M-72 With Sidecar

An M-72 motorcycle with with a sidecar with a machine gun seen in May this year 2015.

This one is for taking pictures and sports a wrong (or trophy) machine gun. 

The M-72 is still made but is known as the Ural motorcycle.

Ship Spotting in Moscow

As a break from my car spotting activities, here's some ship spotting in Moscow.

It was originally a river cruise on a Raketa: the North River Terminal -- the Bay of Happiness -- the North River Terminal.

On August 9, 2014. Weather: +28C, sunny.

Approaching the North River Terminal.

The North River Terminal in Moscow.

It appears to be under some heavy repairs...

... or maybe even beyond repair.

On the embankment. 

Ticket for the cruise on a Raketa.

Quay No. 6.

A view across the water.

The ticket, reverse side.

Quay No. 7 - ours. The Raketa is going to dock here soon.

There she is!

She is coming in to dock.

Spot No. 1 is the Raketa 185 which is now docked, all aboard.

Raketa (Russian: Раке́та, Rocket) was the first type of hydrofoil boats commercially produced in the Soviet Union. They were manufactured from 1957 until the early 1970s.

And now Raketa 185 is one of only 7 Raketas remaining in operation in Russia (apparently) and one of only three in Moscow. It is 40+ years old, definitely. Still going strong.

Some other river cruise ship.

She is leaving before we do. I don't know what it is, it is a new river cruise boat.

My Okeah chronograph -- Ocean on the River so to speak.

Fourth Generation Chevrolet Caprice

Another "beached whale", except it looks in sound shape mechanically and otherwise, a 1991-96 Fourth Generation Chevrolet Caprice...

Sporting a two-tone paint scheme.

The rear skirted wheel would suggest a pre-1993 model.

Lada Vesta Website Launched

AvtoVAZ (maker of the Lada, etc.) launched a new all Lada Vesta promo website in Russian.

LADA Vesta Sedan (in Russian only)

It is a bit slow to load at first, I thought.

100,000 LADA Granta Liftbacks

AvtoVAZ (Lada maker) makes 100,000 LADA Granta Liftback models at its facility in Izhevsk.

The LADA Granta Liftback has the index of VAZ-2191.

LADA Granta Liftback official website in Russian.

AvtoVAZ press release on the subject in Russian below.

Lada 2101 x 2

Two Lada 2101 cars (Lada VAZ-2101) that I spotted whilst having lunch at a ground level restaurant some time in July 2014.

This is a view out the window. 

Two early Ladas - VAZ-2101 are in front. 

The Lada VAZ-2101 was the first Lada model produced by AvtoVAZ and was derived from, and improved upon, the Fiat 124, another iconic model.

In fact, I have a pretty good idea they are owned by the restaurant and are there on purpose -- these cars were branded domestically as the Zhiguli same as the name of the restaurant - Restaurant Zhiguli on Novy Arbat.

1:43 Lada 2107

From my other blog, VreMax, is this entry on my 1:43 Lada 2107.

The Lada VAZ-2107 is a small-sized family car built by Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ, introduced in 1980s.

The production in Russia ended between 2010 and 2012, however, the Lada 2107 remains in production in Egypt.

It is the third best selling automobile platform after the Volkswagen Beetle and the Ford Model T and one of the longest production run platforms alongside the Volkswagen Beetle, the Hindustan Ambassador and the Volkswagen Type 2.

The Lada VAZ-2107 (as are other Lada Classic cars) is a small affordable RWD sedan, of which none are practically left in the world.  

The Lada 2107 also happens to be one of my all time favorite cars as it was one of the two cars I learned to drive in and the first car that I drove myself. 

The Lada 2107 is the deluxe version of the Lada 2105 itself an upgrade on the Lada 2101 based on the Fiat 124.

Even though it may be hard to believe from these first two pictures, this diecast model is what a proper diecast model should be...Front view.

I mean, of course, there are better and more detailed diecast models around, including those of Lada cars, but they tend to be bigger in scale. 

As regards, 1:43 diecasts, I have yet to see a better detailed and more functional (i.e. opening doors, hood, trunk) models...Side view. 

Back view.

3/4

And this is why it is an example to most other 1:43 (or smaller) diecast models -- because everything opens! The hood opens...

And you can have a look at a pretty detailed motor.