97 replies to this topic

[Avtovaz]

well, there is tuning but atm, my goal is to keep it very reliable. I could have stayed with the Lada engine, and it would be so much easier weighing it up now, but in thelong run the MX5 engine will be loads better. 

 

I did some welding today, just attacked anything i could!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seat in to set the mounting points.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

its starting to look like a car with a front missing rather than a load of work lol!

 

 

I was weighing up the transplant a bit more today. It seems that ill have to cut the bulkhead after all, someting i defo didnt want to do but .. Reason is the box seems to come up really highfor some reason, and i need to be able to get the top bolts in and out. 

 

 

 

 

there is something around 35mm from engine to bulkhead. cutting more space for the box means that on the inside the heater will be in the wy

 

 

this is the top part of the housing

 

 

this is the bottom part, its only for a fan and a flap int eh bottom

 

 

 

i think if i remake the bottom part but use some high flow pc fans, maybe 2 or 4, not sure, i can make the housing a lot shorter then. Itll work.

 

Need to work out how to make the coolant system work too, the thermostat is in a housing that is so far forward on the engine its strange. so maybe using a lada niva remote one owuld be the thing to do. im not sure as of yet. maybe get it in the hole and go from there..

 

 

Edited by Avtovaz, 18 October 2025 - 08:17 PM.

[Avtovaz]

i must admit when i was looking at doing this engine change, i never thought much about the box, just that no one seems to transplant them really. But i found someone who has put one in a mk1 cavalier on retro rides, but also someone who has put one into a lada 2103 already! So with that in mind i just bought the engine and box. 

 

Now i only really thought about the engine as i thought the box would be easy. well maybe not so!

 

 

 

 

 

the lada stick is well further forward that the mx5 one. So some head scratching, and looking at the other 2103. He has cut his bulkhead and moved the engine BACK! So where the back of my handbrake mounts is where his stick is! I worked it out a bit with mine but not proerply.

 

 

look at this pic, 19" is the lada stick, 32" is the standard position of the mx5 stick if i get engine in where i think itll go. itll go as far forward as possible with the engine to help this. Thing is the mx5 engine and box is a lot lighter than the lada combo but that to be fair is quite light as it was!

 

 

 

the box has two "ports" on it one for the stick and one for a reverse/5th gear thing. As in so you cant go from 5th into reverse as its 1-2 3-4 5-R. Looking at it, why cant i do something where the stick comes out of the further forward port? Looking further, and here is the detente for the reverse thing, and here is the part that holds the gear lever to the shaft.

 

 

 

 

yes, why cant that be as one? then put the 2 springs that hold the stick up straight somewhere else [they are in the stick port] look back at the tunnel tape measure pic, this should come out at 27". Just about acceptable.

 

So that is where i am at now, if i can get the box sorted more ill carry on, if not its the Lada engine. I dont want to hack the car apart and make a mess of it. Its lasted nearly 50 years so why "abuse" the shell ? I dont want to cut the bulkhead, but ill do it in a way you cant really tell. I dont want to do the tunnel but again, try to do it so it looks factory. This car must have  a working heater, and be good to drive, light clutch and all too. Probably a fairly quiet exhaust too. 

 

 

Why do i do this to myself?! lol 

Edited by Avtovaz, 21 October 2025 - 08:26 PM.

[Avtovaz]

i go into work early to do stuff for the car, and we have some drill presses etc for doing stuff. My rally car lives at work so its like, no one cares what i do lol!


so the vvt i made a ally plate for mounting the oil feed

 

 

 

 

 

back at home i welded the outrigger on for the jacking point

 

 

 

 

 

 

hold on, lets look what i can see , that is what people dont do. look and see, look... 

 

 

 

 

look and see, the box has a recess in it for the steering link rod to go threw. Ok, the mx5 can i cut the bellhousing to suit? no, the flywheel is far to close to the engine, the lada flywheel sits back. 

 

Ok lets look and think. Im 50 soon, by soon i mean, im 47 now, 48 in December, so the target of a long trip is not so far off. Ive had the mini for 8 years so lets cut the crap, get the lada engine sorted.

