Tuning Lada Kalina station wagon: what can be done with this car?

Togliatti engineers did a good job transforming the ordinary Kalina into a sports one. But, as in previous versions, they left a large number of minor and major flaws, which together give a negative assessment to the entire car. The car owner will have to solve all these shortcomings independently.

Transformation of the body of a dull budget car

Almost all budget cars have inexpressive body features. This is because creating sharp lines significantly increases the cost of production. You can solve the problem with a dull appearance by installing a body kit. A high-quality, correctly selected body kit allows you to:

Visually make the body larger.
Increase the prestige of the model.

Today there are quite a large number of different body kits on sale that can make a car almost unrecognizable. At the same time, we note the features of purchasing ready-made sets:

Their cost is relatively low. Due to the use of cheap plastic, manufacturers significantly reduce the cost of the body kit. In addition, in many cases you will have to carry out the paintwork yourself, choosing the paint to match the body color. Therefore, many people decide to purchase ready-made kits rather than create them themselves.
Correct geometry, precise dimensions, reliable fastenings are signs of a high-quality body kit. It is quite difficult to independently produce a high-quality body kit, since even the smallest mistakes cause defects.
Design development is carried out by professionals - another reason why ready-made sets are popular. A properly designed body kit will make the car truly attractive.
Installation is simplified due to the correct placement of fasteners. As practice shows, installing a purchased set of body kits takes a relatively small amount of time. Of course, in some cases it is necessary to make improvements, but they are not significant.

You can make the exterior more attractive by installing various little things, for example, chrome handles. You can protect the body by installing plastic covers on the wheel arches.

Sidebar: Important: For many years, tuning has been very popular, which involves installing stylish large-diameter rims. There are a variety of options available for sale: painted, chrome-plated or simply steel.

Salon

The updated interior of the Kalina has fewer shortcomings than in previous versions, but there is still something to work on.

The missing armrest greatly hinders the ability to travel long distances. You can solve the problem by installing an armrest that can fit into the space between the chairs.
You can remove the sound of a clattering rear shelf by gluing foam rubber in the places where the shelf adheres to the car body.
By installing a trim on the rear bumper in the trunk area, you can reduce the number of scratches on its surface.
If your configuration does not include rear power windows, you can install them yourself.
The lack of sound insulation can be compensated for by installing additional or replacing the existing sound insulation with a better one.

Head optics: how to improve them?

In many ways, the exterior style is determined by the installed head optics and rear lights. The design options available at the factory cannot be called attractive, since they are still manufactured using old technologies and are of low quality.

The features of such tuning include the following points:

You can upgrade the existing structure or purchase a new one. Some tuning salons provide the opportunity to buy new optics and lights that are ideal for the car.
There are quite a large number of ways to modernize an already installed structure. An example is recommendations related to replacing a standard light source with a diode one.

Why are diode light sources so popular today? There are quite a few reasons:

Low cost. Diode light sources are among the cheapest, which allows you to save on tuning and further maintenance.
Attractive view. Diode strips have long been used in tuning many cars.
Low power consumption. Due to this, the load on the installed generator is reduced and the amount of fuel consumed is reduced, and when the engine is off, the battery is less discharged.
High reliability. The service life of high-quality diodes is quite long, since they are not negatively affected by high humidity and other influences.
Compact sizes. Due to this, a larger number of light sources are placed in a small area.
Long service life.

If you pay attention to new cars from almost all manufacturers, head optics and rear lights are made using diode technology. In addition, the following types of tuning of optics and flashlights are carried out:

Protective glass is tinted.
The surface of the protective glass is polished.
Install various eyelashes and extensions.

When performing tuning, you should remember that headlights and taillights perform an important function and are not a decorative part of the body. That is why all changes must be thoughtful.

