Update: I will probably keep a little build/bombproof/expedtion setup thread. Haven't decided if to do it here or on the expedition forum. Meanwhile:
Checklist for Niva pre-purchase:
/Place to work on it. Check. Abandoned Yugoslav Air Force Base near town <1000m apparently admin. by the town and available for 'public' use includes grease pit, concrete ramps, port-a-jon, dumpster.
/Parts and mechanic: Check. Nearby village has Lada mechanic who can get authentic parts next-day-ferry and works cheap. Or can order parts to be delivered to me by next-ferry.
/Pick-and-pull. Looking. This could be harder, could be that used auto disposal is a federal operation. But there are tons of Nivas in Croatia. Donor cars are probably <$500.
BTW I'll probably pay ~2500Eu for what I buy which will be +/- 10 yrs old +/- 100,000km well-maintained and problem free. And with the gas conversion (autogas costs nearly half as petrol here). Will still run on petrol too of course.
Future plans/projects:
/Trailer: Tons of little farm trailers, some boat trailers around. Fab shop across the street, workshop in basement, I can make a little camper cum motorcycle/boat rig easy peasy cheapsy. JP style so to speak. The Niva has factory hitch/trailer wiring already.
/Bombproofing: I've been reading up hours worth of Niva and general expedition threads and am convinced I can make this thing look pedestrian but underneath be a baja bomber.
/Wheeling build: At the moment probably nothing outwardly apparent.
-Minor lifting is very easy and cheap but about 1-1.5" is about all you can get without doing body work for articulation clearance. But these things start with >10" @ front and ~9.5" @ rear punkin so that should be fine for now. Later when I need tires anyway. This lift gives you a one size bigger tire.
-This one I want doesn't have the factory sliders (fall-back choice does) but, again, easy peasy to make or cut from donor and weld on .
-Power is ~80hp/100ft# and eternal if properly maintained. It's an old Fiat design re-imagined by Soviet engineers for the steppes and arctic. But there are a number of swaps out there from old 2.0 DOHC Fiat mills to blown 500hp PSAs.
I don't see any probs with power for our use plans. But . . . it's out there.
-The tranny is an old 4spd with added 5th which again if maintained and managed is bullet-proof.
-The drive system:
--The transfer case is also pretty fail-proof properly maintained and aligned (more later on that) and may have a special bonus if what I've heard is correct. Apparently the center diff is a soviet designed Torsen type box. This means it's open until slippage then it applies the lost power to the gripping end. This is what I bought the six-speed (M6) for in my FJC. At BMW we put them in the center on X5s in 99 and added to the rear diffs of the X6 later. It also locks if you actually 'want' to spin some wheels*.
--The axle diffs are open. There are lockers available (even some high-end Torsen types like the center) but with stock axles I don't see the expense unless one breaks and I change them all for upgrades.
--Tires: Stock were some very gnarly Russian mud cum tractor tires or regular radials, probably 185/?/16s. Those should do for now. The russian ones were tubed so you can let them down to nothing for bogs or snow. One of the Nivas I'm going to see tomorrow comes with a spare set of the old russian farm tires but the one I'll probably buy doesn't I guess. There should be some around or you can put regular 16" tractor tires if you really don't care about driving pavement.
-Armor: There's a decent skid plate/curb feeler under the front, otherwise you just drag. I can probably make a rear diff guard and maybe put some sliders on the rear stab bars. The mounts protect the center diff and tranny somewhat. Otherwise I'll just take it easy and if something rubs much I'll fix it and make a plate for next time. I never hear about suspension parts breaking under normal use, which in this case means fairly severe abuse.
-Articulation: We'll see, I think it's pretty good because after 2" of lift you start getting into the wheel shrouds. Apparently the front whatchamacallit that goes across and links your front suspension bits can be taken off readily and gives another inch or few but feelings are mixed about how much that messes up the road ride. I can probably make it a disconn fairly easily.
There was something else but enough for now.
*These devices are often used in high-performance all-wheel-drive vehicles. Like the viscous coupling, they are often used to transfer power between the front and rear wheels. In this application, the Torsen is superior to the viscous coupling because it transfers torque to the stable wheels before the actual slipping occurs.
HowStuffWorks "Locking and Torsen"
BTW if I'm understanding right Torsen is branded, generic is Automatic Torque Biasing and full-name would be an ATB/LSD (limited slip diff). Something I wonder why LC wheelers don't have.
