Anybody using Kamaz?

[viter]

Privet Shurik!
That is one crazy idea - improting Kamaz all the way here, but I hope it all works out and someday I'll get to see it!
I assume you speak russian cause of your forum nickname and it is cool to see somebody else speaking my language (well, one of them) on this forum!

Sorry, can't help you on the parts supplier, but you might want to search for one in Canada, considering there are people there driving russian Niva's.

I hope that Kamaz will last, even though what I have heard about these trucks in general is that reliability can be an issue (like with majority of russian made vehicles).

And just so you guys know, due to new (2005 or something) rules for Dakar race all big trucks racing have to be commercial models - that is at least a small number of them have to be produced and sold commercially. Due to this Kamaz had made a small run (I think about 15) of trucks almost equivalent (730 hp engine, off/road suspensio, seats, etc.) to their race trucks, but they are obviously damn expansive. you can see some pics here (scroll down) - http://trucks.autoreview.ru/new_site/trucks/archives/2003/n05/Kamaz/1.htm

 

[Shurik]

All I can say is krasivi! Da, ya gavaryu paruski, although it tends to be more the Armenian kind. As to the reliability thing, yea, I know (replacing a clutch, in the field, in -75 deg, in 4 ft snow drifts is no fun!). That's why I'm waiting for the Cummins before bringing it here. In Russia and all over East Europe, I can get what ever I need (there're even available in some parts of Africa due both ex-communistic countries i.e. Tanzania, etc. and the the UN using them). I deffinetly want to "upgrade" to something more reliable than the old 740.31-240.
Where are you at? Like I said it's coming through Baltimore (Planning on next summer as we're going to do a trip through Kazakhstan this winter). We're going across the Betpaqdala Desert, along the north shore of Lake Balkhash, through the Saryarqa Highland, to the Altai Mnts., then north, and back through Russia. We've been unanimously voted as the primary fuel carrier (for 2 uazs, a buhanka, and a Defender 130), so I hope she holds out! So long as she makes it, you can stop by and see her.

 

[4Rescue]

Flat out AWSOME!!!! I personaly think the "support truck" racing is the best part of the Dakar... Congrats on the truck and good luck on the trip. Further more, good on ya for bringing a real neat rig over to the states...

Dave

 

[gary in ohio]

That 8 ton truck in the video in a power slide is amazing. Not to mention the air under the truck at the end of the video.

 

[juha_teuvonnen]

I am familiar with Kamaz, it's without a doubt the best truck ever produced in the former USSR. Importing it into the US would be extremely difficult as it was nether built nor certified to comply with numerous US standards.

The "ultimate soviet-built expedition vehicle" would be MAZ-543, especially the command center version:

http://denisovets.narod.ru/maz/mazprototips/MAZ543_MOBD.jpg

I doubt it would be street-legal in the US, probably too wide and too tall to clear highway overpasses and bridges.