Tuning ZAZ 1102 – new opportunities for the modest Tavria!
Tuning a ZAZ 1102 car is an opportunity to upgrade its various parts with your own hands to make it more perfect. ZAZ 1102 “Tavria” has been produced since 1989. Small engine size, compactness and efficiency, low price – these are the characteristics that attract various tuners who create something more worthy from the car.
1 Options for self-tuning ZAZ 1102
Given the dimensions of the car and a rather nondescript appearance, at the initial stage of tuning, external characteristics are improved. The scope for imagination in this case is huge, since for this car you can create various options for body kits, spoilers, linings that are made from improvised materials. In addition, tuning kits from domestically produced cars, such as the VAZ 2106, are suitable for Tavria, and in the process of tuning the engine, suspension and chassis, various parts are usually borrowed from the VAZ classics.
Improving the external characteristics of Tavria
You can install additional side sills on the ZAZ 1102 with your own hands, which are made of plastic or sheet metal – they also help to increase the rigidity and stability of the body. As parts of the body kit, many tuners are refining the front and rear bumpers of the car. At this stage, either the old bumper is modernized by installing additional plastic, or another set of bumpers is customized with your own hands, which you can pick up in size or make yourself using materials such as fiberglass, polystyrene foam, glue, putty, paint.
Further, you can expand the wheel arches, install a hood deflector, improve the ventilation of the hood cover, install an aerodynamic intake on the roof and other details. In addition to improving the aerodynamic properties, the external tuning of Tavria involves the installation of more pumped larger diameter wheels, sports tires, muffler lining, glass tinting and the installation of large rear-view mirrors that can be borrowed from a foreign car, as well as the modernization of headlights with the installation of xenon or LEDs in standard lenses. Painting or airbrushing are more expensive options for external tuning, but they can be used to achieve the maximum effect.
2 Do-it-yourself engine replacement
The capabilities of this car are far from ideal. “Tavria” is equipped with a 1.1-liter gasoline engine of the MeMZ-245 series with a capacity of 53 horsepower. For serious tuning, when, along with a simple installation of a sports air filter and an exhaust system upgrade, you also need to achieve a significant increase in power rating, it is better to replace the factory motor.
It changes to an engine from the VAZ 2108 or a simpler analogue from the “six” VAZ 2106, which fits the Tavria five-speed gearbox with an adapter. After that, all the necessary work is carried out on boring cylinders, installing adapters, lightening the flywheel, installing new gears, etc.
Engine replacement ZAZ 1102
However, engine tuning on the ZAZ 1102 model does not always mean replacing it, there are options for upgrading the factory engine, but they all come down to installing a turbocharger from a foreign car and two carburetors. Such tuning will require painstaking work on setting pressure, adjusting the composition of the fuel mixture, etc. At a cost, such work is comparable to tuning a decent foreign car, so few can afford a turbocharger with all the modifications on the ZAZ 1102.
If replacing the engine or installing a boost is not included in your plans, then you can install a reliable and powerful gasoline pump (the model from GAZ 3110 is perfect), new spark plugs, such as NGK or Bosch Platinum, a Prosport zero-resistance filter, and also a new carburetor, for example from Solex. You can also bore the internal channels of the cylinder head from the standard 27 to 29 millimeters. Modify the exhaust system as needed, for example, install a new muffler, and not just a nozzle.
Unfortunately, for the owners of this car model, due to the lack of an injector and, accordingly, an engine control unit, it is not possible to chip-tune the engine.
3 Reliable undercarriage upgrade
After external tuning and engine modernization, for a complete balance, it is necessary to carry out a high-quality revision of the chassis with your own hands. It is recommended to change the brake system. The best option would be disc brakes with calipers from VAZ 10 family models and rear “drums” from VAZ 2108-09. This combination will allow you to install new rims and sportier tires, slicks or something similar in performance.
Together with the replacement of the brakes, you can install new shock absorbers and springs, which need to be slightly trimmed (by 1-1.5 centimeters) to reduce ground clearance and improve aerodynamics. Some experts with changing disks advise installing other parts of the VAZ chassis – levers, hubs, and making a negative camber, which will affect the stability of the car. And of course, don't forget about the new clutch, you can use the Craft-Tech kit or more affordable options.
Thus, with the investment of money and time from a car with a 53 “horse” engine and modest capabilities, you can create a car for participating in drag races or a decent car with good speed and improved handling with your own hands. All the changes presented will not significantly affect fuel consumption, and when installing a turbine or a new unit with cylinder bores, we recommend using fuel with a higher octane rating.
