BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

A place to describe in details your 300, close to or in genuine condition
The purchase, story of the car, repairs...
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trabitom99
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by trabitom99 » 03 Feb 2013 12:53 pm

1.45 pounds, well done on that! Probably because the guy wrote "vintage volvo radio" rather than "240" which probably have pushed up the price a fair bit ;-)

I agree on the non-tape ones looking better, but if you want 4 loudspeakers and the "loudness" button, that's the way to go ... I guess it depends how much radio you want to listen to in the car. There's quite a difference in "interior noise" between an early vario and a late 360 saloon for example :-)

Cheers

Tom
343 GL Touring B14.1E CVT (155) 98000kms 1980 (sold)
343 L Junior B14.3E MT4 (155) 229000kms 1981 (scrapped)
343 DLS B19A MT4 (155) 167900kms 1982
360 GL Injection B200F MT5 (231) 348598kms 1988 (scrapped)
360 GLT B200F MT5 (302) 230000kms 1988

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S10NPH
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by S10NPH » 07 Apr 2013 06:12 pm

I haven't updated this thread for a while, but that doesn't mean that there hasn't been some activity. Some quite considerable activity actually.

In the depths of our ever extending winter, I decided that the only way that (a) the car was ever going to get finished this year and (b) I was going to actually enjoy the car rather than stare at it sitting on my driveway, was to get it professionally restored. So that is what I have done. Some will think that I ought to have persevered and done it myself, and I would have liked to, but the reality is that I work full time in an entirely unrelated profession, do all the cooking, cleaning, washing, shopping, DIY, chauffeuring etc at home, try to have a social life outside of cars, have no interior workspace, have no sensible equipment to lift the car, and can at best be described as a 'novice' in terms of bodywork repairs. Most of the major work that I have already done on the car was done with Mac's supervision, and I can't keep dragging him into daylight from his cave in Suffolkshire. Furthermore, as I was priming the wing it became clear that no finish that I could manage would ever do the car justice, or more importantly, satisfy me.

So here's the story.

In October, I headed over to DAF Central in Essex for a fun day belting around with variomatics. I met a chap named Lewis who as well as having a lovely Daf 46 estate works in a small classic car restoration firm in Norfolk - Purely Classics. We got chatting about the work they had done, and I was impressed by the fact that they took a lot of care over otherwise unloved cars. I got in touch in March, and went to see some of their work. The next day, BHX was trailered away by Lewis and Les Heaton who actually runs the company:
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Five days later, I was in the area so called in to see what Les and his team made of the car having had a few days to scrutinise it. They had been hard at work, and all the structuring welding had been done, the mechanicals sorted including a new full set of driveshaft boots, and the car was sorted as far as the MOT was concerned! The dent in the driver's rear quarter was also in the process of being sorted.
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I went back just over a week later, and some more progress had been made. The wings had been welded up and skimmed, and I'm pleased to say that Mac's welding stood up to scrutiny, as did my metalworking skills in making new metal for the wings. All the small dents and imperfections in the car had been sorted and primed.
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Mmm, paint:
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Two weeks later (today) I went back again, and the car is shaping up! It has been fully painted, and re-assembled. I'm really pleased with the colour match to the original paint, so much so that when I went in today I had a brief moment thinking nothing had been done at all, until I realised that of course it had!
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A pink interior(!):
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The next jobs are to clean it up, sort out any overspray, polish a few minor blemishes out of the new paint, underseal inside the arches etc, sort out new tyres and take it for its MOT. I should take delivery of the completed car on the weekend of 20-21 April, and I am very excited :D. I will then have some fun fitting a few NOS bits that I have acquired to finish it off properly (including replacement front bumper stripes). I also need to re-gas or source new boot struts, and possibly a replacement front numberplate - anyone know of somewhere that does good classic numberplates, I have used Framptons in the past but wasn't completely happy with the font they used. Ideally I'd like somewhere to match the typeface exactly, and also replicate the dealer details on the plate.

Anyway, I wasn't sure whether to put this post up, or whether to wait until the BKV for an in-the-flesh reveal. But I thought if I put up some pictures and a story of a 300 being lavished with love and care, that it would help inspire others that these cars are worth restoring, and doing so properly to be preserved for the future.
Last edited by S10NPH on 07 Apr 2013 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1977 Volvo 343 DL 1.4 Vario TUJ 247R
1980 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 PGH 590V
1981 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 ECR 312W
1985 Volvo 340 DL 1.4 Vario B168 DTU
1982 Volvo 245 GLT 2.3 Auto VKN 137X
1997 Saab 900 Convertible P290 DDF and 2018 VW Tiguan S10 NPH

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mac
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by mac » 07 Apr 2013 08:02 pm

Siôn - for gas struts try:-

SGS Engineering. (they make gas struts and will do custom jobs)
Derby, DE21 6JL

01332 226290
sales@sgs-engineering.com
www.sgs-engineering.com

Part no.GSC2456 (for cars without rear spoiler) £13.99 + carriage + vat.each.
Part no.GSC2458 (for cars with rear spoiler) £13.99 + carriage + vat.each.

