The Likhachev plant was once one of the country's most intriguing enterprises. It was there that for many decades cars were produced for the highest ranks of the state. What is the secret of ZIL limousines and what awaits them in the future? Let's go with an excursion to the premium workshop of the plant.
Serial production of ZIL limousines ceased in 1999. And what does serial mean, these machines have never been mass-produced, each of them is individual, as it is assembled exclusively by hand. In Soviet times, a special workshop of the Likhachev plant produced about 25 cars per year.
With the beginning of the 2000s, the need for ZIL limousines disappeared, as the head of state and his entourage moved to German Mercedes. The fashion for everything Western quickly overwhelmed the country, which had long been isolated from European innovations. And their developments immediately turned out to be irrelevant.
But the workshop did not stand idle. People needed to get paid, and those who at one time assembled limousines for Gorbachev and Brezhnev produced tow trucks, staff buses and other special equipment. Since 2007, the production of limousines has resumed, though not in the same quantity as before. Masters repair models released earlier, restore very old and damaged samples. For the past five years, ZiL has been producing its premium cars model 41047 in the amount of 5-7 units per year exclusively for private collectors.
This old armored limousine with bullet marks on the windows and body is under reconstruction, after the repair the car will be like new.
And there is something to collect. ZIL limousines and convertibles are unique in their kind. The body and chassis of these cars are assembled by hand. Technicians literally carve all the body parts of a 3.5-ton (!) car on wooden panels. This is not a factory robot for you, stamping the wings and arches of foreign Mercedes. Here, every centimeter exclusive.
This limousine was supposed to plow the cobblestones of Red Square, but it did not work out. Now the car is waiting for its new owner right on the factory floor. After a parade of three novelties, one was sold to a private collection in Ukraine, the other two are still waiting for their owners. The cost of these copies is much higher than the usual price of a ZIL limousine, because these cars are not serial, the first and only in their copy, all the more stylized for the Victory Parade, these models have a price tag of 360 thousand dollars.
This master is engaged in a unique work, he assembles a convertible (do not believe it) in the air! The bottom is installed on the platform and the machine is lined up in an upward direction. The technician strictly follows the instructions and dimensions, checking the necessary numbers on the rulers. There are no more such specialists in the world, in fact, as well as ways of working. The uniqueness of the method is manual assembly.
When you look at this six-meter colossus, it is hard to imagine that all this is the work of human hands. But you immediately plunge into the distant past, however, you experience the same feeling when you are in the factory shop. It seems that nothing has changed here in 60 years, not even the people. These masters, who once had a high salary and a prestigious job, are now simply trying not to let their life's work sink into oblivion. Work for eight hours in three shifts at the plant is now paid an average of 25 thousand rubles.
Prior to the suspension of orders for limousines from the Kremlin, 800 people worked in the ZiL premium workshop. Now this figure is much more modest - 172 people, but the most loyal and persistent remained here, many of whom have worked assembling limousines for heads of state all their conscious lives. Once upon a time, the entrance to the territory of the premium workshop was closed even for plant managers. It was possible to look at the assembly of secret armored limousines with the most modern electronics only by obtaining a special pass from the KGB.
The last time the workshop for the production of original and special vehicles designed a new model in 2010. According to production director Mikhail Sattarov, four cars, including a convertible, were made specifically for the Victory Parade. However, the government, and specifically the Ministry of Defense, chose other vehicles, and the ZiL novelties remained at the factory. Instead, 10-year-old ZiL-41041AMG limousines, assembled by Atlant Delta, owned by Oleg Deripaska, set on American Chevrolet Suburban chassis, drove along Red Square.
At the same time, each of them had a ZIL badge, although they had almost nothing to do with the plant. And ZiL patiently waited for the regulatory authorities to give the green light to the tests and still hoped to show the world their cars, but this did not happen. The workshop workers involved in the project recall this story with bitterness and regret. It is quite obvious that the assembly of ZIL limousines is not just a favorite job for them, but the most important thing in life.
