1989 UAZ 469 Hunter

Here’s an automobile from the East, specifically from the Russian manufacturer UAZ. Founded in 1941, UAZ celebrates 80 years in 2021 and is known for manufacturing off-road vehicles, buses, and trucks for military and civilian use. Their most famous vehicle is the UAZ 469 which was first introduced in 1971, during Soviet times and continues in production to this date. It is the most famous UAZ vehicle, and was sold all over the Soviet Union, as well as in Germany. It’s still built in Azerbaijan, Cuba, Czech Republic, Sudan, Ukraine, and Vietnam too. It was exported to over eighty countries, and production figures have overtaken the 2 million mark. This is a 1989 UAZ 469 Hunter from Massachusetts with a reported 10,035 original miles on the clock. It was legally imported to Massachusetts two years ago by the previous owner, who subsequently sold it to the current owner. The original import sheet is available too.

Exterior and Interior

Russian vehicles, particularly those built during Soviet times have a very distinctive look, where functionality takes precedence. This 1989 UAZ 469 Hunter is no different, with its Military Green exterior paintwork and short overhangs. These vehicles were designed to brave the harsh Russian terrain and weather conditions and were thus built to be as simple and purposeful as possible. As the pictures show, this is a four-door convertible. The front windows, top half of the doors and canvas top are all removable, providing an interesting open-air experience. The interior follows the functional aesthetic of the exterior, with black leather seats and a basic set of instrumentation for minimal distractions. The gear lever for the manual transmission is floor-mounted, as are two more levers for the four-wheel-drive system and transfer case. A heater is present too, which was a necessity in the cold Russian winters.

Engine

UAZ vehicles utilized simple and unstressed powertrains, and this 1989 UAZ 469 Hunter is no different. Powering all four wheels via a four-speed transmission and two-speed transfer case is a 2.4L (152ci) four-cylinder gasoline engine that puts out 75hp and 123 lb ft. This example has had a new carburetor and fuel filter installed. Braking is via drums on all four wheels.