Classic rallying
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:45 am
There were also a rear-engined Samara 4x4 rally car (1985), and the 1987 mid-engined Samara-EVA with a turbocharged 16-valve 1860 cc engine (300 hp). An even more powerful Samara S-Proto appeared two years later (350 hp). Most notably, the Samara T3 came seventh in the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally and fifth in 1991, piloted by none other than Jacky Ickx. The T3, however, didn't contain many Samara parts, using the Porsche 959's four-wheel drive system and a 3.6-litre Porsche flat-six. It was developed by French concessionaire Lada-Poch together with NAMI and the Tupolev aerospace company.
Also known as the Zhiguli, this Russian car, based on the Fiat 124, started production in 1970 with the 2101. It remained a Russian best seller for decades afterwards. In Vilnius (Lithuania) a firm called VFTS constructed modified racing versions of the old Lada. The Lada 2105 VFTS was created by the legendary Soviet racer Stasys Brundza, who won the 1974 Tour d' Europe in a Moskvitch-412 and placed 6th in 1976 Acropolys Rally in a Lada 1600.
Specifications:
Lada VFTS (Zhiguli 2105)
Homologation: 01.10.1982 (B222)
Weight: 920kg (lbs)(Evo 1)
Weight: 820kg (lbs) with aluminum components (Evo 2)
Engine Specifications:
Engine: 1569cc Inline 4 cylinder
Bore: 79.5mm
Stroke: 80mm
Compression: 11.5:1
Induction: Two Weber 40 DCOE Carburetors
Power: 160hp @ 7000rpm
Torque: 164.8 Nm @ 5500rpm
I was also sent some info on a 1.8L turbo VFTS 2105 Engine
Engine: 1.8L (Evo) Inline 4 cylinder
Induction: Forced Turbo
Head: DOHC 16v
Power: 240hp
Based on the Lada 2108 model, VFTS built a Group B special. This was a rear wheel drive sports car with the engine of 300 hp. Several prototypes had been built and funds were allocated for constructing the 200 homologation copies, but the project never happened because of the cessation of Group B at the end of 1986.Probably if terrible accidents like the death of Attilio Bettega, Henri Toivonen, Sergio Cresto and the spectators in Portugal, Group B wouldn't be banned. Although soon or later it was gonna to be banned because those cars were too fast to race even by experienced drivers. Some rally drivers criticized the lack of security in rallies and lots of crowds in turns and near the roads. Nobody heard them and the tragedy happened.
Specifications:
Homologation: None - Prototype
Layout: Mid Engine, RWD
Engine Specifications:
Engine: 1860cc Inline 4 cylinder (Zhiguli)
Head: DOHC 16 Valve
Fuel: Electronic
Induction: Forced Turbo
Power: 300hp