BO11OX' KNOB van

[Mr Lobster]

Are you on your way yet?

 

At least tell us you've agreed the details and you're on to Ryanair as we sit here waiting for news.

[eddyramrod]

There might be a better seat in a local scrappy, to at least give you some comfort on the drive home.  Take a 10mm spanner with you...

 

What d'you mean you haven't left yet?

[Inspector Morose]

I'll throw my hat in the ring here. Bol, if you fancy some help or just want a boring fat bloke for company, I've got a good amount of spare time due to my season finishing till March.

[jonathan_dyane]

In the highly unlikely event that after several hundred miles driving the thing back you're sick of the sight of it I could probably be persuaded to buy it off you...

[mark165]

A friend of mine 'restored' a 305 van for his wedding the other year, albeit the XUD version. Yes you read that right.

 

If you've got to go to France to get it, then I'd highly advise tracking down body panels/parts when you're over there if possible.

 

Items like the rear hatch are impossible to locate in the UK. By example the main 305 man over here wants £400+ for one.

 

Bumpers, wings, doors, anything you can find would be an advantage.

[garethj]

I brought a 1964 Tatra back from Germany, but a similar distance.  I took a mate with me and it was a fantastic adventure, even though he couldn't hold a spanner.

 

I don't really see the thing with this van so I'd do an adventure for something more special.  But if this van really is your bag you owe it to yourself to do it.

 

Make some money by towing a Mk1 Escort back from Sud France and limiting your speed to 25mph all the way back.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I've been mulling this over all day and reading everyone's comments. I have decided that I'm gonna give it a miss. Why? Purely because of those screen pillars!!! I showed them to a lad i sit near at work who's into rallying megabucks mk2 escorts, he knows all about changing bashed-in roofs. He took one look and said 'f**k that, you're into pipe joints and all sorts there arent you' meaning repairing/reinforcing the various skins that make up a screen pillar. I don't know about that, but I do know that to repair those properly (which i would be crazy not to do having gone to the bother of getting the damn thing all the way home) the screen has to come out, probably front wings off and quite likely start drilling spot welds out of the scuttle panel. None of that is impossible of course, in fact I like that kind of shiz but thats not a weekends work is it. It means the van will end up sitting in the garage for weeks/months being repaired, which to be honest I can do without, if I want another car to sit gathering dust I have a green Mazda 929 thats doing that very well already!!! If i buy another old shitter I want to bomb about it in it at 40mph not sit looking at it getting depressed every time I go up the garage.

 

I still proper fancy a 305 though. I have a few groat burning a hole in my pocket to buy one, some holiday that needs burning before the year is out AND the new Ms_NUTZ is well up for an adventure of this type! She seems to be totally unfazed by the prospect of sitting in a shitty old van for 4 days driving it home at sedate cycling speeds. The search is on!

[25v6turbo]

Theres a white G reg 305 D van sitting in a driveway at the end of my road,i will PM the address

[25v6turbo]

Google maps does show it at the location i Pmed you with dated 2 years ago,but i can confirm its def still there.

[hairnet]

surrey from crewe is a foreign jaunt for sure

[trigger]

To be honest, I think you've made the right decision Reg, I just wanted to read would be have been a legendry thread but you need to be sensible sometimes and those pillars do look a utter bastard. What's holding you back on finishing the Maserati?

[cort16]

You could have tacked in the pillars off a red 306 and just left them red with the weld scorch marks up the rest of the pillar. 306 is only one number extra how different could it be?

 

If it worked hard enough to crack the pillars and if it now has less strength in the roof then there's probably more structural issues .

On the other hand 350 euros would barely rent you a car long enough to get back from the Pyrenees .

[Alexg]

Stand down everyone. This is a drill this is a drill

[wuvvum]

Sounds like the new Ms_Bo11ox is a keeper.

[dugong]

Yo testes,

 

If ye ever need an extended KNOB VAN trial, mine is available and stuff.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Its time for RONALD McBO11OX's 305 REVIEW!!!! a one-off event featuring some of the best 305's currently available under 1500€ on leboncoin.

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/726838871.htm?ca=7_s

 

1) Save the best till first. this one-owner 1982 petrol estate ticks all of my boxes - RTC fanbelt, 3 stud wheels, old dashboard and front-end styling. Just outside Paris and advertised at 800 quid. Looks absolutely lovely!