Cover trims

If sticking special decorative trims on the dashboard does not seem enough, you can dismantle the plastic door trim yourself and improve it. For example, tuning the interior of a Lada Kalina, which imitates natural materials, always looks impressive and attractive. After removing the trim of the standard parts, cover its elements with durable vinyl or carbolic film. After the material is glued, all parts are assembled strictly in the reverse order. Most often, car enthusiasts use film with a pattern similar to the texture of wood. Let us remind you that special pads can be mounted on parts of the speaker system housing.

To do the work yourself, you will need a stationery knife, scissors and the material itself. Experts advise sticking the film directly onto the plastic.

Pre-mark the places where the holes for the buttons will be located. To do this, use a paper stencil. For convenience, remove the plastic panel. After you cut out the pattern, clean the plastic parts and degrease their surface. Only after this can the film be applied.

Installation of roof rails or special boxing

Despite the fairly large interior space of the car in question, tuning quite often involves the installation of roof rails or a special box. The features of such minor tuning include the following points:

Rails are installed for transporting skis or other large cargo. Examples include bicycles, surfboards and much more. The cost of such an element is relatively low, but it significantly increases the attractiveness of the car and its practicality in use. When installing roof rails, it is worth remembering that they will be subject to quite a large load during operation. Therefore, you should ensure the reliability of the fastening.
Luggage boxes today are often found on cars of foreign origin. This accessory is suitable for long trips, as it allows you to place a fairly large number of different things. It is worth considering that the luggage box is only an accessory that is used as needed. With its everyday use, fuel consumption increases significantly, as the resistance during movement increases. In addition, the luggage box makes the car look more massive.

The cost of roof rails and luggage box is relatively low, which allows you to expand the capabilities of the car at the lowest cost.

LED Strip Light

In addition, an excellent addition to all of the above tuning options to complete the interior improvement picture is to install new lighting around the entire perimeter of the cabin. To do this, you will need to lay a diode strip of the desired color (or different shades) and connect it to a standard battery, that is, the on-board network. Additional lighting due to the LED strip will give the interior an attractive appearance and highlight all the changes made.

The following tuning of the Lada-Kalina interior is carried out with your own hands:

Installing a diode strip around the perimeter of the car allows you to provide additional lighting for literally the entire interior. The brightness and shade of the backlight directly depend on the LEDs you have selected. This lighting option allows you to increase illumination by an average of two or even more times. If necessary, you can install separate ribbon inserts into the roof of the cabin, and it is quite possible to create the effect of a “starry sky”.
Attaching an LED strip to the elements of the front dashboard, in its lower part, allows you to additionally illuminate the areas at the feet of the driver and passengers. This tuning will increase the comfort of being in the car.
Also, in some situations, the LED strip is mounted on the car body. Most often, such lighting is used as auxiliary or even main running lights. However, such tapes are often exposed to external mechanical influences from the environment, which is why they can quickly fail.

If you want to become the happy owner of an original and stylish car and proudly drive on the roads, tuning will help you with this. Such improvements will help improve not only the appearance of the machine, but also increase its efficiency. You are guaranteed the envious glances of all surrounding car owners!

Paintwork – finishing line

Why cars of domestic origin do not look as attractive as their foreign counterparts. In part, it all lies in the low-quality paintwork and the choice of dull colors. You can make your station wagon more attractive by performing paintwork. Of course, this stage is the final one.

The features of painting and varnish work include the following points:

All remnants of the old coating should be removed.
To carry out high-quality work, special equipment is required, as well as a clean box that does not contain dust and debris. It is worth remembering that if debris gets on the surface during the painting process, then such a paint coating will not last long.
It is also important to properly prepare the surface for the work in question.

It is quite difficult to carry out high-quality paintwork yourself, but it is possible if you have the required equipment. As practice shows, after such an improvement the car looks much more attractive.

Content

Cars of domestic origin are more often subject to tuning than others. This is due, first of all, to their low cost, as well as a large number of factory defects. Many people buy a Lada because of its affordability, and only then realize that the car has more disadvantages than its advantages. Tuning the Lada Kalina station wagon can be done independently and significantly improve some technical characteristics, as well as make the car more attractive. Let's look at all the features of improving this model in more detail.

