Got Sammy the Volga back yesterday and she drives down the road smooth as silk. No howling noise from the rear end and all past vibration is gone. I was kicking myself for destroying the Volga’s ring and pinion, but now it seems that I just hastened the demise. The rear axle it seems was just worn out. That is what 300,000 plus kilometers will do, you know…
If we had rebuilt what we had, which would have been very good to do, or drop the axle and install another axle. The latter is what we had done. An axle from a GAZ Gazelle truck was installed under her rear side and Sammy can now wiggle her butt with the best…
A blessing in disguise: GAZ Gazelle’s are almost 100% interchangeable in mechanical parts with GAZ Volga’s. Since Volga is no longer manufactured, we have to rely upon Gazelle mechanical parts… It works and is better actually. The GAZ truck is still going strong with business…
This is why Boza and I stayed an extra week in the Tiny Russian Village. Sammy had some more work too have done and we are glad that we fixed her. I am not sure how much longer the rear would have gone? A week or a year? Rear axles are tough, but…. Now she is good to go…
Like Svetochka said, “Sammy is family!” and you don’t let family suffer…
We have had Sammy the Volga for seven years now!
Best car I have ever owned (and I have owned plenty, from a Turbo SAAB, Mercedes, Corvette, Cadillac STS and a few Lincoln Town Cars and dozens more to boot. Svetochka and Boza just think Sammy is the cats meow…. So do I and would not trade her for anything out there. Sammy is family…
Svetochka said, “If Sammy is quiet now, maybe we could get a car radio put in?” 🙂
I smiled to myself, for if Svetochka wants it, she gets it. Time to save money and get a radio put in Sammy the Volga. Really we do not have one…. Really!
I can do that work easily… So get it done then Kyle…
It is Sunday and I am not going to gripe about anything! Really?
Yes really and maybe tomorrow I will post some pictures I have taken. Oh and Svetochka’s camera died, she is grouchy and misses her camera. I hope it can be fixed easily?
Have a nice day…
WtR