Placeholder for Bechov, established in 1945. The company is effectively what you would get if you had a socialist state-subsidised organisation that is known for quirky and slightly unusual vehicles (inspirations: Tatra, Lada, Peugeot, Renault, Fiat).
Letter 1:
A - Kei Car
B - Compact Car
C - Large Compact Car
D - Small Family Car
E - Mid-Sized Family Car
F - Large Family Car
G - Premium / Executive Car
H - People Mover
I - 4WD
J - Cargo / Van / Utility
K - Light Sports Car
L - Heavy Sports Car
M - Luxury Car
N - Reserved
O - Bus
P - Truck
Q - Semi-Trailer Truck
R - Tanker Truck
S - Light Military Vehicle
T - Heavy Military Vehicle
U - Offroad Military Vehicle
V - Reserved
W - Reserved
X - Concept Car
Y - Racing Car
Z - Special Vehicle
Number 1:
Model Generation Designator
Number 2:
Class Designator
Number 3:
Number of Engine Cylinders
Number 4:
Number of Doors (does not include rear hatch)
Letter 2:
Trim Variant (Optional)
Letter 3:
Version / Modification Differentiator (Optional)
From 1946 until mid 1950âs, the Bechov line-up consisted purely of military vehicles that had been modified and sold off for civilian use post-war.
1946 J1142
About as basic as a truck can get, designed and built to get the workers moving and the country rebuilt as soon as possible (engineering time of only 9 months), rather than to provide any kind of comfort or desirability. Originally designated the S1142 as a military vehicle, this utility retains both the base military paint colour and the same 3L inline-4 rated at 29kW @ 3000rpm and 112Nm @ 1400rpm, which can utilise almost any liquid fuel as long as its flammable. Whilst only weighing around 1000kg, this truck is capable of carrying loads of up to 2050kg, as long as you donât have to get anywhere in a hurry. This truck came in two variants, the J1142A with short tray and RWD, costing $444 ($5766 adjusted), and the rarer J1142B with long tray and 4x4, costing $482 ($6250 adjusted).
Overall this vehicle was a no-nonsense car that was made to be as simple to own and repair as possible. Shown here below is the J1142A variant - note the unusual choice of having the rear tray handles on the âinsideâ of the tray itself:
1946 J1242
The second repurposed military vehicle that was sold to the public in 1946 was the J1242. This unique and somewhat peculiar cargo van was originally designated the U1242, and was built upon an offroad-focused modified J1142 chassis (originally utilised for troop transport). Powered by the same 3L engine found in the J1142, this van was hugely popular in farming communities and those who did not live close to urban centres, helped by its price of only $490 ($6360 adjusted).
One of its defining unusual features was the âRazdelennyy Kapotâ (Divided Hood/Bonnet), whereby the front section was divided into two parts - a storage compartment in the main front section, with a false bottom that could be taken out in order to access the engine. The J1242 also featured twin fuel tanks (with a capacity of 70L each), giving the van an unexpected range, however the procedure to switch between tanks was awkward. The switch-over required turning the vehicle off and manually swapping the fuel line underneath the car near the cabin area from a valve off the first tank to a corresponding one for the second tank. This could only be performed once the first tank had been completely emptied, otherwise there was a high risk of risk spilling fuel straight onto the exhaust system!
1946 E1144
Also released in 1946, the E1144 was essentially a military car that had been modernised and retrimmed (as well as repainted) in order to appeal to the civilian market. This vehicle was powered by a 1.1L inline-4 rated at 22kW @ 5000rpm and 44Nm at 3900rpm, but again was extremely lenient when it came to fuel quality. Everything about the vehicle was basic except for the styling, however it managed to get from A to B reasonably reliably, and very cheaply, with a cost of only $377 ($4892 adjusted).
One of the âfeaturesâ of the E1144 was the absence of an exterior handle to open the boot/trunk (similar to the J1142), which was instead operated by a linked cable mechanism attached to the carâs door. The way it operated was by opening either of the rear doors, which would pull on the cable and would open the boot/trunk (which included a strut to hold open). The fuel intake was also located in the boot/trunk, meaning that filling up became a bit of a dance with service station employees before this mechanism was more widely known.