Experts' opinion

Vitaly. I bought this car to drive to the country. Even such a short trip turned out to be a real test. The whole point is the almost complete absence of insulation. Friends advised me to isolate myself if I have time. It was summer, I decided to spend a couple of days at the dacha in the garage. I was pleased with the result. Of course, not ideal, but better than it was.

Dmitriy. I bought a Lada Kalina, a friend was selling it, or rather, he gave it away almost for nothing. After several months of use, he said that he definitely wanted a foreign car. I decided to invest a little and make a car suitable for use out of Kalina. As a result, a few thousand costs, a couple of months, and I have a comfortable, spacious station wagon.

Alexei. The first car I bought for myself. Money is tight, but I've been involved in cars since childhood with my father. What I want to say is that you can’t do everything at once, but you need to plan the sequence. For example, if the interior is being modified, then the interior is insulated first, and only then other aspects.

Glory. I don’t know how we feel about tuning, but we received Kalina in a deplorable state. I had to almost completely rebuild it, replace everything, install some that weren’t original, and only then did I start driving. There is no talk about comfort, but for my work, the main thing is reliability and maintainability.

KALINA CROSS TUNING: Tuning, spare parts, car audio and car electronics for VAZ (Lada) cars

The new Lada Kalina 2 turned out to be more improved both inside and outside.
Tuning Lada Kalina 2 is a completely new, more improved look at the appearance of the car, which can become much more dynamic and fast. If you look into the interior of Kalina 2, you can find a lot of interesting things there: the seats, steering wheel, and dashboard have been modernized by the designers. In this regard, tuning the front bumper, rear bumper, sills, and installing a spoiler will allow you to adequately transform Kalina 2 and create real competition for its brothers. Bright and at the same time stylish tuning can transform a car beyond recognition and set it apart from the stream of monotonous cars. Such tuning will leave few people indifferent.

The second generation of Kalina is available in hatchback and station wagon body styles, but it is possible that the station wagon will migrate to Granta. It is worth noting that most of the technical solutions of the second generation Kalina migrated from the Granta, so the exterior and interior of these two cars are very similar.

Kalina 2 has great potential for improvements. Tuning is the modification of a car in order to improve its consumer qualities. The gear knob on the Lada Vesta has a different shape and design compared to the Lada Priora, Kalina or Grant models. In 2004, the management of AvtoVAZ announced the transition to the Latin alphabet for the official spelling of the names of all cars produced by the plant: Lada - instead of "VAZ" and "Lada".

Do-it-yourself modifications and tuning of Lada Kalina 2

Naturally, AvtoVAZ OJSC has intensified its work in this direction. In general, Kalina Cross tuning represents the process of modifying a car to improve its performance characteristics. The easiest way to tune the appearance of the Lada Kalina Cross is to use accessories that are sold in large quantities in car stores.

Important! On the Lada Kalina Cross, experts recommend installing only wheels whose size does not exceed 15 inches. At the same time, the sports steering wheel fits optimally into the overall style of the Lada Kalina Cross car. However, tuning requires a lot of time and financial investment. In this regard, it is optimal to optimize the operation of the power plant using chip tuning.

Modern suspension settings improve the stability and handling of the Lada Kalina Cross - during testing, the car received a high expert rating. In addition, Lada Kalina Cross offers a driver's airbag, an additional brake light, and ISOFIX fastenings.

It is the all-wheel drive modification of Kalina Cross that could become a long-awaited gift for domestic consumers. KKK on KK (Crimea-Caucasus-Caspian on Kalina Cross) It was September 10, and we, in fact, decided to rush to Kabardino-Balkaria for about 5 days, and then we’ll see.

Buy spare parts for VAZ on Drivebox.ru – it’s profitable, convenient and fast! The manufacturer installed chrome on the 2nd generation Kalina to highlight individual elements, for example, fog lights and the radiator grille. But on the sports version of the Lada Kalina NFR there is no chrome anymore, which makes the car’s appearance more “predatory”.

