For some families, a car is more than transport: it is a living link across generations. In Almaty, dentist Margarita Lazaridi has completed a long-running restoration of a 1954 Moskvich-401 that once belonged to her grandfather, was used by her father and has now been returned to full working order under her care.
Moskivich-401 restoration and the family behind it
The vehicle arrived in the Lazaridi family in 1954 when Margarita’s grandfather pooled loans and gifts to buy the car while working as chief engineer at the city water utility in Ural’sk. The Moskvich made the long journey to Almaty and stayed in family hands for decades, a daily driver through the 1960s and 1970s before illness led the grandfather to stop driving and the car to be stored with his son.
After military service, Margarita’s father began restoring the vehicle at the Kirov factory in Almaty. He repaired the floor, welded the wings and re-chromed handles, hubcaps and bumpers. For several years he drove the Moskvich to work every day. The car was later parked for long periods and suffered vandalism and neglect after the family home was slated for demolition in 2005.
Margarita says the Moskvich is not a commodity but a family friend and a piece of personal history. The idea of finishing the restoration took root in her schooldays. When her father moved to Russia, he offered the car to his daughter. She accepted despite limited mechanical knowledge and the long road ahead. Her husband fully supported the project until his tragic death in 2015, after which Margarita took the lead.
Key systems — brakes, steering and the speedometer — were fully restored by 2008, but completion proved slow and painstaking. Margarita coordinated parts orders from Ukraine, Russia and Germany and sent bumpers to Odessa for straightening and re-chroming. Finding parts for a Moskvich-401 proved difficult, and craftsmen who could restore such models end-to-end are rare.
Fortune brought Margarita into contact with restorer Makhambet Tursumbaev, who typically works on Volgas, Pobedas and ZIM models. He introduced her to Pavel Ismailov, a specialist whose preferred model is the Moskvich-401. Initially reluctant, Pavel agreed to help when he learned the owner was a woman determined to see the project through. The two restorers helped breathe new life into the car, treating restoration as a labour of love rather than a commercial venture.
With pressure to finish ahead of her younger sister’s wedding, Margarita set an ambitious three-month deadline in 2017. Her father flew in to coordinate the effort and the team worked continuously. The restored Moskvich featured in the wedding photos, a visible symbol of family continuity. After the wedding, refinements continued for another three to four years to reach the level of authenticity Margarita wanted.
Today the Moskvich-401 is fully restored and regularly admired on the streets of Almaty. For Margarita, the completed car carries the stories of three generations and the work of numerous craftsmen, and it will remain a family heirloom to pass on. The restoration is a reminder of the cultural and sentimental value older vehicles hold and of the small international networks that sustain heritage projects.
Key Takeaways:
- Moskivich-401 restoration preserves a three-generation family heirloom in Almaty.
- Work involved international parts sourcing and specialist restorers from Kazakhstan and beyond.
- The project spanned decades and became a personal tribute following family tragedies.
- The restored 1954 Moskvich now features in family events and heritage displays.
