I’ve been trying to track the Russian/US alliance before we went permanently crazy in 1946. It’s frustrating! Clearly there were commercial connections after the Revolution, but official documents and most online info either miss or downplay the commercial side, emphasizing our undying hatred for Russia whether it’s called “communist” or “authoritarian”. We hate Russia because Russia is the country we hate. Logic!
Some halfway solid facts:
After Wilson invaded and occupied part of Russia, Harding was more open to cooperation. Ford established an official branch factory in Leningrad in the 20s, then apparently shut it down because Russians were too independent for Ford’s mechanistic assembly line. Later Ford assisted and licensed the Gorky factory (GAZ), which resembled a small version of River Rouge. GAZ started assembling Model As and tractors, then (like most successful branch plants) made its own variations using local parts and local creativity.
Russian engineers spent time in Detroit, not just at Ford, learning how to run an auto plant. They also spent time in Italy, and another early Soviet auto plant made Fiats branded as AMO.
The first Soviet limo was a 1932 Buick, copied with semi-official permission from GM via Harley Earl’s design consultancy.
The second Soviet limo was mostly a 1936 Dodge with some Hudsonish influence on the back.
The third was an OFFICIALLY authorized Packard. In 1942 Stalin and FDR met to discuss wartime and postwar cooperation. After the meeting, Packard sold its tooling and blueprints for the 180 to Russia. The ZIS 110 was derived from the 180 with some modifications of the body. Most sources hide this fact, saying that ZIS was only inspired by Packard.
The fourth limo was mostly copied from a 1946 Dodge body, engine and Fluid Drive semi-automatic.
The fifth limo, the late-50s Chaika, looks Packardish on the front. In reality it’s mostly a 1956 Dodge with OHV V8 and pushbutton TorqueFlite transmission.
Three Dodge copies would imply more than influence, but I haven’t seen any evidence of Chrysler licensing. If it existed it would need to be thoroughly hidden since HUAC was ferociously witch hunting in those years.
The Fiat connection returned later in the ’60s, spawning Lada in Russia, FSO Polonez in Poland, and Yugo in Yugoslavia. Both sides made plenty of money from the arrangement, and Fiat didn’t lose any business in its existing export countries.
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Moral of the story: Tech transfer CAN be mutually beneficial if both sides negotiate fairly and protect their own interests. Our tech transfer to China starting in the 80s is NOT mutually beneficial because our side is determined to destroy our own industries, not protect them. China didn’t attack us, we attacked ourselves. China was happy to benefit from our self-destruction.
Polistra's Mill 