green UAZ-452 camper with a rising roof and a red one that now requires body repair. Rusted like a sieve.
I have no doubt that the Italians will restore it. Tommaso and Stefania have been restoring the "loaf" from the film for almost three years. My daughter Polina was their guest in 2007. And on this page of the forum you can see her finished photo in the summer of 2009.
http://www.uazitalia.org/forum/topic...8&whichpage=11
President of the Association UAZItalia Maurizio Raso from Rome. In 2005, he led an expedition to Russia in his diesel UAZ-469D. According to him, he also contracted the "bunkering" virus here. In 2006, he became the owner of such a machine with a lifting roof. This is a very lucky purchase. former owner- a collector of rare cars, respectively, the car was preserved as new. The manufacturer is the yacht company Caba, therefore the finish is appropriate, from expensive wood species. Maurizio's car will not be idle. The third photo was taken at the annual "rides" of the Italian "uazzari", and the fourth - in Tunisia, where he traveled with his friend Giuseppe Leone.
A friend of the President, also a Roman, Giuseppe Leone. In 2005, he and his girlfriend Christina arrived in Moscow in the same car with Maurizio. He looks like a fat good-natured lump, Giuseppe - best mechanic in Oise Italy, although a winemaker by profession. In the spring of 2007, he bought a regular army nurse in Romania. In the back were the remains of some equipment and even steel swivel chairs with a spring. Who served in the army remembers. In just two incomplete months, he turned her into a car, which was named " the best UAZ of the year.
And finally, the same "loaf" of the Schieppati company, which participated in the Sahara tests of the Auto in fuoristrada magazine (Off-road car). I borrowed the coloring of "Glafira" from her.
UAZ-Glafira.
Pages from the Italian magazine:
Italian article. The first photo shows UAZ-452 Gazzella. Such "Gazelles", as I understood, were made directly by the firm of the Martorelli brothers. They supplied UAZ vehicles to Italy and they had their own small industrial base in Rome and Milan, where they perfected them. Probably, there were most of these campers with a fiberglass roof, since several cars are present on the UAZ Italy website at once. Tommaso and Stephanie also have something similar.
The second photo shows a Katyusha from an unknown manufacturer. She is interesting as the simplest way alteration of the onboard "tadpole" UAZ-452D (UAZ-3303) into a camper. I think this option may interest our craftsmen. As far as I know, not a single such car has survived in Italy, although the name "Katyusha" is extremely popular among Italian "uazovodov".
It is done. No matter how some real and virtual friends dissuaded me, no matter how they said that "A loaf is a cattle truck", what "No ergonomics and safety", the evil virus has done its job.
Now I am the lucky owner and rider of a loaf.
Why not "driver"? No, the man controlling the galloping animal is called "rider", almost a horseman.
Let's jump back a bit to that carefree time when I was just studying for the "B" category. Receiving driving license pursued one single goal - I wanted to travel the world by car. I didn’t need a car to take my beloved to work and for food. I didn't need a car for picking up young ladies. I didn't need a car to "Everyone has, but I don't".
For travel only or for off-road competition ... or both. I did not know then why I was rushing more.
Of course, the choice of cars was determined precisely by this goal, well, by the desire to have exactly domestic car... Thought that "There is no car better and more reliable than Toyota of the age of the first teacher" I couldn’t fit in my head then, as well as now.
By comparing all the different things, adding up the pros and cons, I came to the formula that you need to take a loaf for travel, and to return from a loaf - LuAZik for competitions. Loaf - spacious, maintainable, walkable, charismatic. LuAZik - light, small, it is not a pity for him, you can stick the engine from a penny.
Wife when she heard about such an intricate choice vehicle, said that we would have to divorce.
You say that I was led? Yes, you're damn right, but understand me too, I just got married. Everything was good and romantic, the young wife ... absolutely did not want to get divorced because of the car.
I tried to bargain and reject LuAZik. No use, the wife was adamant. Perhaps she did not understand "what kind of LuAZik" was, but most of all she was hot from the loaf.
From time to time, scenes were played out on the street.
- Look what big-eyed drove! The beauty.
- Do not even think about it! Only homeless people ride on loaves.
- What, to the devil, homeless? Homeless people don't drive cars!
- So "scourges". Do the scourges drive? So you will be ...
On a long journey to Vladimir, his wife baked two packages of pies, and she knows a lot about them. With cabbage ... with onions and eggs ... all my favorites. This gave hope for a successful outcome of the event. If we don't buy a car, we'll eat some pies.
The road to Biysk flew by in an instant. Firstly, the pies will not gobble themselves up, it was worth a lot of work on this. It is good that on the nerves the capacity of the stomach is at least doubled. Secondly, sensing a successful outcome, Uncle Volodya now and then loaded me with another bukhankovod chip "If this happens, do it"... I call it "Grow wiser at someone else's expense".
A short stop for a photo shoot of Cucumber ...
... and we are there. We watch and admire.
Native mileage was on the speedometer or not - we will never know, for some reason the ECU was changed on the car, but judging by the state it is very, very similar to the declared 60,000. There is no rot, even almost no rye, in native paint, without cracks in openings. Theoretically, such machines should not exist in nature, but the loaf stood in front of us refuting the theory with its presence.
