Tuning VAZ 2103: changing the exterior and interior, finalizing the engine and suspension
Content
VAZ 2103 has not been produced for a long time, but they are still driven, painted and tuned. Many car owners are deliberately in no hurry to part with their “troika”, since this car opens up wide opportunities for implementing various ideas for changing the appearance, interior and technical characteristics.
Tuning VAZ 2103
VAZ 2103 refers to those cars with which the domestic automotive industry began. Just like the other two models - VAZ 2101 and VAZ 2102, the "troika" was developed on the basis of "Fiat" 124. The employees of the Volga plant put a lot of effort before they managed to create a comfortable and dynamic car at that time. The model, which was launched in 1972, despite its advanced age, can often be seen on the roads today. Many owners resort to making changes to the vehicle to improve certain characteristics, exterior or interior.
What is tuning
Tuning a car - changing factory parameters in order to improve them. There is something to refine on the VAZ 2103: units, appearance, interior, etc. It should be understood that more serious tuning, as a rule, concerns the technical part of the car, and specifically the engine, exhaust system, box, ignition system. A simpler option is also possible - tinted windows, install modern optics. However, all these issues should be examined in more detail.
Photo of a tuned VAZ 2103
Today you can find a lot of tuned cars, including the "Zhiguli" of the third model. Therefore, it is quite logical to consider examples of modified cars.
Photo gallery: tuning VAZ 2103
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- Even minor changes to a standard car can make it more attractive.
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- Body tuning opens up wide possibilities for making changes to the standard appearance of the car.
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- Tuning allows you to give the car an individual style and character
Body tuning VAZ 2103
The first thought that comes to the mind of car owners who decide to tune their "troika" is to update the paint. However, in this case, shades other than standard colors should be used, since ordinary paint is not attractive in any way. One of the modern styling methods is liquid rubber. With the help of this material, it becomes possible to make the car not only attractive, but also to create a protective layer from negative external influences. Regardless of the chosen method of body tuning, the surface must first be prepared: remove rust and eliminate existing defects.
Windshield tinting
A fairly simple and common way of tuning the VAZ 2103, like any other car, is window tinting with a film. This improvement allows you to change not only the appearance of the machine, but also increase the level of safety. If the car gets into an accident, then the tinted glass will not shatter into small fragments. In addition, in summer, tinting protects from bright sunlight.
Before choosing a tinting material, you need to consider that, in accordance with current legislation, the windshield must transmit at least 70% of the light. In addition, the surface itself has optical resistance, i.e. glass transmits no more than 90% of light. As the car is used, cracks and chips appear on the glass, which negatively affects the light transmission. To tint the windshield and not worry about problems with the traffic police, you need to choose a film with a light transmission of 80%.
The most widely used film method of tinting car windows. The advantages of this option are that the film can be applied in garage conditions without much difficulty, and if necessary, it can be easily removed from the surface. For tinting, you will need the following list of materials and tools:
- yardstick;
- forcing angular for hard-to-reach places;
- rubber water separator;
- sharp blade for removing glue;
- mild steel knife;
- technical hair dryer;
- sprayer or water spray.
Having prepared everything you need, including the material for darkening the glass itself, you can begin the process. The film is applied using a soap solution, thanks to which it is possible to adjust the position of the product and remove air bubbles. To avoid fingerprints on the film and glass, it is recommended to wear rubber gloves (medical).
Before applying the tinting, the glass is cleaned of dirt both from the outside and from the inside, and then washed. Then measurements are taken and the film is cut in accordance with the required parameters. On the outside of the windshield, water is sprayed from a spray bottle and a darkening material is applied, placing the film with a protective layer up. After that, it is leveled and cut out the desired shape with a sharp blade.
After the done actions, the protective layer is separated from the tinting material and the solution is sprayed onto it. Then they remove the film from the glass, bring it inside the car and stick it on the windshield. The main rule in the tinting process is to smooth the tinting well so that there are no wrinkles or bubbles on it. A hair dryer and forcing will help with this.
Tinting and grille on the rear window VAZ 2103
It is worth taking into account the fact that the rear window is the most difficult to tint due to the curves. Therefore, it is recommended to apply the film in three longitudinal strips, which are cut out and applied according to the template. You can use wallpapers for this. After measuring and cutting off the desired length from the roll, the paper is applied to the glass and cut along the contour. To keep the paper on the surface, it can be slightly moistened. Do 2 more strips in the same way. Then, according to the finished template, the film is cut and applied in the same way as a windshield. Some motorists recommend removing the glass for tinting, but not everyone follows this. Dimming the side windows should not cause difficulties: the surface is flat, and the process itself is the same as with the front and rear.
