Produced in the ZAZ factory in the Ukraine, Zaporozhets’ of one kind or another were built and sold in the USSR for the better part of 40 years. One of the cheapest models available in the country, the car was meant to be a sort of Russian Beetle, though the styling on this 1968 example makes it look a lot more like an air-cooled Fiat of the same vintage.

The owner says a mouthful when he tells us that the car is a rare one in the U.S.; we don’t find ourselves tripping over Soviet-era machinery of any kind very often, and aren’t terribly ashamed to say the Zaporozhets name didn’t spark a lot of memories around the office.

Its rarity is one reason to think that the little 965 might be a fun and cheap classic to run, as well as ensuring that the new owner will be the belle of the local car show. We’re guessing that the car’s air-cooled V-4 is pretty straightforward to work on as well, though spare parts may prove a bit difficult to source. Just remember, fortune favors the bold.

+ 1968 Other Makes Other

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