Love it or loathe it Fso Polonez . .

[Electric Leyland]

Wow, have only just got round to reading this epic thread.

 

This will go down in Autoshite folklore for years to come, it's one of the most legendary saves of our generation. And we were all here to witness it.

 

I can only look forward to seeing it in the flesh maybe at an Autoshite meet-up this summer so best of luck in getting this rarest of beasts road legal once more.

 

Well weapon winnar!

[ladalout69]

By the way people out there, as young Richards tame MoT Tester and Mechanic slave, it will be my job to get her road legal again!!. Not that I mind, it will look great outside where I work !. I will post some photos of my Ladas when my Soviet made Lubitel 166B can be made to talk to a computer, it is still on 120 roll film so it may take some time....... I have not used any of my Ladas for some time now, so the arrival of the Polonez is a great reason to get mine ready for a Polish and Russian Cars test. What Car? Eat your heart out.

[eddyramrod]

Oh yes please do! It's a fair few years since I did that for real, so it'll be most interesting to read your results.

Meanwhile, and try as I might to resist, I'm afraid I just have to post...

(my 1986 Polonez Prima, some time in 1994) and...

(my first Riva, the one my mum used for a long time; this is in 1993) and...

(my first Fiat-shape estate, seen here in 1988, which I swopped with my dad for a Dolomite 1850; he promptly had two more of these, plus his Polonez, and two Rivas beginning with the one above! Just to reinforce my credentials, you understand... ) and...

(the ex-rental Polonez over here that I'm so keen to get in my clutches! Negotiating with Cypriots takes patience...)

[ladalout69]

Mmmm.... pre Riva 1500 Estate (Combi) I have wanted one for the last 15 years, I even have a 5 speed gearbox ready to fit in one. Riva 1500 GL looks nice too, ah how I wish for a time machine...... Mind you I am quite lucky, my 1990 Riva 1600 SLX (with the 5 Speed decals on the front wings) has less than 400 genuine miles on it !! I even has a period Lada Care First Aid kit and it has its proper wheel trims too...... the ones that were held on by a centre turn buckle dealy, they used to get kerbed, crack then loose their tension and fly off. Just showing off...... I love Ladas. You may have noticed.

[eddyramrod]

I love Ladas. You may have noticed.

 

Well you're home now! Stand up and be counted. Well found on the 400-miler too, none of mine had done so little!

[Vinylseats]

(my first Riva, the one my mum used for a long time; this is in 1993)

 

What did the bigger square grille mean on a Riva? Was it a higher spec model (like an Allegro Vanden Plas) or just a brief facelift as I'm sure neither the earlier ones or later ones had them.

[Shep Shepherd]

What did the bigger square grille mean on a Riva? Was it a higher spec model (like an Allegro Vanden Plas) or just a brief facelift as I'm sure neither the earlier ones or later ones had them.

 

According to Julian Nowill's book, the bigger grille means that the car was indeed of a higher spec to most Rivas, although that's not saying a lot

[eddyramrod]

Yes, it was a top-spec 1500 model, the only one to use that grille. Memory not being what it was, I think the initials were SLX or GLS... something like that, anyway. I know the one we had after was a 1300L which was a bit of a step down!

[Richard]

I read somewhere, possibly Jalopy, that Ladas were modified in the UK before sale, and it was all this stick-on tat that fell off in the first week.

[garethj]

The vents on the side of a Tatra T613, just behind the rear windows? They're FSO vents, they are

[Barry Cade]

I read somewhere, possibly Jalopy, that Ladas were modified in the UK before sale, and it was all this stick-on tat that fell off in the first week.

 

the Caro's were the same- we had to fit all the tat, central locking,electric windows,electric sunroof, stripes the lot...

[mnde]

Brilliant Rich! Now you have to make sure your FSO comes to Tilford for G Rally please!! Would make a brill comparison with the GSs (also discs all round) and Chris will love it!! P.S. was the Nissan/Datsun Cherry yours last year? I remember the maroon Aggro estate was there one year.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[ashmicro]

We had a Lada dealer here in my town. Some cars came with all the gubbins fitted, while others, randomly, arrived with all the stuff (door bins, wheeltrims etc) in the boot. A couple of my mates worked there, and hated sticking all that shit on, as a lot of it was frequently broken, or the wrong colour. Having said that, they sold shed-loads of them round here, many to taxi drivers. We also had a Yugo dealer, with a Skoda dealer just up the road and my Uncle's mate used to earn a crust selling Polski-Fiats. His own top-spec Polonez got whacked hard by a guy driving a 924 Turbo, who came round a roundabout backwards and out of control, and hit the Polonez right on the nose. Porsche wrecked, driver KO'd, Polonez also wrecked but Fat Tony got out without a scratch.