 

 

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/726530020.htm?ca=7_s

 

2) This 1981 estate is nowt like as smart but it is a 3-stud and DIESEL! So i think it will have the shite engine, an important plus point. BUT the asking price is 1200€ - I can stomach 350 on a rubbish engine that might expire at any moment but €1200 is too much. NEXT!

 

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/726316965.htm?ca=7_s

 

3) this 1980 pez saloon looks absolutley LOVELY and seems to have a nice poverty vibe going on. Its got less than 30k on the clock but has a sticky brake caliper apparently. 900€ for this one but he will barter. Not far from Paris either so accessible by plane or train. IN fact this is very tempting, might give him a ring the morra!

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/698336303.htm?ca=7_s

 

4) this is a 1983 petrol GT estate! Not sure what engine this will have, says '7CV', my guess is a 1.6 XU. Although I have seen some GR models with a RTC fanbelt that are also 7CV so who knows. Not my ideal spec but still interesting. WOULD. 900€ and it looks in nice condition, could do with some better pics though

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/712792817.htm?ca=7_s

 

5) 1984 7CV 'GR' petrol with a 4-speed box. Again getting a bit modern but I think this might have a RTC fanbelt engine still. 4-speed box and lots of beige so plenty there for a shite lover. Think this would be an A reg. 700€ for this one

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/721479163.htm?ca=7_s

 

6) This KNOB VAN has been winking at me for yonks.1.5 RTC fanbelt pez engine and the later dashboard and front but earlier tailgate. This has been up for 700€ for yonks, I bet they'd take an offer on it, but its been off the road for a few years so leaping in and driving it home is a bit optimistic seemingly. April 83 - this would be a Y-reg right? Have to say it looks fucking excellent. I'd love it!

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/717286311.htm?ca=7_s

 

6) this 1985 pez GT estate is not without appeal, I like the wheels.... presumably this is a 1.6 XU though which, although perfectly OK, is not really what I'm looking for. €700 for this, seemingly the master cylinder is a bit flaky so you'd have to drive 500 miles home on the handbrake, TBH I'd want another €100 off for that inconvenience. still WOULD TBH.

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/716272455.htm?ca=7_s

 

7) This was probably great before the engine was robbed out of it. Love the 3-stud alloys! TBH I really want one with an engine though. €500

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/714694196.htm?ca=7_s

 

this windowed-up pez van is alright, its a 1986 model so a bit young I suppose. Its only 400 quid though and mechanically spot on supposedly. Were they still doing any RTC fanbelts in '86? If not AHM OOT

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/714624803.htm?ca=7_s

 

9) This 1981 3-stud pez 'S' model is appealing, its on the N coast of France and is only 300€, but its apparently hard to start and starts playing up after a few miles, no doubt its the condenser and you have to remove and split the engine/box to change it or something. Do the 'S' models have any sporting credentials?

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/708807887.htm?ca=7_s

 

10) this 1981 3-stud pez estate is not without appeal (as the seller says, 'I'VE ALREADY BEEN TO MARSEILLE IN IT 3 TIMES') but the drivers door has been kicked in so needs kicking out again. 700€ but will barter

 

Thanks for reading!!!

[Alexg]

I

 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/726316965.htm?ca=7_s

 

WOOF!

[mat_the_cat]

TBH I really want one with an engine though.

 

Don't you have a Reliant one spare?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Nah, I gave that one away!

[dieselassist]

 showed them to a lad i sit near at work who's into rallying megabucks mk2 escorts, he knows all about changing bashed-in roofs. He took one look and said 'f**k that, you're into pipe joints and all sorts there arent you' meaning repairing/reinforcing the various skins that make up a screen pillar. I don't know about that, but I do know that to repair those properly (which i would be crazy not to do having gone to the bother of getting the damn thing all the way home) the screen has to come out, probably front wings off and quite likely start drilling spot welds out of the scuttle panel. None of that is impossible of course,

 

 

Ive done the shagged pillars repairs - inners n outers on 2 of my own cars, n one for 'a mate'; vw mk1 golfs - two of them were- its a bit of an involved/time n being methodical about the repair; the one 'for the mate' he was very pessimistic acout the screen fitting/doors fitting proper again so I accommodated his worries n welded in a box/plate thing that surrounded the corroded area... only real worries about upper A frame rot is that the rain etc has dribbled down n taken out the front door posts/hinge area, inner wing, front sill area, with rust - which can often be the case....

