Tuning the Niva 2121 interior with your own hands: video instructions

"VAZ-2121" has very good driving characteristics in off-road conditions. A short wheelbase and small overhangs, combined with all-wheel drive and a low range of gears, expand the range of obstacles to overcome. The Niva from the factory can overcome serious off-road conditions that are beyond the capabilities of any other stock SUV. But all successful engineering solutions concern only the chassis and body. When you get into the cabin, it becomes noticeable that the engineers here did not care much about the driver and his passengers. Lack of sound insulation, poor ergonomics and low-quality materials spoil the impression of the entire car as a whole.

Another example of cool tuning of a VAZ 2121 on your own

The Niva's seats are not intended for long trips and do not have sufficient lateral support.
To eliminate this drawback, you can replace the existing version with seats from another car that have all the additional options. To install them, you will need to do some minor metalworking and welding work with fasteners. If you do not have such skills or do not have the necessary equipment, then you should contact a workshop. There is also an option to redo the stock seats, replace the padding and reupholster them. For such work, the studio charges a decent amount, but for this you get your own unique design and no need to redo the fasteners.

Among the happy owners of the popular Russian SUV VAZ 2121 (Niva) and its modifications 21213, 21214 (Taiga, 4x4), 2131 (five-door), there are hardly those who ignored even minor alterations and changes in the interior of their car. Therefore, internal tuning (modernization of the interior, or individual interior elements) can rightfully be considered one of the most popular areas of modernization in order to increase the level of comfort, both among amateurs and professional tuners.

To improve comfort and taking into account the characteristics of operation (urban conditions, hunting / fishing / active recreation, sports), work has to be carried out in many directions and of varying degrees of complexity. Starting from the elementary replacement of gear shift levers, pedal pads, window lifter handles and ending with the reupholstery of interior elements (ceilings, door panels, trunk shelves) with the replacement of seats with seats from foreign cars.

On this page we will try to consider all possible alterations and improvements in the interior of the classic Niva using various materials and modern technologies, which you can do yourself or order from specialists from tuning studios. By the way, there are many companies on the automotive services market that professionally deal with Niv showrooms.

Considering the relative austerity and simplicity of the standard seats, the idea of ​​replacing them with seats from a foreign car comes to mind for many VAZ-2121 owners. Of course, taking into account the two-door layout, it is necessary to focus on the appropriate type of donor. But most often, it is possible to make a reclining mechanism with your own hands and on the front seats, which were not originally designed for this. You will also have to tinker with the back of the rear sofa (given the characteristic shape of the plastic trim on the wheel arches).

Installing seats from a foreign car instead of standard ones is one of the best options for significantly increasing the level of comfort. At the same time, the complexity of the work is often at a relatively low level, and the price of used seats is also often relatively low, and the result can exceed the best expectations. In addition to frankly budget options (donors are inexpensive Japanese or Europeans), sometimes the VAZ 2121 is even equipped with leather seats from luxury foreign cars (Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, etc.). You can see similar installations in the photographs below.

Note to Nivavodam!

Initially, this is a Niva 21213 from 2001, purchased by the current owner in 2013 in the usually ten-year-old Niva condition “in the bag and ready for ferrous metal”

A little with rottenness, a little with rust, a little with straightening after the “ears”, but on casting, goodrich and with UNP seats.

I think this is what captivated the current owner; he didn’t yet know what he was getting into when dealing with Rosavtoprom, which in practice turns out to be a dummy car(

And then the work was divided into stages and, in the intervals between daily use, brought to the state in the photo, the car was given a second life, much more interesting than the first.

This is not a complete list of work on cars that have been installed and “pumped up” (you can’t remember everything), almost everything is budgetary and, if possible, with a minimum of costs

And the view before being given to the owner for “combat” use

In general, it turned out to be a good city car that is quiet, warm, has good urban dynamics and has excellent off-road potential for driving with friends on the weekends; on weekdays, the car takes the owner to and from work, without straining the wallet with the cost of its maintenance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg12PVkfiEs

For the owner, tuning Niva 21213 is a manifestation of his affection and love for this model. In our article we will look at changes that will make the car more modern and comfortable.

