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| SMZ S-3A 1970 |
The handicapped veterans of the “Great Patriotic War” only received their first motorized transportation seven years after the victory. The SMZ motorcycle works produced an open three-wheeler powered by a 123-cubic centimeter, four horsepower engine, which was later increased to 349 cubic centimeters. A three-wheeler offered the most resistance in snow or mud, having to carve three tracks, and it was not the ideal solution for a veteran’s car.
In 1958, the four-wheeled S-3A model appeared; it was a robust, steel-bodied small car with a convertible roof, two headlamps, and a top speed of 25 mph. The tires were usually of the knobbly tread variety, and the cars could be configured to suit different disabilities.
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| SMZ S-3A 1970 |
Distribution was through Russia’s social welfare system in terms of a five-year lease. Being free or at very low cost, they were technically not for sale to non-disabled drivers, but they were subject to a certain amount of cynical rule-bending. Some “motor-wheelchairs” were not returned after the five years, and the owners managed to get them registered as their private property. As a result, they are now rare and have achieved collectible status. In 1970, the S-3A was replaced by the more modern-looking S-3D.
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