1989 Style Et Luxe KNOB VAN

[dugong]

I missed B639 PPV rather a lot. Having failed to sort its Solex autochoke carburettor, a lack of work and space forced me to sell. It appeared on a forecourt in Burnley for a silly sum of money before disappearing into the ether. 

 

It's an NA diesel that's lived in Cambridgeshire all its life, acquiring its gear knob at an unknown point in the past. 

Rusty, but solid where needed, it has dazzle camouflage in place of the requisite MoT sill tidemark. I'm fairly certain 305s came out of Sochaux equipped like that. 

It's pretty late for a 305 - you could buy its successor a year earlier - but relative youth hasn't slowed the brown worm. I reckon a wheel bearing's giving up and I could do with a rear tail lamp cluster. There's also a bent front wheel which really isn't helping how it corners. 

Enough preamble. PICS:

 

 

 

So that's a Toledo, an S-Type R and a 305 Van. 



A single Montego mat, for some reason.



Bent wheel is a worry - but I still have a small stash of 305 bits left over - and that includes wheel trims, steelies, early Mi 16 alloys and floor mats. 

 

The seller nearly let it go for half price after forgetting to ask for the rest of the money. I reminded him sharpish and got on the road. The interior mirror fell off while sat at some temporary traffic lights. Shortly after, I ended up hitting the brakes harder than I'd have liked - a group of idiots in a Mk4 Golf decided to turn in the road after getting bored of sitting in the congestion. Helpfully, they decided to maneouvre into the opposite lane - my lane - and give me abuse after I signalled my displeasure. The brakes lock up and pull to the right. Hooray for part-shagged Michelins. 

Many keys were supplied. I couldn't find the right one for the filler cap and spent a good ten minutes swearing chronically trying to get it to move. As this was occurring, a bloke in a 206 walked up, handed me his details and said that he wanted to buy the number plate from me, meaning the van may well have paid for itself before long. 

I wouldn't mind a scrap 305 estate to pick over, mind. It also needs a savage scrubbing, inside and out. 

The stripes may have to come off, though. Just saying. 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

The tidemark looks like a poorly researched attempt at the A-Team van livery. 

[rml2345]

That's fabulous in all its wooden knobbed glory. The stripes improve it IMHO.

[dugong]

If this was one of wobbler's posts, it would be up to 86,000 pages and climbing. 

Y U ALL FORSAKE ME

[dollywobbler]

Well for a start, I'm in a huff as you're both trying to outshit-van me, and you're considering selling a gorgeous two-number reg plate.

 

More seriously, NEEDS MORE DRIVING IMPRESSIONS INNIT! Though I can imagine all too well. I had a job at 19 driving a completely knackered 250,000 mile 305 van. Does this one have the comedy rear suspension squeak?

[skattrd]

Nice van dugong.

It'd be nice to see it brandishing the autoshite banner at Chumley like your estate did.

[barrett]

I approve. Are these depressingly slow or what? Is there a turbo diesel 305? Swop 4 Allegro? (Not really)

[dugong]

Well for a start, I'm in a huff as you're both trying to outshit-van me, and you're considering selling a gorgeous two-number reg plate.

 

More seriously, NEEDS MORE DRIVING IMPRESSIONS INNIT! Though I can imagine all too well. I had a job at 19 driving a completely knackered 250,000 mile 305 van. Does this one have the comedy rear suspension squeak?

 

If it means I write my costs off, the plate can go. There was some deranged row on here about how people would rather a P4 not be restored because of its plate, more or less the only item of value on the car as it was, which would have funded its restoration and kept it on the road. 

'It has to stay with the car, taking the plate would be devastating'. MADNESS.

 

The rear suspension doesn't squeak, but there is a cut down load liner from a 504 that graunches and shimmies. 

[trigger]

What a classy piece of ass!

[forddeliveryboy]

Great van!

[dugong]

I approve. Are these depressingly slow or what? Is there a turbo diesel 305? Swop 4 Allegro? (Not really)

 

 

AFAIK (but I know nothing) there wasn't a TD 305 van. To be honest, it's quite willing up to 50mph but a bit laboured past that. I imagine plenty of real world torque enthusiasts have done this, and / or driven on scrapyard brakes.

Relatively low kerb weight helps as well. 

 

It'll cruise quite happily at 70. Gearbox is a BE1 and therefore super sweet after it's finished baulking like an arse in second when the oil is cold. Other 305, my 306 (BE3) and the early 205GTI at work do that as well.

 

Nice van dugong.

It'd be nice to see it brandishing the autoshite banner at Chumley like your estate did.

 

I don't know where the banner has gone. Who has the banner, lads?

[cort16]

That tide line is a belter! How much MOT time have you got before you have to start riveting galvanised sheets to the floor?

Was it being used as a working van by the previous owner or was it purely used as a clunge magnet?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

If someone offers you CASH MONEY for that plate you'd be mental not to take it!!

[dugong]

That tide line is a belter! How much MOT time have you got before you have to start riveting galvanised sheets to the floor?

Was it being used as a working van by the previous owner or was it purely used as a clunge magnet?

Until November. It's not that bad underneath - it's mostly blebs and crusty ends. The previous owner used it to do some work on his house. It's lived in Fenland towns all of its life and was supplied new from an army base garage in Huntingdon.

That half-built Mi 16 engine of mine needs a place to live.

 

If someone offers you CASH MONEY for that plate you'd be mental not to take it!!

Yeah, if I can get him near what the van cost, I'll be laughing my geps off. DVLA want 80 shells off me to do the dirty, though.

 

Was thinking of getting a banger sign writer to spray something on the panels - although the overspray is vile.

[Junkman]

So can we ferry my Benz parts to Ian's place with it now?

[Jim Bell]

That is shite.

Well played.

[vulgalour]

It has it all, in spades, and is finished off with some fantastic tailgate chevrons.

[dave21478]

 

 

 

 

Bent wheel is a worry - but I still have a small stash of 305 bits left over - and that includes wheel trims, steelies, early Mi 16 alloys and floor mats. 

 

 

 

 

If its just that dink on the rim, then its nothing to worry about - get a hammer and a drift and bash it back.

[Cavcraft]

/\

That, it's a piece of piss knocking rims back into shape with a hammer.

 

Anyhow, love the van it rocks a phat one, but please leave the stripes on and maybe spray over the tidemarks instead.

[HH-R]

It was a stroke of luck meeting someone called G78KAV! What are the odds?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo Dug, did you see that your old estate one briefly reappeared on the blue forum, it made its way to Ireland and was being converted to diesel power.

[dugong]

Yo Dug, did you see that your old estate one briefly reappeared on the blue forum, it made its way to Ireland and was being converted to diesel power.

Got a link?

[chaseracer]

The bloke buying the plate should cover Doovla's cut, Jon.

[trigger]

[dollywobbler]

Brilliant as ever Trig!

[nacho man]

Lets see more pics as its grade a kwality material that van, is it a xud or the other earlier variant I have forgot the name of.

[Mr Lobster]

Do Like. 

 

MOAR PICKTURES PLZ.

 

Out of curiosity, where abouts in this here Burnley had the other 305 then?

[Cavcraft]

Tea-monitor interface at Trig's picture!

[meggersdog]

Excellent purchase,Dugong.Maybe tidy up the tidemark but leave the stripes as is.

[wuvvum]

Nice purchase.  Good to see the temp gauge needle sat in the left half of its quadrant, too.