3 miracles from Zaporozhets: auto-hut, racing and fire truck

Tuning Zaporozhets

Almost any owner can perform Zaporozhian tuning with his own hands.
All you need is some imagination to turn a clunky car into a real wonder by changing the appearance and upgrading the engine. After all the changes, the car will stand out on the road among other vehicles, emphasizing the unique taste of its owner. You should do the tuning of the ZAZ 968M yourself, starting from the front part. She is the one who attracts the attention of people around her. To do this, the radiator grille is modified in the very middle and several cuts are made along the edge, giving this element style and attractiveness. Airbrushing will complement the modification of the front part of the Zaporozhets, although it can be used throughout the body. Airbrushing emphasizes the strengths of any car, and the Zaporozhets is no exception.

When tuning a humpbacked Cossack, you should not lose sight of the change in car optics. Typically, headlights are changed to more powerful lighting. The rear lights are also being redesigned to modern versions. In addition to visual appeal, the car owner increases his own safety while driving in poor visibility. After replacing the lighting elements, the car owner needs to think about changing the bumpers, installing wings, metal sills and trims.

Engine tuning ZAZ 968M

The most important part of car modifications will be tuning the ZAZ 968M engine. The car's standard engine produces only 30 horsepower, which does not allow it to accelerate to more than 100 km/h. At the same time, the overclocking process itself is quite difficult. The difficulty of replacing an engine lies in its location, so it is necessary to select units from rear-engine cars. You should also be prepared to replace some other parts that will not fit the new motor.

The most important stage in the modernization of the power unit will be its connection to the existing gearbox. To do this, you will need an adapter plate with a release bearing, which is quite difficult to purchase. Having studied Zaporozhets tuning photos on the Internet, you can make your own stove according to available drawings.

Replacing the engine will not allow the owner of the Cossack to participate in competitions in this category of cars. For this reason, many car enthusiasts prefer to leave the existing engine and modify it. One of the options for such tuning would be to replace the carburetor with a similar part from VAZ or Tavria. A good solution would be to increase engine displacement by boring the cylinder block to accommodate VAZ pistons. Installing a turbocharger will also increase the power of the power unit.

Strengthening the body will make it possible to use ZAZ 968 tuning to increase the stability of the car. To do this, it is enough to replace the struts, strengthen the spacers between them and add a stabilizer bar. You can also install new wheels on discs or hubs with brakes from 8 or 9 VAZ models. It is recommended to subject individual suspension elements to modifications.

Without modifying the interior, tuning the ZAZ 968m will be incomplete. This process is aimed at creating a comfortable and attractive interior of the car.

It is important to increase the sound insulation inside the Zaporozhets so that the driver and passengers do not get tired while driving. Many car enthusiasts replace the seats in the cabin with comfortable analogues from foreign cars and reupholster the trim on the doors

A more ambitious change will be the transformation of the Zaporozhets into a convertible. Installing a modern multimedia system will complete the tuning of the car's interior.

Homemade tracked all-terrain vehicle from Zaporozhets

A craftsman from the Tyumen region built with his own hands a homemade all-terrain vehicle on caterpillar tracks , the donor was the body of a ZAZ 986 car, the engine and other spare parts were borrowed from a VAZ 2103.

Below are a few photos of the tracked all-terrain vehicle.

The body of the all-terrain vehicle in the lower part is welded with sheet metal like a boat, which allows it to move not only on land, but also on water.

The homemade product is equipped with a VAZ 2103 (1500) engine with a power of 75 hp.

The bridge and cardan are also from a VAZ 2103.

Additionally, gas equipment was installed.

The all-terrain vehicle is equipped with an autonomous engine heater; when going to a hunting or fishing site at low temperatures, the oil in the crankcase can be heated and the engine can be started even in severe frost.

In addition to the driver's seat, there is also space for two passengers in the cabin.

The stove is located in the cabin, the cabin is warm even when it’s 30°C outside, and for additional safety there is a sunroof.

The tracks are made of conveyor belt, the tracks are pressed and welded from a profile tube.

Gearbox from a Lada, low-range gearbox from a Niva.

The speed of a tracked all-terrain vehicle in deep snow is 20 - 30 km/h, on a straight road up to 60 km/h.