Any car can be not only refreshed through tuning, but also radically changed, achieving a significant improvement in technical performance. Niva is no exception in this regard. Thus, tuning a VAZ 2121 with your own hands allows you to transform the legendary SUV into any form.

Today we will talk about how to get a car from a VAZ 2121 that is ready for the toughest off-road conditions. As a result of the tuning, the Niva became an excellent companion for trips to the mountains and for hunting and fishing. To achieve this, a considerable amount of work was carried out.

Headlight modernization

Most often, Niva owners install bi-xenon lenses on their car. They have several advantages:

• instant switching of low and high beam with curtain;
• clear light border;
• The lenses dazzle oncoming drivers less.

If you want a cut-in lens that is pure white and reviews say it rarely breaks, consider an option like the Philips Original Plus D2S 4300k.

Also interesting: Front suspension diagram for Niva 2121, 21214

If you decide to tune the Niva by improving the headlights, then it makes sense to get rid of the factory hydraulic corrector, which quite often freezes in winter and does not work well. Instead, it is worth installing an electric corrector.

So, the modification of the Niva begins with the acquisition of the following things:

• selected lenses;
• new electric corrector;
• thin ignition blocks, which we will embed under the sidelights (it is better to choose the fifth generation);
• the lamps themselves (the cheapest cost up to 1000 rubles).

After installing new lenses, we get better road illumination, height adjustment, low power consumption and a clear light boundary.

Tuning the Niva 4x4 continues with the removal of the original headlights - driving in the city with additional light is not very convenient.

The Niva's original headlight is small in depth, so in order to install lamps and blocks under it, you will have to redo the connector and abandon the auto-corrector wiring, otherwise the blocks risk not fitting inside the headlight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_JAK8-_lAA

After assembly, we get a sealed structure, which is a big plus. The headlights are difficult to fit into the body of the Niva due to the platforms for the standard units, but they can be safely removed and the problem will be solved. You can also get rid of the hydraulic corrector by attaching the headlight directly to the body. As a result of such useful modifications to the Niva, good bi-xenon optics were obtained.

What can and should be done

Types of modernization work:

1. Make noise insulation of the interior;
2. Change seats;
3. Re-upholstery;
4. Install a “non-native” dashboard;
5. Remodel or replace appliances;
6. Cover with film (carbon, wood, aluminum);
7. Make neon interior lighting;
8. Install electric windows;
9. Replace the rear side windows with opening ones;
10. Install air conditioning;
11. Cover the floor with aluminum;
12. Carry out auto sound preparation;

You can read more about much of this list in the Interior Tuning section.

To imagine the entire scope of work on internal tuning and visualize the result of such changes, we recommend looking at the corresponding photos and videos at the bottom of the page.

We drag complex elements using glue (doors, panels, etc.)

1. Initially, you need to prepare the surface; to do this, you need to rinse it well, sand it and degrease it. Sanding should be done carefully to avoid leaving scratches.

It is best to degrease with products specially designed for this purpose, such as Supercolle or at least gasoline.

1. Then glue is applied to the entire surface and material, uneven areas are coated with a brush. Use a hair dryer to heat and smooth the material.

If you can’t glue the material to some areas of the surface, then they need to be filled with automotive putty and the re-upholstery must be repeated again.

Engine modification

During the modernization process, it is also advisable to either install a new dashboard or improve the old one. We will tell you how to do this in the step-by-step instructions below:

• We disassemble the old panel, after which we replace the standard incandescent lamps with modern LEDs. You can use color filters to make the lighting as aesthetically pleasing as possible;
• We replace the instrument scales with new ones, preferably in light colors. To do this, you will first need to carefully remove the arrows and disconnect the wiring from the sensors. Upon completion of the work, assembly is performed in the reverse order;
• installing a trauma panel. It is best to use a part from the VAZ-2106, which is ideal for the Niva and allows you to expand the functionality of the interior. Before installation, a hole for the lampshade is prepared in the product, after which it is completely covered with a special acoustic fabric. Then all we have to do is connect the lamp and install the new panel in place;
• We are finalizing such a detail of the instrument panel as the “beard”. It plays a very important role, as it allows you to keep all the necessary items at hand. For modification, you can use an overlay from a VAZ-21213 car, which fits perfectly on the dashboard. During the modernization process, you first need to mount the cigarette lighter on the new “beard”, and then slightly heat the part and bend it at the desired angle, screw it into place.