If you ring them you can specify metal (ask for metal) or plastic ball joint ends, and request the rod end ball joint be not fitted. (to enable you to transfer the boot lamp switch - if not the ball joint will be locktited on).

I purchased a pair last November and e-mailed them pics of the switch arrangement so they realised why some nutter was asking them to leave an end off one of the units.

Came within a couple of days - excellent quality!

Looking good - but how the H did they spray the interior (looks to be "dry" spray so should vacuum out ok).

Mac.
88 5door Redline 1.7 52k - 19 XC60 Momentum Pro D4 AWD 17k
1950 pair of legs that don't work very well.

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S10NPH
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by S10NPH » 07 Apr 2013 08:13 pm

Thanks for that Mac, I will contact SGS. I was getting a bit worried about the wiring needed for the struts, so that's really useful to know.

Hehe, it's just powder, and caused I think when doing the door frames and sills. It should mostly blow out on a windy day leaving the doors open, apparently, and hoover the rest.
1977 Volvo 343 DL 1.4 Vario TUJ 247R
1980 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 PGH 590V
1981 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 ECR 312W
1985 Volvo 340 DL 1.4 Vario B168 DTU
1982 Volvo 245 GLT 2.3 Auto VKN 137X
1997 Saab 900 Convertible P290 DDF and 2018 VW Tiguan S10 NPH

macplaxton
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by macplaxton » 07 Apr 2013 09:40 pm

I've used SGS twice for struts. I would highly recommend using them.

Citroen GS bootlid struts. Despite being manufactured in late 1977, they managed to re-gas my pair and they are still holding the bootlid up fine.

Volvo 343. Suspa ones manufactured in 1982
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DSCF1079 by macplaxton, on Flickr

these couldn't be re-gassed, but they supplied new ones to same spec (350N) and transferred the switch over.

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DSCF1084 by macplaxton, on Flickr

(The re-gas deal is if they can re-gas them and they fail within a month, they'll give you the re-gas fee back as credit off a new pair.)

Speak to Seb there. He'll make sure you're sorted.
72 DAF 44 Estate 78 Volvo 343DL Black BeautyImageImage
82 Volvo 343DL CVTImageImage 88 Volvo 340DL Diesel

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S10NPH
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by S10NPH » 08 Apr 2013 01:21 pm

Brilliant, thanks Rich. I will sort it with them when I have the car back.
1977 Volvo 343 DL 1.4 Vario TUJ 247R
1980 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 PGH 590V
1981 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 ECR 312W
1985 Volvo 340 DL 1.4 Vario B168 DTU
1982 Volvo 245 GLT 2.3 Auto VKN 137X
1997 Saab 900 Convertible P290 DDF and 2018 VW Tiguan S10 NPH

MCHUDD
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by MCHUDD » 08 Apr 2013 02:58 pm

Hi Sion.
Car looks great mate. If all else fails, i have a couple of working
spare struts. New ones would probably be better though.
Cheers Mark.
sm69 sm69 sm69 sm69 sm69 sm69 sm69

volvomania
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by volvomania » 09 Apr 2013 07:37 am

Sion, if you still have the original rear window heating cabling on your car you'll need to go for the plastic ball joint ends.
If the cabling was modified and no longer runs through the struts, you can use the metal ball joints.
Life is a journey, so sit back and enjoy the ride!

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Hell Driver
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by Hell Driver » 09 Apr 2013 09:00 am

The car should look great now, hope to see it this summer! Mayor paintwork jobs are something I've left to the proffesionals too, one of those things that's never right unless you know what you are doing, my DIY attempts over the years have never been satisfactory when looked at closely (mainly becouse I use rattle cans :P). Usually manage a bodge up which looks ok at 10 feet if you squint :lol:

Nice to see another early car getting some attention!
360 GLE Saloon (D 86)
360 GLS (A 84)
343 DL (W 80) :-)
340 GL 1.7 (G 89)
360 GLS (Y 83)
440 Turbo (J 92)
Transit Tipper 125 T350 (02)Alive Again!
Transit Tipper Smiley face Q reg
Mitsubishi Colt 1.1 (54)
R.I.P. 77 343 DL vario :-(

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S10NPH
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by S10NPH » 19 Apr 2013 08:02 pm

BHX is on the road!

It passed its MOT on Wednesday with no advisories, and so I taxed it this morning. Les then delivered it to me this afternoon, having successfully driven the 60 miles from South Norfolk to my house under its own steam - its first journey since 2009.

I've since been driving it around Cambridge, and I am delighted. It's lovely to drive, with a very smooth gearchange and the heavy clutch has sorted itself out with some lubrication of the cable and some use. The engine runs really sweetly, and it pulls well. I really like the way my 1980 MY car drives, and I am extremely happy that a 1979 MY drives just as well.

Tomorrow will be spent playing around with it, and starting to sort all the little bits that the restorer didn't do (replace mudguards, strip and repaint wheels, fit wheel nut covers, straighten rear lights, replace bumper reflective stripes, remove overspray from plastic grommets under headlamps and inside doors and screws that hold grille in place, new spark plugs, clean engine bay, sort out replacement boot struts, try to fit FM radio, remove AA badge....the list goes on! It also needs a really good cut and polish now that the paint is 3 weeks old.)

