NOT A TOORAK TRACTOR - MEET "LADIDA"!
DIPSTICKS JOHN AND MARIE
This article should really be titled "Cars Marie Has Owned" but Ladida was part of our joint family for quite a few years.
During the latter part of her working life Marie enjoyed executive status as head of security and risk management in Western Australia for a national employer. One of the perks of the job was a company car but, presumably in an attempt to cut cost, all executives were advised that company cars would be a thing of the past with a generous, one off “car allowance” being incorporated into their salary package.
The Holden Commodores disappeared from the executive car park to be replaced by an assortment of huge, new, 4-wheel drives and “Ladida”, a Lada Niva 1600.
Marie had decided that her generous compensation package was not going to be spent on a “Toorak Tractor” and acquired Ladida for the princely sum of $900 drive away! Unfortunately, she was only just able to drive away as the engine had a distinct misfire that John traced to 2 burnt valves. The cylinder head was delivered to Luigi’s Head Shop in Bayswater where the valves were replaced and the head machined for around $100 taking the overall spend to $1000.
Now fit for the road, Marie drove Ladida to work and pulled into her normal space in the executive car park. It wasn’t long into the day before Marie got a call from the General Manager demanding to know which factory employee had left their vehicle in an executive parking space. “You’re head of security please find out who it is and get it moved”! “That’s easy” said Marie, “it’s mine and it belongs there”!
The Ladida name came about as a tongue in cheek manipulation of Lada and Marie’s way of thumbing her nose at the “Tractor” owners.
She proved to be a very reliable car, both on and off road, with excellent fuel consumption. After many years of ownership, she was put up for sale on Gumtree and generated lots of interest, including a sight unseen offer from a potential buyer in Sydney. She quickly sold to the first person who came to see her, a young lad who was a Lada enthusiast and Marie knew that Ladida was going to a good home.