1948 Bechov Z1000Z Land Speed Record Car
Kept under wraps until its public debut in 1948, the Z1000Z was the official codename for Bechovâs first attempt at the Land Speed Record. Little is known about the exact specifications of this vehicle, as it was conducted under the direct control of the Government and most details were secret. What was released was that it utilised twin 19.4L V16 engines originally designed for a military bomber plane; one engine was located in the front driving the front wheels, and one engine was located in the rear driving the rear wheels. Power was directed to the wheels through two massively toughened 3-speed gearboxes, each with its own gearstick and clutch (although situated next to eachother), which made changing gears a tricky manoeuvre.
Initial testing was conducted mid 1948 with only one engine installed, and the official figures of a top-speed of 294km/h (183mi/h) was released to the public. Unfortunately for Bechov, after the second engine was installed, during testing the car lost control whilst changing gears and was involved in an accident, and thus the proper top-speed was never uncovered.
My calculations (based on real world data of similar engines and transmissions capable of handling such power) come to the conclusion that the drivetrain alone on this contraption would weigh over 2.6 tons. Add to that the chassis needed to support that weight and aerodynamic bodywork needed to reach high top speeds and I believe that this vehicle would be close to 4 tons in total weight. Impressive stuff for sure but one might wonder if a heavily modified production vehicle with a smaller supercharged engine would be faster overall.
Regarding the shifting, it uses two identical drivetrains installed end to end, right? With identical gear ratios it would make sense to use a single gear stick operating on a double linkage, same with the clutches. In such a case it shouldnât be any more difficult to shift than a regular unsynchronized transmission.
Yep, hence the crash (which is also a convenient reason to explain why the car doesnât exist in Automation)
Yep, going by the Automation stats and extrapolating, I get a figure of about 2.8 - 3.0 tons if it was a ânormalâ car,so something up to 4 tons sounds about right.
Top speed is governed by power and air drag, so the weight of the car is not a major factor. In fact it would most likely make it much more stable at speed.
Yep, the idea was that the two drivetrains would effectively be identical, and I agree it would be better to operate it as a double linkage etc⌠But then I stopped and wondered âwhat would a company based in a post-war socialist country do, attempting this for the first time, with limited resources, a desire to have everything done in-house, and a probable minimal regard for safety⌠?â
The 1949 F1144 was Bechovâs first large-sized family car. Powered by a slightly more refined 2.6L version of the inline-4 out of the J1142, the F1144 was slow but stately (at least on the outside).
Winning the contract for 1949 to build a series of limousines for political and military VIPs, the G1184Z âPrezidentâ was effectively an armoured car in a dinner jacket. Powered by a 5.6L v8, this 2 tonne vehicle could still easily out accelerate almost any other vehicle one the road, although stopping it was altogether a different story.
Building upon the experience gained in developing the F1144 and the G1184Z, in 1950 Bechov released its first âLuxury Carâ to the domestic market, the M1164. The main market for this car was those in business or political circles that werenât well connected enough to warrant being provided a G1184Z, but important enough to want to own something a bit more special than even those wealthy enough to could afford cars could buy. Whilst the interior trim was on-point for a luxurious vehicle, the quality of the chassis and suspension, combined with the grossly under-square 3.8L straight-six meant that the ride quality was anything but smooth. That being said, it was still far more comfortable than any other Bechov offering that could be purchased.
With the release of the M1164, Bechov also took the opportunity to dip its figurative toes into the realm of motorsports. For this racer, the regular M1164 was stripped of all creature comforts and heavy duty suspension was installed. The same engine block was retained, however almost every other component was swapped out or modified to increase power, which led to over double the power output, and almost the same for maximum torque.
The M1164, like all previous Bechovs, easily captures the look and feel of an early postwar car from behind the Iron Curtain. I wonder what will become of Bechov after the Cold War ends (1991-92 onwards) - how will it cope with a transition to democracy? There is certainly plenty of metal from the intervening years yet to be covered, though, so Iâll watch this space.
