Project The Mighty Dacia - 1310 estate - Cat's tales

[dollywobbler]

I think we should probably give the Mighty Dacia its own thread.

 

In short, this car was purchased over the internet, then collected in Romania and driven 2500 miles to Wales.

 

Video of such exploits can be seen here.

 

It is a 1990 Dacia 1310 estate, which is, in effect, just a Renault 12 built in Romania. Lots of bits are locally sourced, including the Solex-knock-off carburettor. While it uses the later 1397cc engine, it is pretty much just a Renault 12 with a Romanian accent, and a bit too much plastic mascara.

 

Oddly, the radiator is Iranian.

 

The steering wheel looks like one from a Talbot. The seats are very comfortable, even after 2500 miles.

 

The drive back has already been covered, so let's focus on now. This morning started well.

 

I say that. The car wouldn't start. Again. I wonder if it's actually got the right carburettor. The fresh spark plugs fitted a couple of hundred miles ago are already sooty. I have played around with the idle mixture again, but leaning it off just makes it stumble and misfire. Air cleaner looks brand new and all pipework seems to be sound and in the correct place. It stinks of richness, which I guess old cars generally do, but my gut feel is it's going to spectacularly fail the emissions test.

 

Oh well. It's booked in for pre-MOT tomorrow. Still can't find the slightest hint of any rear seatbelt mountings, but there are other fails expected, which is why it's a pre-MOT. Need to see how big the problems are!

[Remspoor]

Saw your video on YT earlier today. The food bit with the family. It would be the same here in Spain. How to welcome a stranger into one's abode, very civilised.

[Shep Shepherd]

It looks in Very Acceptable condition for any 1990 car, let alone a Dacia. 

 

I remember seeing some brand new Dusters in a storage compound opposite Richborough Power Station (RIP) in the early 1990s which looked like they were five years old when they came off the production line. I wonder if they ever got sold?

[Sigmund Fraud]

I wonder if it's actually got the right carburettor. The fresh spark plugs fitted a couple of hundred miles ago are already sooty. I have played around with the idle mixture again, but leaning it off just makes it stumble and misfire. Air cleaner looks brand new and all pipework seems to be sound and in the correct place. It stinks of richness, which I guess old cars generally do, but my gut feel is it's going to spectacularly fail the emissions test.

 

Maybe it would be a good idea to check that the main jet is the correct size ?

[Yoss]

Re the radiator. Iran's not actually that far is it if you're already in Bucharest? Especially if shipped across the Black Sea.

 

You should look into the logistics of driving one of them Iranian Hillman Hunters back. Though I suspect the paperwork would make what you've just done seem positively simple, UN sanctions and all that.

 

I'd love to see the looks of the Bosnian police when they see that trundle past.

[Wingz123]

Can you do a mustie1 and remove, strip down and stick in your ultra sonic parts cleaner?

[Peter C]

Approx 25 years ago I was in Poland for a long Christmas holiday. Rather than run around by public transport or pay for cabs, I decided to buy a cheap car.

 

A visit to the local car sale market revealed a lovely Dacia saloon, in faded yellow if my memory serves me correctly. I was prepared to ignore the bathroom specification vinyl flooring moulded over the front footwells, presumably fitted to conceal serious grot, but I could not accept the pretty much nonexistent brakes. Three solid pumps on the centre pedal was enough to encourage gentle deceleration. Not sure what would be required to enable an emergency stop.

 

In the end I bought an FSO 1500, which was in horrendous condition but didn’t let me down once during the four weeks I drove it. And I managed to sell it on without losing too much zloty.

[dollywobbler]

Can you do a mustie1 and remove, strip down and stick in your ultra sonic parts cleaner?

 

Alas no. The cleaner isn't big enough. So, fuel treatment straight into the carb and blast out the idle jet with carb cleaner it was then. Result? Still a bit meh, but it did manage a hot restart, so that's an improvement. Will it start in the morning? Place bets now.

[Broadsword]

Really enjoyed the videos. It's quite a solid looking example, I was really surprised at the lack of rust.

[dollywobbler]

Really enjoyed the videos. It's quite a solid looking example, I was really surprised at the lack of rust.

 

Rot is creeping in pretty much everywhere, and it's had a fair bit of welding to get it solid. Its chances of surviving a Welsh winter are pretty much nil. Might have to squirrel it away.

[Talbot]

Will it start in the morning? Place bets now.

Yes, but only after extensive cranking and cocking about with it.

 

How big is your ultrasonic cleaner? I've got a table-top ultrasonic cleaner which is about 4" x 8" bath (and about 3-4" deep) which I barely use. Would it fit in that?