New cars turned out to be difficult. “No one expected us, they did not believe that we would be able to build new cars, good cars so quickly. We have equipped limousines with electrically controlled fuel injection. Appearance was corrected in the design studio Cardi. The folding top for the convertible was purchased from the Germans. In a word, everything was ready, but we were not even allowed to test the machines at the test site,” the plant’s engineers say.
And now the most interesting. It is no secret that recently information about new developments that ZiL is allegedly preparing for Russian officials has often appeared in the press. Either sketches by designer Sahakyan, or other incomprehensible drawings of a new limousine. The boldest statements said that ZIL was about to introduce a completely new car for the president.
Svyatoslav Sahakyan's project is one of the first proposed by an independent design studio. "ZiL" received a technical task to develop a car for the government, but the final decision on the release of such a limousine has not yet been made. By the way, the famous studio Pininfarina also expressed a desire to participate in the development, but the Italians did not come to an agreement with the government.
“We saw the official drawings of designer Sahakyan, we liked them. These sketches could be worked on. All other drawings are just a bluff with 47 ZIL limousine models taken as a basis, to which the plant has nothing to do, ”said Mikhail Sattarov, director of production of original and special ZIL cars.
True, the specialist hinted that the shop has some of its own developments, but it is too early to talk about this. According to rumors, the new car, which according to some reports is almost ready, will first be shown to the mysterious high-ranking official for whom it was made, this will happen around the end of February. and perhaps later information and photographs of the novelty will appear in the press.
From what is already known, the limousine has been under construction for five years and, most likely, it will receive an imported modern engine and gearbox. The new prototype is based on the long machine, but has even larger dimensions and is equipped with all the latest technical innovations. Some sources also report that the first copies will be armored, the weight of each vehicle will be at least 5 tons. There is also information that similar sedans with a shortened base may appear in the future.
It is on such wooden panels that the body of the future limousine is molded, all work is done by hand.
In this regard, the information disseminated by the Office of Presidential Affairs looks curious. The press secretary of the department, Viktor Khrekov, recently said that the manager has not yet received from ZiL "no intelligible proposals on a car for the first persons of the state." Earlier, the head of the department, Vladimir Kozhin, reported that the Office of Presidential Affairs is dealing in detail with the issue of developing a domestic car for the president with the ZiL automobile plant. One way or another, this topic regularly pops up, but so far it has not reached specific details. The main thing that we managed to find out from the representatives of the plant is that the enterprise is ready to create and produce cars for officials, and dedicated craftsmen are only waiting for a state signal.
But ZiL does not have its own design bureau, young specialists do not stay at the plant due to low salaries. Although the Zilovites, if necessary, promise to raise all the resources and assure that they have enough strength for full-fledged work. “We are ready and willing to make new and modern cars under the unique ZiL brand recognizable in the world. We are waiting for orders from the FSO, from other bureaucratic structures. After all, ZIL limousines are not Bentley, Maserati or Rolls-Royce, there are only a few such cars. 90% of everything that is in the limousine with the ZIL nameplate is Russian-made, and only 10% are some small foreign parts. In the future, we plan to revive the 110th model, which will definitely appeal to private collectors. All heads of advanced states have their own cars. Russia should not be an exception. And we are ready to fulfill such an order, if it comes,” Sattarov concluded.
Indeed, the British Queen Elizabeth drives a Rolls-Royce, the American president drives a Cadillac, even the Chinese leadership has opted for the domestic auto industry. For more than fifty years, Russian rulers have used armored limousines from the Likhachev Automobile Plant. Maybe it's time to return the tradition, and at the same time help ZiL. After all, it is quite obvious that without modern technologies and financial injections, the history of the plant, and with it the premium workshop of Russian limousines, is doomed to failure.
A short video about the history of the creation of a limousine.
If earlier the party elite rode limousines, today everyone can afford to rent a luxury car. The production of these cars began in America. Today, many well-known world manufacturers are engaged in the process of manufacturing multi-seat cars.
