What Makes an Early 1967 ZAZ-966 So Rare?

Rare 1967 ZAZ-966 – Professional Classic Car Restoration by Avtoclassika

We are pleased to present a meticulously restored 1967 ZAZ-966 by the Avtoclassika classic car restoration workshop — an exceptionally rare vehicle from the model’s first year of production and a genuine find for collectors of Soviet classic cars.

This collector-grade ZAZ-966 underwent a comprehensive professional restoration with particular attention to authenticity, original factory construction and the rare details characteristic of the earliest cars produced in 1967.

For Avtoclassika, a restoration workshop specialising in classic Soviet cars, the objective was not simply to restore the vehicle, but to preserve as much of its historical authenticity and collector value as possible.

ZAZ-966: From the ZAZ-965 to a New Generation

Development of the ZAZ-966 began as early as 1961.

However, it was not until 1966 that the first cars bearing the ZAZ-966V designation left the Zaporizhzhia Automobile Plant.

The letter “V” stood for “temporary”: this transitional model was equipped with an approximately 900 cc engine producing 30 hp.

The fully developed ZAZ-966, powered by the new 1.2-litre, 40 hp engine commonly known as the “forty”, entered production on 1 March 1967.

Thus, 1967 became the first production year of the ZAZ-966 in its full series-production specification, making surviving early examples particularly interesting to collectors today.

The Legendary “Big-Eared” ZAZ-966

The ZAZ-966 acquired the popular nickname “Big-Eared Zaporozhets” because of its distinctive large air intakes on the rear wings.

The car retained the fundamental engineering concept of the legendary “hunchback” ZAZ-965: a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine combined with fully independent suspension.

At the same time, the new ZAZ-966 was considerably larger, more substantial and more modern. Unlike its predecessor, with its short, sloping rear bodywork, the ZAZ-966 featured more balanced proportions and styling that visually brought the car closer to models from a higher class.

The engineers also managed to significantly increase the capacity of the front luggage compartment, which had been extremely limited in the ZAZ-965.

European Influences in the Design of the ZAZ-966

The styling of the 1967 ZAZ-966 reflected contemporary European automotive trends of the 1960s.

Like the German NSU Prinz, 

the front of the ZAZ-966 featured a decorative element that was styled as a false radiator grille on production Soviet cars — although, with the engine mounted at the rear, there was of course no radiator behind it.

This detail gave the car a more substantial and mature appearance. In the early 1970s, with the introduction of the ZAZ-968, this distinctive front grille treatment was discontinued.

What Makes the Early 1967 ZAZ-966 Unique?

During the restoration of this ZAZ-966 at the Avtoclassika restoration workshop, particular attention was paid to the details that distinguish first-year cars from later production models.

At first glance, an early 1967 ZAZ-966 appears almost identical to later production cars. However, closer examination reveals dozens of subtle engineering and construction differences.

During a professional ZAZ-966 restoration, these details are extremely important, as they determine the historical authenticity and collector value of an early-production vehicle.

You can see a complete overview of the distinctive features of this restored ZAZ-966 in our video.

During the restoration, even seemingly minor differences were carefully researched and reproduced in accordance with the original construction of the early ZAZ-966.

A Rare ZAZ-966 for the Serious Collector

During the first, incomplete year of series production, the Zaporizhzhia Automobile Plant manufactured only around 1,000 examples of this transitional version of the ZAZ-966.

Only a small number of these early cars have survived to the present day.

Finding an early example, correctly identifying its original features, carrying out a complete restoration and preserving the characteristic factory details of the first production year is an exceptionally demanding task.

For this reason, a meticulously restored 1967 ZAZ-966 by the Avtoclassika classic car restoration workshop is far more than simply a Soviet classic car. It is a rare collector’s vehicle, a surviving piece of automotive history and the result of a professional restoration with particular attention to historical authenticity.