In this video you can see the maneuverability of a tracked all-terrain vehicle in deep snow.

Another video with an all-terrain vehicle.

DIY ZAZ tuning

Tuning Moskvich 412 will make an old car cool.
All the shortcomings of ZAZs, regardless of generation and year of manufacture, can be justified by the low price of these cars. But this doesn't mean you have to put up with discomfort. Having become the owner of such an economical vehicle, you inevitably begin to think about tuning.

The main stage - replacing seats - has already been mentioned above. But this is not all that you can do with your own hands. For example, installing an armrest, which is not a concept on ZAZs, will bring even more convenience. It is difficult to say why designers from generation to generation ignore such a sought-after element, but even the latest ZAZ Forza project does not have an armrest.

You can replace the steering wheel without assistance. ZAZ vehicles do not use multi-control steering wheels, so choosing a replacement is quite easy. The airbag won't work anyway, so it's better to look for steering wheels without one.

Achieving sound comfort, which ZAZs have never been known for, is actually not that difficult. All you need to do is cover the engine partition, wheel arches and the bottom of the car with a special noise-absorbing material. This procedure must be performed very carefully so that no so-called noise bridges remain.

After isolating the interior from outside noise, it's time to work on the audio system. Do not rush to install the casing; first decide on the installation location of the speakers and the trajectories of the signal wires. When installing an audio system, noise insulation should not be affected.

The interior plastic of all cars manufactured at ZAZ is far from ideal. In addition to its cheap appearance, it also scratches easily, quickly becoming covered with traces of wear and tear. Finishing all plastic parts with genuine leather will be quite expensive, but you can use high-quality leatherette. In appearance it is difficult to distinguish it from leather, but the cost is much lower and it is highly wear-resistant.

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Color selection for ZAZ 1102

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The range of native colors of Tavria was no less than that of modern imported cars, but these were plain enamels without any frills. From the standard automotive palette, perhaps only black was missing. The temptation to paint the Tavria black is great, but not every tuner will dare to do so.

However, with today’s range of car paints, you shouldn’t focus on black. There are interesting shades with a metallic effect, and you may not need to change the color in the data sheet. For example, if a blue Tavria is available, then the use of any shades of blue metallic will not require changes to the documents.

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ZAZ design ideas

Renault Megane Logbook Tuning package Renault Megane 3

Of course, tuning cars like Zaporozhets is a kind of joke or, if you like, kitsch. It's impossible to take him seriously. This car, no matter how hard you try, will always bring smiles to those around you. True, tuners have the opportunity to make these smiles enthusiastic.

Several tuning areas are suitable for Zaporozhian Cossacks:

• with a sporty twist;
• classic;
• lambo tuning;
• cabriolet;
• a la mini-cooper.

Surely you can add a few more points to this list - that’s what fantasy is for. The main thing is not to go beyond what is reasonable, because Zaporozhets is, first of all, a vehicle. Changes must not weaken the structure or cause excessive loads on any load-bearing elements.

Everyone has long been accustomed to the simple colors of Zaporozhets, and in any other color these cars immediately attract attention. Depending on the style of tuning, the color is also selected

You can use a combination of colors, which in itself is a very interesting move.

However, let's return to design ideas. The original design of Zaporozhets can be described as vintage minimalism. This means that this car is essentially a blank slate for tuners. You can really work with him in any direction.

Take, for example, sports style. Round headlights and a slightly exaggerated body shape evoke a resemblance to post-war sports cars. Accordingly, the starting point in this case is the head optics. It should not be changed, because that same recognizable naive look of ZAZ will disappear.

The task of a tuner who decides to turn Zaporozhets into a sports car is, first of all, to create an aerodynamic body kit. Almost everything will have to be done from scratch. And sheet materials in this case are not a solution at all - a good result can only be achieved with the help of plastic.

The production of bumpers and thresholds begins with a sketch. It’s not enough to have an idea; you need to be able to translate it first, at least on paper. Next, according to the sketch, a template is made from some material that can be easily processed. Most often this is polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam, but real professionals prefer to work with technical plasticine.

