Guest Blog>>the Low Club Ukraine

Greetings, fellow Speedhunters! We are Low Club Ukraine, a fairly new-born community dedicated to appreciation of low ride height and styling above all characteristics of an automobile. Now you might have never heard of a country named Ukraine, but we the eastern Europeans have been lurking Speedhunters.com for a long time. We get inspiration from restored aircooled VWs, as well as chopped and slammed US customs; we also love those rust-boasting rat rods, and even rat look euro rides. However, such machinery is far less widespread on the former Soviet Union's territory, so we have been trying to adapt these styles to our homeland-bred cars.

The ride of the community's founder, a Lada 2101, nicknamed Snowflake for obvious reasons. The car was restored to its stock appearance, the way it came from the factory back in 1972, with an exception of whitewalls. Apart from refreshing the paint and collecting all the chrome bits and goodies, the owner did a mild drop and a complete interior retrim. Proves that you don't need much to get a decent-looking retro machine, even if it's a Lada.

Another Lada 2101 in the family, being a younger one from '84.

Different bumpers and miscellaneous details, yet same approach to style – fully restored and mildly lowered on a set of stock steelies with chrome caps and whitewalls.

One of the latest and cleanest builds in the club, another fully restored Lada, this time a '76 2103.

The car has come a long way, from a junkyard-bound crash victim to fartcan street-racer wannabe, and finally to this speedbump-scraping resto queen.

Yes, that's the clearance from oil pan guard, in centimeters. Considering the quality of roads that we have in here, that's drastically low. Note that all the cars above and below are still work in progress, which means they're getting lower and collecting more period-correct accessories.

A more loose approach to restoration, this '74 2103 was painted in custom shade of gunmetal and fitted with 14 inch steelies on whitewall tires. Lowering to half the height of stock springs was not a matter of discussion, despite the never-ending queue of questions like "Why so low? You can't ride that on our roads!", "Are you carrying bricks in the trunk?", and "Must be the springs subsided, huh?" (Yep, we still get these.)

The owner is currently in search for style, applying whatever comes to his mind straight onto the car. Yellow tinted headlights? Random stickers? Rusted trunk with a rising sun decal? (Yeah, that one is a little over the top) Who said you can't do it on a Lada?

To dissolve the Lada pollution, here's a car that you might have never ever heard of, a '73 Moskvitch 412. Equipped with bow spring rear suspension, this one's not easy to drop, but we know the owner will go great lengths to scratch them nasty road bumps.

The common recipe—restoration, mild drop and whitebands—works well on this piece of Soviet machinery.

And finally, the most radically different (but not the lowest) ride of the community, this rusted-hood FWD pickup manufactured in Ukraine.

Fitted with a ghetto DIY front lip, mismatched turn indicators and whitewalls, it is really an eye-catcher since these cars are generally used as commercial vehicles.
So, that's a short insight of what's going on in the far corner of the automotive world, where 30+ y.o. cars are still daily drivers for most people, and the widespread car styling trends are yet to be discovered. Hope you liked the journey, and let this be a way to somewhat break the Iron Curtain, again.
P.S. Cheers to Only Dropped and RLC, our fellow low car worshipper clubs from the Russian Federation. And to all Russian-speaking Speedhunters—see you at the Low Club!

- Low Club Ukraine

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1

This post is a good proof that classic shapes don't need radical changes to make them look fresh and clean. Nice job guys, regards from Poland. :-)

2

Wow Im russian and to see that there actually is a community to customize domestic cars is crazy

3

Hella Cool!

Its interesting to see what is done with old east block cars ... very nice!

4

Beautiful machines. Really loving the first 3 - the '72, '84, and red '76. Would like the pickup more with wider wheels, smaller tires, and maybe another inch or so of drop.

5

The ladas are sick, it would be great to get one of those over here in the states. How much do you pay for one that is in good condition?

6

very interesting. really nice pictures of the first little cream lada. good stuff.. :)

7

Speedhunters is sooo great!

8

This is so cool. Makes me want to watch the Top Gear Soviet special.

9

Hey guys!!! I love the red Lada...Im from Czech Republic so these cars were everywhere in my country...Keep it up!