I have a couple of ideas, but also want to see how the brand progresses organically. Still not sure whether to go the Lada route or the âwhale penis leather seatsâ routeâŚ
1951 Bechov D1144
Breaking the streak of releases aimed at the top of the market, in 1951 Bechov released a small family car aimed at the other end. Apart from its slightly unusual headlight arrangement, the D1144 appeared to be, for all intents and purposes, a fairly standard offering in order to align with conservative views and appeal to the majority, although it did have a few stylistic influences that could be seen to be borrowed from American cars at the time. Start up the car however, and youâd find a 2993cc pushrod 4-cylinder engine belching smoke out the rear (like all early Bechov cars, it was made to use fuel of exceptionally low quality). For the suicidally brave, the D1144 could reach a top speed of 122km/h, although even with the 3L engine and a ~1050kg mass, it still didnât go anywhere in a hurry. Brakes were technically present (although engine braking was required if you needed to slow down at any reasonable rate), and there were some minimal safety features (in order to satisfy beaurocrats), but it was also cheap and easy to build.
Bechov had always been one of the manufacturers of choice for military vehicles, and thus it was no surprise when Bechov was notified of its requirement to supply a new range of offroad vehicles for the nationâs Army. As part of this deal, Bechov was allowed to sell civilianised versions across the country, which ensured that a far wider and more reliable supply chain was established. The I1142 was in many ways a throwback to pre-WWII design, but also included many quite modern features (such as a heated windscreen and surprisingly advanced transmission and braking system).
The K1142 had more than a passing resemblance to the E1144 that was released in 1946, however it actually shared almost no components with the model (besides the âstandardâ door handles and mirrors). Famous for being the first Bechov to be sold in a colour that wasnât Black or ex-army Green, the K1142 also represented a first for Bechov in other areas as well, such as the first convertible, the first to adopt more modern US-style bumpers, the first to utilise a semi-trailing arm rear suspension setup, and also the first to be able to do a powerslide! Power for this âsports carâ essentially came from taking the 3L engine in the D1144 but reducing the stroke down to a capacity of 2700cc to allow higher RPM, and giving it a more sporty tune. This oversized engine was then put into a small sub-800kg body, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 15.7 kg/kW, allowing a 0-100 time of just 14.7 seconds, all while still running on 80 octane fuel. The suspension was more sporty than most other Bechov offerings, however the driving dynamics were still rather poor when compared against âWesternâ offerings.
In 1954, Bechov released their first modern update to the E-line of vehicles, with the E2144. While the engine in this car was based upon the 1.1L inline-4 in the E1144, it was updated and bored out to 1.2L. This not only increased power and torque (resulting in 28kW @ 4600rpm and 69Nm @ 3200rpm respectively), but also enhanced smoothness and responsiveness. Improvements to the car were made across the board with this new model boasting better economy, less noise, more comfort, and more predictability than ever. The design was much more up-market looking, however the cost was still affordable at $564 ($5338 adjusted).
Bechov was approached by the Government to design and build a Peopleâs Automobile of the Glorious Future of the Socialist Republic, and thus in 1955, the world encountered the Bechov X1 Mechta concept car.
In contrast to road going offerings, this car was built with no expense spared. Boasting full-body aluminium panels, a space-frame chassis, double-wishbone suspension all round, automatic gearbox, progressive springs, hand-made interior, and even an in-built phonograph. However, the special feature of this vehicle was its folding hard-top roof, which was ingeniously designed to allow any two people to operate, regardless of their strength or stature.
Knowing that a v8 was seen as a must-have for any premium offering internationally, Bechov effectively took two (destroked) 4-cylinders from the K1142, and welded them together to make a 4967cc v8 engine to power this vehicle. This engine was tuned to run on 92RON leaded fuel, and once everything was strengthened and improved, allowed a healthy 125kW @ 4200RPM and 365Nm @ 1800RPM.
As this car was needed to be seen to be as close to being production ready as possible, the vehicle was submitted for independent performance testing, which came back with a 0-100km/h time of 15.4 seconds, and a 21 second quarter mile time - quite impressive for a luxury oriented car that weighed in at just over 2000kg. Handling was not disappointing either given its weight, with quite reasonable cornering speeds, however snap-oversteer was an ever present danger, given the rear-engine design.
