A man took a rusty and rotten VAZ-2102 and made a “Russian” Chevrolet El Camino out of it. How did he get it?
At times, old Soviet cars are less and less common on the roads. Most of this fleet has fallen into complete disrepair. However, some old cars have more luck and they end up in the hands of real craftsmen who will give them life, turning them into a second private mobility with an indication that can attract attention. One such story was recently told on automotive portal cenyavto.com.
In a video posted on YouTube channel Ceny Avto, tells how one craftsman from Tyumen restored the old VAZ-2102. Rather, it will be expressed that on the basis of this car he created a new stylish pickup truck with passion. From the very beginning, it was decided to convert the model into a compact all-terrain class, which will be decorated in the style of American cars, and Chevrolet El Camino was chosen as an example. At the same time, the front side of the pickup truck had to retain its original appearance as a whole, to pay tribute to the classic car.
A quick step towards transforming the VAZ-2102 into a pickup truck was work on adjusting the body. Modernization has affected literally all elements of the exterior. The original roof was cut, shortened and moved lower. A hole for a panoramic sunroof was also cut out. The decision was then made to weld the rear doors of the car, turning it into a two-door variant, which in turn entailed an increase in the front doors. The next step was the work on giving the body a shape, exit for a pickup truck. This grip required some adjustments to parts of the inner hull. In particular, the Zhiguli lost its rear sofa and luggage space, and a cargo platform appeared on them.
To give the car shape, the wheel arches were enlarged, and an additional transparent air intake was installed on the engine compartment cover, which was made of fiberglass. We decided to get rid of the conditional front bumper. In its place was a modern streamlined body kit. But the radiator grille and headlights Gone are their classic look: disappeared only the logo of the automaker. Instead of the factory side mirrors, new, streamlined ones were installed. The cargo compartment was lined with corrugated metal sheets. After all the corrective work with the body, the car was painted in an exclusive color.
Along with the body work, a number of measures were taken on the technical characteristics of the experimental car. The author of the project decided to install a two-liter SR20DE gasoline power unit with a power of 160 hp on the Zhigul. This motor was used from the Japanese Nissan Sylphy S15. In order for the engine to fit into place, the engine compartment was enlarged for detection, and the front side was lengthened by 5 cm.
Naturally, the native transmission could not withstand the load. Thus, it was replaced by a more powerful one. For the front wheels, they offered a larger inversion of the way for unwelding the suspension arms, and also installed a steering rack from a German car. The “shoes” were splicing from old Zhiguli stamped rims, which do not fit a little into the overall style of the pickup truck. With alloy wheels in their place, the car definitely looked a lot more spectacular.
By the nature of all the work, a rather original and unusual pickup truck left the repair shop. As the author of this tuning project himself says, his car does not look indifferent to anyone. The car can often be found on the streets of Tyumen, because. its owner uses the pickup almost every day.