On the 30th anniversary of the passing of Rafik Ordyan by Minas Kojayian

Rafik Ordyan’s Enduring Odyssey
The GT-77 Race Car

Every time I reminisce about blooming Hollywood stars of the past, such as James Dean, I come face to face with the highly talented artist and clown who passed away before his prime, circus star of Armenia and the former Soviet Union, the late Leonid Yengibarian. I also remember an extraordinary and uniquely gifted young man from my university years in Armenia, automotive pioneer, inventor and designer Rafik Ordyan.

Rafik would have turned 61 years old this year had the medical world taken his heart condition more seriously. Having departed from this world at the tender age of 30, Rafik’s love, determination and creative talents in the field of automotive design could have earned him a well-deserved place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

In the 18th century, Rafik’s forefathers emigrated from the city of Ordubad in the Nakhijevan region to Armenia’s northeastern province of Tavush and the village of Aygedzor. Young Rafik’s keen interest in the sciences and creative arts became a driving force in his persistent efforts to gain knowledge of mechanical engineering in both the Armenian and Russian languages. In the eighth grade, with the use of objects found at home, Rafik had already created an FM radio transmitter in the compact size of a cigarette box.

At the age of 14, upon reading about a hand-crafted model truck in the Russian-language monthly journal Young Designer, Rafik vows to create his own model vehicle. Upon graduation from high school, Rafik is accepted by the cybernetics department of Yerevan’s Polytechnic University. Prior to his enrollment exams, however, Rafik had already designed and built his first automobile, and Armenia’s first ever convertible car.

Rafik was a special student. During his university years, Rafik’s interest in the field of physics propelled him to dream of defending his Master of Science thesis in the physics “capital” of the Soviet Union, the city of Dubna. During his graduating year at the university, he devotes himself to the initial preparation of a blueprint for his dream car. Rafik’s hard work and tenacity in building his dream car comes to fruition six years later.

Rafik the inventor had to start everything from scratch. During the process of building his famous GT-77 race car, Rafik’s hands as well as personal connections were put to good use in his quest to find accurate automotive parts. Despite working for the Transportation Ministry of the USSR, Rafik spent his non-working hours at the ministry by going through great lengths to find, inspect, modify, and incorporate correct and dependable automotive parts for his GT-77. When interviewed, Rafik stated that he had “one purpose… to create a contemporary and unique automobile, which would be distinctly different than any other automobile.” Specifically, Rafik incorporated a Skoda 1202 47HP engine manufactured in Czechoslovakia, and a Moskvich 412 gearbox. In June 1977, all of Yerevan was raving about Rafik Ordyan’s orange GT-77 race car.

August 6, 1977 was a special day in the life of Rafik Ordyan. The USSR’s Grand Prix was set to begin in Moscow. Over 2000 automobiles and their drivers, including Rafik and his GT-77, participated in this event. A number of scholarly journals and publications throughout the Soviet Union, in addition to prominent scientific institutions, the Zaporozhets factory in Ukraine and the YERAZ factory (Yerevan Automotive Factory) in the Kanaker district of Yerevan all expressed serious interest in Rafik’s creative prowess. The Grand Prix commenced in Moscow’s Gorky Park, en route 2500 miles to the Black Sea port of Sevastopol in the Crimea. Among 2000 participants, Rafik Ordyan became the champion of the Grand Prix, earning several accolades and worthy attention throughout the Soviet Union, and bringing pride to his native Armenia. Thanks to Soviet newspapers and television, over 250 million people familiarized themselves with the young Armenian inventor and his “baby”, the GT-77.

Rafik was a rising star with a promising future ahead of him, who would have brought pride to any nation. Sadly, his life was cut short at the age of 30, due to a heart condition which could have been properly treated had he undergone the correct medical procedures. Rafik Ordyan passed away on May 31, 1979 in Moscow.

The Armenian nation never forgot her native son. Due to the efforts of Rafik’s friends and admirers, the annual Ordyan Prize was established in recognition of an inventor who has built the best automobile by hand. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Rafik’s passing, a decision was made by the Ordyan family to restore the GT-77 race car, in addition to publicly exhibiting a collection of Rafik’s photographs, trophies and medals, letters, and the designs of his automobiles.


Written by Minas Kojayan
Translated from Western Armenian by Mihran Toumajan