Project Rusty crusty 305 van

[Peugeot305IRL]

As promised here is a topic for my 1985 Peugeot 305 van project 

 

 

The van was bought by my grandad in 1986 and used as his main workhorse until his retirement in 2010

In 2012 we moved the van from his house to a friends yard.

 

Here's a photo from that day in 2012: 

 

 

My grandad died in May 2017 and the van was left to me, in August I went to pick up the van which I hadn't seen and hadn't been moved since 2012.

 

Photos from that day: 

 

 

 

 

I stripped out the interior and did some poking with a screwdriver which found an ungodly amount of rust. 

 

 

Ive since sent the van away to be stripped fully, blasted, welded, and resprayed. I will update this thread as progress is made.

 

Any questions are welcome

Hope you all enjoy! 

 

Also thanks to Cavcraft for the help with this post! 

[Cavcraft]

There you go chief, you can now edit your post.

[stuboy]

keep us flooded with pictures etc etc

[hairnet]

cork/tipp registered

 

where you live sir?

 

needs red plates

[Peugeot305IRL]

cork/tipp registered

 

where you live sir?

 

needs red plates

Yes, grandad bought it in Tip and it lived with him in Meath.

I'm from Louth myself 

[Jim Bell]

My favourite bit is the green.

 

Do carry on.

 

Two thumbs up.

[pandamonium]

I'm starting to have a soft spot for 305s, will look forward to seeing updates

[Peugeot305IRL]

My favourite bit is the green.

 

Do carry on.

 

Two thumbs up.

Thank you!

 

I found more pictures with some green for you!

 

[Peugeot305IRL]

More pictures I was able to get from my phone showing only some of the crustyness 

 

 

 

 

Also the engine bay and interior

 

 

[Datsuncog]

This forum can never have too many 305 vans. Great introduction for a new member.

 

Crack on! Can't wait to read more.

[Faker]

Happy days

 

Keep the updates coming

 

Oh...

 

Welcome to the mad house

[Kringle]

Nice, I'm liking that shade of blue. A full shell strip and respray sounds very expensive, is it?

[jon.k]

That really is quite green!

 

Looking forward to seeing the pictures of the restored shell. I’d love to do that to mine one day. It’s been leaking into the foot wells and this has given me incentive to make sure it gets dried out!

 

Please keep up updated. I can use this thread to justify the work on my van to my family. “Look, they’re really desirable. This man is completely restoring his!”

 

What year is that to be a 4 speed?

 

Here it is with almost as much greenery as yours!

[Peugeot305IRL]

Nice, I'm liking that shade of blue. A full shell strip and respray sounds very expensive, is it?

 

Yes it is expensive, if it was any other car i wouldn't be spending the money but due to the sentimental value Im going all in 

[Peugeot305IRL]

That really is quite green!

 

Looking forward to seeing the pictures of the restored shell. I’d love to do that to mine one day. It’s been leaking into the foot wells and this has given me incentive to make sure it gets dried out!

 

Please keep up updated. I can use this thread to justify the work on my van to my family. “Look, they’re really desirable. This man is completely restoring his!”

 

What year is that to be a 4 speed?

 

Here it is with almost as much greenery as yours!

 

Thanks! ill try my best to keep it updated. 

 

Yeah the van is 1985 but apparently the 4 speed is rare, cant find any info in the gearbox at all! Cant even find a replacement gearknob, found one other 4 speed van in france but the gearknob was just as bad as mine. 

Might have to find a piece of wood and turn it into knobvan no.2 

 

Lovley van! nice color too! 

[I_am_Diesel]

I do love a good van, top work fella.

[jon.k]

Yes it is expensive, if it was any other car i wouldn't be spending the money but due to the sentimental value Im going all in

 

Good for you. I’m forever threatening various family and friends that they have been left my van in my will, once it has been used to carry my coffin to the church that is. None of them have seemed to be that grateful.

[balford]

Loving this!

My Dad ran a Phase 1 305 van (920 CI) from 1983 till 1993 - it was white, and converted for family use with windows cut into the rear panels and the back seat from a Renault 4 shoehorned into the rear.

A disaster reliability wise, but he loved it and maintained when it was going well, it was the best vehicle he'd ever driven. Probably why I'm still driving Pugs all these years later

[balford]

Also, for any Irish number plate lickers out there, HFI suffix registrations were issued by Tipperary North Riding Co Council between 3/85 and 12/85, so this van was most likely registered in November 1985.

It was a bit of a wheeze at the time to buy a car late in the year, and tool around with a cardboard 'FOR REG' plate until the new year, upon which your new car would get a plate a year newer than they should have. Whoever bought this originally was unusually conscientious

[Shirley Knott]

305 vans look fantastic, well worth restoring especially given the backstory.

