Who and why brings Soviet cars to the States

The first and only Soviet car in the USA for a long time was the Pobeda, brought from Finland by an American of Odessa origin, Stanley Slotkin, but since then the situation has changed dramatically. But who, how and for what purpose buys and operates Soviet classics in the USA? Cameraman and photographer Pavel Suslov tells the publication “Мотор“, who makes a video blog about domestic cars in America.

Photo: motor.ru

This is hard to believe, but Soviet cars in the United States are not just a local phenomenon, but an emerging movement. The largest are the club of Soviet cars in Seattle, where there is even a themed museum, and the association "USSR Garage" In Los Angeles. But the fees are constantly held in New York, and in Chicago, as well as in Miami, Portland and other cities.

Interestingly, the owners of cars only in 90% of cases are immigrants from Russia and the CIS countries, and the remaining ten do not even speak Russian. One of the brightest representatives of this unusual retro movement is Alexey Borisov - he founded the club in CaliforniaCCCPGarage". Alexey originally bought a UAZ 469 in San Francisco, and now he also has a VAZ-2106, GAZ-69 and a K-750 motorcycle.

Photo: motor.ru

On the last show called "CCCP Car Show"18 cars gathered in Los Angeles, and with each month the participants of the movement only increase. Moreover, in addition to their own automobile exhibitions, the owners of the Volga and Zhiguli regularly come to the general collections of classic cars, where unusual Soviet equipment is in the spotlight.

Alexey Borisov and his VAZ, Beverly Hills, California. Photo: motor.ru

It is difficult to surprise Americans with traditional classics: there are a huge number of rarities of various levels in the country, from the Ferrari 250 GTO to all sorts of hot rods, but Soviet cars still raise questions from the locals.

People on the streets are especially active in responding to the UAZ - one of the local auto enthusiasts even compared it with the classic American school bus: the same uncomfortable leatherette seats, an iron floor and a stiff suspension, from which you sometimes fly up to the ceiling.

Photo: motor.ru

Most people in Soviet cars are surprised by the lack of coasters - in American they are installed almost from the fifties. They can not explain that in the USSR they simply had nothing to put, and now in Russia Starbucks far from every step.

Another surprise is the lack of head restraints for some models. People, laughing nervously, ask about airbags.

Photo: motor.ru

Passers-by react to the Soviet classics in unexpected ways. People used to run across four lanes of continuous movement, spitting on all orders and rules, only to come up and ask a couple of questions: “Is that a six or something? We had this in 80-x, we went to her dacha! ”.

Soviet vehicles fall on the territory of the States in completely different ways. Some of them come from Canada, where various models were shipped up to the 1997 year, for example, Lada Niva, Lada Samara and 2106 / 2107.

Photo: motor.ru

A large number of cars are delivered directly from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and other countries - custom-made cars come by ship to the ports of Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Miami, but, alas, not always in good condition.

For example, recently the first in the state of GAZ 66 arrived in California. The car was leaving Belarus, completely renovated, and sailed without gas, with cut seats and skin. Apparently, customs searched for something in the cabin and reacted very rudely to the cargo.

Photo: motor.ru

The cost of Soviet cars in the States varies greatly depending on the condition and appetite of the seller. The prices for “Zhiguli” in museum condition can start from 8 thousand dollars with delivery and customs clearance, and end with 27 thousand. In any case, it is precisely at this price that one VAZ-2105 from Massachusetts is currently being sold.

These guys are on sale and LUAZ, and ZAZ 968, and Moskvich-2141 Aleco. It is not clear who will buy this masterpiece of automotive industry for such money, but practice shows that sooner or later the client is located.

The purchased Zhiguli still needs to be repaired, and this is mostly done by the mechanics who worked with our equipment during the days of the Union, even before immigration. There are those who are engaged in the restoration and alteration of the cabin, there are experts on painting and the mechanical part.

There are few such mechanics in the same Los Angeles, but there is still enough strength for club cars. For the American service, the domestic classics are too specific - you need to know the nuances of care and maintenance.

In general, the path to the American services for UAZ and Volga was ordered, but their fate in the US today looks more bright than ever. With such a developed automotive culture, the theme of Soviet cars will become increasingly mysterious and exclusive. Who knows, maybe this will turn into a new trend.

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