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VAZ-2101 Lada Sedan Receives One-Off Interior Makeover From Bulgarian Tuner

Produced between 1970 and 1988, the VAZ-2101 is more than meets the eye. Based on the Fiat 124 but far more durable where it matters, the Lada features thicker steel, a reinforced chassis, a jacked-up suspension, a starting handle in case the battery goes flat, and a second fuel pump. There are, however, many problems with the Russian sedan.
VAZ-2101 Lada sedan restomod by GB Design 33 photos
Photo: GB Design
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Usually made from iron, the rear drums of the VAZ-2101 (a.k.a. the Lada 1200 in some export markets) are constructed from aluminum. Galvanic corrosion leads to catastrophic brake failure in a matter of years, but that’s not all. The quality of gasoline in 1970s Russia wasn’t exactly consistent, service plans weren’t even a thing back then, and the majority of Russian motorists didn’t know much about car maintenance.

Despite its shortcomings and flaws, the humble means of personal transportation became a classic of sorts after the Eastern Bloc’s collapse. More than five decades after the model's launch, a Bulgarian tuner decided to pay tribute to the VAZ-2101 sedan with a luxury-oriented interior and a few special touches.

A one-off build, according to GB Design, the restomod in the photo gallery took four months to finish because every single piece of the cabin had to be taken out for replacement or refurbishment. The floor pan and door panels, for example, have been repainted and lined with soundproofing materials.

A custom-built center console is where the aftermarket head unit resides, while the high-fidelity speakers in the doors are beautified with custom-built metal plates that read 50th Anniversary Edition. Real metal and wood appointments, genuine leather upholstery, plushy carpeting, double stitching, adjustments in the Toyota-sourced seats, brand-new plastic, white-faced gauges, bling-bling wheels, and go-faster rubber are featured, along with the owner's initials on a plaque next to the handbrake.

It’s pretty much impossible to estimate how much Gabrovo-based GB Design has charged the owner, but four months of meticulous labor and handcrafted items definitely come at a considerable expense. Speaking of which, could this be the most expensive Lada in Bulgaria today?

Posted by GB Design - car interior performance on Saturday, March 6, 2021
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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