GAZ technicians initiated concept work on a new armoured car designated Izdeliye 64-125 on July 17, 1941,[2] basing its construction and design on a preexisting commercial chassis.[1] This was to ensure the manufacturing process could in be undertaken in an economical and rapid manner.[1] After some deliberation, the GAZ-64 jeep was chosen as the base for the Izdeliye 64-125.[1] This chassis was considered ideal due to its short wheel base and excellent ground clearance, and the fact that its mechanical parts were already in serial production.[2] The original Izdeliye 64-125 bore almost no similarities with what would later become the BA-64; it resembled little more than a shorter BA-20.[2]