File this under “things we don’t really need but are still cool to look at:” the latest project from the gearheads from Garage 54, a Lada that walks on hind legs.
The Russians from Garage 54 are known both for their creativity and ridiculousness in approaching their projects. The result is always, without fail, solid, fun and ultimately useless automotive content. This one is no exception.
Because “why not?,” they decided to put legs on an old Lada sedan. If you’re a fan of Garage 54, you know they usually work on Ladas, since they’re cheap and, as such, offer none of the guilt of ruining a more expensive vehicle.
The result is something that uses the same principles as Theo Jensen’s world-famous Strandbeest (“beach beast” in Dutch) but that falls short in terms of grace, beauty and speed. Jensen created the moving kinetic creature from light material, so it could move by wind power; in fact, he often described his beasts as “skeletons that are able to walk on the wind.”
Needless to say, the Lada can’t and doesn’t need to move by wind power, since it’s got an engine. The guys brought in the welders from Workroom Siberia, who replaced the rear wheels with pairs of metallic legs. The idea is not new: last December, we saw an application of it on a regular bicycle, where the rear wheel was replaced by legs. But the result is different.
A rigid metal frame inserted through the body of the car supports the leg mechanism. Every time the aft leg bends, it causes the Lada to squat and take half a step backwards. Consequently, the Lada moves slowly: painfully so in first gear, and only slightly faster in second. In third, it comes to a full stop, so at best, it crawls on the hind legs in a manner that’s as entertaining to watch as it’s fascinating.
To give you an idea of just how slow it “walks,” suffice it to say that the driver actually gets out of it while it’s moving, so as to admire the leg mechanism at work. On the bright side, the Lada makes it through a considerable patch of road and some gravel, before the axle shaft snaps and the experiment concludes.
The other piece of good news is that the guys at Workroom Siberia are open to the idea of replacing the front wheels with legs as well, provided they get enough subscribers on their channel.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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