Restoring an old "Moskvich-401"

The first car was the Porsche 968 girls, which Catherine bought 8 March 14 years ago. This car girl reeled than one hundred kilometers and managed to make some changes to the design, for example, put yourself soundproofing.

Then in her garage appeared "Niva" and "Moskvich-401", and after moving to the United States Katya moved to the diesel Passat B5 and passable Volkswagen Touareg. Rare 401st Catherine appeared by chance one day came across a note about restoration of an old "Moskvich-401", and she fell in love with the car at a glance. Then was bought by the newspaper "Hand in Hand" and check all offers for the sale of this model. After several calls to the car was found. But in what condition ...



Got the car to the garage hostess only at the second attempt - but under its own power. And began work on its restoration and tuning, and more Catherine did itself. The project was also conceived as a girl: she wanted to do from the 401 th offbeat urban machine.

The first step is to replace the engine: with a new gearbox borrowed from the VAZ 2106 suspension came from the "Moskvich-412".





In the course of the work had to expand the wings, because bridges from 412 th wider body 401 th. Cardan taken from the VAZ 2101, shortened and balanced at the factory.





Of the native in the car were only body, seats and dashboard, the instruments themselves are taken from the WHA 2106. Any changes to the design have been agreed with the certification body automotive products, "US funds," and they received an official document.





After transformation of the car became a frequent guest various exhibitions, which was getting its own power. Breakage, of course, there were, for the most part small, all of the many different parts of the machine. After some time, together with the mistress car moved to a new location - in the United States.





On the other side of the ocean "Moskvich-401" has become a real Autoexotics. According to Catherine, the exhibition to it constantly approached with the same question: "This is a mini copy of some machines?" Because, by American standards, the 401 really is very small.





Generally 401st attracts a lot of attention of Americans and even becomes a matter of dispute. Many local motorists take the old "Moskvich" for Opel, while others believe that it is a small copy of Ford. Typical questions that rained on Catherine at each exhibition: how old is your car, where it's you the battery is located under the seat as well - because it's dangerous! And Americans are very surprised by the size of the machine and to find out that she is from Russia, asked: "Are all those little Russian !?»





Source: auto.tut.by