The real cost of an aerodynamic body kit for Zaporozhets is many times higher than the price of the car itself. If you entrust this matter to specialists, they will ask for a fabulous sum, so most often they do the tuning of ZAZs on their own. They treat this as a kind of hobby, working slowly and only on weekends.

If you don’t want to bother with making a body kit, then you can choose tuning in a classic style. However, in this case, bumpers will have to be made, but the classic form is much simpler than the sports one. You need to focus on body work and painting. You can lengthen the Zaporozhets a little, add longitudinal lines to it, and use chrome for decoration.

Engineering enthusiasts can choose the Lambo style, then their main task will be the solution of vertical door opening, like Lamborghini. The Zaporozhets will have to be “dropped” a little, reducing the ground clearance by at least half. Extending the body wouldn't hurt either.

If desired, you can make a convertible from Zaporozhets. However, you can’t get away with cutting off the roof - it is necessary to bring the pillars into compliance with the safety requirements for this type of body. This task can be done by tuners with an engineering education.

But to turn a ZAZ into a “mini-Cooper” you won’t need such deep knowledge in engineering. Here you need to be able to work with welding, have the skills of a sculptor and just have a great desire!

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Interior tuning

There really is a place to roam, it’s inside Tavria. In the original version we again see the “sub-eight” - complete asceticism and terrible, oak plastic. However, there is unexpectedly a lot of space and even tall drivers will not feel cramped.

The chairs of model 1102 have a high back and are the most comfortable of all Soviet-designed ZAZ seats. However, they should be replaced, since they are still not as comfortable and beautiful as in two-door foreign cars. Even the same VAZ V8 has better seats, which, however, is not surprising, because Tavria is half the price.

The main criterion when selecting chairs is comfort. However, you should remove the dimensions of the original seats and select a replacement with similar or very similar parameters. Seats that are too wide simply will not fit into the interior of a ZAZ 1102, and if they do squeeze in, it will be with an unacceptable offset.

It’s hard to imagine internal tuning of a Tavria car without replacing the steering wheel and panel. The original version has antediluvian instruments with an equally antediluvian frame, which gets dirty and is difficult to clean. If the car is not restored to its original condition, then it is better to replace the dashboard and center console.

Many small foreign cars are suitable as donors. Almost any torpedo or console released after 2000 will be better than the “Tavria” one. But when installing such parts you will have to work hard, since the fastenings and shape, as a rule, do not match.

Some craftsmen solve the problem of selecting a torpedo by creating a part of their own design. An array of high-quality wood (preferably exotic) is taken and a new panel is cut from it. Exotic wood is preferred primarily because it is very dense and does not crack. Species such as eucalyptus, merbau, iroko, and ipe are well suited for inserts.

Wooden dashboards are by no means an anachronism. On the contrary, the most advanced cars are increasingly equipped with torpedoes made of natural wood. For example, the BMW i3 electric car has a eucalyptus panel, which not only looks decent, but also saturates the car’s interior with pleasant and healthy aromas.

When internally tuning Tavria, you should definitely pay attention to sound insulation. This car doesn't have it as such.

The original engine is not very loud, but a more powerful unit, as well as outboard noise, will not allow you to enjoy good acoustics when driving. It should be understood that high-quality sound insulation cannot be light and thin.

Salon

To put it mildly, the interior of Zaporozhets is spartan. It would benefit from good seats, at least from Tavria, a softer and thicker steering wheel, as well as excellent sound insulation. As for the dashboard, you can make it yourself from fiberglass or remake one you like from another car. But most likely you will have to make the console yourself. Although, this is for the better. You can easily bring it into full compliance with your ideas

Chassis

A tuned car should not only accelerate quickly, but also brake well. When modifying the brake system, it is better to switch to VAZ components - tuning spare parts for the VAZ 08-12 are relatively inexpensive, and their range is quite wide. The rear brakes can be easily converted into disc brakes, and the front wheels can be equipped with castors and drift wishbones can be installed for greater ejection.

Lowering the suspension and increasing its stiffness will complete the “pocket rocket” image. To do this you need:

• install stiffer trimmed springs;
• trim the posts;
• install rubber suspension breakdown fuses;
• You can use pneumatic cylinders to adjust the rigidity.