Sometimes you can find a VAZ 2103 with a grill on the rear window. For some, this tuning option will seem outdated, while someone, on the contrary, is of the opinion that a car with such an accessory becomes more sporty and aggressive. The grille is attached to the rear window seal. To do this, you need to dismantle the glass, insert the lock into the rubber band and put the grate under the sealing element. Then, using a rope, install the glass on the car.
Before deciding on the purchase and installation of the product in question, you need to consider the pros and cons of this accessory. Of the positive qualities of the lattice, the following are distinguished:
- the interior heats up less in hot weather;
- glass does not fog up so much during rain;
- rear traffic is less dazzling at night.
Of the negative sides, there are:
- difficulties in removing adhering snow on the glass;
- problems with garbage collection, which is clogged in the corners under the grate.
Video: tinted rear window on the "classic"
Safety cage
A car safety cage is a structure that prevents severe damage to the vehicle body in a collision or overturn and saves the life of the driver and passengers. The product is a spatial structure, which has a rigid connection (by welding, bolted connections) with body elements.
Do I need a safety cage for a VAZ 2103? If you don't race, then most likely not. The fact is that with such a product it will not be so easy to pass a technical inspection: this will require an appropriate certificate. In addition, a car equipped with a safety cage is prohibited to operate in the city. Despite the fact that the structure is installed for protection purposes, the product, on impact, can, on the contrary, aggravate the situation, for example, collapse due to improper installation. In addition, the cost of the frame is not a cheap pleasure. The price depends on the complexity of the product and can reach 10 thousand dollars.
retro tuning
For motorists, it is more common to tune relatively new cars. The main goals pursued in this case are to give individuality so that the car does not look like serial copies. As a result, the vehicle has an increased level of quality, comfort and safety. However, there is a slightly different direction in car tuning, called retro tuning.
During restoration work, a car that was discontinued a long time ago is being tried to return to its original appearance. If we consider the VAZ 2103, which was discontinued back in 1984, then in those days the car was familiar to everyone and did not stand out in any way. However, today such a car can look quite interesting and be perceived as exclusive, attracting the attention of people.
To perform retro tuning, you need to restore the car. The work is aimed at restoring the body and bringing it to almost perfect condition. A lot of efforts are made to restore the interior: they carry out tailoring of the interior, make, if it is impossible to restore, decorative elements. If you delve into the process, then this is a rather painstaking and costly, financially, work.
However, a complete restoration of the car is not always needed, because it all depends on the goals pursued. There are situations when the appearance of the car is left unchanged, and technically the car is completely re-equipped, replacing the suspension, engine, gearbox, etc., which allows you to move quite confidently in the modern stream.
Tuning of the VAZ 2103 suspension
Almost everyone who decides to improve not only the appearance of their “troika”, but also its handling, finalizes the suspension. In addition, today a wide selection of appropriate elements is offered, the installation of which does not cause any particular difficulties. The suspension is being finalized based on the goals pursued. You can, for example, increase or, conversely, reduce the clearance. As a result of a decrease in ground clearance, the appearance changes, the behavior of the car on the road improves. If the clearance needs to be increased, one of the available options is to install suspension parts from the VAZ 2104 model. The installation of such springs also involves the replacement of shock absorbers.
On the VAZ 2103 and other "classics", the eternal problem is ball bearings, the service life of which is not encouraging, so they are replaced with reinforced ones, for example, from Track Sport. In addition, the "triple" suspension is distinguished by its softness. To add rigidity, a double anti-roll bar should be installed in front, which will significantly improve the car's handling at speed. The stabilizer is also installed at the rear. Chassis work must be carried out carefully so that the vehicle's handling is not affected. Rubber elements, such as rear axle rod bushings, silent blocks, are replaced with polyurethane ones.
It is important to understand that suspension tuning should be carried out comprehensively, since replacing one part, for example, only shock absorbers or springs, will not give the desired result. Yes, you can install reinforced ball joints, they will walk longer, but it will be difficult to call such actions tuning. Modifications to the suspension will increase the level of comfort and safety.
Tuning salon VAZ 2103
Tuning VAZ 2103 is impossible to imagine without interior changes. The factory interior of the "troika" is too boring, simple and uncomfortable. To improve the interior, they resort to installing sports seats, and the classic steering wheel is installed from a sports model. In addition, the interior is upholstered with modern and practical materials: leather, velor, alcantara. Changes are also made to the dashboard by installing additional instruments and sensors.
Changing the front panel
The front panel of the VAZ 2103 cabin leaves much to be desired: the instruments are hard to read, the backlight is weak, the shield rattles. Therefore, motorists who decide to transform the interior of their car usually start with the instrument panel. In order to organize a good backlight, you will need to dismantle the panel and remove the devices. Then you need to remove the standard light bulbs, which are the backlight. Mostly they are replaced with LEDs, which look much more attractive. There are no problems in their installation, even if you have not encountered such details before. After the introduction of new lighting elements, the instrument panel is installed in place.
