RE: SOTW: Lada Niva Cossack

[ecain63]

I found one of these Ladas rusting away in the middle of an Afghan village in 2006. Being a proper motoring fan i felt it was only right that i should bump start it and take it for a spin round the base. Shame it had no brakes left and my high speed blat ended with a soft crunch into the soft, mud and straw constructed perimeter wall.

Oh well, memories!

Edited by ecain63 on Friday 23 September 18:37

[EDLT]

Is it really a good idea to approach an abandoned car in Afghanistan?

[ecain63]

EDLT said:

Is it really a good idea to approach an abandoned car in Afghanistan?

Was ok at the time. During that time (2006 / 2007) 90% of our work was close quarters stuff and firefights. With the increase in IED useage as of 2008 you wouldnt have attempted such Tomfoolery!

[anything fast]

my oh my, why all the arguing earlier on?? its just a cheap lada.. its prob worth owning for its rarity and having been hooned around in a muddy field at 3am a decade ago I can testify its a good little thing and actually has ability! But a land rover its obviously not!

[callyman]

I've never been near a LR, RR or Lada for that matter. BUT I sat in a Uni Mog when I was younger as the local farmer down my road used it for crop spraying.
Amazing vehicle.

Edited by callyman on Friday 23 September 19:00

[B'stard Child]

Wow - interesting SOTW choice

Pretty piddle poor thread and very dissappointing with the exception of some epic lurking (probably enbough to stop that PH'r contributing any more.)

• wanders of to see if there are any other threads to balance the situation

[Skyedriver]

Recall a very muddy Autocross back years ago, somewhere Teesside way I think.. The autocross cars were getting stuck. The Landy type vehicles were getting stuck. The TRACTOR got stuck.
What pulled them ALL out.
A Lada Niva.
They certainly went up in my estimation after that.
There used to be a couple parked in a garden totally overgrown on my way up to Skye.
Think they had moved the last time I passed.

[bobberz]

Interesting follow up to yesterday's Tatra ad. "Pistonheads: Communism Matters"!

[bangerturner]

I've owned 4 of these things and can confirm that they are terrible on road and brilliant off it. The only issue you come across is a lack of ground clearance but I never got stuck despite miles of green laning!

[KM666]

haha, brilliant stuff! Oddball car and an argument! That Lada website (The russian one) is pretty interesting, always love seeing old cars still being produced like those 405's from Iran.

[VCat]

I was amazed by the 4x4 capabilites when we hired one for 3 weeks in Iceland 20 years ago. Was driven through rivers with water lapping over the bonnet...

[Big oily man]

I was heading for a long boring Friday at work, this thread made my day

[rockymount]

Wow 9 pages within a day for a SOTW - did I miss something ????

Know absolutely sod all about Lada Niva Cossack’s (although obviously now (after ‘trolling’ through the posts) that the jacking points and sills are prone to corrosion and it’s lighter than a Disco and Uni (especially in a Siberian Polar Bear White colour I suspect - just kidding )

So can’t claim to be the worlds authority on whether they wheelspin on wet grass (or Astroturf or Giant Inflatable Dogs Turd’s for that matter – and yes there is a demotivational poster on the latter) but the following pic tells me they have no problems getting through big muddy puddles - it's one way to catch fish


(bet Peppa Pigs Daddy would love one )

Oh and for all those who may have had a strenuous day, posting, replying, posting again and re-replying etc., thought you might be interested in building one of these! ;

http://lada2siberia.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/ni...



(n.b. even more relaxing and therapeutic if built whilst listening to Harp Music - Andreas Vollenweider “White Winds” anyone ?)

[Itsallicanafford]

ecain63 said:

Was ok at the time. During that time (2006 / 2007) 90% of our work was close quarters stuff and firefights. With the increase in IED useage as of 2008 you wouldnt have attempted such Tomfoolery!

....maximun respect to you...

[ecain63]

Itsallicanafford said:

ecain63 said:

Was ok at the time. During that time (2006 / 2007) 90% of our work was close quarters stuff and firefights. With the increase in IED useage as of 2008 you wouldnt have attempted such Tomfoolery!

....maximun respect to you...

Thank you, but to be truthfull i bloody enjoyed my time there. Its a 7 month adrenaline rush thats very hard to get over. Hard to understand unless youve been in that position and even more difficult to explain without sounding sick. Back on topic, the Lada's rusty revival was testiment to the bomb proof (excuse the pun) mechanicals on these things. No doubt it would have given the Top Gear Hilux a run for its money regarding durability.

Eddie

[bob1179]

I can usually spot several of these outside my apartment window on a daily basis, plus loads of Samaras, Sputniks, Volgas and Rivas.

I'm in Russia though so it's probably cheating! As many have said, the old Niva is pretty dire on road, but great fun off road! They also start when it's really cold in winter which helps. Our diesel Ford Rangers won't even turn over when the temperature drops below -25C due to the fuel waxing up, the Lada fires up straight away!

[Itsallicanafford]

...brave stuff Eddie, know for a fact I couldn't do it....

Sorry, don't have anything to add on the Cossack! Doesn't scratch any motoring itch of mine...

[volks al]

Whats is the Crank handle reference about in the original ad? Surely it has a starter motor too?

[DanGPR]

Interesting to see so much love for the little Lada.

Let's see peoples opinion on the 'Asia Rocsta', a friend had one, I thought it was tragic.

[MJK 24]

volks al said:

Whats is the Crank handle reference about in the original ad? Surely it has a starter motor too?

It'll have both. The crank handle is incase you suffer a flat battery or starter motor fault in the back of beyond

My cousin bought a new SJ413 in 1992 and that had a crank handle too.