yeah unfortunately because of the legal rubbish I'd probably need to get it engineered to install an auxiliary tank. Like most older design vehicles it has a 42L tank. Like any vehicle I've had with a tank of around that capacity it's a problem. My biggest goal is to get at very least the parts to make a double jerrycan holder. Even on my normal non-fun driving I have to carry a jerrycan in the back which I don't like one little bit.
Pit crew is a bit harsh. They came with all the tools needed to put the bits back on that fall off.

They aren't that bad. Just the cheap price tag attracted cheap people. I'd consider them an implement and a machine, because really they are. For people that haven't had a good look at how one is put together they are in a league of their own. They aren't simple vehicles but they have been laid out simply so all but the most hardcore repairs can be done by the average person out in the (literal) field.
Pretty much everything can be stripped, rebuilt and repaired too. Because of the vehicle's origins it wasn't designed as a commercial product with a built in lifespan. They were designed to get people where they were going no matter where.
All that said they are a very hands on vehicle. I like that. When something breaks I know what it is and I can fix it usually with what I have on hand. That's actually very important to me having lived in rural areas most of my life.
Lada sold more than just Nivas. So I'm guessing that's a part of the reason behind the club name. They can't be called a truck anyway. Their body isn't very truck like. the drivetrain and suspension are the goods though. 5 link rear. IFS but laid out pretty well considering. Forged steel wishbones and all that.
Definitely not a vehicle for everyone but they are stupidly fun for the right person.
Blacked out windows. Hm. I wonder if they've been filled in with metal. It's really common for people to turf the back seat and use the whole rear as storage. It took me a while to find one that still had the back seat. My kids love the Niva. My other half hates it, but I expected that. My youngest struggles with talking but he named it "Brum Brum". The name stuck. The oldest calls it "the big car" which I find absurd. The other car gets called the small car. It's a Fairlane. She told me it's because of the height. Fair enough...
If anyone has a chance to have a shot at driving a Niva, and you don't mind loud, agricultural vehicles, heavy steering and cramped pedals (RHD conversion issue) give it a go. They are different to to the big boys like Toyotas etc. that I grew up with, but I wouldn't consider them any less capable by any means.