Limousines are noticeably different from ordinary cars. They are designed to accommodate a large number of passengers, and in the cabin, as a rule, there is a bar, a TV, soft comfortable seats upholstered in natural leather and rich fabrics.
Manufacture of limousines by hand
The production of limousines by hand is based on technology, the main purpose of which is to lengthen the body. When choosing a body designed for reworking a serial car, it is necessary to take into account the length and weight of the future limousine. European-made limousines have a load-bearing body, American ones, such as Cadillac limousines, have a frame. The frame body is highly durable, able to withstand heavy loads. Depending on the length of the limousine, an engine of the appropriate power is selected. The body is made of durable stainless steel. Parts of the limousine are connected by welds, which are most often used in aircraft construction.
The most striking and significant figure in the luxury car market was Henry Leland. He is the founder of Cadillac and Lincoln. Limousines of these brands have carried US presidents for more than half a century.
Requirements for tuning limousines
The main difference between a limousine and a traditional car is the presence of a transparent partition between the driver's seat and the main cabin. The main property of a luxury car is a special body structure, which is exactly the same as that of a convertible or sedan. The transparent partition in most cases has a rigid structure and is made of impenetrable glass.
To make a limousine out of a standard car, you need to seek help from a tuning company. The main task in the first stages of production is cutting the car and inserting it to lengthen it. Manufacturers use carbon materials for this. The long design of the limousine should be characterized by increased strength. At first glance, it may seem that cars have a relatively small weight, but in reality, the weight of a limousine is equal to the mass of a truck. Therefore, it often happens that the processing of a metal surface is accompanied by difficulties.
Stages of the production process
The most popular and sought-after cars that undergo a thorough rework are cars made in America. The selected machine is completely disassembled and sawn in half. The old frame is removed, a new one is installed instead, which determines the look of the future limousine.
Before proceeding with the repair, the car intended for rework is installed on a perfectly flat horizontal surface. The body of the car is completely unloaded and freed from parts, in particular, doors, trim, wheels, seats are removed. We must not forget about the installation of horizontal and vertical strut bars. This will save you from unpleasant surprises associated with maintaining the geometry of the cut parts of the body. The next step can be called marking for cutting. Once the cut is complete, the rear is moved to the desired distance. Pre-prepared inserts for lengthening by welding are fixed at the junction. Next, the side parts of the body are subjected to welding. Butt joints are carefully cleaned and eventually become barely noticeable.
The final stage of tuning a limousine is painting and completing the interior space. The entire surface of the limousine is carefully cleaned and primed, after which a layer of paint is applied and the interior is finished with textiles, leather or wood panels.
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Renting a limousine on your birthday will allow you to organize any theme party: retro, a walk out of town in nature, a bachelor or bachelorette party, a romantic adventure in a carriage - the number of options is limited only by the imagination of our customers. Modern limousines can accommodate from 6 to 22 people, making it possible to set any scale for the event.
There are many limousines in our fleet, among which there are those in which you can stand up to your full height and arrange your own dance floor! Neon lighting of the floor and ceiling and a modern multimedia system will turn a walk around the city in a limousine into a mobile club on wheels!
Limousine rental for a birthday: a comprehensive service
The car itself has long ceased to be a luxury, and a limousine is no exception. Many organizations offer to order a limousine for a birthday, but not many people know how to create a festive mood. Excalibur Phantom offers more than just a birthday limousine rental. With us you can
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Organizing a birthday requires some investment, so the opportunity to save money is always welcomed by birthday people. We offer inexpensive ordering of a limousine for a birthday or any other holiday, as we have our own fleet of vehicles.
To place an order for a limousine for your birthday, you just need to call or make an application online on the website, we will be happy to give you a real holiday.
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The traffic police began a mass check of wedding limousines. Often these cars are manufactured in violation of standards, which puts passengers at risk. The main thing for the “tuners” is the impressive appearance of the limousine.
