Mr_Bo11ox Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Alright gang, you'll probably think I have completely lost my marbles with this but here goes anyway. I've been scanning leboncoin for a while watching old 305's coming and going. I think the 305 is a nice simple elegant little car and I have this idea that the early ones have a true 'Peugeot' feel about them, i.e. exceptional build quality for the time, very well engineered and amazingly supple suspension, like a 505 or 504, before they got modernised with the XU/XUD engine and 205-esque placca interior (not that I'm knocking either of those features). Early 305's were available with an interesting diesel engine that had previously been seen in the 204 and 304, the 'XL4D' effort which had been in produciton since the mid 60's. Ive never seen one of these engines but I think they were available over here. Theyre rare in France, mainly I think due to being bloody shite. Here is a picture of one: Look how the fanbelt goes round the corner!!!! Flipping brilliant. These also are a gearbox-in-sump design for extra misery if repairs are needed. I have done a bit of research but can't find a lot of info about them, though I did uncover this French site all about them http://ma204.free.fr/dossiers-generaux/diesel/index.htm It explains the differences between the vairiants and says:Are these engines reliable?- Not at all for the XLD and XL4D, and only slightly better for the XiDL (the one fitted in the 305). These engines are derived from petrol engines and spin too fast to have any chance of a long reliable life in diesel form. Whats more the severe vibrations they generate kill external parts (alternators, wiring harnesses etc) and the piston skirts wear causing loss of compression and bad starting. Most of the really problematic ones are dead now anyway and/or have been replaced with slightly better factory exchange units. Maintenance is an oil change every 1500 miles (!!!!!) cheanging the oil filter every 3000. Certainly theres not many of these around anyway. I want one!!! Just to see how shit they really are. Must be interesting to see what Peugeot were flogging before they came up with the XUD which was surely the worlds best passenger car diesel engine by quite some way when it came out in 82 or whatever. Probably will make the XUD engine seem even more amazing if you can see what a shitty thing came before it. Anyway, I have seen this on Leboncoin: http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/725802865.htm?ca=7_s Sure enough it is one of these XIDL efforts (Very rare!!!!). It is only €350 euros and seemingly is in good working order. I have chatted with the seller and he seems decent enough. He's sent me a load of tiny pics: It looks a bit grotty but to be fair it looks pretty straight for an old french farmers van, looks like it even has the original fabric on the seats (slightly damaged on the drivers seat admittedly). The panelwork looks honest enough to me and he says its been reliable for him in the 18 months he's had it for buggering about locally, and always starts and gets him where he wants to go. The screen pillars are a bit of a worry - it looks like they have both cracked!!!!! I might be wrong but I wouldnt be surprised if the vibes of the old diesel engine have cracked them after 33 years service. The van doesnt seem like a rotten old thing to me so i reckon these must have fatigued, cracked and then started to rust out. The screen would have to come out to fix them properly but its not bonded in so thats not a massive headache. Mechanically its seemingly 'sound' and in regular use. Anyway now i have to decide if I want to buy this thing and attempt to coax it home at 50mph or whatever. Its a long way away - I'd have to get a Ryanair into Beziers which is on the mediterranean coast!!! Then get a train to Bédarieux (1/2 hour) then the feller will come and get me, he lives right up in the midi-Pyrenées so theres not a lot of public transport there. Looks mega beautiful though, would make a great adventure. Then i guess I would spend 3-4 days meandering back slowly up through France. Admittedly the journey and collection experience is half the appeal of buying it. Must say, i'm very tempted. Its a rare and unusual honk of shite alright which I would love to get involved with just to see what its like, a historical artefact of some sort. Only downside is what do you do with it when its home? I bet it will only do 55mph cruise and once the engine is dead, which seems inevitable if you actually use the van regualrly over any distance, it must be flipping impossible to rebuild it or find another. I dont think you can just swap in an XUD, I think the front end structures are a lot different. Talk me out of it! ed5000, eddyramrod, Wilko220 and 20 others 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 All I can say is this......WCPGW? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6k6a9_204bd-eco-12_auto?from_related=related.page.int.gravity-only.4f1f1f0730ddb54f416c0f07d833b3e8141497214 If that's the same engine, it seems as sweet as many a Peugeot petrol lump. I would have no qualms driving it back home, other than does it run on (waste) vegoil? And at least the cam doesn't appear to be driven by a belt taking a tortuous route, unlike XUDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 DO IT!Make it so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexg Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Talk me out of it! I'm sure you expect quite the opposite. Endorsing shite-related shenanigans is where the forum excels. Driving that home is truly bonkeroony and hilarious, GO FOR IT eddyramrod, Twiggy, KruJoe and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timewaster Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 It is not uncommon for a manufacturer to produce one of their best engines to overcome the embarrassment of their worst. The Honda vfr750 has one of the most over engineered lumps ever having followed on from the hopeless vf750. garethj, warren t claim and saucedoctor 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad D. Conelrad Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 saucedoctor, sporty-shite, HillmanImp and 33 others 36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimothyClaypole Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I'll put up £20 towards it just for the collection thread as I'd like to do the same with a MK1 Escort at some point so the info would be handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STUNO Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 WCPGW...anything ane everything, did you notice the slight surface rust in the screen pillars? It looks as if the roof will lift off at 55. I thought I was seeing things on the engine pic. the fan belt seemed to go around the corner, and it bloody well does ! There may be a case for modifying it to an electric fan. You can have the smell of chicken shit and garlick everywhere you go. One Life, Live it and buy shite too. Just do it Fear not the future etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobT Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Sounds like another classic Bo11ox adventure in the making. Wish I had the balls to do something similar myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_dyane Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 So much potential! Has all the makings of a romantic minibreak for you and your new beau.. mat_the_cat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 You know YOLO and all that absolute lifestyle vanity balderdash? Well, here is a 100% legit opportunity to use the phrase. Go on. You know it's inevitable that you will anyway. