| Salut |
| The Salut and Salut-M racing cars were the work of Mihail Derkovskiy and Alexander Peltzer. In the spring of 1947, Derkovskiy became a director of a construction bureau for racing cars in USSR and began work on the Salut racing car and also the Pioneer record car. Both had independent suspension for all wheels, rear-engines and a streamlined body. Salut had a water-cooled 346cc engine taken from GK-1 racing motorcycle, giving 47hp @ 6000rpm. Both Salut and Pioneer were finished in 1948 and tested the later part of the year. The first tests showed that the cars needed some improvement so, during the winter 1948-1949 a new engine for Salut - the M-5A, was developed from the GK-1. The new 490cc unit gave 58hp @ 6000rpm.but delays meant that it isn't clear when or even if it was every fitted. In early 1949, Salut was updated again with the engine placed within a wheelbase, some changes to the rear suspension and a new body, which didn't cover the wheels. It was so narrow though that driver couldn't get in without taking a steering wheel off. This version became known as the Salut-M. Salut-M, like the first Salut, had GK-1 4-speed gearbox, Moskvitch-400 wheels (4,5-16 inch tires) and brakes and GAZ-20 'Pobeda' steering mechanism. Both had rather massive frame (the tubes were about 80mm in diameter) and light aluminium bodies. Wheelbase - 2200mm, track (front/rear) - 1260/1230mm, weight - 400kg. Maximum speed was about 160kph. |
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