Refinement of instrument panels is the second most difficult tuning of Niva 4x4. The Niva has always been considered, and is still considered, a workhorse, so there is no need to talk about a spectacular panel.

Modernization of the dashboard can be of two levels: in the first case, we modify the existing panel, and in the second, we completely change the panel to a qualitatively better one.

Instead of the factory carburetor, you can install a modification of it with an enlarged diffuser called a throttle. You can also install an injection model. It is worth considering installing a new electronic ignition system.

Replacing the camshaft will increase the car's power, but will also increase the likelihood of overheating. To prevent this from happening, you can install a radiator with a larger working surface.

You can also increase the diameter of the valves and strengthen the sealing, which will give an additional 10% of power. Installing a turbine further increases the power of the power unit. Take the time to replace the standard intake and exhaust manifolds with advanced modifications.

Thus, with the help of modifications and tuning, a Niva can be made into a car that fully meets the requirements of its owner.

When carrying out noise insulation and anti-corrosion work, you will have to dismantle, among other things, the dashboard. And you can take advantage of this moment to modify the torpedo, or find a replacement for it from other cars with similar parameters. Modernization can only consist of reupholstering the instrument panel or changing its shape followed by reupholstery.

If the vehicle will not be used to force deep fords, then it can be equipped with a modern multimedia system by integrating a tablet into the torpedo. For those cars that are occasionally used to overcome water obstacles, it is necessary to think over a scheme for easy and quick dismantling of multimedia before overcoming water obstacles.

Lighting

The stock interior is very dark at night. And if the front row is still at least somehow illuminated, then the back row does not have any lighting device. For illumination, you can use an LED strip; it is easy to install and does not consume a lot of electricity. Tuning light can be selected in any shade and installed almost anywhere. With it, the car gains more coziness and comfort. When installing additional lighting, you must remember safety and install fuses on all lighting devices.

"Niva 4x4" is a good car with a high degree of cross-country ability. But a car is not judged only by its exterior interior and driving characteristics. A big role in the evaluation of a car is played by its interior and the amenities of the driver and his passengers. Having an inexpensive (compared to competitors) and passable car, all that remains is to add convenience for passengers and your own design so that it will delight you and create a cozy atmosphere. All of the above measures will help transform the car and make its design unique.

Niva interior reupholstery

With a more or less serious approach and expectations of better results from “internal tuning”, it is difficult to do without partial or complete replacement of the upholstery of some interior elements - including the ceiling, side panels and doors (sometimes the dashboard and steering wheel). In this case, various modern and classic materials are used for upholstery: fabric, Alcantara or leather, flocking.

We recommend reading more about the intricacies and details of this type of work in the section Reupholstering the interior.

How to improve the trunk

Improvements to the Niva-2121 include improvements to the luggage compartment. The trunk has a large volume, which can be considered an advantage, but the technical performance of this part of the car leaves much to be desired. Most often, complaints are caused by two disadvantages of the trunk:

1. A rib at the bottom of the trunk that interferes with loading things.
2. A folding shelf that divides the trunk crosswise into two parts.

Also interesting: How to properly use the transfer case on Niva 2121

A tuned Niva, at a minimum, should be rid of these unnecessary elements. By the way, they are absent in the latest models - the technicians took into account the numerous complaints of Niva lovers.