 

 

Ok the mx5 box is at DRD racing to get modded, Jamie, stop make me a cnc inlet for the lada engine on throttle bodies, Ok see you tomorrow.  goint ot drop a head, exhaust manifold, etc off with him

 

 

here was the problem

 

 

 

when doing this observing, i had to fit the lada 2103 steering wheel, its not been on the car while ive owned it, but seriously, ho soviet does this look?

 

 

 

 

that is amazing. i really like it!

 

 

So my Lada, it needs to stop, so looked at the brakes

 

 

 

that is a caliper... and lets take it apart

 

 

 

 

dead easy, and the rebuild kits arnt expensive.

 

 

If you have a bbq, this is a special need...

 

 

 

 

High temp paint setting....

 

 

Lada is there, it needs sorting. It needs a Russia heart.. So many people cut and shut cars to make them something that arnt. I am looking into a 2108 [samara sputik] engine transplant, and a better gear set for the box. Lets focus on the Lada or AutoVaz.... ;)

[Avtovaz]

little update, not much though, i put the front suspension arms and spring back on, and let the car down

 

 

 

 

now i can start on the front end

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

rot on the front to sort now.

 

 

 

 

[Baldspeed Racing]

bet you're happy its back on its wheels, love the high tech paint dryer lol

[Avtovaz]

thanks ;)

 

well this happened. 

 

 

 

 

Lada power do the front panel with the rad support etc. so thats on order. it was £100, the top part of the hinge panel ? you cant get separate. plus its all spot welded together.

 

The inner wing, parts of it you cant get separate it seems also.

 

making this stuff for me either goes well or just goes really badly wrong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

seems to have gone well so far. it dosnt have the bubble part, but the battery does cover it. well that is if i put it there

 

 

 

the gearbox has really bad ratios from what i remember. there is a r1 gearkit that you can buy, and i found out today its basically a 4 speed box with a 5th speed added. Means drilling and tapping the shaft. I have a 4 speed box, and i have a 5 speed too! So will look into this.

[Avtovaz]

not a massive update but got the engine and box out today. tried to take all teh parts i could out of the engine bay and gave it a wash and wipe down

 

 

 

Wiring loom out too, its getting a new one

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

now watching gearbox rebuild vids, there is this R1 gearkit you can get, which is basically the 4 speed box ratios, and a 5th gear. So you need a 4 speed and a 5 speed. I have both! So i am going to sell the mx5 engine first then start on the lada boxes. Not looking forward to this as they seem quite complex if you dont know what your looking at!

[Avtovaz]

Not done much on the lada over christmas, ive had that flu thing thats going about, lucky ive been off work for 2 weeks and had chance to just rest. most days just sleeping. But there was a few bits done.

 

I was looking at the inner wings again and seeing how to repair them, looks quite a big job to get them right

 

 

 

 

I primed the front panel, and was trying to line everything up

 

 

 

 

 

i got bored of aligning bits up on teh front as its all been messed with or was so rotten, its all hard to get right. i decided to start stripping behind that and rust proof it as i knew i could get some progress with out feeling like ive done nothing

 

 

 

 

as you can see from this pic there is a fair bit of work to do.

 

 

 

 

 

I also finished putting my brake calipers back together, really pleased with tehm

 

 

 

 

 

 

now, ive not said much about the gearbox on the car, its a lada 5 speed. the 4 speed of a 2107 has much better ratios but its 4 speed. There is a mod where you get a 4 speed box and make it a 5 speed, but it means drilling the end of the main shaft to take the bolt hat holds the 5th gear on. I do have a 4 speed box, and i was thinking of doing the mod. But then i thought if i even need a box short notice, i dont have a spare. I looked about the internet and eventually found a company in Ukraine that did a kit and it was going to be fairly cheep and it was new. SO i bought it, this conversion is called the r1 kit.

 

 

I decided to have a go at it myself, the box is fairly simple, but its remembering how it all goes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

it is now back together, but i havnt got the gaskets yet, they are int eh post with a few other bits.

 

 

 

Now looking at the car, and thinking would i be happy with it with allt he inner wing repairs and the time etc, i looked online and saw you can get inner wings, but no one wants to post them, the only way is to buy basically the front of the car..

