Hi Avtovaz,
Love the build even more so the very expensive boot support 
Paddy
thats actually kerion wood, it is really expensive for wood as its proper hard stuff! We use it at work on the tippers ! ;)))
So, ive been off work with a cold, its not a nice one, its caught me out now for 2 weeks. But being at home and time not to work on the car, but able to think is a dangerous thing. I do OVER think a lot of thing. Im looking at the 1700 engine, its all new, but its not on peek of its power by any means, but its cammed , its standard valves, got some nice bits, but im thinking what will it really be like? Itll do say 100 -120 bhp at the flywheel. Again thinking, i want this car to be able to drive to Hungry do 70 mph all the way there, and back and not care about it as itll be reliable. Power isnt the main issue, its reliability. So with the Lada 5 speed, how good is this combination?
So here the ford pinto engine is everywhere, and i got thinking, its heavy but reliable, goes on a type 9 box, will drive to the moon and back. So i started researching them, and ok yes they are cheap , but the type 9 is dear now. You can use a rx8 box with an adapter but its getting complex quick as there is too many unknowns.
I had a c20xe in a lada years ago. click here for a vid it was with a type 9 with a proper bellhousing, it had a tran x straight cut box, and a 4.4 lsd, it was mega. But the car rotted quick and i had it on the road for maybe 6 month. So i looked for an xe, mega money as they are so good. So i looked for a cav sri 130 8 valve type engine, rare as anything. COuld use a carton box but expensive and rare too.
So all of these are with the type 9 box, they are dear and old.
What is new that will fit? what is rwd already? What will convert? Duratec, had one for my bmw and it was low mileage and worn so full rebuild would have to be done but goes on a mx5 box. Zetec, getting old and again on a conversion to a rx8 box and needs lots of water way stuff buying, not ideal. K series, love them to bits, ideal, had one in the R100, was 130bhp, was amazing, too much hastle to make a sump, etc etc...
Then, back some time ago, i had looked at early mazda mx5 nb engines, but they had a water way on the back of the head, some stupid vvt oil way on it, and just didnt seem right.
But hold on, the mx5 engine and box is 16kg lighter than the Lada engine and box, is 140 bhp out of the box, its on a rwd gearbox already, sumo is ally and on the back, so no good. So i asked chat gtp, Someone on retrorides is fitting one ! But they had cut the bulkhead and made the car dangerously low. But they had a sump from another mazda, it was steel. Hmm that works, ok so how much are they? Oh here is one on ebay, engine 1800nb vvt, with box, 90,000 miles, starter, alti, wiring loom, £385... so i offered £350 and went for it money as i was off...
you can see the oil way problems here and the water housing too
well turns out the oil pipes go to the vvt system, and its a strange ally housing for the 90 deg bend.
there is the pipes. 
So into the block is 1/8npt, i want to mount a Lada oil pressure sender set up , so the warning sensor and the gauge sensor, so id want to remove it anyway and do my own thing. I ve ordered some an3 fittings to make my own set up, ill make an ally manifold for the Lada sensors, its not a big problem as the engine was so cheap. Sump i got from ali express, £13! but £30 delivery.
How hard can it be?
I have to say, Ladas when set up correctly handle on tarmac as good or better than the same spec escort, so this car should be amazing to drive. When i take it to car shows, itll be that little bit different. I do like engine swaps, ive had the lada with the c20xe and type 9, the bmw has a volvo b230 engine and a is200 6 speed box with microsquirt, the R100 metro had mgf 1800 engine with speeduino, so this lada with mx5 nb and microsquirt, will be good. Oh also, on twin 40 throttle bodies ;)
