Lada Niva. I bought one from a guy for 200 bucks. Had to rebuild the engine but that thing would go where most had no hope Full time four wheel drive with hi-lo and a lock-up. I had a 1970 Bronco at the same time. One day I had driven the Bronco down into a draw, in about 14" of snow. I was trying to get back out when my son drove the Niva down into the draw, circled the Bronco once, then drove back out. We ended up wiching the Bronco out with an old Dodge power Wagon (62) which was another pretty capable machine when there was no road.
The Lada engine was a little weak but it was a very tough little car. Skinny 16 inch wheels cut through the snow and the stupid thing was nearly unstoppable.
One time, we had bogged the Power Wagon down in some mud; in a place where there there was nothing to hook the winch on to. The Niva was the only thing around so my son wanted to try and pull on the Wagon with it. He hooked up a 30 ft nylon strap and said he would get a bit of a run and maybe the inertia would do it. I was skeptical and said so. Quoting Sledge Hammer, he said, "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."
He backed up almost to the front of the PW then took off. I don't know how much speed he built up before he hit the end of that strap; maybe ten mph but.... do you remember those paddles with the ball that was attached with a rubber band? That was what the Niva looked like. It hit the end of the strap and snapped back fifteen feet! The Power Wagon didn't even twitch. Son got out, looking a little dazed, and said he figured we should try something else. "Live and learn", I said. GD
