On April 5, the Niva SUV celebrated 45 years since the start of production – the first cars rolled off the assembly line of the Volga Automobile Plant in the spring of 1977. The club of Lada History enthusiasts specially prepared for this event: the guys restored the VAZ-2121 Niva, released in 1980. Now this example makes it clear what the Niva was then – it will be interesting for fans of the model to see this car comparable to the modern Lada Niva Legend.
As club president Sergei Diogrik said, the Soviet Niva, along with the VAZ-2102 station wagons, had a difficult fate: they were utilitarian cars and were used for the toughest work. Therefore, very few SUVs of the first years of production have survived to our time. The masters hardly managed to find a suitable specimen in an acceptable condition.
But he also needed a lot of attention to restore it to its original state. For example, one of the doors had to be assembled from three others. The engine was transferred to the first repair size. Fasteners appeared in the configuration prescribed in the drawings, but were not used on the conveyor for various reasons.
The car with the iconic Soviet color “Rubin” was ready on time, although it was completed in a rush.
During the festive events in Togliatti dedicated to the birth of the Niva, the revived car was much appreciated by the designer of the model, Valery Semushkin – and left his painting on the front panel of the SUV.
- The old documentary “Born on the VAZ” perfectly illustrates the history of the appearance of the Niva, we recommend watching it.
- “Driving” can be read in Viber.
Video: YouTube / Factory