I never imagined that the day would arrive when Russia, the less-than-affectionate adoptive mother of all things Western, would lead the way in technological advancements for the betterment of humanity. The last instance of this occurred before the existence of the Chevrolet Impala and when the Soviet Union embarked on its journey into space, launching the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit on October 4, 1957.
The stylish Chevy Bel Air Impala made its debut on the final day of that same month. I am fairly certain it was not designed for any espionage activities (unlike the Sputniks and their numerous descendants).
However, that was almost seventy years ago, and not much positive progress has emerged from the vast expanse of the largest country on Earth’s Piston Planet to benefit the free world. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the Russian spirit of innovation is broken and defeated – quite the contrary. Just take a look at what the lively individuals from Garage 54 have concocted this time: an off-road vehicle without wheels, tracks, sleds, hovercraft cushions, or anything previously witnessed in the realm of motoring.
Image: YouTube/Garage 54
Admittedly, we are discussing Russia here – specifically Siberia, the land where even winter wraps mittens and a scarf around its icicle-covered face – and peculiar (to the rest of us) creations have been built there before. Now, grab a bag of popcorn and watch the video below. Cue the anticipation. No, not the type of musical instrument that a percussionist strikes with a pair of sticks, but cylindrical metal containers that rotate on the ground through the power of pistons.
Thus far, everything seems pleasant and agreeable, but this is yet another motoring experiment from Garage 54, so expect mechanical chaos. However, regardless of what one may think about the Siberians’ constructions, inventions, concepts, abilities, talent, and execution, they deserve a standing ovation for fearlessly embracing a brainstorm at full throttle, emerging on the other side with a plan, and committing to it.
Because it is wintertime in Siberia – the kind that witnesses the first snowfall in mid-November and the thaw in April – the ICE elves (pun intended) have discovered the perfect excuse to assemble an ATV. Even better, they have decided to build one from scratch – complete with a customized frame and transmission, a car seat, and multiple drive chains.
Image: YouTube/Garage 54
Now, as for how to translate all that mechanical power onto the road, the Russian crew of mechanics went all out and reinvented the wheel. Thankfully, they retained the fundamental operating principle (a circular object rotating under external power to propel the vehicle forward). However, instead of using any available set of wheels, they opted for a scientific approach and modified two barrels to fulfill the task.
The idea behind this makeshift ATV was to navigate through deep snow by utilizing the large surface area of the drums to distribute the pressure and avoid getting stuck. To improve traction, metal strips were welded along the circumference of the containers since drum barrels are not known for their grip.
The standout feature of this unconventional snowmobile is its driveline, which consists of motorcycle chains and sprockets that transfer power from the mid-rear engine to a reduction assembly. This assembly amplifies torque and transmits it to the transfer shaft, which then distributes power to each of the barrels. It can be classified as an ABW (All-Barrel Drive) machine.
To enhance grip on soft snow, an intermediate reduction shaft was added to reduce the speed of the vehicle. Additionally, as there are no suspensions, high speeds would only increase vibrations. Although the ride quality is not the best, it is not the main drawback of this contraption.
If the ratio was too high, the primary outcome would be digging through the snow quickly without making much progress, assuming the driver is still in control of the vehicle.
As we can observe, this creation is not entirely useless or meaningless. In terms of automotive experiments, it shows promise as a prototype. It would have benefited from a reverse gear and a more efficient steering mechanism, as the turning radius is quite large. However, following the Garage 54 tradition, we can expect them to return with an improved version of the rolling barrel snowmobile. If you want to see their log-frame car from last summer, watch the second video.
According to the Source autoevolution.com