'82 343 DLS: beyond the arctic circle

[macplaxton]

just get over it and use kilometers like the civilised world.

Give another 40 years or so.

[V6 Man]

Or just paint white dots at approx 50, 64, 80, 98, 112 and 128kph to represent 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80mph

[volvomania]

Two questions RJ:

1) Between the two instrument panels in the Dutch advert, are the clock modules the same? (e.g. are all "adjust from the rear" clocks equal?)
2) For the B19 DLS/GLS, did they do a speedometer module in MPH?

1) Even though both clocks in the Dutch ad are adjusted from the rear, they are not identical (diff P/N).
I would need to take both of them out to see what is actually different.

2) Yes they did do a MLS version of the DLS speedo.

[trabitom99]

2) Yes they did do a MLS version of the DLS speedo.

The question is also - how rare will that be Anyone fancy hunting one down in, erm, Malta?

Tom

[macplaxton]

@RJ cheers for the info.

@Tom. Rare! I believe the bling king of Belfast is after one.

[MCHUDD]

Hi Lads.
Bling King
Chrome is where the heart is
Cheers Mark.

[summum]

Great find, Tom. Gladiadores you've saved it

[trabitom99]

Thanks summum

No real update on this car. I had a new MOT put on it in July - and it only worked out the second time around - as I was driving to the testing station the reverse light lens fell out of the lamp cluster and was run over by the bus driving behind me



Anyway, fitted a new rear lamp cluster, and it passed, with no advisories. I had the rear brakes overhauled (new linings, new cylinders) as one cylinder was getting leaky and a new starter fitted (no more knocking it with a stick before starting)- other than that nothing to report.

Cheers

Tom

[trabitom99]

Gave the car a wash before the winter break:









Could do with a polish, some Leos, and a radio. Maybe that's a "project" for next year

Tom

[Ride_on]

Nice looking car, my 1980 340 used to get a sticky starter too, paris-rhone rubbish?. At that age it is a shame to spoil the originality and put non-optional wheels on. I would fit the mud flaps to complete the wheels and protect the bodywork. Unusual to see the fog light spaces on a 340.

[trabitom99]

I think I understand what you mean, there are so few cars in standard condition around it seems a shame to slap different wheels on. Even "originality enthusiasts" tend to succumb to the lure of different wheels and club stickers, making a car that looks just like it did when it left the factory a rarity in itself.

However, Leos had been an original accessory since 1981, when the B19-engined S versions first came out. And the DLS was the base for most of the R-Sports, which came with 14" alloys.

The foglight holes in the front panel - I asked the previous owner about that - he bumped into someone way back in the 1980s, and the dealer fitted the part listed for a Volvo 360. If you look closely, you can see the colour difference too. Someone once suggesting welding them back up again - but that's taking originality a little bit too far for me

Good point about the mudflaps! I think I have some NOS ones in my cellar ...

Cheers

Tom

[MCHUDD]

Hi Tom.
I have the inserts for the fog spaces if you need them.
Cheers Mark.

[Ride_on]

From memory Leo's are not supposed to be fitted to 340 due to clearance issues, but it probably minor. I used the same size 3 series BMW steels on mine in the day as alloys where pricey.

The fog lights are not too hard to find, if you have the slots... But maybe there are no holes at the back?

[macplaxton]

But maybe there are no holes at the back?

Don't all front panels have holes at the back?

[V6 Man]

AFAIK all Mk2 bodystyle 300's had fog light capability (didn't the 345GLS have them anyway?), it was just the sheet metal of the front valance that differed between what later came to be called 340's and 360's.

Essentially, once the revised front end without the headlight cowl was introduced (what is commonly known as the mk2 bodystyle Rich..), fog lights could be fitted either by removing a blanking plate in the case of a 360, or by cutting a hole if it is a 340. MY1982 cars (mk2 bodystyle with late mk1 dash) only cause confusion because they hadn't yet decided to make a new designation for the 2.0litre models, but they are in fact 340's if they have the 1.4 and 360's if they have the 2.0. The 2.0's did have the revised boot floor with the spare wheel well so despite the 340 name they were essentially 360's (apart from the DLs getting the full valance and the GLs getting Fog light holes)...........