If we consider the modernization of the front panel in general, then with a careful approach, the process boils down to the following steps:
- trim torpedo with high quality materials;
- installation of sports-style instruments for measuring various parameters (tachometer, temperature, voltmeter) or replacing scales with new ones;
- improvement of standard illumination;
- replacing the panel with a more modern and attractive one;
- painting the dashboard with liquid rubber;
- installation of decorative inserts made of polymers;
- panel upholstery with artificial leather or vinyl wrapping.
Video: how to drag the front panel on the example of the VAZ 2106
Upholstery change
The next step in modifying the interior of the VAZ 2103 is to replace the seat trim, ceiling, door cards and other parts. This process is quite laborious, since a competent selection of materials by color is required. However, the end result will fully meet your needs.
seats
Concepts such as comfort and convenience practically do not apply to the seats of the Zhiguli of the third model. Therefore, taking on the tuning of the cabin, the chairs are not left without attention. This part can be dragged or installed from another car. As a rule, when replacing seats from foreign cars are chosen. You need to understand that depending on the option chosen, the difference in finances will be quite significant. Installing new chairs will cost much more than restoring old ones. A complete replacement of the seat is needed if they have become unusable, that is, there is not only severe wear, but also damage to the internal elements.
The work of changing the upholstery of the seats, although less expensive, will require a lot of effort. First you need to take measurements, according to which a new finish will be made. High-quality restoration involves not only the replacement of the finishing material, but also the repair or replacement of chair parts, such as springs. Having disassembled the seats, they remove the old foam rubber and replace it with a new one, after which they stretch the fabricated skin. The material for the seats can be used completely different:
- leather;
- suede;
- alcantara;
- velours
- flock.
The color scheme, as well as the choice of material, depends only on the preferences of the owner and his capabilities. You can do the upholstery with your own hands or contact the studio, but in the latter case, the cost of the updated seats will be more expensive.
Door cards
Since the door cards on the VAZ 2103 wear out over time, sooner or later you have to think about replacing the trim elements. For these purposes, the following materials can be used:
- auto fabric;
- leather;
- leatherette;
- vinyl;
- alcantara.
The most common are leather and dermatin. For the manufacture and finishing of door cards, plywood, new plastic caps, foam rubber, sheathing material and glue will also be required. All work is reduced to the following actions:
- Remove old cards from doors.Having dismantled the old door cards, they mark up the new elements
- According to the old details, the dimensions are transferred to a sheet of plywood using a pencil.
- Using a jigsaw, cut out blanks and process the edges with sandpaper.A door card blank is cut out of plywood using a jigsaw
- Making and sewing finishing elements.Door upholstery is sewn from leatherette or a combination of materials
- Foam rubber is glued and the sheathing material is fixed.After gluing the foam under the upholstery, fix the finishing material with a stapler on the reverse side
Since the new door cards will be thicker, it will not be possible to fix them in the traditional way. In this case, you will need to use bushings with internal threads. To fix these elements on the door cards, holes are drilled in the future attachment points during the manufacturing process, after which bushings are inserted. This method of mounting the door trim allows you to get rid of extraneous noise that is present while the car is moving.
Ceiling
There can be several reasons when you have to change the ceiling lining on the VAZ 2103:
- the desire to change the interior to your liking;
- replacement of worn-out coating;
- pollution that cannot be removed;
- loss of form.
To finish the ceiling, materials are used that will be combined with interior elements and, in general, with the interior. The choice of upholstery depends on the financial capabilities of the owner, since both inexpensive Carpet and expensive automotive leather can be used. In addition to sheathing, ceiling tuning may involve the installation of additional lighting, LCD monitors for rear row passengers. In fact, there can be much more refinement options: LED backlight, temperature sensors, etc.
VAZ 2103 engine tuning
The native VAZ 2103 engine is far from perfect, since it was developed more than a dozen years ago. Power indicators in 71 liters. With. and a torque of 104 Nm are not able to satisfy everyone. In the process of tuning, the owners pay attention to the motor, changing its technical characteristics in order to increase dynamic performance. There are results when the engine in question was boosted to 110–120 hp. With. Higher rates are critical, as the reliability of the motor is significantly reduced.
Forcing the engine VAZ 2103
There are many options for refining a “triple” engine, from boring a block to installing a compressor with turbines. To begin with, let's consider the simplest and most affordable option for forcing the Zhiguli power unit - boring cylinders by 3 mm for a 79 mm piston. As a result of such improvements, we get a 1,6-liter engine. Boring for a 82 mm piston is not recommended due to the thin walls of the cylinders.
To increase the volume of the regular VAZ 2103 engine, you need to work on the piston stroke, increasing it to 84 mm. This method of increasing the volume of the engine allows you to reduce the maximum operating speed. To increase the piston stroke, a VAZ 2130 crankshaft, 134 mm connecting rods, TRT pistons are installed. The disadvantages of these pistons include lower strength compared to standard elements, which can lead to their burnout.