ZAZ GTR scared rivals

Ukrainian auto tuners from the SRT team have been improving their “brainchild” called ZAZ GTR for more than 10 years. Every year they demonstrate new capabilities of the “humpback” based on the ZAZ-965, under the hood of which lies a 5.4-liter twin-turbo V8 Ford Mustang, as well as a 3-speed automatic gearbox.

After testing, the “Beast” with a 2000-horsepower engine took part in the Ukrainian drag racing championship stage, which was held in Sumy. After the ZAZ GTR race, the skepticism of opponents immediately disappeared.

They even demanded that ZAZ GTR be removed from racing. It is so fast (accelerates to 300 km/h) that the developers included a braking parachute.

With a few exceptions, these cars can only partially be called ZAZ products. Auto tuners put scissor doors on them, engines from Ford Mustang and Toyota, and borrow the advantages of the Porsche Boxster, including a convertible top. Thanks to originality and exclusivity, once funny cars are gaining popularity and new value.

Engine and transmission

Injection engines lend themselves well to tuning, while carburetor engines are a little worse. Initial work consists of eliminating factory defects:

• crankshaft balancing;
• polishing the inlet channels of the block head;
• ECU flashing.

Additionally, you can facilitate the “breathing” of the motor using a zero-resistance filter and direct-flow exhaust. In the case of an injector, installing a tuning receiver and more efficient injectors will help. Tuning ZAZ Lanos cars is extremely rarely so serious that you have to change the gearbox to a reinforced one. According to experts, it can withstand a power of 150-170 hp, but a short-throw rocker and differential lock can be installed.

Appearance tuning

This is the most common method of modification, since it is the appearance of the car that people immediately pay attention to. If you want the ZAZ 968M to evoke admiration and surprise among others, add some bold design solutions to it

There are several ways to create a unique car style:

1. develop a completely new design;
2. make a retro model ZAZ 968M - tuning in this case includes a complete restoration of the original appearance and bringing it to ideal.

If you decide to choose the first option, then you will need the following spare parts for the ZAZ 968M:

• front and rear bumpers;
• front cladding and headlight covers (glasses);
• sills, trims (skirts) and other elements of the external body kit;
• wing

The work process itself is not very difficult - we dismantle the old body parts and install new ones in their place.

tuning zaz968m

You can also use a carbon fiber hood, which will give your car an aggressive look and emphasize its individuality.

Engine

It is almost useless to tune the engines of old Zaporozhian cars. After all, their maximum output will not exceed 50 horses, and the costs of modification themselves will not justify themselves. The only option is a swap for a Skoda, Zhiguli or other engine.

The first two options have been tested more than once. On the Internet you can find a bunch of detailed instructions and drawings regarding the manufacture of faceplates for installation. It is also worth noting that the new engine will need to replace the transmission. The most original option would be to make the car front-wheel drive and front-engine, welding the front end from the Oka to it.

Remodeling the exterior and interior

Now let's go over the types of ZAZ-968 tuning that can be used. Let's start with the appearance. It all depends on the imagination of the owner and his financial capabilities.

The simplest methods of tuning “Zaporozhets” include the use of all kinds of decorative overlays, tinting, airbrushing and other elements. In general, the car body remains untouched, it is simply additionally decorated.

ZAZ in a new form

More serious tuning of a Zaporozhets with your own hands involves custom-made external attachments for the body - bumpers, door sills, spoilers or wings. Standard optics are also subject to alterations and modifications.

Some perform radical external tuning of the ZAZ-968 with their own hands, during which the body is remodeled. For example, it is possible to lower the roof by changing the angle of the pillars. The doors are equipped with opening mechanisms that allow them to swing open not only sideways, but also upwards. There are a lot of such options for alterations, and everything depends only on the owner’s imagination and the availability of money.

external tuning of ZAZ 968M

The “native” interior of the ZAZ-968M does not “shine” with beauty and high functionality, but this is quite fixable. It is noteworthy that parts and spare parts from other domestic cars are often used for tuning ZAZ. This suggests that the cost of improving the interior will not be large. So, from VAZ cars you can borrow:

• Seats;
• Door seals;
• Steering column switches;
• Window lift mechanisms;
• Rear view mirrors;

But initially, when modifying the interior, sound insulation should be carried out. Since the interior space of the cabin is not very large, little sound and noise insulation materials are required.

