Lada Spares UK™ - T: 078 7638 7069 E: tom@lada.co.uk - Lada UK®

As some of you may know I have rescued and brought a Niva back to life

I'm not sure if I want to keep it as a run around - for me the challenge is the rescue and bringing it back to full health again. So with this advert I wanted to see if there is anybody out there in Niva world who might want one

1997 Niva - rh drive, uk model with just 18,000 miles on the clock (will increase a bit as I am driving it around), its a 1.7i single point fuel injected, teal blue/green colour, black fabric interior.

The sale was clearing the original owners 'estate' - had stood for a year or so - I bought it and brought it back to life with work including;

Full engine service - tappet and camchain adjustment, new oil/air/fuel filter, new oils in engine, front axle, g/box (with Baxter recommended overfill), transfer box, rear axle, new spark plugs, rear brake shoes replaced (all other brake parts good - all flexi's look quite new), replace fuel evaporator cannister as it had split, replace master cyl resevoir and hose, adjust and lube etc where needed, replace all four front axle cv boots. Four new tyres fitted. New towbar fitted. New battery. Adjust steering box and fill with oil. New locking fuel cap. Exhaust looks not very old - is a recent replacement I guess.

Body - never been welded and doesn't need it - rust underneath wire brushed and two coats of hammerite to those areas - so body is pretty tidy - had some local repairs particularly the front wing vertical seam behind the headlight

MOT - passed no advisories - so 11 1/2 months left

Driving - well its a Lada Niva - what more can I say ! I have done about 300 miles since MOT. It buzzes along at 65 ish on the motorway. Fuel guage has a mind of its own, it runs cool on the guage. Hi-Lo transfer box and diff lock all work ok (incl orange light on the dash). Windows wind up and down, door locks work, four seatbelts.

It's got a couple of glitches - small crack (approx 4" long just one of the two laminates)) in windscreen on passenger side, heater doesn't work, needs a bit more cleaning to the interior (not bad but could be better), its had some local repairs to body and - its a Lada Niva.

At the moment I haven't waxoyled/undesealed the underside but I do plan to - so there is nothing hidden or disguised with underseal. I did some clear waxoyl in body cavities around the front wing areas.

This is a very good example - never been messed with (no big wheels or jack up etc).

What is it worth - I know what it has cost me (more than I anticipated) - I would like £2,350 or somewhere around there (is that way off the mark?)

Anybody interested in buying before I put it for sale on the wider ebay/internet?

Located West Sussex

07734 832720 Peter

I've seen that Riva in the background before.

Looks great!!
Really want to get my hands on a Niva this year. Would prefer to have paid what the original eBay price was though ha ha

And the distance to Northern Ireland makes it all that bit harder too

The buying price was the tip of the financial iceberg - as I'm sure you are aware Belfast Fella

When you buy a project one is full of optimism and hope and 'oh it just needs and oil change and the tyres pumping up'. Wrong - I never learn.

Lot of work and actually a fair bit of money to get this Niva back to good running driving state that is a decent long term proposition. Just Waxoyl to do now.

So actually having driven it some more its charm is getting under my skin and I think I will be very happy if nobody wants to buy it (so I wont be putting it on ebay or anywhere else) - did a back to back Niva and Riva road test the other evening - lots of fun and interesting to see how they are similar but very different - the 1.7i Niva is no faster than 1.5 carb Riva estate and the Riva is comfier, quieter and smoother on the road. Both very 'Eastern Bloc' though.

So unless something appears for sale that really takes my fancy (Citroen Ami, Citroen BX, some sort of double cab pick up, VW Passat B3 estate) its probably going to stay with me - but you never know.....

All good fun.

No longer for sale - I've changed my mind - apologies for anybody who was excited and interested.

It's too 'interesting' and quirky etc and makes me smile.

Definitely was interested, really impressed with the work you have done to it so far.
Just don't have that kind of spare cash at the minute. Glad you're keeping it too tho, it helps confirm the fact that I really do want one - if you're prepared to put all that effort in and turn down a good sale, then they must have a charm bigger than just their looks.

Health to drive, and hope you have many years of 'fun', 'interesting' motoring.

Stephen

Would have loved to have bought this one!!!