The legendary Six is the most prestigious car of the late seventies and early eighties throughout the USSR. The appearance of the VAZ 21061 was waiting in the 74th, immediately after the VAZ 2103, but, as is usually the case in the automotive industry, production was slowly established. But when the six came off the assembly line, and the army of many thousands of Soviet motorists saw a new car, there was no end to rave reviews. Structurally, the VAZ 21061 repeated the basic parameters of the basic model 2101, the chassis of which was already tested on the 2102 station wagon and the 2103 luxury sedan, in both cases there were no complaints. The chassis withstands loads of up to one ton without the slightest deformation and was considered suitable for any subsequent rear-wheel drive VAZ model.
VAZ 21061 was equipped with its own engine of the 06 series - gasoline, in-line, longitudinal installation, with a power of 72 hp. with upper gas distribution. The cylinder diameter was 76 mm and the piston stroke was 80 mm. As we can see, the principle of operation of the
piston group was still short-speed, which means that the engine worked at high speed, which was its technological norm, since the lubrication system of the connecting rod and main crankshaft journals is designed for high oil flow pressure. Revving engines became a hallmark of all VAZ models, and each owner had to take it for granted.
For many drivers, high
engine revolutions seemed unnecessary fuel overruns, however, the economy of VAZ engines was repeatedly proved during tests on the factory track, as well as during operation in private. VAZ 21061, whose characteristics were high enough for that time, was a classic four-door sedan with a spacious trunk, in the niche of which on the right side there was a 39 liter gas tank. In the front of the trunk was a shelf 24 cm wide, then a vertical panel began, separating the luggage compartment from the passenger compartment. The rear seat of the "six" was a solid triple, and the back was divided into two parts by a reclining armrest. The rear seat was padded with coconut tow.
Since the VAZ 21061 car was considered a luxury car, the seat upholstery was velor and the doors had an embossed high-quality twist. Door inner handles were made of polyurethane foam and decorated with metallic inserts. Also in handles compact ashtrays were mounted. The floor was covered
with a thin carpet of neutral colors and covered with
rubber mats on top
, the shape of which corresponded to all the bends and brackets located under the seats. The mats were easily removed from the car, they could be washed and put back into place.
The dashboard of the
VAZ 2106 was mounted in a dashboard made of polyurethane with two deflectors in the middle. On the vertical part below the deflectors, a small clock was inserted into a special socket. Even lower was a shield with two levers for controlling the shutters of the heating unit. Even lower was the ashtray. On the right was the classic “glove box” type with interior lighting for small items. The console was installed separately. The gear lever was located very conveniently, all the control pedals were also in the optimal position, from the point of view of convenience. The entire interior was designed thoughtfully, and at the same time, VAZ 21061 tuning allowed in all directions of the exterior, as well as the internal arrangement.