Zaparozhets interior tuning

And then you can start decorating - cover the seats with some modern material, make new upholstery. Some, for example, manage to install the front panel from a foreign car. In general, tuning the interior of a ZAZ is a matter of taste and desire.

Body

When you change the appearance of the iron horse, be prepared for a lot of work. And all because there are no ready-made kits for it. There are two options here. The first is to create an exclusive body kit based on your own sketches. The second option is to make the car in resto style - to restore the original look. The most important thing is to show maximum attention to detail and accuracy during the work itself. Then your car will have every chance to become one and only.

Tuning ZAZ

Having your own Zaporozhets, as well as having a good imagination, it is quite possible to perform a real miracle with it, radically changing its appearance. If the owner of this car has a great desire, it is quite possible to tune the Zaporozhets in such a way that after all the operations the car will stand out in a good way among all other cars on the roads.

It is best to start external tuning of the Zaporozhets from the front. It is the front part of the car that receives the most attention from others; this, one might say, is the face of the car. Many car enthusiasts prefer to first change the radiator grille, slightly altering its middle and sawing along the edge. This solution makes the appearance of the car more stylish and visually attractive.

An excellent solution for changing the appearance of a Zaporozhets would be to apply airbrushing. Now this type of tuning is popular for almost every car. With the help of airbrushing you can very successfully emphasize the strengths of a car's appearance. The vehicle will take on a more modern look and will definitely not go unnoticed by others. See for yourself by looking at the photo of the Zaporozhets tuning.

Optics tuning

Much attention should be paid to automotive optics. The standard Zaporozhets headlights can be replaced with more powerful and modern ones

It is known that headlights and taillights can greatly affect the appearance of a car, so you should choose them carefully. In addition, the reliability of automotive optics is one of the most important factors for travel safety in low visibility conditions.

Engine tuning

The most important part of tuning a Zaporozhets is replacing its engine. This is explained by the fact that the standard engine has too little power for a modern car - only 30 hp. Consequently, the maximum speed of the Zaporozhets does not exceed 100 km/h, when approaching it very poor acceleration dynamics are observed. The main limitation when replacing an engine is the rear location of the engine. For this reason, when selecting parts, it is necessary to ensure that they come from rear-engine cars. In addition, after replacing the engine, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to replace many other car parts.

Tuning the Zaporozhets interior

The car owner has to admire the interior rather than the exterior of his car, so tuning the interior needs to be given as much attention as possible. The interior of any vehicle must be comfortable and aesthetically attractive. Everything inside the car should be harmoniously combined with each other.

The first step is to make good sound insulation of the interior. Noise is a big problem for any car enthusiast. It is this that causes severe driver fatigue, especially during long trips, and it also has an extremely negative impact on passenger comfort. Zaporozhets has always been considered one of the noisiest cars, but, fortunately, this problem is now easily solved.

To make the interior of the Zaporozhets more modern, the seats and steering wheel should be replaced, reupholstered, a good multimedia system installed, and a few useful accessories added. The most important thing is that the interior pleases the owner of the Zaporozhets, so that being in the car is truly pleasant and comfortable. If you really approach tuning this vehicle correctly, achieving this will not be difficult.

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Homemade mini tractor based on ZAZ gearbox

Homemade mini tractor based on the ZAZ gearbox.

A small mini tractor is an excellent helper for a villager; with the help of such equipment, you can cultivate a small garden or pull a trailer with firewood.

Here is a homemade mini tractor with a classic layout, built by Valery from Khmelnitsky.

The minitrator is equipped with a four-stroke Sadko engine with a power of 6.5 hp. and a working volume of 200 cubic meters and a gearbox from Zaporozhets.

The track is 700 mm, the distance between the axles is 1120 mm.

Initially, a homemade gearbox with a reduction of two was installed, then an 80 pulley and a profile A 1200 belt on the flywheel. Lubricant was leaking from the gearbox and the gears were making a lot of noise. I removed the gearbox, put a pulley with an outer 60mm directly on the engine shaft, the rest is old, only the belt is a little longer. The noise has decreased significantly. Clean engine and gearbox. The speed has increased slightly, the gearbox has become 4.6 instead of 6, but in first gear there is enough slow movement and traction. It's scary to drive in fourth at speeds above average.