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I'm pretty sure the only problem you'll have is getting enough time off work to climb any particularly long steep hills on the way home with it. Check your holiday allowance and book plenty in advance. Be sure to fit a large lump of wood to the gear lever for an extra 5bhp. eddyramrod and dugong 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dugong Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 There are no issues with this plan. cms206, Lacquer Peel, Junkman and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KruJoe Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 All of the above. PLUS: Just how cool are those side windows? They work really well - a optional extra en France? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 You seem to see quite a few vans in France with windows - I wonder if it was to make them dual purpose, i.e. fit rear seats at the weekend to take the family out? If you're wanting talking out of this plan then you're in the wrong place I'm afraid! You could probably sell raffle tickets for a chance to win a place on this epic adventure, to raise a bit more cash... stephen01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I had a saloon diesel 305 many years ago, back when diesel cars were an eccentric frivolity, I think it must have been one of the very last round the corner fanbelt ones because when I advertised it for sale in Loot I received countless calls from wankers who would ask if it was the round the corner fanbelt one then hang up. Wilko220, KruJoe and garethj 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Morose Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Talk me out of it!No. Louise2cv, KruJoe and Pillock 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I had a 204 estate with the around the corner fanbelted petrol engine.Entirely btw, this was pioneered with the Corvair, if anyone cares. Anyway, I had the Puglet back in the days when there were still Winters, as a WBoD.It was entirely sans rear shocks, because the mounting domes had rusted away.But even at -30, it never failed to start, and was for two weeks the only functional transport I had. KruJoe, Skizzer, forddeliveryboy and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Entirely btw, this was pioneered with the Corvair, if anyone cares Perhaps under a car's bonnet, but otherwise, not really. I had a pulley system in my bedroom, as a 6 year old, to close the door more complex than that - and belt drives through multiple angles have been used for a long time. I'd say the Ancient Egyptians had it sorted. Junkman and Uncle Jimmy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 All of the above. PLUS: Just how cool are those side windows? They work really well - a optional extra en France? Most vans seem to have side windows in France and the "Entreprise" versions of estates or hatchbacks generally have the same windows as the car version. I would think it's to allow drivers to see properly at junctions. The "round the corner" fan belt lived on in the petrol versions of the facelift 305. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Everyone is interested in the RTC fanbelt. Its reason enough on its own to buy a car!!! Cavcraft, Cheggers, greengartside and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Talk you out of buying the classiest in the glassiest van ever? Are you insane, man? Buy it and if it makes it home weigh up any other diesel or even possibly petrol engines that would drop in when the inevitable happens. Would a TUD (or whatever those 1.4 petrol suitcase engines have for a code) fit, and would you not be best towing it home?55mph or something flat out driving round Nantwich to get your Brie and Galoises is probably fine, but I reckon after a fee hundred miles you'll end up in a cell wearing a straitjacket and writing KILL PEUGEOT on the padded walls with a crayon between your toes and a facial twitch that registered on the Richter scale. Do it. cms206 and Uncle Jimmy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micrashed Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Talk me out of it!Why in the name of all thats godly would we want to do that?A ) its a pretty old and rare variant, ideal for the Msr. Boll treatment and likely eventual stuffage in the barn (at 350 Euro its cheap enough) Im intrigued by the fan belt going round the corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 These 305s have quite a different front end from the later ones so it might not be so easy to drop a different engine in. I'm not sure they don't have the gearbox in the sump. Peugeot 305 - 505 register meeting 02-10-2011 (44) by Didac-Diego, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Thats an hour and a half from me. Happy to assist in any way....viewing...airport run....collection....garage/tool use.....storage etc. KruJoe, eddyramrod and chaseracer 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort1977 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 To look at this another way you are paying 350 euros plus a flight to tour France in a genuine piece of automotive history, soaking up the ambience, experiencing real French culture etc, etc. If the experience was advertised in the back of the Sunday Times magazine retired people would* pay thousands for the trip. Google informs me it is only 1063km to Calais from Beziers sticking to the old Route National. Clearly this plan has the unanimous Autoshite seal of approval and must be completed ASAP with live updates to the collection thread. chaseracer, scruff and eddyramrod 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel bickle Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Hmmmm. A knackered old French van , possibly cracked across the midle ,many hundreds of miles away, with a crap engine that won't have an immediate obvious use if/when you do get it here.. What's not to like?. ( I have the old petrol 204 in the barn , with the bonkers fan belt setup.I know , dos I had to change it. Nuts. It's not mine now (belongs to Thorsten) , but I'm sure he won't mind if you want / need me to investigate owt when next local?) If it's an itch you have to scratch and this is the one ; commit. If it can wait, for better finances/ van/ location , then I would do so. The only advantage I can see in travelling that distance is the rust free climate........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bell Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 That's amazing. Simply amazing. I stand astounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partridge Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I'm sure an engine swap is within your skillset Mr Bollocks....view it as a cheap car and a short holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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