Instead of a rib and a partition, it is worth installing a box in the trunk. It can have any shelves, dividers, pockets that allow you to organize the things you transport. You can do it in the following way:

1. We make the frame of the box from tubes or corners.
2. We cover it with plywood, thick fabric, cardboard or other suitable material.
3. We attach partitions or pockets to it according to our taste.

In addition, the trunk can be improved by covering it with thermal insulation, sound insulation and waterproofing film.

Some people install a TV, speaker system or other gadgets in the trunk, but this is not very functional if the car is often driven off-road. When shaking, the contacts fly off, and the equipment quickly fails.

We drag the visors

1. Prepare the elements for the pattern.
2. Take the dimensions of the visors and transfer them to special paper with a margin of 3-4 mm in the opposite direction so that there is no sagging in the future and the cover fits exactly under the visor.
3. Cut out a pattern from paper and attach it to the material, circle and mark a dotted line at a distance of 0.5 cm.
4. Sew the materials on three sides, and on the back side, where the visor will be attached, add a separate stitch for tightening.
5. For even curves, without bumps or irregularities, make 10 small cuts in an acute triangle shape.
6. Turn out the resulting cover and insert the visor into it, tighten it.

Replacement of seats (chairs) VAZ 2121

Not so often, but still among Niv owners there are those who do not ignore such “noticeable parts of the interior” - such as the instrument panel, dashboard and the instruments themselves. Which, in turn, can either be slightly modified (for example, changing the color of the scales or the backlight of standard sensors), or completely replaced with others, both from domestic cars and parts from foreign cars.

How to make a dashboard with your own hands?

The process of making a homemade dashboard from plywood is literally “on the knee”.

This instrument panel can be purchased from sellers of tuning parts and accessories. It seems that the choice of alternative plastic dashboards for the VAZ-21214 in online and online stores is relatively large. And if you search, you can find some pretty decent panels.

Often, fans of tuning a domestic SUV decide to completely replace the dashboard or instrument panel with appropriately sized panels from foreign cars. And more often than not, such a replacement is completely justified. Since, in addition to a clear improvement in the visual perception of the interior, comfort and ergonomics are significantly improved.

For high-quality sound insulation, you will also need to remove the front panel. Here you will find another key point included in high-quality tuning for Niva 21213 - the dashboard. It can be replaced with a more modern version. A radical solution to changing the appearance of the interior would be to completely replace the front panel with another one.

There is a “comfort” version of the front panel on sale. Its advantages are that there is no need to redo the fasteners, adjust them to size, etc. It has space for both an on-board computer and a tape recorder. The new dashboard and steering wheel will create the complete feeling that you are driving another car. Moreover, every car enthusiast can do such tuning of Niva 21213 with his own hands (photo above).

Chassis tuning

The modernization of the VAZ 2121 chassis is aimed at improving the vehicle's cross-country ability in difficult rough terrain. Tuning the Niva for off-road use is carried out by lifting the suspension - increasing the ground clearance, which allows you to equip the car with larger wheels (when lifting by 60 mm, the Niva gets 29 wheels, 31 wheels require additional trimming of the arches).

Lifting Niva 2121 involves the use of special lift kits, the cost of which varies between 10-15 tr. The products are guaranteed for 2-3 years.

With the help of a lift, you can adapt your car to off-road driving.

The lift kit consists of:

• Spacer for shock absorbers;
• Upgraded brake rod;
• Reinforced transverse and upper rear suspension rod;
• Brackets for shifting shock absorber fixation units;
• Blocking the travel of shock absorbers;
• Spacers for suspension cups and ball joints.

Lifting involves a serious rework of the VAZ 2121 chassis - it is rational to trust this modernization to professionals, since if done incorrectly, the center of gravity of the car may shift, which threatens to reduce controllability and accelerated wear of the suspension components.

In addition to lifting and increasing the diameter of the wheels, it makes sense to replace the rubber parts of the suspension (silent blocks, stops and bushings) with similar polyurethane products. This material, unlike rubber, does not harden at sub-zero temperatures and does not impair the functionality of the suspension.

An increase in the mechanical strength of the chassis is achieved through the installation of reinforced steering knuckles, rear axle and front beam, and a double-row hub.

