Jelcz 300

Jelcz is not only a favorite spot for Lower Silesians to spend summer afternoons by the lake. Jelcz is also famous trucks, with the iconic 300 series produced between 1968 and 1992. However, before our Jelcz went into production, Jelcz Automobile Works produced its predecessor, the Żubr A80. It was a flawed model, but it had a payload capacity of up to 8 tons – it was the only Polish-made truck of its kind until then. Jelcz factories began work on a new, better-designed truck model in 1966, aiming to produce a vehicle that could carry loads weighing between 10 and 12 tons.

Thus, in 1967, prototypes of the Jelcz "300s" were created. In the early 1970s, the payload even exceeded the dreamed-of 12 tons, allowing for the transport of 18-ton loads. Despite increasingly better results, the vehicles from Jelcz did not satisfy the manufacturers. Therefore, in 1972, the Automobile Works approached the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch with a proposal for cooperation. From then on, Austrian components were used in Polish trucks. Shortly after, due to technical difficulties, cooperation was discontinued, and Jelcz factories returned to improving old designs, thereby maintaining production until the 1990s. Now, the famous "300s" are not seen on the streets, but they can be seen on T-shirts – thanks to you, Jelcz will remain iconic.

The drawing is by Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.