A car for the prime minister. History and tuning of the VAZ 1119

This kind of tuning of the dashboard lighting can be easily done with your own hands; the main requirement is to confidently hold a soldering iron in your hands.. In the Kalina 2 trim levels there is an option called “Electric tailgate lock with control from the passenger compartment.”

The Kalina 2 Standard does not have this function, but you can install it yourself. With the advent of the Lada Granta liftback, a new detail immediately catches your eye - these are stylish side mirrors with direction indicators. In addition, the mirrors have an interesting shape, are heated and manually folded, which is what the new 2nd generation Kalina so lacks..

Such tuning will always attract the glances of curious passersby. The manufacturer does not install a bumper amplifier on the Lada Kalina 2, but if you wish, you can install it yourself. However, if you know how to hold a soldering iron in your hands, tuning the instrument cluster is not a problem. The sound insulation of the Lada Kalina 2 is far from the owners' expectations, which is why after purchasing a new AvtoVAZ product, many begin to modify it.

Depending on the vehicle’s configuration, the manufacturer installs, in addition to the standard standard, additional sound insulation on the Kalina 2. However, it is not capable of bringing the VAZ closer to a foreign car.

To protect the carpet in the interior of Lada Granta, Kalina and Priora cars, the plant installs plastic door sill covers. When making a decision on technical tuning of Lada Kalina Cross components, you need to weigh everything carefully. Chip tuning of the power unit is one of the ways to optimize the operation of the Lada Kalina Cross engine. And if you pay attention to improving (tuning) the interior, engine and exterior, the new Kalina will be more comfortable, stylish and powerful.

conclusions

Despite the fact that VAZ has recently invested quite a large amount of money in the development of new technologies and the creation of new models that are competitive with foreign analogues, today cars produced under the Lada brand are often subject to tuning. This is due to a lot of factory defects and many other problems that arise directly during the operation of the car. If desired, the Lada Kalina can be changed almost beyond recognition, but this may require quite a lot of time and effort. Does it make sense to invest a large amount of money in such a station wagon? A very difficult question. In some cases, investments and the cost of the car itself would make it possible to purchase a foreign car.

Engine

The standard power plant installed on the Lada Kalina Sport has 118 hp. s., which is quite difficult to call a sports engine. To increase power and torque, a number of modifications need to be made. These can be either minor changes or a global revision of the entire engine. The final result of the work depends on the degree of technical changes.

Refinement of the cylinder head is to improve the free passage of the combustible mixture through its channels:
replacing factory valves with lighter ones and modified ones by reducing the diameter of the valve stem, which helps improve cylinder filling;
replacing valve discs with duralumin ones.
Installing adjustable pulleys on the camshafts will allow you to more accurately adjust the operation of the gas distribution system.
Replacing standard nozzles with nozzles with higher performance.
Replacing the plastic intake manifold with a welded or cast receiver with a reduced intake tract will help improve engine performance at high speeds.
Replacing the standard air filter with a zero-resistance filter element.
Instead of the factory exhaust manifold spider, you need to install a modified one (4:2:1); if possible, you can replace the resonator with a direct-flow one.
Lightening and balancing the flywheel will give the car better dynamics during acceleration.
After all the changes made, it is necessary to update the software and perform chip tuning of the electronic engine control unit.

Design solutions.

The appearance of the Kalina corresponded to fashionable trends at that time; biodesign was very popular in the 90s, thanks to which the front of the car turned out to be “cute and smiling.” Thanks to its smooth lines and rounded shapes, the car looked quite modern and harmonious, as evidenced by the fact that it was in demand not only in Russia, but in countries such as Germany, for example.

In addition to the exterior, the designers abandoned previous interior developments, which did not at all match the appearance of the car. This is how the updated interior appeared, which was designed using the latest equipment in mathematical models. The spaciousness and ease of seating of the Kalina were many times higher than the level of previous models.