Work on the suspension

Full tuning of the Niva-2121 is impossible without improving the properties of the suspension. Let's look at the most popular DIY Niva tuning. It includes:

1. Installation of spacers (store-bought or home-made) between suspension elements.
2. Replacing shock absorbers - for example, you can install Rancho shock absorbers.
3. Installing new springs.
4. Installation of steel boxes to strengthen the front and rear axles.

Refinement of the suspension lift during tuning of the Lada depends on the size and diameter of the wheels. The larger it is, the more significant modifications will be required.

Refinement of the Niva may also include tuning the transfer case. Problems with front and rear axle shaft play are solved by installing new components (that is, covers, bearings, flanges and shafts).

You can also strengthen the shaft supports by installing an upgraded flange with an additional oil seal and bearings in place of the factory ones. High-quality installation of the oil seal will reduce the risk of leakage.

To reduce vibration and wear of the suspension in its lower part, it is necessary to correctly align the transfer case in the horizontal and vertical plane. We perform alignment manually or use a subframe.

Tuning a VAZ-2121 with your own hands includes installing higher springs, which allows you to significantly increase ground clearance. However, in order for the ground clearance to be increased by as much as 10 cm, it is better to install a full lift kit.

Conclusion

In general, by spending fairly reasonable money, you can significantly improve the comfort indicators, increase the cross-country ability and power of the VAZ-2121. Of course, you can’t carry out a radical redesign of the car yourself, but every motorist is quite capable of making the Niva more friendly towards the driver and passengers.

Accessories for interior tuning

Steering wheels, pedal covers, non-standard transfer and gearbox shift knobs, as well as other controls. This is only part of the list of accessories to improve the interior, the installation of which instead of standard ones already transforms the interior, and sometimes makes the operation of the car more ergonomic and comfortable.

The sports steering wheel is an excellent replacement for the standard one. Metal pedals with rubber inserts. A set of knobs for the gearshift lever and transfer case.

In addition, the list of accessories can be supplemented with door sill covers, all kinds of shelves, fasteners, bottle holders and other small things, sometimes useful.

SUV from Niva

Tuning the VAZ-2121 allows you to turn the car into a real modern SUV. To do this you need:

1. Install larger diameter wheels covered in off-road tires.
2. Install arch extensions.
3. Install a power kit.

However, for such tuning you need to have a very good understanding of what you are going to do. For example, you should take into account that low-profile tires will be irrelevant, and installing wheels with a large diameter will require high torque performance. The power unit will fail very quickly if you do not take all these points into account.

Installing arch extensions will expand the options for choosing wheels, and will also solve the problem of dirt flying onto the doors from under the wheels. The work on the power body kit primarily includes the installation of a kenguryatnik, made from metal pipes independently. The kenguryatnik not only enhances the protection of the car, but also gives it a more aggressive look.

Also interesting: Second generation Chevrolet Niva SUV - photo!

External tuning of Niva

At this point we finished all the stuffing and moved on to external tuning. Here, first of all, we installed the body kit. It is, of course, plastic, and it took quite a long time to install and was difficult (its adjustment turned out to be very difficult), but nevertheless this innovation had a significant impact on the general appearance of the field. We decorated the front of the VAZ 2121 with the help of a “kenguryatnik”, and at the back we installed a gate for the spare tire, which best matches the design and construction of the body kit. We also installed other doors, from 21214, and also replaced the side mirrors: we installed a model with turn signals and chameleon coating.

The appearance was effectively complemented by American camouflage film, which, in addition to purely decorative purposes, is also resistant to mechanical damage.

When finishing work on the Niva, we paid attention to the lighting elements by installing new headlights equipped with hydraulic compensators. And 4 halogen spotlights were installed on the roof.

Internal upholstery

Tuning the interior of a VAZ-2121 will be incomplete if you do not transform the door cards and the headliner. From the factory they do not differ in particular aesthetics and are made of inexpensive materials. These elements can be upholstered with a material that suits you (in color and structure). This is a simple job, and you can do it yourself. You can also change the shape and material of the door handles, making them suitable for the design of other elements.