The wedding business has its own standards: the longer the car, the more in demand it is. They make limousines from almost any model, cutting an insert into the middle of the car. As a result, monsters appear on the roads, which hardly pass along narrow house adjoining and two-lane roads, endangering other road users as well. A braking system that was designed for a lighter car may simply not be up to the task.
It is simply impossible to predict how a body welded from several parts will behave during an accident. Some cars just need to get into a large hole in the road to receive significant damage.
Homemade limousines that have not passed registration are prohibited from driving on public roads. Legalizing a car will not be easy. The driver needs to obtain the international manufacturer's code from the Central Research Automobile and Automotive Institute (NAMI), apply the VIN code to the limousine, and test the new model for safety. Only then can it be registered.
In most cases, limousine owners dispensed with this complicated procedure, recording only design changes. Now they will have to pay the price for not following the rules. If such a car is stopped by the traffic police, the registration of the vehicle will be canceled.
The traffic police banned carriages from driving around the city
Every year, our kulibins from garage workshops release dozens of homemade cars. As a rule, techies experiment with all sorts of limousines. Either a two-story Hummer with a pool will roll out of the gate, or even a real carriage.
Then drunk schoolchildren or newlyweds happily ride these monsters around the city. For some reason, it seems to them that the longer the car, the cooler it is.
But in the traffic police, the enthusiasm of fans of limousines is not shared. After all, homemade products actually drive without any documents.
- The basic systems of such a car (brakes, steering, suspension) are not designed for such a serious intervention in the design, - told "KP" in the capital's traffic police. - Auto mechanics increase the permissible weight of the car, the number of seats. A vehicle completely rebuilt in a garage rather than a factory can be dangerous for both passengers and other drivers. You never know what will break.
Here are the traffic policemen who catch homemade carriages and limousines on the streets. Since the beginning of the year, ten have already been caught.
“The fine for driving a homemade car is small - only 500 rubles,” the traffic police said. “For the owner, something else is scary. We deprive the converted car of registration. Now you can't ride it. If an inspector comes across a car without registration, it will be immediately confiscated. The owner will either have to return the vehicle to its original form, or get a safety certificate for the car. These are issued at MADI after a series of tests for environmental friendliness and design reliability.
Interestingly, the Internet is literally full of ads for the sale of homemade limousines. For example, the model "Mega Hammer H2" - with white leather sofas for 30 people - is given for only 5 million 700 thousand rubles. And the elongated Cadillac costs 4 million 900 thousand rubles.
For homemade products they ask as much (if not less) as for new cars. It turns out that Kulibins either work almost for free, or initially they take broken or old cars for rework.
By law, selling limousines and homemade carriages is not prohibited. Violation - ride them around the city.
“Usually traffic police inspectors try not to slow down limousines,” auto lawyer Igor Devyatov told KP. “After all, such cars are usually rented for holidays or weddings. Well, who wants to spoil a solemn moment for people? Although it must be admitted that driving a homemade product can lead to an accident - most often, limousines do not withstand the brakes. The car can carry six times more people than it was designed for.
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Certification: what and how
- conformity of dimensions;
- manageability and stability;
In MREO and traffic police
- general passport;
Vehicle registration. FAQ: Video
autozakony.ru
How to register a homemade car in 2018: vehicle registration
Let's say you're able to design and build a concept car that will revolutionize the automotive world. Moreover, you managed to do it. The machine pleases the eye with both innovative design and technical excellence. But you want to drive it not only near the garage, but for this you will have to register it. The question is how to register a homemade car in 2018 and is it worth messing with?
Is it necessary to register a homemade car
Some thirty years ago, there was no need to register the creations of homemade garage craftsmen at all. In the Soviet Union, until the early 80s, it was possible to drive homemade cars without serious restrictions. But gradually they appeared.
The development of the global automotive industry has led to the tightening of safety standards and certification of vehicles. In the USSR, at first they limited the power and dimensions, and in the middle of the 2000s - already in the Russian Federation - they even completely banned the operation of machines assembled from serial components.