There is an original flywheel, machined for a belt, and an original ZAZ gearbox clutch. To reduce the load on the clutch cable and pedal, I threw out three springs from the clutch basket, leaving three left. It works fine, all gears shift easily except first. Although, if the idle is small, the first one will easily turn on. If the clutch moves a little, it is difficult to engage the lower and rear ones.

I want to clarify about the plow. I bought one industrial building. The tractor could barely pull it. I didn’t plow, but moved the soil. I made it homemade. A little better, but very little grip. I thought my micro tractor wouldn’t be able to plow. Then I immediately read on the topic that the plow must first lift the skiba (layer), and then turn it over and roll it off.

I drew a pattern myself, applied it to a gas cylinder, and cut it out. Cooked. And he began to plow. The grip is slightly wider than the thickness of the wheel.

It turned out that the following points are important:

• — Mechanical loader, if possible.
• — Thrust vector. Its direction is from the plow attachment point forward and downward from the horizontal. The tractor pulls forward and down. Then the plow deepens itself.
• — It is necessary to use a support wheel with adjustable depth of penetration. Otherwise, the body sinks unpredictably - the soil is uneven, the tractor floats.
• “The knife in front of the body can be used, but I took it off.” The roots of corn and large weeds simply poked at it, small grass gets crowded and slows down.
• — The support wheel must be located at such a distance from the body that large roots and pieces of soil can fit between them, otherwise the gap will become clogged.
• — The soil for plowing should be without long and strong stems. Not always feasible. You have to periodically clean the front of the case by hand. Dry plants are killed, green ones are cut. Corn roots are plowed and turned over quite easily. Previously, this was impossible, the iron was bent, the studs and bolts were cut. It is better to remove the sunflower root with a shovel so as not to tear the iron. Or a big plow and tractor.
• — It is necessary to adjust the grip by shifting left and right. In heavy soil, you can hide part of the body behind the wheel, the grip is smaller, so as not to load the engine and hardware.
• — The wheel goes along the furrow. The small diameter of the front wheel limits the plowing depth.
• — Long driving in a furrow can cause oil to overflow from the box into the axle housing due to tilt to the side.
• — The depth of the first pass is less than normal, the second is normal and full load, stable direction.
• — If the front wheels of the tractor are strongly pulled to the right, turn the body a little, a couple of degrees, clockwise, when viewed from above.
• -Since the tractor is moving in a furrow, it is necessary to position the plow slightly counterclockwise when viewed from the rear. Then it will become vertical.
• — Optimal shape of the plow body. Polished work surface. During breaks and in the off-season, treat the working surface with oil to prevent it from rusting. Some colleagues have the same tractor that easily plows with a body twice the size of mine. Upon closer examination of the photo, the soil appears to be sandy or similar. In my area there is heavy black soil. This year is also dry. He turns out such pieces. A large body simply won't hold up.

Engine modifications

But all these alterations will be unfinished if the Zaporozhets engine is not tuned. The most radical solution to this problem is to replace the power plant, but here the question immediately arises - what engine can be installed on the ZAZ-968M? If you look in general, you can use almost any unit that is suitable in size. For example, you can use a VAZ engine on a ZAZ, but in this case you will have to solve many problems, including securing the engine, its interaction with the transmission, and organizing its control. In general, you will have to work quite seriously.

ZAZ 968M engine tuning

But you can take an easier route, which boils down to a major overhaul of the “native” unit. At the same time, when repairing the ZAZ-968M with your own hands, you can make some adjustments to the design of systems and mechanisms.

Thus, one of the options for improving the performance of the ZAZ-968M engine is to increase the engine volume by boring the cylinders. Moreover, the increase in combustion chambers should be done by a strictly defined size - from 76 mm to 79 mm. This will increase the engine volume to 1.3 liters.

But after boring, you will have to completely change the piston group. Increasing the cylinder diameter to 79 mm was carried out for a reason; boring to this size will allow the installation of pistons from VAZ. In total, to remake the motor you will need:

• Pistons with rings and pins (from VAZ-2101);
• Gaskets;
• New oil seals and motor seals;

After such modifications, the “native” ZAZ-968M carburetor will not be able to fully fill the cylinders with fuel. Therefore, this fuel cell will have to be replaced. And for this, a carburetor from the same “Kopeyka” is suitable, but to install it you will have to make an adapter.