In addition to the materials that are used for upholstering seats, ceilings, door panels and, in some cases, dashboards - fabrics, leather, Alcantara, etc., other upholstery materials are also used for internal “upgrades”. For example, carpet (with a higher pile than the pile laid at the factory) or corrugated aluminum are chosen to cover the floor.

At the same time, the carpet covering, in addition to improving the appearance, also provides additional sound insulation, and the aluminum covering makes the interior more suitable for cleaning, which is very important and practical in case of off-road use. Also, it will not be superfluous to have plastic trunk upholstery with a rear parcel shelf, upholstered in carpet (fleecy material), which will also make the interior more comfortable, quieter and more attractive.

Noise insulation

Refinement of the Niva's interior should begin with protecting all people in the car from noise made when driving. This procedure involves dismantling most of the interior. Therefore, it is advisable to combine such a procedure with anti-corrosion treatment. It is better to dismantle parts in the warm season (or in a warm room), since plastic parts are made of low-quality plastic and become brittle in the cold, and are easily damaged during disassembly. There are a large number of materials for sound insulation and anti-corrosion treatment, so everyone can choose the one that suits them.

Installing and connecting music in the cabin

To one degree or another, it is difficult to do without this with any approach to improving the interior (starting from ascetic options and even more so in the case of serious alterations). Car audio and multimedia in Niva are real, although in some cases it is extremely irrelevant, taking into account the peculiarities of off-road operation.

Therefore, during internal tuning, in any case, you will have to deal with the installation of music. Moreover, not only the head unit of the system itself, but also all the accompanying car audio components - amplifiers, acoustics, subwoofers and other “bells and whistles”. Usually a simple Niva gets by with a minimum of such equipment, but there are exceptions that amaze with the originality and power of the equipment.

Amateur and professional approach to car audio installation.

Various aspects of this type of modification can be found in the Car Audio section of our article catalog.

Other improvements and changes

• Sliding or lifting sunroof;
• Opening side windows;
• Electric windows;
• Air conditioner;
• Neon lights;

You can read about all these areas in the following materials. .

Taiga base

VAZ 21213 “Niva” is a classic representative of a bygone era of the Soviet automobile industry. The main difference from earlier versions of the SUV is the rear brake lights and the design of the third door. Everything else in the car is an echo from the past. It is not surprising that many owners, instead of buying a more “dressy” Niva Urban car, prefer to tune the Niva. 21213 is the model that replaced the first version of the domestic SUV.

“Niva Taiga” (this is the additional name the car received) had a number of advantages that distinguished it from its predecessor:

• new engine and transmission;
• efficiency.

All the beneficial aspects of the car immediately catch the eye where the road ends. On rough terrain, it is capable of performing miracles of maneuverability, limited only by the courage of its driver.

But as soon as you go on a long road trip on the highway, within an hour you will understand that you simply need to do tuning of the Niva 21213. You will be annoyed by the noise of the interior, the constant creaking of various decorative trims, and the not-so-comfortable driver’s seat. It's not easy for the rear passengers either - they feel all the unevenness of the road, and the inability to stretch their legs even a little leads to rapid fatigue.

We install new seats

The first thing you should do in your car so that daily trips in it within the city (and not only) do not lead you into a sad state of a squeezed lemon is to carry out comprehensive sound insulation of the interior.

Before disassembling the entire interior, find the front seats from a foreign car. Seats from Japanese cars have proven themselves well in domestic SUVs. The fact that you need to find rather rare seats from a coupe car should not confuse you.

Any front seats from a foreign car can be easily converted into folding angle grinders with a slight movement - you just need to cut off the stop that limits the forward movement of the backrest.

For safety, we strongly recommend that you do not weld new seats into the body of the Niva, but redesign the slide of the seat itself in order to integrate the lower rails from the original ones. Then the new comfortable chairs will become standard installation locations.

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