Today, you can go on a wide road after going through a long series of procedures in the relevant authorities. Registration of self-made vehicles is allowed, moreover, it is mandatory. In 2015, the order of the Federal Agency Rosstandart came into force, allowing the operation of home-made cars weighing less than three and a half tons, as well as motorcycles, trailers and semi-trailers. In a separate article, we will tell you how to register a designer car.
Certification: what and how
First of all, the car will have to be certified. To do this, you need to contact a special laboratory of Rostekhregulirovanie. The nearest one can be found on the official website of the body. Let's make a reservation right away: it is necessary to start designing with the definition of technical requirements for the design established by the Central Research Automobile and Automotive Institute (NAMI). Delivery of a car to the laboratory under its own power is prohibited.
Your "car" will be evaluated on a special track, as a vehicle produced in small batches, which, in general, is true.
Experts will focus on:
- conformity of dimensions;
- safety of the steering wheel, seat belts and their attachment points, windows, mirrors;
- the effectiveness of the braking system, lighting and light signaling;
- manageability and stability;
- compliance with European environmental standards: noise level, content of harmful substances in the exhaust and the cabin.
Crash test, to the delight of the owners, will not be carried out. Instead, peer review of the design is provided. You will need a complete set of technical documentation with all drawings and calculations.
It is important to carefully prepare for this test, as re-certification is prohibited. After successfully passing all the examinations, the happy owner will receive approval. This document is termless and it is he who gives the theoretical possibility of obtaining a technical passport in the traffic police. But it must be borne in mind that with the introduction of more stringent environmental standards, the machine automatically ceases to meet the requirements of operation. So registering a homemade car in Russia does not look like a simple matter at all.
In MREO and traffic police
First, you must confirm in the MREO that the car was actually assembled by you, and that all structural parts and components were purchased legally.
You will have to present a contract for the sale of a car, on the basis of which the designer was going, and a certificate certifying its deregistration. If documentary evidence is not available, an appropriate application will be required.
It is desirable to support all this with photographs of the assembly steps. The more documents and even circumstantial evidence, the better.
Based on the conclusion of the expert assessment, the MREO will issue a decision on the absence of identification numbers. It must be submitted to the forensic examination bureau, where they will issue a referral to the traffic police. They will assign and fill the missing numbers. This will require the following documents:
- general passport;
- expert opinion of the laboratory;
- document from a forensic expert MREO.
Then you need to contact the MREO again according to the well-known scheme with the entire package of documents. If everything goes well, you will receive a vehicle registration certificate indicating the make of the car "Self-made" and license plate number.
To arrange a trailer made with your own hands, you must first provide a registration certificate for the car with which this mobile vehicle will be. Registration in the traffic police of a homemade trailer is the topic of a separate article.
Homemade limousine - a special case?
Considering the unfolding struggle with the “crocodiles” that flooded our streets, the question of how to get a limousine in the traffic police is of concern to many home-made people who have built their business on weddings or renting luxury cars. As a rule, even mass-produced cars are subjected to such frenzied tuning that the traffic police simply cannot pass by. What can we say about real "limousines", welded from several Zhiguli bodies.
Previously, in most cases, it was done by registering design changes. Now converted limousines are equated with homemade products. Accordingly, home-made limousines that have not passed the registration described above are prohibited from operating. Any traffic police officer who stopped such a miracle has the right to cancel the registration of the vehicle.
Legalizing the operation of a limousine will not be easy. However, just like any other homemade vehicle. Additional complexity will cause certification. The fact is that it is much more difficult to prove compliance with safety standards for a designer weakened by a long frame of several bodies. And most likely, it is simply impossible. But if the peer review can be passed, then there should be no problems in the traffic police.
As you can see, the process of obtaining permission to operate a homemade car requires a lot of time, nerves, effort and money. You always need to think carefully once again whether the game is worth the candle.
