Stanislav Alexeyev posted this shot of a ZIL-117 convertible in the comments the other day. Since he also posted it in the Cohort, I thought I’d share it here in case you missed it. It’s an impressive car, and looks just like another couple the same color that have been used over the years as parade cars.
There’s several shots of these two that Google has found, in various settings. From a distance, they have something of a ’65-’66 Chrysler/Imperial vibe, but there’s plenty of details that are quite different too.
The ZIL-117 is the short wheelbase version of the 114 limousine, which is something of an icon by now. The 117 is typically a sedan (above), but obviously a few convertibles were made too.
Here’s another convertible in side view, which makes its top look a bit heavy at the rear.
Google even found me a picture of the interior of one of these parade convertibles shown above.
I’ll leave you with one more. The ZIL-117 was made between 1971 and 1978, and has a 7 liter V8 with some 300 gross hp, and it was backed by a two-speed automatic until 1975, when a three-speed automatic supplanted it. The ZIL-4101 replaced the 114/117 in 1978.
It looks like a Soviet knock off 1964-1966 Imperial Crown convertible.
I kinda see the Imperial vibe, but the first thing this car said to me was upsized 63 F-85 Cutlass. I always thought that car was a clunky transition from the much more attractive 61-2 and 64 models, but it makes a fabulous big Russian convertible.
I actually like this a lot, but then I have a thing for big square-ish convertibles.
Back when the 1963s were new (has it been THAT long?) the clean, slab-side look was new and fresh. I thought the 1963 Olds F-85/Cutlass, Pontiac Tempest and Buick Special looked better than the creased-sided 1961-1962 models. It was the day of the trendsetting full-sized 1963 Pontiac, featured in at least three CCs in Grand Prix, Catalina and Bonneville flavors, but the small B-O-P cars followed right along.
Quite a handsome car, wonder if Elwood Engel slipped some designs to a Soviet agent?
I think it’s the other way around, the Soviets stole the blue prints from Elwood.
The Soviets did this with the British Vickers VC10 vs. the Ilyushin IL-62.
They did it again with the British/French Concorde vs. the Tupolev Tu-144 (also know as the Concordski)
Plagiarism is the best form of flattery:-)
You forgot the Buran space shuttle…
I love these… though admittedly its hard for me to look at a full-size convertible and not love it. Sometimes big and ponderous can be very attractive, and for me this is one such example.
This ZIL does look heavy at the rear, though I think some of that is accentuated in the side profile shot by the big-rig style mudflaps. They do make sense given Russian road conditions, but in I quickly photoshopped the mudflap out of this picture and the ZIL does seem to lose some of its heft:
Kind of boggles the mind to realize that Detroit had enough buyers to offer several regular production models with similar size, performance and appointments.
I it just me, or does anyone see a bit of the 1966 Impala in the front panel of the bottom photo (soldiers in the background).
No, I see it too — it’s the cant of the front fenders that does it.
I see Imperial from the rear view, 66 Impala from the front, and 65-66 Rambler Ambassador from the side
I see some late 70s Ford or Mercury Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis influence in the side view with the top up.
Vent windows!
I guess those old line Soviet anti-capitalists had NO problem ‘borrowing’ ideas from Detroit. Nice looking car though. Appears to be very solidly built.
It always intrigued me that they copied automotive ideas from the country they supposedly hated. Freud would’ve had fun figuring that one out!
I think the whole competition between the U.S.S.R. and the West was exactly the reason for it. Soviet leaders wanted to show the world that anything Detroit could build, they could build too, (Or Boeing, or the French and British aerospace industries, etc).
The dashboard is also late-60s Imperial, somewhat squared and flattened.
can someone explain the set of metal cotnrols sprouting from the floor where the front passenger seat footwell would be – if there was a seat?
Looks likes some kind of equipment for the public address system.
I think that’s what it is — this picture of a ZIL convertible on parade shows a similar setup used for what looks like microphones:
CComrades, what do we know about ZIL V-8?
Good looking car! When the post first opened I thought, oh, Studebaker Daytona. No matter, the styling is well resolved, and has bags of presence.
The first thing I saw was a ’64 Lark Daytona too, though I see more ’66 Imperial once I looked a bit longer (including the dash inside). Didn’t ZIL also build those knockoff ’56 Packards? They sure seemed to have a knack for copying doomed brands….
It’s just so ironic that this car looks rather, umm, Imperialistic . . .
l literally lol’d
Does it come with a dashcam?
dangnabbit, I just love this site for all its curios like this
+1
Especially a ZIL. Talk about unobtainium…
At first glance I thought that thing in the interior was a shovel handle. Just the thing for cornerstone laying ceremonies.
Cool find for sure!
A ZIL is my dream car, particularly a 41041
I don’t see a gearshift lever for the transmission. Perhaps buttons somewhere?
There appears to be a short lever sticking out of the dash, to the right of the steering wheel.
I blew the pic up on my laptop and yes, there is a lever next to the wheel.
Those cars were all hand built and had all aluminum V8 engines 7-7.7l (later models) .