The authors of the YouTube channel "Garage54" have brought to life an unusual concept of "Zhiguli", equipping the "classic" with a continuously variable homemade transmission. The standard gearbox was replaced with a cone-shaped system assembled from sections of steel pipe.
The design includes a belt tensioning mechanism and a drive operating on the basis of an impact wrench, as well as a movable shaft. This project is an attempt to improve the classic "Zhiguli" through the use of new engineering approaches.
During the creation of the prototype, the team experimented with various types of belts and rollers, encountering the need for modifications. The final version of the CVT provided smooth movement of the belt between the shafts, changing the gear ratio. During testing, the car was able to accelerate from 3 to 29 km/h while maintaining stable engine speeds.
Among the identified shortcomings are insufficient engine power at higher speeds, overheating of the belt, and its slippage under load. The weight of the car turned out to be too large for the CVT system.
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