Unlike the base car from which the limousine is created, it is necessary to install a reinforced suspension, reinforced brakes on it, in addition, the engine must be equipped with a powerful cooling system. Also, the interior should have an improved heating and air conditioning system. In principle, the manufacture of a limousine is possible from almost any car, which is called a donor. However, it is worth giving preference to V.I.P. class - such as Lincoln, Cadillac, Chrysler, Hummer and so on.
The limousines that the LimoExclusive company will make for you to order will not differ in any way from cars brought from abroad.
The length of the future limousine is determined taking into account the wishes of the client. The most common machines are 220 long, but variations are possible. The interior equipment of the limousine is always agreed with the client - just like the color.
white limousines are the most popular today, however, if you wish, you can become the owner of a limousine of any shade: blue, black, light blue, pink, and so on.
Any interior design of a limousine is also possible - as long as your imagination or the designer's invention is enough, if you want to resort to his services. Interior materials can also be very diverse: both in color and in texture.
Want to own a luxury car? Contact us! Order the production of limousines in our company. And be sure: soon you will receive a luxurious premium car. At the same time, the basis for the manufacture of a limousine can be a car on which you move daily. We work with both sedans and SUVs.
Stages of manufacturing limousines
- Frame extension. An important stage in the process of creating a limousine, since the safety of the VIP car depends largely on the correct execution of all actions.
- Manufacture and installation of new body parts. Usually, plastic, fiberglass or stainless steel are used to make additional elements for a limousine.
- Painting. We use high-quality consumables and fully comply with the technology, which ensures an impeccable appearance and a long service life of the car.
- Arrangement of the interior of the car. At the request of the customer, the car can be equipped not only with comfortable seats and sofas, but also with modern technology (audio and video systems), a bar, a disco ceiling, etc.
Why you should entrust the production of limousines to us?
Firstly, our employees have extensive experience in this field, which guarantees the excellent quality of their work.
Secondly, our production sites are equipped with all the necessary equipment.
Thirdly, we offer an individual approach. We have the opportunity to implement any design solutions in terms of interior arrangement, which will allow your car to stand out from other VIP-class cars.
A childhood dream of a chic white long car (in my dreams a white car) can now become a reality. You don't have to be a Hollywood superstar or an oligarch to do this. It only takes a little effort to turn your dream into reality.
How to do it? Buy a limousine. This is the fastest option, but not the cheapest. Make a "lim" yourself, say that this is a cheaper way? No. But it will allow us to make a limousine from an existing car or any one we like, and not in standard variations (Lincoln, Hummer, etc.) and hone our unique engineering skills.
Which car to choose?
To create a limousine, you can use almost any car, even a sports car. There were times when the 360th Ferrari was subjected to such tuning. But it's all for laughs. So, in order to choose the right car for a limousine, you need to ask yourself one question - what do you need it for? If you want to do business on this (wedding car rental, etc.), then it is better to take a car with a frame structure, such are the majority of American cars. Why frame car? Because the frame will make the limousine as long as possible, and in the case of a rental for a wedding or any other event, this is an important factor. And besides, American frame cars are equipped with huge engines that will easily allow you to carry a colossus with a large number of passengers on board.If for enjoyment and comfortable movement, then an ordinary executive class sedan is enough.You should also consider the locality where you are going to move. A long car causes quite a few inconveniences on a wide road, and if the town is small, the streets are narrow or, as is the case with our Black Sea coast, dotted with winding serpentine, then pleasure can turn into a real torment, not only for the driver, but also for the passenger.
Having decided on the purpose of creating a car and with a donor, we proceed to the next stage. It should be noted that when choosing a car, it is necessary to carefully examine the body for damage (obvious and hidden). The condition of the body should approach the ideal, because the consequences can be the most deplorable.
There is another pitfall that many do not know about or forget at some point - the category for driving a limousine. If you are going to drive it yourself and the car has a capacity of no more than 8 people, then category “B” is suitable, if more, then “D”, as the right to drive a bus.