They didn’t skimp on Kalina’s interior design at all, as a result of which the interior turned out to be not only modern, but also very ergonomic.

Let's move on to specific examples. One of them is the seatback tilt adjustment mechanism. These mechanisms are manufactured by the German company Keiper, which specializes in the development of these units. This is not the only example of the participation of foreign companies in the development of the Kalina’s interior; the seats were also designed with the help of other foreign companies.

In the late 90s, the Kalina filling differed in many ways from its relatives:

instrument panel lighting with LEDs;
electric reverse gear lock;
factory air conditioner, which could regulate the temperature itself;
light switch;
new generation headlights;
recirculation of the heating system and ventilation system.

The design of the platform is what really did not give the designers freedom of action. The steering rack is located quite high and is attached to the engine shield. Because of this, it is problematic to balance the driving performance of the car. By experimenting with the suspension, Kalina managed to give it precision when cornering, unlike the VAZ-2110.

At first, the Kalina was equipped with an eight-valve 1.6-liter engine.

However, everything can't be perfect!

The first cars became famous for the fact that up to 50% of their power steering units were faulty, they simply failed! This significant flaw caused a lot of noise among the people, because there were cases when cars turned completely in the wrong direction.

Later, of course, this defect was corrected by the Kalina designers. The front of the production car was slightly modified, but the light and smooth steering wheel was appreciated (mostly by women). Electric power steering instead of hydraulics is the right solution for Kalina.

Thus, through experiments with the internal and external appearance of the Kalina, by 2001 it had acquired its final form. The changed appearance of the Kalina was very reminiscent of the Opel Corsa, and the sedan was similar to the Chevrolet Corsa.

Ultimately, the designers came up with a car tailored for the B-class. It could be compared to the Fiat Palio and Renault Symbol. However, Kalina turned out to be more affordable in its price category and more compact.

So, VAZ managed to create a new generation car, which was different from its predecessors in almost every way, even though the platform was not the first freshness. In Kalina-2, which is successfully used today, a fairly large number of technical solutions remain from the old version of Kalina.

Technical features of the system

The unified layout and closed design of the engine cooling system (SOD) of the Kalina are also characteristic of other VAZ models. The system is designed to remove thermal energy from heated engine elements using antifreeze or other coolant.

The SOD consists of the following functional parts.

Cooling radiator. Reduces coolant temperature due to the flow of cold air masses.
Fan. Used for rapid cooling of antifreeze in the Kalina cooling system.
Expansion tank. Designed to compensate for the volume of coolant (coolant). The need for this unit is related to the expansion/constriction property of the coolant.
A pump or centrifugal pump, which is responsible for the forced circulation of antifreeze through the appropriate channels.
A thermostat whose task is to regulate the volume of antifreeze in the Kalina cooling system.
Temperature sensor involved in SOD control.

The operation of the cooling system is based on the close interconnection of various parts, elements and sensors, including devices that are designed to measure oil temperature. The passage of coolant in a large or small circle depends on the engine temperature. In the first case, antifreeze passes through all components of the SOD, except the radiator. With such circulation, the thermostat is closed. As the engine temperature rises, this element gradually opens. The antifreeze, having passed a large circle, enters the radiator. The latter device is cooled by oncoming air masses. If this is not enough, a signal is sent to the ventilated unit, which begins to forcibly direct air masses to the cells.

The cooled liquid enters a small circle. Next, taking into account the engine temperature, the antifreeze automatically circulates in a small or large circle. At the same time, the optimal operating temperature is maintained, which should be in the range of 95-105°C. This factor has a direct impact on the performance of the Kalina stove. In this case, it will not be able to supply warm air masses into the cabin.

If there are any doubts about the operation of the ODS, you need to diagnose the car, finding out the causes of the malfunction. You can fix the breakdown either with your own hands or with the help of a car mechanic.