Lada Riva Estate

[Donald]

I wasn't going to do a thread or post this car anywhere as I still haven't decided what, if anything, I am going to do with it.
However, working several weeks at a time in Iraq can take its toll and right now I am starting to think of what I am going to do with it when I get home.

Besides, I like this forum. Apart from certain "trade" "characters" who pose as legitimately interested people and weave wonderful tales of joyous summer drives in the North Yorkshire moors in order to buy cars, only to turn them around the next day for significant profit. Not against people making a buck, it's perfectly legitimate and nothing wrong with that, it's just the lying and BS that sticks in the throat a bit. Regardless, back to the car.

I only got a hold of it a few days before I left for work so haven't actually been able to do much with it. To date the only "modifications" I have done have been to undo modifications. I removed the "slammed" stickers from the rear quarters - not my cup of tea.

I have also defeated the retro fitted security feature whereby any miscreant trying to make off with the vehicle is defeated by the automatic disconnection of the gearstick from the gearbox. A very effective tool to prevent automotive theft and also very handy in cases of temperature and ice provoked Soviet road rage - at least I would imagine it could come in handy !

Further plans include refitting the supplied and ready cut Sierra estate rear springs and shorter front springs and putting the equally sized tyres back on the rear banded steels.

At this point it may be prudent to refit the "slammed" stickers. Should have thought that one through a bit better I suppose !

The Polish web address sun visor is also gone. I didn't know if I was advertising vodka, washing powder, scaffolding or some more nefarious service that I would obviously be unable to provide if solicited to do so. Best to err on the side of caution in these instances.

Anyway, here are the vendor supplied pictures of the car. It has also, rather thoughtfully, been supplied with a feckin' massive roof rack, so beloved of the retro scene and not unnoticed by my son either. He is adamant that he will be transported to school in this device. Yet to be approved by the Mother Department but I am up for it* ! (*not really, but that's what I told him. When I don't do it I can say his Mum kaiboshed it !)

[Battles]

This is amazing, excellent work.
Tell me about the wheels and hubcaps, are they standard rims banded?

[Donald]

I have no idea yet I'm afraid. I haven't really had a chance to get anywhere near the car. I can't actually claim any credit for the car at all yet other than buying the thing.
It came from Edinburgh so the chances are you may know more about it than me.
I want to put some nice polished alloys on it but I suppose that depends on what I find when I jack it up and take the wheels off.
The family like the red/orange rims but I am a bit more conservative. Keeping options open.

[Battles]

AB car pix might know about it if it's an Edinbugh car.
I gave a Riva manual to a pal of his, he bought a local Riva that I looked at and hesitated too long on.

[Donald]

Just Googled the web address on the sun visor. Turns out it is related to the charity rally the previous owner told me he had used the car for. Would still have taken it off the car but glad I have kept it.

[Mercdan68]

Tidy car, like the clean look

[sridgett]

Never thought I'd find a lada cool, but I do

[Mike]

The original build thread for this is here.

Deffo looks better closer to the ground.

[Donald]

Mar 15, 2015 20:17:51 GMT Mike said:

The original build thread for this is here.

Deffo looks better closer to the ground.

Brilliant, thanks for that.
Now I know what to do with the pile of stuff that came with the car.
Looks like the Sierra springs and 175/60's will be going straight back on as soon as possible.

[qwerty]

Brilliant looking thing as it is but original build thread goes to show it can look even better when dropped.

[Donald]

Think I am gonna sell this on. Dropped it right back into the weeds on the rear and it looks great. I just don't have the enthusiasm any more.
I will post pics of what it looks like now soon.
Gonna come with a set of 5 spoke Revolutions as well. Not RFX's but the other ones.

[rusty998]

Glad to hear you have put it back down, I never built it to run high, good to see it back on the road,
Rusty

[VWPowered]

i think that is a great ride the wheels certainly do it

[FOAD]

I would love this!

[rusty998]

this was so much fun to own, people would just come and talk to me whenever I would stop, even in traffic people would shout out of there windows and want to talk about the car, had offers to buy it, spares, and whole cars (Lada's),
If you are the shy retiring type I would think again, was mad owning it but great fun!

[grifterkid]

I love this...

There is a regular at my WBBC meet that has a Zetec powered Riva saloon and it's a beast...!!! A proper beast...

This is just superb...

It's great to think that this car that has its roots planted firmly in the 1960's was available 'brand-spankers' at the same time as comparatively modern metal such as the Ford Mondeo and Audi A4 for example...

Genius!

Please keep us updated...

[slackerTHEpinstriper]

Mar 25, 2015 19:27:10 GMT Donald said:

Think I am gonna sell this on. Dropped it right back into the weeds on the rear and it looks great. I just don't have the enthusiasm any more.
I will post pics of what it looks like now soon.
Gonna come with a set of 5 spoke Revolutions as well. Not RFX's but the other ones.

If you moved this on would you be interested in a swap for my 85' Audi 100?

[Donald]

No, I'm afraid that my lack of enthusiasm isn't for this car in particular but more of a general malaise.

Thanks for the offer anyway.

[slackerTHEpinstriper]

Mar 26, 2015 15:19:45 GMT Donald said:

No, I'm afraid that my lack of enthusiasm isn't for this car in particular but more of a general malaise.

Thanks for the offer anyway.

Ok mate no probs

[retroready]

Price?