And one more thing, as they say, another attempt to dissuade an enthusiast from doing such a thing - the premises. It’s sad but true that you can’t build a big car in a small room.
Why does a limousine need a powerful engine?
The question is reasonable. He does not participate in races, why does he need a powerful engine? Yes, just like a truck, so that you can easily move your weight and everything that is inside. Moreover, there are limousines with swimming pools and mini-golf courses. And those things weigh a lot. For, for a comfortable ride, for which it was created, you need smooth acceleration without “twitching” and confident driving in the main stream of cars.Stages of building a limousine
After carrying out all the preparatory work, such as buying a donor, preparing the premises and selecting the necessary equipment and tools, we proceed directly to work with the car. It will not be a secret, if I say that any body manipulations should take place on a perfectly flat surface? So, to create a limousine, it is best to place the car on some kind of metal rails or a stand. Next, we need to get rid of unnecessary details and free up the interior as much as possible. It must be remembered that before cutting the body into two parts, it is necessary to install vertical and horizontal struts in the front and rear of the car, so that the overall geometry is not affected.Alteration of the car will be as budgetary as possible if a greater number of parts remain unchanged. You should not thoughtlessly cut the body where it pleases, the front doors and pillars should remain unchanged, because their alteration will become financially more expensive, and the rigidity of the body will suffer (it will have to be strengthened).
Let's start cutting the body. Marking must be done before cutting. I recommend first cutting the body, and only then begin to select and make inserts. I'll explain why. A person engaged in car tuning is a creative person, although he approaches his business from the technical side, so the fact that at the last moment he wants to make the body more authentic is the place to be. However, if everything is in order and there is no doubt, we install the inserts on the frame. For those who have a front-wheel drive car, there will be less trouble, since there is no need to lengthen the cardan. For rear-wheel drive cars, you can increase the length of the cardan or split it into two parts, like a truck.
Remember that in a limousine, not only the body is long, but also fuel lines, brake hoses, wiring, and so on. It is necessary to take into account all these facts, so as not to redo it later.
Having built up the frame, we weld the bottom with a tunnel for the cardan. We weld body reinforcements and additional door pillars, thus obtaining a kind of rigid frame. It is better to weld the body parts themselves with a semi-automatic device, so the seams will be smaller and the metal structure will not collapse. Accordingly, we carefully clean the seams so that there are no visible joints left. We prepare the surface for painting and paint. The roof, pillars and partially rear windshield can be decorated with special leather. But this does not negate the fact that these places should not be treated with an anti-corrosion coating and painted.
From the outside, everything is perfect, only the inner content remains. Here, as they say, who has what fantasy is rich and has a pocket. The first step is to install a partition with an electric drive for closing the glass. Next comes pure creativity: the design of the seats, the presence of refrigerator bars, multimedia systems and other joys of life.
As a rule, ordinary people personally touch on the topic of limousines only when they decide which car to rent for a wedding procession (in extreme cases, for a date with their girlfriend). Naturally, you want the marriage to be remembered for a lifetime, so the best cars are chosen. And what could be better than a luxurious limousine for the bride and groom? Perhaps nothing. However, there is one important legal problem, and if it is not resolved, then in a few years it will be almost impossible to order a limousine in our country.
First, let's find out who makes limousines.
It turns out that in principle they are not manufactured in automobile factories! All over the world they are made exclusively by small companies: they buy a car - a "donor", cut it in half,
They make an "insert" 1.5 - 6 meters long, weld it all, strengthen, lengthen the cardan shaft, wiring, make interior elements, paint, assemble ...
and get this beauty.
Until recently, there were 2 ways to update the fleet of limousines - the import of ready-made ones from abroad (usually from the USA) and manufacturing (stretching) in Russia.
The first method - import - was closed at the end of 2008. Of course, you can import a limousine into Russia, but you can't get a TCP anymore. The reason is that earlier the PTS was issued by customs upon importation, but now this requires from the manufacturer.