[Lankytim]

I had a Lada Riva with a big chrome grille on the front, it was a top of the range model but was a 1600 rather than a 1500. The 1600s were the rarest out of the lot, I don't think I've seen another.

 

The grille was just stick on cheap tat, it flew off the instant I hit a Cortina!

[Barry Cade]

I'm sure the 1300SL, the 1500 GLS and the 1600 SLX had the big grille.

[Richieg]

Hi Mark,

Yes the Cherry coupe was mine!,anything a bit unusual at a G rally you can bet it is me!! lol

I was hoping to have the GSA SE at this years G rally . . .but if it doesn't happen then i will try sorting the Polonez but she does need some work though lol

 

cheers

 

Richie

[Richieg]

Oh thanks for the nice comment Electric Leyland!

Very nice of you to say Mate!

Saving the Polonez has topped the most crazy thing i have ever done to rescue a car it has to be said!

But it has also been the most exciting and rewarding Shite save to date,it has to be said!! lol

 

cheers

Richie

[ladalout69]

All Riva 1200 saloons were 2105 spec.

Riva 1300 saloons started off 2105 spec, then 2107 spec then back to 2105 spec.

Riva 1500 saloons started off as 2107 spec then 2105 in later life.

Riva 1600 saloons were all 2107 spec.

2105 was the basic Riva saloon, 2107 had the chrome grille and bumper covers, high back front seats, rear arm rest, rev counter,clock, oil pressure or later ecomometer.

[ladalout69]

I read somewhere, possibly Jalopy, that Ladas were modified in the UK before sale, and it was all this stick-on tat that fell off in the first week.

 

Ah Jalopy magazine.... nice to hear it mentioned. Loved it and have some copies!!. It was mentioned in Jalopy about the extra bits fitted over here, it was called rectification and some of the UK bits were a bit crap but not all of it. Some were heavily re-built over here before sale, mostly due to damage on the boat.

[stuboy]

i loved my fso had an white E reg sle 1.6.... 1st engine HG blew many weekends stripping the thing down till was terminal HG failure so got new engine and water pumped seized and killed it ...finally i used it wind rain snow heat, canned it too death and it took it all in its stride

 

got a older one and robbed it of it polished weller type wheels.... then it was to rotton so we scrapped it, then given a real basic polonez for free untill we scrapped as got too many faults..

 

 

my friends would take the mick but dam in the snow i drove to work in the warm...

 

polski fiat....

 

 

got a grill badge somewhere

[AnthonyG]

 

It was mentioned in Jalopy about the extra bits fitted over here, it was called rectification and some of the UK bits were a bit crap but not all of it. Some were heavily re-built over here before sale, mostly due to damage on the boat.

 

I remember a exLada dealer telling me that the Russians were into buying up and reimporting ex-UK market cars because they were well fancied back home, because of all the rectification work done up in Bridlington by Lada UK. A lot of cars got a complete respray with good capitalist paint for example, some got new electrical components etc.

[Mad Cyril]

Does it need an exhaust?

Got a couple of bits at work for one of these.

Bosal part numbers 148-885 and 148-887.

Don't know what or where exactly they fit but they'll be bloody cheap if you want them.

[Richieg]

Hi Mad Cyril,

I haven't got the car running yet to see what the exhaust is like??

But i will have a proper look once we get it running after 10 years dormant although i would imagine the exhaust won't be too good thinking about it.

Thanks for the offer,i will keep you posted Mate.

I would imagine an exhaust is like hens teeth now?? lol

 

cheers

 

Richie

[Guest]

Continuing the FSO theme and in no way any where near Richies save but tomorrow morning I am collecting a 95 Caro pick up. Wish me luck!

[Alexg]

^ Best of luck with that. Don't forget your camera!

[Richieg]

Hey Benno,

Nice one Mate!!

You know we need piccies please!!

Is that the one up for sale on out forum?

 

cheers

 

Richie

[eddyramrod]

Good luck Benno!

[Guest]

 

Heres a couple of photos I got from the seller, will post some better ones after I pick it up tomorrow.

[eddyramrod]

Sweet, I saw one of these by the MoT garage the other day. I always thought they looked just right.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm not into drifting, but if I was I would use an FSO caro with some fake blow-moulded placca 'breeze blocks' in the back