[dollywobbler]

About the same size. Would take jets and stuff, but not an entire carb. I've just done what I did with the Invacar and blasted things out as best I could.

[somewhatfoolish]

You should look into the logistics of driving one of them Iranian Hillman Hunters back. Though I suspect the paperwork would make what you've just done seem positively simple, UN sanctions and all that.

.

Acquire a crispy Hunter, fly out with the plates and drive the Paykan of your choice back.

[worldofceri]

Does this have the same 1397 motor as was fitted to Renault 5s and such like at the same sort of time? 

 

Apol's if this question has already been answered elsewhere.

[yes oui si]

Dacia GT Turbo?

[dollywobbler]

Does this have the same 1397 motor as was fitted to Renault 5s and such like at the same sort of time? 

 

Apol's if this question has already been answered elsewhere.

 

Yes.

 

In other news, went for a pre-MOT.

 

It would fail on expected things like shit headlamps (no pattern), no fog light and emissions (way, way too rich so might need to check float levels).

 

It would also fail on unexpected things: Three wheel bearings are tired, which explains the droning noise I had noticed on the way back. One exhaust mounting doesn't actually have its nut. Some welded repairs are not continuous seam welded. There's an advisory for a leak from the gearbox (nearside driveshaft) and hilarity that the driveshafts are apparently held in with bent nails.

 

However, a friend has just advised me that if the Romanian MOT was conducted after 20th May, which it was, I can import the car with that and get a UK MOT in exchange! So, I'm going to do that. Naturally, I'm going to fix the issues too - if nothing else, the rich running is clagging up the spark plugs so that starting is a major problem. 

[worldofceri]

Haha!  That's brilliant, you can just exchange your foreign document for UK one that has a completely different set of criteria for issue?  

 

Incredible!

[Lacquer Peel]

MOTs are supposed to be standardised across the EU. If not for Brexit we could match Romania's standards.

[dollywobbler]

Yep. Just confirmed it with a nice chat to DVLA. They're not exactly shouting about it, but it is true! Paperwork will be in the post today.

[yes oui si]

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE CHODLESS

[Adrian_pt]

Superb work. Good size balls getting that over here. 5 speed I assume? The dashboard has been changed with a post 1992 one - doubt that's a problem. IIRC there is also a blue estate of similar generation tootling round the UK. They're getting rare even in Romania. Bizarrely a few RHD ones have survived in Malta... what are your plans for it?

[dollywobbler]

Superb work. Good size balls getting that over here. 5 speed I assume? The dashboard has been changed with a post 1992 one - doubt that's a problem. IIRC there is also a blue estate of similar generation tootling round the UK. They're getting rare even in Romania. Bizarrely a few RHD ones have survived in Malta... what are your plans for it?

 

Yes, five speed. I'd assumed the dashboard was correct, especially as we got an identical spare! (without cracks). There is indeed a blue estate over in NI, which came from the same seller.

 

Plans are get it legal and use it, though probably not through a Welsh winter.

[egg]

So we can now import any chod from the EU with CT/TUV etc and just drive it now? Does Junkman know this, lol? 

 

Still you did all those miles and no nuns, kittens or bearded men in T-shirts were hurt.

[Talbot]

So we can now import any chod from the EU with CT/TUV etc and just drive it now?

I suspect it still has to be UK registered, but the formality of a UK MOT to do so is not there. Just the paperwork excercise.

 

Will be interesting to see how many cars are advertised on ebay in a years time with "imported last year, but just failed the MOT" when they come up for their first actual MOT test and fail cataclysmically badly!

[egg]

hang on, hang on - question....

 

If I import a 1969 renault 6 with CT, and get a 'free' UK MOT - does it get a straightforward pre-1977 permanent exemption???

[cms206]

If it's the 1397cc lump it was also in Volvo 340s - my two both had Weber carbs which made them surprisingly spritely.

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Lacquer Peel]

If it's the 1397cc lump it was also in Volvo 340s - my two both had Weber carbs which made them surprisingly spritely.

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

That means potential for a grim 80s Renault diesel too.

[AMC Rebel]

Superb work. Good size balls getting that over here. 5 speed I assume? The dashboard has been changed with a post 1992 one - doubt that's a problem. IIRC there is also a blue estate of similar generation tootling round the UK. They're getting rare even in Romania. Bizarrely a few RHD ones have survived in Malta... what are your plans for it?

 

I saw a bazzillion of these (or maybe they were actual Renaults) in Turkey.

[dollywobbler]

Paperwork is now all in the post!

[HMC]

I'm hoping it's a DW approved double digit number that they dish out for you.