And in the USA, such a document has never been seen. There, the best quality controllers are not supervisory authorities, but the consumer and the judicial system: if, God forbid, something happens to the passengers of the limousine due to a technical malfunction, the manufacturer will instantly go bankrupt. Therefore, manufacturers, without any officials, go out of their way to ensure that everything is in order with their limousines. But in Russia without a piece of paper ( ) nobody needs you, therefore, even if you imported a limousine, you will not be able to register it, which means that you will not be able to operate it.
Imports of limousines very soon came to naught. But the trouble did not happen - domestic producers appeared. Moreover, the quality of "Russian" limousines is no different from imported ones. After manufacturing, the assembled cars were tested at NAMI (Central Research Automobile and Automotive Institute), acquired the necessary paperwork and, on this basis, received a new category D, as well as a new mass and capacity.
Everyone was happy until the state "made a knight's move": it introduced a ban on changing the PTS of manufactured limousines. Now, category and mass changes cannot be made to documents, even if vehicle type approval from US. That is, you can make a limousine, but you can no longer register or remove it from it. So several domestic producers were "killed".
The funny thing is that there are no winners from this decision, because you cannot import limousines. And everyone lost: manufacturers, rental companies, and consumers. The fleet of limousines already registered with the traffic police is getting old. More and more money must be invested in their maintenance and repair, which means that rental prices will rise, but reliability will decrease. And then "Russian" limousines will completely disappear.
It is necessary to introduce understandable and reasonable rules of the game, under which cars can either be imported from abroad or modified in Russia with legal registration. Otherwise, after some time, all limousines in our country will be with "Latvian numbers" with all the ensuing consequences...
The RamPrazdnik company, the leading celebration agency in the Moscow region, offers among its services the rental of limousines, each of which is distinguished by its luxurious appearance and excellent technical characteristics. Today, almost no event is complete without an exciting and fun ride in a great car.
The main indicator is length
One of the main parameters of such a transport is its length. After all, the capacity and spaciousness depends on the size of the machine, its dimensions. In addition, the larger and longer the limousine, the more impressive it is considered. Car manufacturers of this kind are constantly improving models and releasing them in ever more global sizes. Here we can note the famous Ford Excursion and Hammer on ten wheels.
The longest limousines in the world
In terms of length, the California-made unit is considered the leader, having a total length of 30.5 meters, 25 of which are in the cabin. This car has 26 wheels and is equipped with two driver's cabins on both sides, which allows you to move both in the forward and in the opposite direction. This incredible limousine is not for rent and is for personal use only. The interior equipment is amazing, the luxurious salon is equipped with a jacuzzi, a swimming pool with a diving board, a solarium, there are also several bars and a huge bed. The creator of this miracle gave him the name "American Dream".
You can get more detailed information about such models at the RamPrazdnik company, which rents limousines in Ramenskoye, Zhukovsky and other cities near Moscow. A talented and creative team will talk about unique world masterpieces and introduce you to the assortment of your own, no less attractive car fleet.
Another representative of huge cars is Midnight Rider, which also has a colossal size. Like his brother mentioned above, he does not have the maneuverability and ability to move around the city. In fact, this instance is a trailer on wheels that can only be driven with a tractor. This magnificent and large-scale machine resembles a hotel on wheels - inside there are several living compartments with a spacious bathroom and other comfort equipment. The interior is made with a very expensive finish and looks simply gorgeous. The length of this limousine is 21 meters, the internal area is 40 square meters.
In addition to abroad, the capital, as well as the northern capital of our country, can boast of no less amazing car sizes. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, special ateliers produce custom-made limousines for every taste. One of the most popular and impressive options is Hammer and Hammer H2, the salon offers a capacity for thirty-six people. Equipped with everything necessary for holding a celebration - a bar, lighting, a stereo system, a leather interior, karaoke and other party attributes, it is the best fit for a fun and incendiary trip. Such a vehicle moves very well on the roads, and therefore many organizations that offer limousine rental declare it as the most popular type of car in this category.