 

 

... so yes, i bought the front of the car!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i got both sides and primed part of them today

 

 

 

 

 

so in the long run i think repairing the inner wings will take longer than just replacing the lot, and i also know its got no rot hiding anywhere. it does look like a big job, but im sure ill manage it.

[MatthewsDad]

I continue to enjoy reading this thread. Great work and please keep posting the updates.

[Avtovaz]

thanks, not done much progress, i had some form of cold over christmas, the weather has been too cold to be bothered, and now finally i do some on it today and my back has gone. i have a bulging disc, going to have to go and get it put back in.

 

Anyway, here is what ive done

 

i primed all the front end parts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished almost [damaged an oil seel so need to order a new one] the R1 conversion kit in the box. For some reason at first when i put it together the input shaft and output shaft where locked, i took the 5th/reverse housing off again, and it freed up, so i put it back together, i tihnk it was a spacer i put in the wrong place. it seems ok now

 

 

 

 

 

 

in work fitted the new front pulley, its got 62-2 set up on it instead of the gm-7x type, as in much better for the ecu. its a 1700 mpi niva part.

 

 

 

moved the car forward today and brushed all the leaves out from under it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

set it up level on stands on the front, 

 

 

rubbed the rust killer down on the scuttle part, and primed it. for some reason id ont have pics of the primed area

 

 

 

 

 

Now, have to see how i get on for tomorrow, more than likely will jsut do some batch cooking for dinners for work, shame as the weather has started to turn, hopefulyl soon get back on with it.

[Avtovaz]

Ive done a bit more to the car. i tootk eh steering box off and its parts, they are in work now, ive looked to see whats worn, and the box seems ok, but the link rods seem a bit worn so ive ordered new ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED: Graphic scenes of classic Soviet surgery.

 

The following images contain scenes of mild metalwork, sparks, and unapologetic Lada disassembly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lol, yea. At least my brother can back his e39 past the Lada easier now for ashot while!

[Avtovaz]

not a massive  update but i have removed all of the old chassie legs and inner wings now and also put it in red oxide

 

 

 

 

having a few concerns about the red oxide as i hear it is good but not for long term outside, im going to have to strip parts of the primer soon and see if there is any rust. i think ill unfortunatly have to strip it al and gof or an epoxy primer.

[Avtovaz]

i have started with putting the new front end on. i bolted the crossmember to the chassie legs and offered it up to the car with wratchet straps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i bought a leser level to help measure out

 

 

 

 

 

 

ill screw everything in place tehn weld the chassie legs on then take it apart again. 

[Avtovaz]

ive not posted about the 2103 for a while, and well there is progress! But a big problem too. 

 

So, i have the mini, 2103, and a bmw compact i road rally. I have sleep apnia, and im finding it hard to stay awake, and the idea of doing another road rally is makeing me worry. Mayb the sleep problem is getting worse, maybe its me getting older??? I dont know.

Here is the bmw

 

 

 

 

 

Back years ago, i was helping out of the Lada challange, it was amazing, home built cars, it has never left me how good these cars could be built at home. Plus, at the time there where cheap, ive had loads of them. But as i get older, and i watch youtube, i look at pics, i start to remanise.

 

 

 

 

That car just looks like it sits right, looks nice, and i think it could have been a quick car. 

 

 

I went to watch the tour of cheshire at oulton park, and i was thinking; i could drive better than most of these lol! So i started looking for a Lada to buy to make into a rally car. I got in contact with a guy called Gedas Kalinauskas, he is a Lithuanian living in London, he has imported a few Ladas, Moskvitches etc. I was asking about a car, could be a rollign shell, what ever, just it needed to be no rot. 

 

 

My mate howie turned up one day too, never comes to our house, and was looking at the 2103, he has a mot station, and said to me, if i put quarter panels on his mk2 with him, he would put the front on my car in his garage with me.. So..

 

 

After a week of checking Ebay, facebook market place, NO LADA for sale. I cant just sit and wait, im not that type of person. So i looked in Lithuania in the for sale adds. Gedas and I chatted, and long story short, his mate has a 2101 in Lithuania, 1973, ok condition, so i thought, ok lets jsut do it. 

well. I dont think you will know about Lada [ except for you Alex559 ] but this turned up.

