UAZ 452 BUKHANKA
UAZ – pronounced WAZ – based out of picturesque Ulyanovsk, Russia, has been making the UAZ 452 Bukhanka since 1965, and never stopped. Why change a winning formula after all? The base van has remained virtually unchanged for over half a century. A UAZ is shaped like a loaf of bread – giving it the Bukhanka nickname.
UAZ - RUSSIA'S DURABLE CLASSIC CAR
The rugged style of a UAZ is a masterpiece of Russian engineering and simplicity. The very best part of the unit is that it is rarely as hard to restore a UAZ as any of the vintage US step vans or classic European vintage food trucks, thanks to its simple, straightforward design.
Few people will have seen a UAZ in the US, but the simplicity of the design makes this an easy fix, even for mechanics new to the model. The engine and mechanics on the 452 Bukhanka (and other UAZ models) is straightforward and serviceable by any professional workshop. For US import purposes we source a >25 year old base vehicle.
WHY SHOULD I GET A UAZ AS
A FOOD TRUCK?
The UAZ 452 Bukhanka is A LOAF TO LOVE!
UAZ are probably the best budget, vintage food truck option out there, and extremely reliable as well. But is that really all you are looking for in partner? We sure hope not.
We can go deeper and look in to the soul, the looks. UAZ are quirky, different, and novel. They capture the imagination as it has a character of its own, being a member of the select club of car models and having enthusiastic fan clubs all around the world. Now you may not be a vintage car nut – but you certainly want fan boys as a food truck owner!
If you squint your eyes, the UAZ even looks a bit like a VW bus- its Russian cousin if you will.
UAZ SPECIALTY CONVERSIONS
If the loaf itself does not fit your needs you may be well serviced with the UAZ box truck – or a chassis cab, with all the reliability and 33% of the looks that make it so attractive.
Food truck boxes can be made longer, wider, and taller than the standard truck allowing a fuller kitchen and menu to be served from the UAZ. This also helps to accommodate stricter county health requirements on minimum spacing and equipment size if necessary for your area. Additionally, all boxes are custom, allowing us to add back some style and flair with rounded edges, paneling, or simply with a beautiful graphic wrap.
WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF THIS BEAUTIFUL RUSSIAN FOOD TRUCK?
The UAZ is not made in America. If you ever visited a Facebook group full of food truckers (and you should – it’s very helpful to be in those long before you start the journey to owning a truck) – you know you’ll be tarred and feathered by a particular crowd for not buying American.
Additionally, UAZ are not perfect. The unit is relatively small and narrow which limits the options of food you can serve. This also makes some county requirements on aisle width or water tank size hard to meet, ruling out some builds in some counties.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THEUAZ 452 BUKHANKA
Learn more in our knowledge center ►Yes, it certainly is. The caveat is that your specific unit has to be over 25 years old to be DOT-approved as a classic car. This means no new UAZ trucks for US customers, but the old one will do you just fine.
Containers go everywhere, and all units can always be shipped to the nearest port. We might not have a local forwarder in your country (yet) though, in which case we will find one together with you.
IS A UAZ THE RIGHT FOOD TRUCK
BASE FOR YOU?
Click below to get a free quote and officially begin the process.