 

I remember, as a boy, summer hols at my aunties in Tipperary,  n we used to go swimming at the local swimming pool with the rich 'big acred farm' neighbours n they take us in their early saloon diesel 305 in light met green - very bouncey seats, but the whole car vibrates at idle, n I remember the icreams we used to buy after our swim dribbling down our wee paws, faster than we coud lick the icreams - Toyota K30s n cortinas were the steed of the common working man at the time, n I remember my uncle scoffing at their rich folly, as nobody could fix their 'French yoke' with its 'mad technology'... they ran it for years till it essentially died, n parked it somewhere on their vast farm... it might even still be there...

 

Which makes me ask; is not a RHD one of these early witchcraft/90 deg fan belt, ' gearbox/clutch with the engine' 305 available on UK shores/Ireland?? There must be one lying somewhere... if you take up this 'drive one home from france' trip, no doubt a RHD early one is goin to pop up on e-bay the week after you are at home with the French 305 outside....

 

Still it sounds like an adventure; driving one home; I might only attempt such a feat if I were dying of a terminal disease n like in a film; "whats on your bucket list" the relatives might ask, I might suggest buying n driving home an early 305 Diesel with the oddball diesel engine, n getting them to accompany me on said trip out of obligation - they'd later get their own back on deciding what to put on the headstone, tho....

[Jon]

It all sounds fun and games and I would have loved to have sat down with a coffee and read about your trip back but I think you made the right choice. Having had a series 1 505 until sold last year, I can see the attraction of an early 305, if they're anything alike in terms of comfort and NVH (been reading a few 1980's issues of CAR).

 

My pick of the bunch from your 305 line-up would be the blue one (if it had an engine!), simply for the natty wheels and an actual colour. The main attraction of cars from this era is the fantastic interior/exterior colour combos, which merged in to more sombre efforts with the inevitable facelifts a couple of years on. Would a 104 still be an option? You've posted up some right corkers in the past!

 

Or as others have said, buy something worth a little in the UK (3dr RR? LHM Citroen? R4?), take new lady and impress with your ability to shower her with gifts (his & hers Peugeots, etc.) with the proceeds, plus a holiday from collecting it to boot.

[Richard]

I'm pretty sure they were still doing the mad fan belts in 1986. I don't think you should buy a facelift one though, they are too much like other 80s Peugeots. If you're going to all that bother you might as well do it properly.

[carlo]

Engines in these are a little complicated, the facelifted Series II cars still got the old RTC fanbelt engines for quite a while.  The 1983 GT model was the first to have the XU engine (1.6), then the GTX (1.9 carb, a lovely car/engine combo).  After this the newer engines filtered down the range, although they were still supplying the older engine with the lowest spec cars quite late on (and always 4 speed).  The 'S' model (1980-82) was a souped up 1472, not much more grunt but more noise.  They also did an 'S' version much later on, this was just a badge level on the 1600 XU, just to confuse you.  

 

My pick would be an early 1290cc GL or GR (slightly sweeter engine apparently), with the lovely cloth seats - that white saloon looks just right on leboncoin.

 

I'm no mechanic but have every piece of writing ever laid down on the 305, pm me if you need anything etc.  There was a lovely looking very early white saloon on ebay UK last year, no doubt still around. 

[cort16]

The white saloon is the fittest but old vans are cool. That's just a fact. I find myself generating trouser heat looking at Marina and Ital vans but I wouldn't bother my arse with the car versions.

[eddyramrod]

Here's a couple I found in Paphos while I was living there.  I'm going back this month, want me to see if they still exist?

The estate will be late 80s, the saloon more like 79.  I have no idea who might own either of them, or what engine/trim levels are involved, but they will be RHD.  Of course, this being Cyprus, it isn't as simple to drive one home!

[dugong]

Get us the rear clusters off the first one if you're having a butcher's Eddy....

[eddyramrod]

If you like Jon, I can have a look for a set while I'm there.  Do you need both sides?  Idea of budget?

[dugong]

If you like Jon, I can have a look for a set while I'm there.  Do you need both sides?  Idea of budget?

If this geezer in France doesn't get back in touch, yes, probably. £50 for the pair would be my flat out maximum.

[eddyramrod]

I'll see what I can do.  I'm sure if you ended up with two sets you wouldn't feel too hard-done-by?  While away I won't be online very much.

[AnthonyG]

I learnt to drive in an 83 facelift estate, I think it had a 1400 engine. Whilst it was a lovely car to drive in terms of handling and ride, it did feel quite slow, and that was in 1990.

 

Mind you, it was quicker than the 1300 Mk4 Cortina I also had at the time!

 

I'd happily have another, lovely cars. Mk1s have the additional 1970s cool factor and came in some great colours.