1981 mk1 343 DL - LHD

[foggyjames]

Hi all,

I've been offered a LHD mk1 343 DL. It's in red. It hasn't been on the road for many years. Being an 81 car, it has the mk2-style bumpers, but retains the nosecone, etc. I don't have much info, but it appears to be really quite solid, from what I've seen so far. Of the panels I can see in the pics I have (which I'm too lazy to upload at present), only the front wing (£80 new?) is rusty...and even that is not severe. I think there's a good chance it has 'sat out' the rusty years. It's in Germany, and will need to be imported, but it could be yours for under £100.

Downsides...

1) Conversion to RHD will require nasty modifications to the bulkhead.

2) You'll need to budget for collection. We're due to go to Germany in the spring, and we've now moved 3 DAFs in the other direction, so we've done it before. Ball-park delivery cost is somewhere in the order of £200-300, depending on where it's going within the UK.

3) You'll have to get used to fending off crowds of admirers once you're rocking the original hotness. That's the real reason my 81 'R-Sport' has been off the road...nothing to do with a body restoration...I just needed time to recover from the 'mad props' and groupie love I was continuously getting...

cheers

James

[macplaxton]

Is is a vario?

[volvodspec]

why conversion to RHD?

i'd love to have a RHD in the netherlands some day, you get used to sitting/driving/shifting gear at the wrong side of the car within 5 miles.

longer bumpers for the old style nose is MY 81-82 specific! mk2 bumpers are different again..

[foggyjames]

I believe the rear bumper is the same as a mk2, but the front is 81MY only. Quite a problem if you bend it, especially as DL and GL are different!

I only mentioned the RHD / LHD swap as it's not trivial. In a 240, you just unbolt parts, but it's not so easy in a 300. I suspect most people here would keep it LHD...especially as it's not fast enough for overtaking to be an issue.

I'm not sure if it's a manual or vario...I will find out. I have a hunch it will be a vario, as the owner also had a large collection of DAFs.

cheers

James

[macplaxton]

I have a hunch it will be a vario, as the owner also had a large collection of DAFs.

I'm all ears then!

[Stefan]

It dose sound good i would keep it LHD

[trabitom99]

If it's coming from Benny's direction it's almost certain to be a vario. Look forward to seeing the pics!

I so wouldn't bother with a RHD conversion. Spend the time and money on other things

Tom

[foggyjames]

Yes, it belongs to a friend of Benny...so it's not 100% certain, but quite likely. I've asked the question...

cheers

James

[macplaxton]

Yes, I've heard of Benny.

[Stefan]

any pics of this yet

[foggyjames]

I'll try to put some up over Christmas...just about to set off for Devon!

cheers

James

[nvdw]

This one?

http://cgi.ebay.de/Volvo-343L-Variomati ... _500wt_975

[volvosneverdie]

This one?

http://cgi.ebay.de/Volvo-343L-Variomati ... _500wt_975

ooo!
want!

[foggyjames]

No, that car is a 1982 model year (mk2) example.

Here's the one I'm talking about:




cheers

James

[volvosneverdie]

Ooo! Want again!