With trembling hands, he signed the contract, counted the denyuzhki and drove onto the track. Agree, this is symbolic. We have almost forgotten what “ drive the car ", or "Drive to Togliatti", but these are not just words. This is a whole process that delivers a notable dose of endorphin to the brain. And don't care if the car doesn't smell like new plastic. I do not care that I did not take it from the parking lot of the plant in Ulyanovsk.
To drive a car is to drive a car.
In general, follow the news. A new and interesting life awaits the loaf, she is destined to become a motorhome. No, not a show car, sparkling varnish, yacht accessories and plastic shower compartment. And not a fisherman's house with the now classic homemade sofa for the whole salon. It will be something in between, but I don’t know which one yet - this is the main thrill. For the first time since the purchase of the first Patriot, I am on the verge of an incomprehensible, but very interesting.
A damn good feeling!
The machine does not have a name yet. Neither ordinary, nor pretentious, none at all. It is clear that it should itself "Shoot", but you can suggest your own version in the comments. What if it fires? Loaf - name, and you - honor, respect and the title of godfather.
Today I want to introduce our readers to Evgeny Khmelev from St. Petersburg and his camper, which he made himself. Back in 2010, Yevgeny bought a UAZ car, sometimes called a “loaf”, for his field trips. Moreover, he acquired it in a completely worked out form, knowing that with his own hands he would make it the way he needed.
As planned, at first I restored the frame and body, which they did not even hope for. 
Then I painted it as planned. 
It was not an easy job, but that was not all. Eugene personally pasted over the body from the inside with vibration protection and made the insulation himself. After all, winter trips were also planned. 
And then came the moment of interior decoration, while his wife helped him a lot)
At that time, a huge work had already been done, but Eugene continued anyway, dividing the salon into residential and utility parts. It turned out pretty good! 
Everything that I wanted found its place there. 
Since the standard heater was not suitable for long-term parking, the well-known Planar heater for 2 kW was purchased and installed for these purposes, which, as it turned out, is sufficient for frost -15C. At a lower one, the experience has not yet worked out. But everything is still ahead! 
Of course, Eugene did not forget about the possibility of autonomous living. In the car, 3 batteries found their place, which were enough for 10 days, an inverter, as well as a gas generator. It is also planned to acquire a wind generator. 
Currently, the camper has been tested more than once in a variety of conditions, has confirmed its functionality and practicality. The vacation is spent by the whole family and relatives, as well as by two cats, riding it to hard-to-reach places, taking with them a portable bath and an external shower.
Mobile home based on UAZ-3303 (Onboard "Loaf")
Mobile home UAZ "Bukhanka"
The onboard platform was dismantled on the car, and a van for temporary residence was installed instead. Installed optional equipment.
The standard onboard platform was dismantled. In exchange for the chassis spars, a used factory-made van was installed using standard fasteners.
The installation of the box body is carried out in accordance with the requirements of Appendix No. 9 to TR CU 018/2011.
The overall width does not exceed 2.55 m, and the height is 4.0 m.
The box body is securely attached to the vehicle frame with fasteners similar in design, quantity and material to the fastening elements of the box body of the same vehicle, manufactured in series production, with the same or greater technically permissible maximum weight.
The van body was converted into a van for temporary residence. The walls of the equipped caravan are glazed with safety glasses (UNECE Regulation No. 43).
Upholstery, interior lighting and interior heating are installed. The floor of the van is covered with non-slip material.
A bracket for a TV and a media system is installed on the back wall of the van using standard fasteners.
A swing door on the starboard side is used to enter passengers.
The van has 2 berths.
On the front wall of the van, a factory-made folding table is installed using standard fasteners.
There are storage boxes on the front wall and in the rear of the left side.
Shelves are mounted on the back of the van using standard fasteners.
The surfaces of the internal volume of the passenger compartment comply with the requirements for the safety of internal equipment.
All additional equipment installed in the cabin is securely fastened.
The use of equipment and the presence of people in the van while driving is not provided.
The standard front and rear bumper... Used front (with radiator protection) and rear bumpers are installed in the regular places.
On front bumper an electromechanical winch is installed with standard hardware. The winch does not protrude from the front surface of the bumper.
There are two headlights on the front bumper high beam... Installation and connection of main beam headlamps comply with the requirements of paragraph 6.1 of UN Regulation No. 48.
In the rear part of the vehicle frame, a used towing hitch is installed for evacuating the vehicle and hitching a vehicle with a trailer exclusively off public roads. The towing hitch is installed in its original place and secured with the help of standard fasteners included in the towing hitch mounting kit.
A ladder is installed on the back wall of the van using standard fasteners to access the van.
Instead of the standard suspension elements, certified elastic and damping suspension elements are installed: springs, springs and shock absorbers.
Installed certified tires (UNECE Regulations No. 30 and 117) and disks (UNECE Regulations No. 124) with dimensions of 32x11.5R15, The speedometer was calibrated, the conditions of clause 5.2.5 of the UNECE Regulations No. 39 are met.
On the back wall of the van there is a bracket for mounting a spare wheel.
An external air intake is removed from the engine compartment.
A toolbox is installed on the right side of the vehicle frame. The tool box door locks securely while driving.
An autonomous heater for the Webasto interior has been installed. The general design of the vehicle complies with the requirements for preventing the risk of fire (UNECE Regulation No. 34).
Caravan UAZ "Loaf" - Back view 
Mobile home UAZ "Bukhanka" - salon 
Mobile home UAZ "Bukhanka" - salon 
Mobile home UAZ "Bukhanka" - salon