10

those ladas have barely changed over time, hahaha



not hating though... good article feature

11

Not really my type of car and modification but hey, it looks great! Thank you for sharing.



oh btw...for all my life, I've always heard of Ukraine. I'm an aviation enthusiast too, and you guys build insanely big planes. Does the Antonov An-225 ring a bell?

12

Wow, most of these cars are so boxy-cool! Love the sun on the rusted hood, awesomes! Never liked Ladas, but hey, they don't look too bad!

13

I would LOVE to have one of those Kopeyka's or that Moskvitch here in Canada. So cool! I know they must be pretty common for you, but man are you lucky! Let's see more ex-Soviet stuff here!

14

stylish in a distinctly soviet-ish way



imagine those cars paired with some American Power



LSx Lada anyone?

15

Those are some badass Ladas! Love the hot rod inspired white-wall tires. Great job, guys.

16

That's the point make your own.no matter what you have a hand nice cars(imo you should try to get porshe fuchs wheels i believe will look sick in lada)

17

One of my friends brought one Lada her in Cali. And its worth about 6-7k =)

18

The car from the 3rd picture was the first car I ever drove - my granddad had exactly the same one... good memories... 1.3 4speed manual..

those later models look so datsun 510ish to me (my dad had one of those for a long time), this is why I love 510 so much.

Never thought I would read an article about these cars here - on speedhunters!!!

Great article and nice cars guys!

19

ladas? WOW very cool. You'd beter found smth from chayka - our drifters

21

Jon Anderson: I was thinking the same thing as I was reading this lol; I should watch Top Gear with the soviet cars.

22

???, ??????? ?????????? ????? ??? ????? ??????? :-)

... ? ?????? ??????? ????? :-), ? ??? ????? ?????? :-)

23

+1. I started driving with exactly the same car as shown on pictures (red one)

Nice one Speedhunters !

24

Lada's!! Now then i never would have thought that these cars would look so??? 'Good!!' They have a kind of "poor-man-olde-worlde-cheap&cheerful" vibe about them. The Taxi with the rising sun on the boot looks alright. I always remember the owner of my local garage had one and the steering wheel was a big as one on a double decker bus! - he loved it though.

25

Ya shasliv bliat'!

26

Hell Yeah!

our most lovely cars at speedhunters!

greatings for Low Club Ukraine)

27

OMG, Ladas on speedhubnters, Nice.... and 3cm from the ground, thats sick, in a good way. Real, inspiration for my ride. I drive a lada too. :)

28

That's cool.

Thank you, Speed Hunters

29

EBU4ii SLU4Ai OXyET`!!!!!!

30

??????? ???????!

??? ????

31

The first one isn't 2101, it's 21011 or 21013. There is a difference.. The 2101 didn't have the 4 vents under the front bumper.

32

oxuenno!!!!

33

It's a unique beauty

34

??????))))????? ????? ?????))))??? ??????? ???????

35

Dinaars it's 21011 front body pannel, but car is 2101.

36

Lowclab Ukraine - best regards from Samara. Kerserk and Gt-gangsta))

37

??????? ????? ????????!

the red kopeyka is f**in awesome!

38

oh,my Moskvich!)

39

? ????? ????.

Im very proud. Exepting our new president.

40

???, ??? ?????? ??? ????????? ????? ?????? ?????! ??? ????? ?????)

41

??????? ????)) ?????? from Russia))

So intresting russian retro cars with low clearance.

42

Never thought I would like a Lada, but that red '76 is gorgeous. Great work guys

43

@Ray: finding a really good one is hard cuz they rust heavily and lot of them end as a "cheap tuned piece of sh*t". but the engine is reliable, the gearbox is good, the ride is comfortable for a 30 y o car and it's easy to service. an average one can be found from 500$ in ex-soviet countries and every part for a song.



that aleko at the bottom is badass. i thought i would rather cut off my legs than buy one but it looks good :)

44

??????, ????? ???)

??????????? ???????)

45

Deep dish rims will make it so much better !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gde to bil avtomobil sdelaniy pomoemu v harkove ili v kieve, doveden do idealnogo stoka , bilo bi ne ploho ego toje suda.

Ok, here is the bestEST one I've ever seen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEk5yPRMj60 SPEEDHUNTERS, you have to post this video )

46

?????, ?????? ??? ????? ???????? ??????????

"??????? ?????" ?????????

??? ???????

??????? ??, ??? ? ?? ???? ???? ????????!