 

It is 1973, Lada first started making cars in 1970, so this is an early one, it is a time warp. It is not rotten, very original, and there is no way on this earth i will make this into a rally car.

 

So 2103, your my new rally car!!

 

 

 

 

Even though i have done 40+ rallies and havnt had an incodent that i could not polish out, i am a bit worried, for example

 

 

 

 

^ £400 for a pair, IF you then pay postage and trust someone in Russia etc. Bumpers hard to get, back lights too.

 

But, lets worry about that if i damage it and look for parts on the way.

 

I have some other wishbones and parts, so ive been strengthening them at work

 

 

 

 

these need doing, shock mounts on the wishbone

 

 

 

 

 

so yes, things have changed!

Edited by Avtovaz, 02 May 2026 - 09:18 PM.

[Avtovaz]

not updated for a while, but here goes!

 

car is at howies, been welding it some, and well, looking at the historic stuff, it looks more like a nice day out than what i call a rally. So i best sort my sleep problems out, and just get on with it. So no turning back to the bmw now, its going. The lada will be lighter, and hopefully mroe nimble. So if i go road rallying again, im hoping itll have the edge on the bmw.

 

 

been looking at alsort of things, i bought a bmw 6 speed box, it has a direct 5th gear, and i recon its strong as anything id need. So i was looking at adapting it to the lada engine

 

 

 

 

 

lada cover over bmw box

 

 

 

lada has this step in the box to clear the steering box system link arm

 

 

clutch and release bearings looks fine

 

 

 

 

tried the bmw box ont he lada engine, and the input shaft is the same size, so it was nice to test how it fits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

looks almost too good to be true. as in the box looks like it will be made to fit ok

 

 

 

 

 

the shell is at howies

 

 

 

 

got the front on it and started seam welding it

 

 

 

back end set up, and the anti roll bar is fitted upside down!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i also managed to get t his engine back, i sold it to a mate in ireland about 20 years ago. its a 1600 built by rae sharret, he used to run MCD/RED in widnes, he built rally cars for ari, colin , jimmi, the lot. But is retired now doing bits. 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the masive sump; this engine is about 115 bhp, its got a 300 deg cam in it too!

 

 

got these chassie strengthening plates from ladapower too, these where added

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i was talkign with howie today, i was saying, the lada is ok with the 1600 engine in it, but it needs a strong box, it needs to be able to launch up a very steep hill. I also was saying, it probably needs more power than the 1600. 

You can buy a crank to take it to 1800cc, and was weighing it all up.. The bmw is 160 bhp and 160 lbs, its 1300 kg, and that has a 5.0;1 diff. that goes really well and ive had 2x 7ths on road rallies. If we want to go forward, and make this car quickjer as i think it will be, it needs a simular or better power to weight ratio and to pull strong all the way threw the rev range. 

 

 

so doing the maths, i dont think the lada engine with its 115 bhp on a carb willdo. A good escort is like 2000-2400cc pinto, splits,  5 speed sccr box, and i dont know the weight [maybe 1 ton] but power can be like 220 bhp. So how about i make the lada faster, give it say 130-140 bhp and low down pulling, so that all means a different engine and fuel injection. 

 

Lada engine is like 105kg, ok so a C20xe is like 30kg more, zeetec is more, the only other engine i know about and absolutly love is the rover K series. I had one in the r100 i had, i put it on speeduino, it was like 130bhp, but it weighs 95 kg with starter and alti. hmm... Then i can put cams to it, so i could end up with 140-150 bhp, 900 kg car. 

 

For road rallying you have to keep the standard inlet for that engine type, so a mgf engine is good but the inlet is pointing into the bulkhead, no good, but!!! they fitted the k series into the fso polinez, it was rwd, and i can get a manifold!

 

 

Rae is due to visit howies garage next week. Howie is going to ask rae about converting a bmw box to rover engine. if its a goer, then all systems go. With the Rover engine, and the bmw box, itll be a 900kg car i think. hmm ;)