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| Zil-131 Box - Ideal RV/Expedition Conversion! |
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Another superb & clean example of a Zil-131. Arguably the most successful 6x6 truck ever built. Manufactured near to Moscow from 1966 to the 1989, they didn't really change in 23 years of production. In a nutshell, they were designed to be driven for abuse, by conscript soldiers, who did their best to destroy them (and nearly always failed). They also can cope with a wide range of cross fuels (see FAQS). A Ukrainian general told me once 'As long as it burns, Zils will run'.
Zils never cease to amaze me. I have gone to collect dead Zils with seized engines that haven't started for years. Fix up a link bar to the front, rock the engine to and fro, fit a new battery, juice it up, started up and driven home. What you have to remember is, unlike our military vehicles that are often designed for the commercial market first, and then converted for military use. The Russians do it the other way round.
The Zil is most definitely, a fantastic truck in everyway, design is perfect. Whether it’s listening to that V8 barking on full throttle through the Dartford tunnel, or flames blowing out the exhaust on the long hill down into Lincoln, either way they’re great fun.
Zils are easy to repair. Cabs can be removed in about 4 hours - panels unbolt. Wiring is simple and accessible. I carry a huge range of parts, from engines to locking rings. Starting with the front, you have hand starting if you fill up to it, although I prefer the standard electric start myself, although they are easy to start by hand and good for showing off, also you have a foot bracket under the front bumper, to help you step up unto the front bumper. When you lift the bonnet, you have the iron reliable Zil V8, the engine seems to have similar layout to the ford 360 block, but that’s where it ends. Engine block is cast iron, and you have aluminium heads. Again like all Russian military trucks you have a central heating system that once fired up, warms coolant as well as engine oil. You also have an adjustable louvre in front of the radiator to shut off cold air. One thing I have never heard people complain about these trucks is the cabin heater. Not only are Zils fantastic, you also have a brilliant windscreen demist control.
Engine electrics are shielded of course and this means they are also waterproof, and to give you some idea of how iron reliable the Zil is. I left the bonnet up on my Zil by mistake last year when we had some snow, mine is a soviet intelligence unit with fancy roof antennas that when switch on fry anything within 100 metres, I often do the school runs. That was until parents complained about commotion being caused by on lookers whilst parked outside the school. Anyway, going back to the story, snow had gathered all day and drifted filling the bonnet up right up to the top, all you could see was the rubber pipe poking out the snow going to the air filter. The strange thing was, having been involved with Russian military for a few years. I never gave a second thought. I just slammed the bonnet shut forcing the snow to compact inside the bonnet like a sand castle mould, picked up my empty ‘Thomas tank’ lunch box, brushed the snow from the step up to the cab. Put the keys in the ignition, looked at my watch to see if was late for tea and turned the ignition. Turned the key and instantly the beast fired into life, grumbling at first as is it didn’t know what to do with a cubic meter of compact snow. Then it realised the side louver vents on either side of the bonnet were available, the sight was something to see. Snow being forced out like a snow plough.
So I ask you, what would you want to be in, where temperatures are minus sixty and the nearest civilisation is five hundred kilometres away… And it’s three in the morning. I know, its struggle to think of anything else.
Anyway in the roof you have the opposite for extreme hot, a roof vent that blasts cool air from the roof, and for added cooling the front quarter window turns inside out, forcing air onto your never regions. And not forgetting the passenger, you have floor vent that pulls cool air from the front grille directly around you feet.
Next time you watch the news coming from extreme hot or cold places on the planet, look carefully behind the journalist. You will most likely see a Zil with some kind of mining equipment on the back, especially where mining is involved.
Brakes are full air, and are as simple as its gets and very effective being fully powered and, with light powered steering driving is bliss. Simple things make Zils very comfortable to drive. My personnel favourite design, besides the looks of course, engine and just about everything else is the positioning of the door window aperture and curved windscreen. It’s as if it was designed to rest your arm on it on purpose. The curved screen directs the wind around the door window, and this makes you want to keep the window down. And, with the window down the flat ledge of the window frame is just the right height to rest your elbow.
The rear box is of a modern strong but light, composite structure. Outer skin is two millimetre aluminium, inner is five millimetre ply with four millimetre ribs going to the outer skin running from side to side. The voids are filled with solid isocynate foam (like your expandable foam when dry). The floor again is ply but fifty, yes fifty millimetres thick. Cupboards and fittings are not of your normal construction, everything is hand made to fit, and is tongue and groove, glued, screwed and nailed where appropriate. Windows are often doubled glassed, and of course you have a separate heater to warm the back. It’s also possible to remove the rear window and have an entrance through to the cab from the back.
At the rear, you have a seven pin caravan plug, yes, that was copied and is wired the same way. You have air take-off and your hitch.
They make ideal campers or motorhomes, going to places other trucks wouldn't dare. So, if you are bored with the office job, and fed up with life, forget about the pills, grow your hair long and go explore the hills in a Zil!
SPECIFICATIONS
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Unit ID Number:
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551148 |
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Cab seating:
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3 |
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Engine Type/Displacement:
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V8 Zil, OHV / 6,000 cc |
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Engine BHP/Torque:
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150 / 235 ft lbs |
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Engine Bore x Stroke:
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100 mm x 95 mm |
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Engine compression ratio:
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6.7 : 1 |
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Transmission:
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5 Forward & 1 Reverse, syn |
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Ratio Box:
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Yes, High, Neu, Low |
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Transfer 6x6 activation:
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Electric over air |
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Fuel Consumption/Fuel Range:
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40 Ltr/100 km / - |
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Fuel Multi/Fuel Type:
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Yes (see FAQs) / Petrol |
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Fuel Tanks/Capacity:
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2 x 130 Ltr |
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Maximum Speed:
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90 kph |
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Speed comfortable cruising:
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80 kph |
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Brakes Type:
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Full Air |
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NBC Air filtration:
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Yes |
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Voltage:
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12 v |
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Tyre Size:
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12.00 x 20 |
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Tyre inflation:
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Yes |
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Axle type:
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Hypoid, Linked Rear |
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Suspension Type:
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Live Axle, Leaf Spring |
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Ground clearance:
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315 mm |
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Mileage recorded:
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10,000 km |
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PTO:
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- |
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Max ascent angle:
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41 Degrees |
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Max descent angle:
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49 Degrees |
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Dimensions Length:
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7,036 mm |
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Dimensions Width:
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2,600 mm |
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Dimensions Height:
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2,490 mm |
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Dimensions Wheel Base:
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3,975 mm |
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Weight Unladen:
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7,000 kg |
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Unit Type:
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Box |
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Rear Heater:
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Yes |
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Rear Lights Interior:
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Yes |
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Cargo area length:
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4,010 mm |
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Carge area width:
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2,600 mm |
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Cargo area height:
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1,920 mm |
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Registered:
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TBA |
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MOT Status:
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V112g Exempt (see FAQs) |
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