47

These are something i would love to own, something different, and unique...Nice job :)

48

????? ???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

49

?????? ??? ???????! ????? ????? ????? (? ?????? Lada 2106 "90?.) ? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???????????.

Boys so to hold! Zhigli super car, and your work only confirmed it.

50

Awesome Ladas, so clean, i want one! Good Article Speedhunters.

51

?????? ??? ???????! ????? ????? ????? (? ?????? Lada 2106 "90?.) ? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???????????. ?????? ? ?????????.

Boys so to hold! Zhigli super car, and your work only confirmed it.

52

I'm actually digging the rusted rising sun trunk! Even if it doesn't really match a Lada, it looks cool.

53

???? ???? ?? ???????????, ????????????????!!!!!!!!))))))))))) ?????, ? ?????? ? ????!))))))))

??????? ??????!)))

USSR cars on SpeedHunters, iiiihaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!))))))))))) Fuck, i very happy!))))))))

Ukraine convey greetings!)))

54

guys AWESOME work and you know it))

im so fuckin HAPPY that my country has already become a part of SPEEDHUNTERS.....)))

55

Very nice to see some Ladas with style. I learned to drive stick on a "kopeika". Keep doing what you're doing guys.

56

Yeah, KGB still watching you XD

57

???????? ??????, ?????! ??????? ????, ??????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????) ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? (??????)!

58

?? ????????? ? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ???????!!!!!!)))

59

?? ????????? ? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ???????!!!!!!)))

60

SOME WALLPAPERS WOULD BE NICE

1st or 3rd please!!!!!!

61

Awfully nice to read such comments from other countries.

Support [vadimulia] tell you, I am very pleased that Ukraine finally became part of a large SpeedHunters family.

Wallpapers - really great idea. I hope the administration of SH will support it.

Ukraine huge hello! I am proud of my country!

62

heh ... Super A particular fret 2101 Pts like ...

63

Keep up the good work. I like it all!

64

Thats AWESOME!!!! Nice work! Do it more! Create!

65

Good lord, think you hit on a nerve?? I can't remember the last article that got so many comments, and on FORGOTTEN cars!!!!



And I agree with many, the red Lada is very, very cool.

66

Greetings from ARMENIA! where are the Nivas?!

68

oh!

I have relatives in Armenia!) wonderful, interesting and beautiful country!



and with Nivas our tight .. they are all mostly in off-road culture .. and we enjoy here such Zhiguli)))

69

Thanx to all who like it! We love you;)

P.S. especially who like red one)) It's very important to me;)

70

????? ??? ????????, ??? ????? ????????? ???? ????????))

71

????? ?D???? ????

72

Hmmmm, Lada sure brings back memories

73

The red 2103 is brilliant, so is the Moskvitch. Best regards from Poland!

74

I those nicely styled 2101's. Have one myself, it's very fun in the snow.

75

My father's first ride was a Moskvitch 412 back in '76 haha

76

My best regards. I'm really happy about our country and people whose like such cars! ??? ???????, ?? ?????? ????? ? ?????. lowClub ??????? ????????????!!!

77

My best regards. I'm really happy about our country and people whose like such cars! ??? ???????, ?? ?????? ????? ? ?????. lowClub ??????? ????????????!!!

78

My best regards. I'm really happy about our country and people whose like such cars! ??? ???????, ?? ?????? ????? ? ?????. lowClub ??????? ????????????!!!

79

My best regards. I'm really happy about our country and people whose like such cars! ??? ???????, ?? ?????? ????? ? ?????. lowClub ??????? ????????????!!!

80

Sweet... Low and Slow!!!

81

it smells like a czech tuning :D :D

83

Where are wallpapers?

84

mad props, no more laughing at lada's!

85

For having scrapping the Ukrainian roads last summer with my lowered 2 CV, I can tell than driving low in Ukraine is kinda sporty ! :D

86

? ???, ??? ???? ????? ?? ???????????.

?? ???????, ??? ?????? ?????? ????????????? ??????????? ? ????? (((

87

? ? ???? ?????? ??? ????? , ? ?? ?????????? )))...??? ???? ?????? ??? ))

88

God Bless Reader's Month...

89

???!!!!!???? ????? ?? ???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!

90

Change link please - http://low-club.com.ua/

91

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