Hemihead - Vaz 21023

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-02-19, 00:47

First of all, my english is a bit rusty so forgive me for all the strange spelling and word-mincing.

Last winter, i bought myself a old winterbeater to slide around in the snow with, and faith wanted me to buy a Vaz! It's a soviet tank really, a heavy, solid built car with no extra equipment at all. The later models were known as Lada but this is a early bugger! Time passed, the winter ended and the Vaz was still running like clockwork, 380.000 km and ticking. I was thinking about sending it to the scrapyard but decided to make something funny out of it instead.

I got the worlds lousiest garage, no heat or anything. But here it is! Russian beauty at it's best.

The standard engine comes from a tractor or something, 1500cc, 75 hp and it's completley impossible to kill.

Here is the new engine, a Fiat Twincam from a Fiat 131. A five-speed gearbox is also included in the plans.

The goal with the car is to get a sleeper, something that could scare newer and more expensive cars at the red lights. More will come when i get all the gaskets i need to the engine.

Johnathan · **Postat:** 2007-02-19, 02:08

oooo now this is a cool project, i will enjoy this! :)

I must admit i have never heard of a VAZ, but we do have Lada in the UK.

How much does it weigh?

/Johnathan

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-02-19, 02:18

About as much as a Freightliner. =) Around 1300 kg is a good guess, i never weighed it.

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-03-18, 13:35

Coudn't sleep tonight, so armed with a bunch of spanners and a big mug of coffee, i attacked the interior, so now the car is completley stripped inside. Pictures will come when i can kick my camera back to life.

Anthon · **Postat:** 2007-03-18, 13:58

i remember reading about this car along time ago in Projekt!!! nice to see its underway again :D

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-04-02, 04:53

The camera is now working so here comes a few pics from the garage.

Stripped from all the interior

The soviet steel did't stand a chance against the salt that covers the roads of Sweden during winter, so i had to weld some rather big holes shut.

I have also started to assemble the Fiat engine, intake and exhaust mainfolds are now in place.

And with the TC soon assembled, there is time for some disassembly! Rip out the old junk and make some room for it!

Steveskii · **Postat:** 2007-04-02, 13:36

Looks like you've got your work cut out there mate!
It's always cool to see something completely different, good luck with the project.

Muddy · **Postat:** 2007-04-02, 14:53

Looks like a fun project. Good luck with it

I wouldn't mind to have a VAZ one day.

Johnathan · **Postat:** 2007-04-02, 17:02

Very nice, those are some large holes :)

I like the look of the TwinCam engine and this whole project really, it looks great fun!

/johnathan

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-04-07, 17:34

The beast is now relocated to outside the "garage", time to do some heart surgery!

Getting rid of the prop shaft

The old engine is now held up by 4 bolts and it will be removed some time next week. Time to ready the twincam!

Last but not least, the bloke who is stupid enough to start a project like this. ;-)

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-04-08, 23:22

Today, winter decided to come back once more, this pic is 5 minutes old...

So once again, i wait for better weather. Changing a engine in a blizzard isn't one thing i look forward to do.

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-04-15, 23:48

At last, the old engine is now history! Too tired to write something so i let the pics talk.

Johnathan · **Postat:** 2007-04-16, 21:35

awesome, that snow really came down, its the first time i have noticed that picture :)

great progress!, how long do you think it will be before you have it running then?

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-04-17, 15:02

Citat:

Ursprungligen postat av Johnathan

awesome, that snow really came down, its the first time i have noticed that picture :)

great progress!, how long do you think it will be before you have it running then?

Good question, more good questions? ;-)

I'm hoping that the new engine is ready for installation in another week or two, if i get the ignition parts and other stuff that i have ordered. I'm really tagged to get the car running now, and see how it handles on the road.

Hemihead · **Postat:** 2007-07-05, 18:53

It's been quiet in the garage now for a long time, work takes more time than expected. But a few more things has been done on the russian rocket.

* Original dashboard is now history. I will make a new one out of 1 mm steel and relocate the gauges.

* All interior such as the doorpanels and such is going to be changed to aluminium. Lighter is better. :)