RJ found these two Russian veterans resting peacefully in the sun in Kaunas, Lithuania. The represent the two most common mainline sedans in the USSR, spanning from 1964 (Moskvitch 408) to 2006 (VAZ-2106). The Moskvitch was home-bred, and T87 did a full write-up on them here.
As to the Lada, we’ve never done a comprehensive write-up on it, but have covered it tangentially several time. Links after the jump.
Here’s a great post by Eric703 on How the Lada Was Almost Sold In The US
…. and more commonly known in the US as ~ 1975 Fiat 124
I couldn’t help noticing a new Toyota parked behind the Lada. No surprise there. I can imagine that a lot of drivers in the former Soviet republics retired their old Russian iron for newer and better quality Japanese and European rides once they became more easily available. The Lada looks to be in decent shape, though -maybe it just needs some spare parts and some air in the tires to be roadworthy again. Considering how long people waited to buy cars like the Lada and the Moskvitch, I’m surprised they’re sitting around.
Lithuania and the other Baltic states having done relatively well economically and (re)joined Europe, it’s possible that there’s less demand for these relics of another era as classic cars than there are ones becoming available due to original owners passing on. There’s also a possibility of an inspection similar to the German TUV and UK MoT that it would cost more to get these through than they’d ever be worth.
Social equivalent of the Trabant, I guess – with all the cachet that implies.
My only story about the Moskvitch involves finding a 1950s version in a junkyard, in the former DDR back in the mid 1990s. I pulled off all the emblems and also the owner’s manual.
While I wasn’t able to read the texts, I did look at all the pretty line drawings, including one showing how to adjust the front seat legroom. It was quite simple; One only had to remove a large wingnut on each side of the bench seat*. Both seat frame sides were made of tubular steel, and had holes drilled at specific intervals along the flat base of each side. Once the nuts were removed, the entire seat could be lifted up and then forward or backward until the desired holes were located. Drop the seat frame back down, re-install the wingnuts, and you’ve changed the seat adjustment!
*My memory says it was one wingnut per side, but it’s possible the actual number might be 2 wingnuts per side.
Early Citroen 2CVs had a simpler system. There were a number of holes in the floor and the front seats just slotted in. If you wanted to move the you just lifted them up an put them in the new holes. No wing nuts to complicate the process.
I know the 2CV is a model of simplicity but everything about the seats I’ve ever heard sounds horrifyingly unsafe. Nothing wrong with wingnuts to secure them!
There was a Moskvitch like that for sale a number of years ago in Saskatchewan. It was going cheap but at the time money was very tight and I did not have space for it. I still regret not buying as I have never seen another one except when we visited Cuba. They have a poor reputation for quality there is something appealing about them to me.
Anyone who watches “Russian Dash-Cam Videos” will recognize these two, usually providing black comic relief. As soon as they appear you know you will be treated to some novel form of collision, likely made possible by alcohol, often at very low speeds. Somehow everyone emerges alive. I’m not seeing the dash-cam footage involving injury and fatalities that I am sure is out there. I’m not looking for it either, thank you.
Real world California personal Lada experience? About 4-5 years ago I was on Monument Blvd. in Concord, California heading east when I spotted a goddamned Lada ahead of me. I speed up to try to get alongside to get a good look but he was moving at a good pace and then turned left. This gave me a brief but full look at its profile. It was pretty dolled up for a Lada. A dark blue sedan with lots of shiny chrome adornment in the form or side mirrors, antennas, maybe a foxtail, whitewall tires IIRC, shiny wheel covers as well as the whatever Lada insignias and identifiers all highly polished. Obviously the work of a very proud Lada owner.
No idea who owns it, I didn’t know you could import them. Haven’t seen it since and if anyone else knows anything about it, they aren’t talking. I don’t blame them. I’ve already said too much.