Vintage Thing No. 31.3 - another UAZ 452 survivor

Something lurks in the wood shed (Photo Jon Clark)

Just like the Siva Llamas, another UAZ-452 has come out of the woodwork. The woodwork in question belongs to Jon Clark's neighbour's shed and the UAZ is a bright blue pickup version, registered in 1979 and with right-hand drive. Since September it's belonged to Jon and he's planning to re-commission the little wagon. Considering the stories I've heard about build quality the panel fit doesn't look too bad. The 2445cc 4 cylinder engine turns over and he's freed the brakes off by hammering and pulling it a bit with a tractor.

Here's picture of this impressive machine, bodily pulling a Massey Ferguson tractor backwards up a steep slope. (Photo Jon Clark)

Actually, for some reason this photo won't upload in any other orientation except this one. I've no idea why it won't lie down properly.

Currently, the fuel pump is blocked and due to be replaced by an electric one sourced in blighty. John hasn't driven it far. His initial impressions are of something similar to a contemporary Ford Transit except, of course, a Ford Transit doesn't have the same number of levers for its transmission or four-wheel-drive.

Maybe not Windscale Blue but Chernobyl Blue (Photo Jon Clark)

I was interested to see the Trekmaster badge because I'd never heard of the UAZ-452 being marketed in this country under such a name. It certainly trips off the tongue a bit more easily than UAZ-452 but, as with so many things that appear on Engine Punk, this part of the jigsaw only poses more questions. Who were Trekmaster and where were they based? John is based near Ipswich in Suffolk and his Trekmaster carries a local registration so they obviously weren't just sold a hill farmers or peculiar to Dartmoor.

According to some plates on the dash it was converted to right hand drive by Butel Autos Limited of The Foundry, Hook in Hampshire, distributors for Belaz trucks. These were off-road giant dump trucks and the firm's still going. At the 2000 MINExpo in Las Vegas, Belaz exhibited proposals for a 420 ton 4x4 dump truck.

Jon's Trekmaster still has some stickers on the dash in English on how to drive it. There's a lever for the high and low box and another to disengage drive to the front axle plus the usual gearlever for the four speed box. Another instruction is to "Disengage front axle when driving on dry hard roads."

An additional sticker gives the speeds in each gear depending on whether the high or low box is selected. Maximum speed in high is 59 mph while 3rd = 39mph, 2nd = 22mph, 1st = 14mph and reverse tops out at 11mph). Speeds in low are 6mph in reverse, 1st = 7, 2nd = 11mph, 3rd = 19mph and fourth is 29mph.

What great vistas have passed by that windscreen? (Photo Jon Clark)

He tells me that he has about 80% of an English language handbook, which is more like a Haynes manual in terms of detail. This tends to reflect the arduous conditions that drivers of UAZ-452s might expect to meet its homeland. Particular mention is made in this handbook of draining the coolant at the end of each day and refilling it the following morning. There's no mention of using any antifreeze but a special feature is the lever connected to the bottom of the radiator that enables the driver that drain system without leaving his seat.

How rare this truck is in the UK is anybody's guess (Photo Jon Clark)

Bearing in mind that this vehicle is 30 years old this year, I think it's quite remarkable that it has survived for so long. I particularly like the colour. It reminds me of some of the lurid blues that British Leyland chose for their cars. One of my friends had a Triumph Dolomite Sprint in this colour and referred to it as Windscale blue because on certain moonlit nights it looked as if the car was glowing. I suppose the UAZ equivalent would be Chernobyl blue although that disaster was well into the future when this little fellow rolled off the production line.

From evidence supplied by the DVLA, Jon's truck has been off the road since 1986 and had probably been in the shed since then. He's already fitted a new ignition switch but lights and other wiring will need sorting out for the MOT. There is some rust but it doesn't look bad and Jon says the chassis is in really good nick.

All in all, it's quite a find.

If anyone has the other 20% of English language handbook, let me know and I'll pass the information on to Jon. He's promised me an account of his driving impressions when he's got it running properly.

I still have a funny feeling (like Mulder and Scully in The X Files) that there are more of them yet to be discovered. The Trekmasters are out there......