Gaz gl-1, 1938-1940

1938 GAZ GL-1 is the first Soviet shop-built racing car. The letters in the name of this model stand for “Gonochnaya Lipgarta” that can be translated as “Lipgarts’s racing car”, in honor of Andrey Lipgart, GAZ chief designer. Built in 1938, this legendary model hung up the first all-USSR speed record, having reached 161,87 km/h.
There were two generations of this model. First one was based upon GAZ M-1 (see the first photo below) that originally had a 3.3 50 bhp engine. Specially for GAZ GL-1 this engine was given valves with extended diameter and modified cylinder head. As a result, the power increased to 65 bhp. This engine was installed on the standard M-1 chassis. The aerodynamic body of this double-seater was custom made, though you can see that the front part of the body contains some stock M-1 parts. The car weighed 1000kg, not quite good for a 65 bhp engine. Though Arcady Nikolaev, GAZ test driver, managed to speed up to 147 km/h during the checkout in Moscow. There was one funny incident during the first testing. Valeriy Chkalov, legendary Soviet test pilot, attended the testing once and asked for the permission to test drive a car. The permission was given, and he set off flat out. He was so carried away by the car, that he accidentally speeded up to more than 100 km/h and didn’t notice a small downhill bridge in the end of the road. It was too late to hit the brakes, so the car literally took off. Luckily, it landed successfully, but the joke was born: the car made it’s first TEST FLIGHT driven by famous Soviet test pilot :)
The second generation was built on the chassis of GAZ 11-73, a long-based version of M-1. It had a 3.4 6-cylinder engine, that, again, was upgraded specially for the GL-1. It was given two carburetors and in it’s final version made 100bhp. However, the car became 100kg heavier because of the aerodynamic cabin roof, that didn’t exist on mkI. Nevertheless, in 1940 Arcady Nikolaev driving GAZ GL-1 hung up a new all-USSR speed record, 161,87 km/h. It’s notable that the same engine that was on GL-1 was being installed later on trucks, lorries, tanks and even planes.
Sadly, World War II ruined all plans of building the third generation. Both cars disappeared and only several years ago GL-1 mkII was remade by Russian enthusiasts.

Mind the roof, guys. As you can see, it's non-central.

Some more pictures.

Proportion wise, it looks exactly like a Ford V8 of the same period. And the grill looks like a Dodge piece of the same time

That's because GAZ M1, just like an earlier GAZ A, was a Ford derived car :)

Exactly, faksta :) Actually, almost all Soviet cars were a derivative of something :)

Why didnt they keep the flathead v8 in it then?

Straight 4 was cheaper, I guess. GAZ M1 is said to have been derived from a 1934 Model B Ford (40A), which had a straight 4 as well.

Meets the EU standard hood height.