Video: forcing a VAZ engine
Finalization of the cylinder head
The VAZ 2103 engine uses a "penny" head (VAZ 2101). The main disadvantage of such a cylinder head is that it was developed to equip small engines. This suggests that the passage sections of the channels do not fit the increased volume as a result of forcing the engine. In this case, boring and polishing of the channels is necessary. These procedures will reduce the resistance of the fuel-air mixture at the intake, which will be reflected in a power increase of 10% over the entire range.
Camshaft revision
In connection with the described alterations of the VAZ 2103 power unit, it will also be necessary to work with the camshaft. It is important to understand what you want to achieve at the output: traction on the bottom (low rpm) or lift on the top. In order to get good traction at low speeds, you can install a camshaft, for example, from VAZ 21213. If you need to get a motor with a riding configuration, then choose the Master Motor 48 shaft or a part with similar characteristics. If there is a desire to install a wider-phase shaft, additional work will be required. It should be borne in mind that a wide-phase camshaft will have poor traction at low speeds and unstable idling. However, as a result, it will be possible to obtain high power at high speeds.
Compressor installation
A relatively inexpensive option to add power to the “troika” is to install a compressor with a pressure of 0,5–0,7 bar. Buying such a product today is not a problem. If you install a compressor on a motor with a modified cylinder head, then as a result you can get 125 hp. With. The only thing that can become an obstacle in the way of such tuning is the cost of all work.
Turbocharged "classic"
Installing a turbine on a Zhiguli is the most expensive way to refine the VAZ 2103 engine. First of all, you will need to convert the engine to an injector. This is followed by the purchase of a turbo kit for the "classics", the prices for which start at 1,5 thousand dollars. As a rule, most of these units are made using the Garrett GT 17 turbine. The installation is carried out without modifications to the piston group, but the pressure is only about 0,5 bar. This suggests that the introduction of a compressor would be a more rational solution. If the financial side of the issue is not decisive, then the engine is subjected to a more serious modernization: they change the piston, install a shaft with phases of 270–280˚, get 1,2 bar from the turbine, and squeeze 140 hp from the engine. With.
Tuning exhaust system VAZ 2103
Any vehicle exhaust system creates additional resistance for a running engine, which affects the loss of power. To get rid of this unpleasant moment, the exhaust system is tuned. Work starts from the exhaust manifold and ends with a muffler. As a result, it is possible to achieve not only improved traction, but also a pleasant exhaust sound.
An exhaust manifold
Work on tuning the exhaust system begins with the exhaust manifold, replacing the standard unit with the so-called spider. Such a product differs both in size and in the location of the receiving pipes. However, the standard collector can be modified with your own hands and get a decent result. The goal pursued is to process the inner surface of the collector. To do this, you need a round file, with which all the protruding parts are grinded. Due to the fact that the exhaust manifold is made of cast iron, the work will not be easy.
When rough processing is completed, polishing of the outlet channels is performed. The procedure is performed with an electric drill and a metal cable. The flexible element is clamped in the drill chuck and abrasive paste is applied. Turning on the power tool, the channels are polished with translational movements. To carry out fine polishing, the cable is wrapped with rags and covered with GOI paste, after which processing is carried out.
Downpipe
The downpipe is fastened, on the one hand, to the exhaust manifold, and on the other hand, to the resonator. They resort to replacing the pipe in the event of its failure, for example, when it burns out, which is extremely rare, or when installing a forward flow. The pipe in this case is used with an increased diameter compared to the standard one, the resonator is installed with low resistance. Such modifications ensure the exit of exhaust gases without any obstruction. The pipe is fastened to the resonator by means of corrugated joints, which softens the blows at the moment of a sharp increase in power.
Forward flow
Another option for finalizing the exhaust system of the VAZ 2103 is the installation of a forward flow. In this case, the exhaust pipe of the straight-through muffler does not have internal baffles that reduce exhaust noise. Noise absorption is carried out only by the outer layer of the pipe, which is made using special materials, such as basalt wool. When installing forward flow, it is possible to increase power by 10–15% and get a “growling” exhaust sound.
For a high-quality installation of a straight-through muffler on a “troika”, you will need the help of a qualified welder. The work is simplified if you have your own welding machine and experience with it. It must be taken into account that the tuning of the Zhiguli exhaust system, as well as the refinement of the power unit, interior, appearance, will require considerable financial costs.
Video: direct-flow muffler on the VAZ 2103
Thanks to tuning, it becomes possible to change your car beyond recognition, to make a vehicle not only attractive, comfortable, but also a unique copy. Changes can be made to any part and system of the car, since the choice of materials and components for tuning today is simply huge.
