ZAZ Tavria

[somewhatfoolish]

2 hours ago, RichardK said:

(Thought - how bad would it be to fit a full-length webasto roof to this? Suicide? Heresy? A huge waste of money?).
 

A moot point as no-one is making them anymore, unless you've got a kit of parts lurking in your airing cupboard.

[RichardK]

Oh, that’s a shame. Classic cars are gonna be fun to maintain...

[vulgalour]

I get the feeling cutting a big hole in the roof of this flimsy delicately constructed fabergé egg of a car would give it similar properties to a shoebox with the lid removed so it's probably best to leave it as is.  By the sounds of things, like many rare and exotic foreign vehicles, you've got enough to be getting on with just keeping it in the manner to which it is accustomed.

I do like that it looks like a concept for the Samara, and those seats look like they're made of the sort of fabric that will outlive us all.

[RichardK]

6 hours ago, vulgalour said:

I get the feeling cutting a big hole in the roof of this flimsy delicately constructed fabergé egg of a car would give it similar properties to a shoebox with the lid removed so it's probably best to leave it as is.  By the sounds of things, like many rare and exotic foreign vehicles, you've got enough to be getting on with just keeping it in the manner to which it is accustomed.

I do like that it looks like a concept for the Samara, and those seats look like they're made of the sort of fabric that will outlive us all.

The shell is quite strong as far as I can tell. Unlike everything else including the seats - everything I've read suggests they don't last, so I may find some appropriate covers.

[Sham]

I'm looking forward to reading of the struggles, and triumphs of keeping this conveyance, err, conveyancing.

I'm deeply jealous you own this, and deeply pleased someone does who will take care of it.

[brownnova]

Good Lord that is wonderful!!!

I too was massively tempted by this in Sams big sale, but I knew it’d end up not getting it done if I bought it. Glad someone here has and that we can live vicariously through this thread!

Top top top purchase! 

[RichardK]

Should I start a new thread, or just put all my Tavria bits in here?

Masha's first cold start in my custody - battery conditioner on because I do that with all my cars, I merely wanted to swap the Jaguar and Tavria around so the Jag was blocking the Tavria on the driveway. I'd do the same if work involved testing another rare car like a Ferrari or something.

Disconnect conditioner extension lead.
Get in the car.
Put the key in.
Pull the choke out.
Tap throttle for no reason other than I have always done that since having a Beetle that you did it to set the choke on.
Turn key...

...

...

Okay, so the first time the solenoid hadn't quite woken up. But it started right away after that and purred up the driveway.

Got Jaguar out, got back into Masha and FOUND REVERSE FIRST TIME! OMG. It's a sign.

Backed back into place. Checked lights - one tail light out but joy of joys, TWO foglights at the rear so no faffing for MOT there.

Now... who has amazing machining skills? I've got an idea for getting the tyres changed and wheels balanced - it involves making a 'spider' to go in the three-bolt wheel centre so it can be installed on a balancing machine. Balance spider, bolt wheel on, balance wheel SHOULD work yes?

Of course I bet every tyre shop in Ukraine has such a thing.

Also checked the heater fan - works on all speeds. IN YOUR FACE MOST WESTERN EUROPEAN CARS OF THE '90S

[mk2_craig]

1 hour ago, RichardK said:

Should I start a new thread, or just put all my Tavria bits in here?

Think you've already answered that question! Thread title is perfect, though you can't modify it yourself to reflect fortuitous events and disastrous happenings.

[RichardK]

16 minutes ago, mk2_craig said:

Think you've already answered that question! Thread title is perfect, though you can't modify it yourself to reflect fortuitous events and disastrous happenings.

I think I’ll start a new one when things start properly happening, then - and add general Tavria rambling and images here (like scans of manuals and stuff).

[RichardK]

4 hours ago, brownnova said:

Good Lord that is wonderful!!!

I too was massively tempted by this in Sams big sale, but I knew it’d end up not getting it done if I bought it. Glad someone here has and that we can live vicariously through this thread!

Top top top purchase! 

Everything in that sale was tempting - I wanted the Aleko and Olcit and LHD Landcrab almost as much... but this is the car I want. This is the car I deserve.

Still want to drive an Oltcit though. And now thanks to Sam I want a pickle frog too.

[Slappy]

This is a stupendous piece of shiting, congratulations. The in-laws happen to reside in your neck of the woods, so I shall keep an eye and ear out for a hearing aid on wheels...

[SambaS]

HOTT

 

I will get a Tavria at some point but need to deal with my UK fleet first and bring over to Bulgaria.

 

Was half about to buy an Aro 10 for £175 here in BG

[SambaS]

It's probably not as bad as it looks, my priority is the Aro 10, I will try enquire about this later. It couldn't be further from my house all the way on the coast in Burgas

 

[AnthonyG]

The dashboard design looks very early 1980s Japanese, obviously with the addition of build ‘quality’ that would make any self-respecting Nissan worker attack himself with a very sharp sword. 

It does have nice simple lines though, and I can see the Fiesta influence in the late 1970s prototype. 

[RichardK]

14 hours ago, SambaS said:

It's probably not as bad as it looks, my priority is the Aro 10, I will try enquire about this later. It couldn't be further from my house all the way on the coast in Burgas

 

If you have access to spares shops and sensible posting facilities, I would VERY much like to send you money for posting things (not from this car, from new parts) - Tavria parts in Ukraine are very cheap but obviously they're not so geared up to sending things to the UK, particularly since Brexit added a layer of bollocks that means even EU-locations where Tavrias were sold are no use now because of the VAT thresholds.

That doesn't actually look that bad. If you can, I'd hunt out a later Tavria Nova - importing one wouldn't be fun I suspect but the quality on post 1998-examples is supposed to be much better.

Also, the MeMZ OHC engine wasn't ditched by Daewoo - instead it was fitted with fuel injection, evolved, and used in some Daewoo cars made in Ukraine!

[RichardK]

10 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

The dashboard design looks very early 1980s Japanese, obviously with the addition of build ‘quality’ that would make any self-respecting Nissan worker attack himself with a very sharp sword. 

It does have nice simple lines though, and I can see the Fiesta influence in the late 1970s prototype. 

I can see it, but the vents are made of the kind of plastic you'd find holding a toy car secured in the box in the 1980s...