MK1's: 343 DL special and 343 16v

Post by **trabitom99** » 21 Jun 2007 09:11 am

foggyjames wrote:I'm fast coming to the conclusion (with all sorts of things) that if you're in doubt, you should go for it, even if it'll be a hassle, etc. Opportunities are not to be missed.

I know what you mean. I missed this one only 20kms away from me because the auction ended in the middle of the opening game for the World Cup last summer. Check out that superb interior!

It went for around 360 Euros. Damn!

And I missed this one too:

... because I chickened out of importing it from Austria. I think it went for around 600 Euros, not quite sure anymore.

foggyjames wrote:£2500 for a rust free one? Good grief. I'm not sure that £300+ for a scruffy one is any better, but it's in the right ball-park - and it's the right model/year.

Here's another overpriced 300 - a Mk2 Diesel
http://www.mobile.de/cgi-bin/da.pl?id=11111111263506460

If a car is in near-perfect condition it's worth several times the value of a scruffy one. But 2400 Euros, ouch!

foggyjames wrote:Having to change to RHD is a hassle though.

Is that complicated? Different dash, steering column & rack? I suppose you could just change the speedo, it's not too bad sitting on the "wrong" side unless you do lots of overtaking on country roads ...

pistonpen paultje wrote:I know of one, its in the NL, only with Belgium licence plates on it.

Have you got any pictures of that one?

Tom

Post by **SteveP** » 21 Jun 2007 09:26 am

I absolutely love that first car, Hugh was trying to get me to get it when he was over in Germany and drive it back... damn... didn't realise it went for so little! 360 euros

Post by **trabitom99** » 21 Jun 2007 09:33 am

You'd have probably had to pick it up with a trailer, it'd been standing for a couple of years & the seller said the brakes were bad ...

Tom

Post by **trabitom99** » 21 Jun 2007 03:15 pm

SteveP wrote:I absolutely love that first car...

Some more pics, specially for SteveP

Can't believe I missed that for a football game.

Tom

Post by **pistonpen paultje** » 21 Jun 2007 06:42 pm

Looks a lot like a disguised Black beauty, Red interior, GT rims and steeringwheel... Or maby this is another special of some kind...I'll post the pics at Volvo300club.nl...

Trabitom, if your in to a mk1, just keep your eyes open on marktplaats.nl . Its always the same: Not a single one on the net, and the week after, there are like 5 of them on there...I know some MK1's too, that arent on the net...

Post by **foggyjames** » 21 Jun 2007 07:25 pm

Since I'll be going to a lot of trouble if I import a car, I want it to be perfect for the job. The one described at 200 Euro is (very) temping, but I'd specifically like one without a sunroof. I guess I'll have to look into the laws on importing cars, etc.

I need to have another look at one with a stripped engine bay, but the lower half of the bulkhead looks identical. I think the upper half (for the pedalbox, etc) is different, so some welding will probably be required.

I do intend to do a fair bit of overtaking on country roads

cheers

James

Post by **trabitom99** » 22 Jun 2007 05:16 pm

pistonpen paultje wrote:Looks a lot like a disguised Black beauty, Red interior, GT rims and steeringwheel... Or maby this is another special of some kind...I'll post the pics at Volvo300club.nl...

I could be wrong (it's hard to tell on the picture), but I think it's a '78 DL "C". I test drove one of those a couple of years back, it was advertised as a "343 DL Coupe"

pistonpen paultje wrote:Trabitom, if your in to a mk1, just keep your eyes open on marktplaats.nl . Its always the same: Not a single one on the net, and the week after, there are like 5 of them on there...I know some MK1's too, that arent on the net...

I've been looking on and off for a Mk1 for several years ... In particular, I like the funky 70's special editions, the very early '76 & '77s with all the chrome bits and the late "S-Class" models with the B19 engine and the lump on the bonnet.

But first I need to get rid of another "oldtimer", 4 old cars are too much for someone of limited mechanical talent ...

foggyjames wrote:I do intend to do a fair bit of overtaking on country roads

I take it you won't be sticking with the 70 horsepower 1.4 then

Tom

Post by **foggyjames** » 22 Jun 2007 08:59 pm

Indeed not - my B200 with the R-Sport kit is heading for the 343....it'll be a 343 R-Sport replica - I have the R-Sport rims (the very rare multi-spoke ones), front splitter, steering wheel, stripes, etc.

(...although if you want to get really anal about it, the 343/345 DLS/GLS R-Sport only came out in 1981, which means they had the "mk2" bumpers...whereas I want an earlier car with the 'big' bumpers.)

cheers

James

Post by **trabitom99** » 22 Jun 2007 09:08 pm

Sort of along the lines of this one then?

I don't know if "replica" is the right word, if most of the parts were available as an option in the first place. The chances of finding one of the half-a-dozen "official" '81 R-Sports is probably 1 in a million ...

Post by **filthyjohn** » 23 Jun 2007 12:48 am

^^^
That is THE best thing I have ever seen.

Post by **foggyjames** » 23 Jun 2007 01:10 am

Perhaps it isn't the right word, but I'm going to be 'building' it out of 2-3 different cars.

John....yes...it is awesome, isn't it?

Cosmetically, that's almost exactly the plan I have (although with a few of the stripes deleted)...but with the 'bulge' bonnet for a B19/B200.

cheers

James

Post by **trabitom99** » 23 Jun 2007 11:17 am

Have you got the right bonnet for it yet? There's one on Marktplaats at the moment here.

Post by **V6 Man** » 23 Jun 2007 01:54 pm

Correct bonnets are the one thing he is not short of.........

Post by **foggyjames** » 23 Jun 2007 06:32 pm

Yup, I have two brand new ones

One came from a dealerhip in Wales...impressive, given that those cars were never sold here!

cheers

James

Post by **trabitom99** » 23 Jun 2007 07:22 pm

Good find! And there I go, posting some battered old bonnet

The B19 never got to the UK in a Mk1 ?