The next stage is replacing the ignition system. The best option is to use an electronic system. It can be assembled in parts or you can buy a kit that includes all the components. But just installing the parts will not be enough; you will also need to correctly install the ZAZ-968M ignition. And it is better to entrust these works to an experienced specialist. Naturally, after this you will have to change the spark plugs on the ZAZ-968M.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jCE96jRDvgo

All these modifications will make it possible to significantly increase the engine power; however, the fuel consumption of the ZAZ-968M will also increase. But how much it will change depends directly on the settings of the carburetor and ignition system.

Finally, we note that only some options for tuning the ZAZ-968 with your own hands were indicated above. In reality, this car can be modified in a variety of ways and you can experiment with it quite seriously, even using unexpected solutions and fantasies.

Interior tuning

Now let's talk about the salon. The materials and color scheme of ZAZ cars leave much to be desired. The simplest solutions for decorating the interior are covers, door trim, replacing the steering wheel and gearbox cover. Having a hair dryer and a piece of “carbon” self-adhesive film on hand can give an original look to small parts, such as door handles, dashboard inserts or air duct trims.

Work on the interior of almost all ZAZs is carried out in two directions at once. The first is aesthetic, the second is the convenience of the driver and passengers. Moreover, you should give priority to convenience, because no matter how nice the interior is, if after a half-hour drive your back hurts and your legs become numb, then you’ll hardly be able to enjoy the aesthetics.

Two-door models, as expected, are equipped with reclining seats. Accordingly, they need to look for replacements from two-door donors. There are plenty of imported small two-door cars, so choosing seats for Zaporozhets or Tavria will not be difficult. This can be done at the nearest auto repair shop.

Usually a pair of seats (driver and passenger) is changed, and the rear sofa is left in its original form. By the way, Tavria’s seats are the most comfortable among ZAZs developed by Soviet designers. They are often used when tuning Zaporozhets. And into the Tavria itself you can squeeze seats from a VAZ 2108, which are better than the original ones.

The seating position of a car such as the ZAZ Sens is not particularly comfortable. The seats are quite hard and lack sufficient anatomical detailing. Because of this, long trips in Sens or Lanos are very tiring: you often have to stop and warm up.

It is better to immediately replace the original Lanosov seats with higher quality analogues. There are quite a few donors, for example, Skoda Fabia or Ford Fiesta. Of course, you will have to weld new fasteners, but the game is worth the candle. After replacing the seats, being in Lanos begins to be a pleasure.

An ambulance engineer resuscitated a rarity from his grandfather

This rarity came off the assembly line in 1969. He served his owner for ten years and went to the garage for another twenty, and after buying a new car, to the dacha. In the end, the owner’s grandson, 28-year-old Alexei Stikharev, became the administrator of the movable property.

An engineer from the operations department at an ambulance station in Tver transformed his grandfather's car: he placed a VAZ-2112 engine under the hood, welded the body, changed the exterior and interior, made scissor doors like a Lamborghini, and added lighting. Everything turned out modern and functional.

Chassis tuning

Tuning a ZAZ 968M cannot be done without installing new original wheels. You can boil old discs or replace hubs. Disc welding must be approached with particular care. A poorly welded disc may not cope with the increased power of the car and may burst while driving.

As an alternative to welding, you can use the hub assembly with brakes borrowed from the VAZ 2108-09. Levers and struts from the eighth VAZ model can also be used to replace the suspension in Zaporozhets.

"Zapor-pickup" served workers

This car is not an enthusiast's build and has seen very little modification. The vehicle based on the ZAZ-968M was initially produced by the Zaporozhye Automobile Enterprise mainly for the delivery of all sorts of things throughout the production area.

By the time of the collapse of the Union, the plant management decided to launch the pickup truck into series. Collectors claim that the first serial “microloader” dates back to 1990. In 1994, in connection with the transition to the Tavria line, all varieties of ZAZ-968 were removed from the assembly line. Such “zaziks” were not exported to Russia in post-Soviet times.