My dad let me drive the 403 a little (with him next to me in the passenger seat). I was 13-14 and almost drove it once into a ditch. Not a wise idea or quality driving. I drove it again along a paved country road, with no clear and present danger, at about 15 MPH. My dad did once crash it...
Fiat 124 -
https://www.in-vendita.it/sh-img/fiat_124_36_fiat%2B124%2B1966.jpeg
The Soviet engineers actually wanted a Citroen but Brezhnev already made a deal with the Italian autoworkers head the Communist Palmiro Togliatti. The Soviet City was even named after Togliatty (he died before...
Ladas (or, Zhuguli, as they were called internally) were already out in 1972. But they were about 7,000 and that was after a ten year wait. Presuming, you were allowed to sign up.
#1 (aka a Kopeyka) from 1976.
In 1972, my dad spent 4,400R on an 8 year old Moskvich 403. His annual income was about 3,500R/Y. I would have preferred a few more trips to restaurant. I was there twice in the USSR. A meal was 15-20R.
https://1cars.org/wp-content/uploads...ch-403-7-1.jpg
An Me-license plate too. But ours...
https://ptoday.ru/wp-content/uploads...d7-678x381.jpg
It was fairly common for the "housewives" to sear bread, as quickly as it was delivered home, to get rid of any unwanted particles or bacteria. But we rarely ate toasted. Back in mid-late 70's, Soviet supermarkets usually had either metal...
This is from the 30s but the idea remained throughout the regime.
One stand is selling bagels, the other fresh water.
https://cdn.ruposters.ru/newsbody/8/8d46d567b91af405f148d7e9df1ae6f13733.jpg
The USSR augmented its retail outlets with these semi-temporary stands, kiosks and even stores on mobile platforms/trucks. Merchandise was inside the location, the customers outside. Beggars can't be choosers and so on. This is a tobacco/smoking place, Mid-80's...
1974. May Day. May Day. This fashion is out of fashion! As are smiling faces.
343018950_181027464871017_4376220954503996568_n.jp g (960×664) (fbcdn.net)
https://teletype.in/files/19/f8/19f84ba4-7f86-4d0d-86ec-3d09f7fb689a.jpeg
1947, Moscow. Kids are window shopping outside a grocery store. Times were tough then. The nation just came off a "coupon only" system.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/06/14/krysha-putin-russia-how-muscle-works-in-moscow/
A three year old article on the protection rackets in the late USSR and modern Russia. It's fairly accurate but not perfect.