Here are a few preliminary pictures, taken somewhere other than my driveway for once:
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The car will be coming to the BKV in June, but will make its show debut at the Norwich classic vehicle club show on 2 June, as part of a display to advertise Les' restoration business.

Question for the experts - should the bit of chassis that peeks through under the sill (where the vario system would usually be located) be body coloured, or black?

As far as I know, this is now the oldest 343 on the UK roads registered 1 June 1979 (Rich, yours is now in Ireland so doesn't count!), as all the other 1979 MY cars I know of are on V plates which came in on 1 August 1979, and are in fact all on SORN anyway. For completeness these are:
CET 554V (belonging to Foggy):
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DUX 97V (which appeared on this forum a few years ago):
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and GHL 202V (which belongs to Nick Hayward who I met at the BKV last year):
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Any others I have missed? AFAIK there are no 1977 or 1978 MY cars on the UK roads.
1977 Volvo 343 DL 1.4 Vario TUJ 247R
1980 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 PGH 590V
1981 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 ECR 312W
1985 Volvo 340 DL 1.4 Vario B168 DTU
1982 Volvo 245 GLT 2.3 Auto VKN 137X
1997 Saab 900 Convertible P290 DDF and 2018 VW Tiguan S10 NPH

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trabitom99
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by trabitom99 » 19 Apr 2013 09:01 pm

It looks great! Having the sills painted body colour again makes the world of difference.

DUX 97V may have gone to Shimon (but I may be confusing that with another one of Foggy's Mk1s (also a 1980 MY car)).

Does that mean no brown DAF style dashboards in the UK? There must be a few out there ...

Cheers

Tom
343 GL Touring B14.1E CVT (155) 98000kms 1980 (sold)
343 L Junior B14.3E MT4 (155) 229000kms 1981 (scrapped)
343 DLS B19A MT4 (155) 167900kms 1982
360 GL Injection B200F MT5 (231) 348598kms 1988 (scrapped)
360 GLT B200F MT5 (302) 230000kms 1988

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Hell Driver
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by Hell Driver » 20 Apr 2013 12:36 am

I know of no brown dashboards, as far as I know mine was the last one on the road in 2002 before being stolen (while off the road) in 2006. I expect there were one or two others at that time and may be there is one out there somewhere?

Car looks great now!
360 GLE Saloon (D 86)
360 GLS (A 84)
343 DL (W 80) :-)
340 GL 1.7 (G 89)
360 GLS (Y 83)
440 Turbo (J 92)
Transit Tipper 125 T350 (02)Alive Again!
Transit Tipper Smiley face Q reg
Mitsubishi Colt 1.1 (54)
R.I.P. 77 343 DL vario :-(

macplaxton
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by macplaxton » 20 Apr 2013 02:21 am

S10NPH wrote:As far as I know, this is now the oldest 343 on the UK roads registered 1 June 1979 (Rich, yours is now in Ireland so doesn't count!)
Probably is Sion.

I heard unconfirmed rumblings a while back about a 2nd RHD Black Beauty, but I've not seen or heard anything since to substantiate the existence of said vehicle.

I also want to know where YPV 310S (spotted RR forum, Feb 26, 2008) got to :?:

Image
72 DAF 44 Estate 78 Volvo 343DL Black BeautyImageImage
82 Volvo 343DL CVTImageImage 88 Volvo 340DL Diesel

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S10NPH
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Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by S10NPH » 20 Apr 2013 10:43 am

Wow - I hadn't seen that one, it's brilliant and I want it. It's a 1978 MY. Mac, do you know of its existence, being local to you in Woodbridge? Unfortunately, it doesn't come up on the DVLA database :-(

The Black Beauty is apparently in Anglesey where I'm from, but the old chap who had contacted the DAF club about it has decided to do it up himself rather than sell it, when he realised there was interest in it. Grr!

I'd also forgotten about this 1979 MY which is still listed for sale on the Volvo Enthusiasts Club website (but it's been there for years):
Image
1977 Volvo 343 DL 1.4 Vario TUJ 247R
1980 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 PGH 590V
1981 Volvo 345 DL 1.4 ECR 312W
1985 Volvo 340 DL 1.4 Vario B168 DTU
1982 Volvo 245 GLT 2.3 Auto VKN 137X
1997 Saab 900 Convertible P290 DDF and 2018 VW Tiguan S10 NPH

macplaxton
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Joined: 09 Feb 2008 02:29 am

Re: BHX recommissioning thread - 1979 Volvo 343 DL

Post by macplaxton » 20 Apr 2013 04:35 pm

There must still be a few Doris' round Bournemouth or similar with headscarves and a mint old 343 stashed in the garage to get to the shops and church in. There just must be.
72 DAF 44 Estate 78 Volvo 343DL Black BeautyImageImage
82 Volvo 343DL CVTImageImage 88 Volvo 340DL Diesel

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