 

Really looking forward to seeing this progress.

[Peugeot305IRL]

Also, for any Irish number plate lickers out there, HFI suffix registrations were issued by Tipperary North Riding Co Council between 3/85 and 12/85, so this van was most likely registered in November 1985.

 

It was a bit of a wheeze at the time to buy a car late in the year, and tool around with a cardboard 'FOR REG' plate until the new year, upon which your new car would get a plate a year newer than they should have. Whoever bought this originally was unusually conscientious

 

You're not far wrong! The van was first registered on the 8th of October 1985. By a Mr John Gleeson. Croke St Thurles County Tipp.

I still have the original Brown log book! 

[dozeydustman]

Yeah the van is 1985 but apparently the 4 speed is rare, cant find any info in the gearbox at all! Cant even find a replacement gearknob, found one other 4 speed van in france but the gearknob was just as bad as mine. 

 

Welcome! Excellent vehicle you have inherited, I wish you well with it.

 

The gearbox on this should be a PSA BE1/4 with a diesel ratio set, quite a tough gearbox but can get sloppy in action as the years go by. This particular gearknob pattern was used on Peugeots and Talbots from 1984(ish) to around 1990, though the earlier 1980-4 knob will fit

 

A pre-facelift 309 with a 1.1 Simca motor will have the correct gate pattern (same 'box), as would a very early misery spec 205 diesel. This type does come up on eBay from time to time but you're more than likely to find one with a 5-speed gate pattern, but if the insert on your existing gearknob can be cleaned up it can be swapped out if your're careful.

[Peugeot305IRL]

Welcome! Excellent vehicle you have inherited, I wish you well with it.

 

The gearbox on this should be a PSA BE1/4 with a diesel ratio set, quite a tough gearbox but can get sloppy in action as the years go by. This particular gearknob pattern was used on Peugeots and Talbots from 1984(ish) to around 1990, though the earlier 

 

A pre-facelift 309 with a 1.1 Simca motor will have the correct gate pattern (same 'box), as would a very early misery spec 205 diesel. This type does come up on eBay from time to time but you're more than likely to find one with a 5-speed gate pattern, but if the insert on your existing gearknob can be cleaned up it can be swapped out if your're careful.

 

 

Thanks for the info! I can do some research now, the gearbox on the van is quite sloppy as you mentioned still works fine though.

The gearbox was the bit I was most worried about as I didn't know if id be able to get and replacement parts or kits to recondition it. 

[jon.k]

If you don’t mind me asking the resident Peugeot gearbox on this thread, will a diesel zx gearbox fit my 1989 1.9 305 van? It’s a five speed at the moment. I was given the gearbox when I bought the van but I don’t want to keep it in my shed for years if it won’t fitA.

[dozeydustman]

If you don’t mind me asking the resident Peugeot gearbox on this thread, will a diesel zx gearbox fit my 1989 1.9 305 van? It’s a five speed at the moment. I was given the gearbox when I bought the van but I don’t want to keep it in my shed for years if it won’t fitA.

 

Some of the run-out (1990-1) 305 vans were fitted the later BE3 gearbox as fitted to the ZX, they are pretty much the same but some things may (not definitely) need changing over - the mounts, speedo drive gear, thrust bearing, shift mechanism and clutch. Ratios or final drive may be different. 

 

Diesel BE1 & BE3 boxes are sought after in the track day community because of the tall 5th gear.

 

Unless the unit already in the van is borked, you'll not really gain much from swapping the gearboxes over.

[DodgeRover]

My 305 saloons and estates were 82,83&84 and were all 4 speeds, I found them most relaxing to drive long distance.

[Asimo]

I think Visa Diesel were 4 speed originally.

 

And top marks for the 305 Van! Updates looked forward to here as well.

[artdjones]

If you don’t mind me asking the resident Peugeot gearbox on this thread, will a diesel zx gearbox fit my 1989 1.9 305 van? It’s a five speed at the moment. I was given the gearbox when I bought the van but I don’t want to keep it in my shed for years if it won’t fitA.

Is reverse behind fifth on the van? Then it should fit no problem.

[jon.k]

Thanks for the gearbox tips... sorry to hijack the thread.

[puddlethumper]

Thanks! ill try my best to keep it updated. 

 

Yeah the van is 1985 but apparently the 4 speed is rare, cant find any info in the gearbox at all! Cant even find a replacement gearknob, found one other 4 speed van in france but the gear knob was just as bad as mine. 

Might have to find a piece of wood and turn it into knobvan no.2 

 

Lovley van! nice color too! 

There's a knob (fnaar) on L' Aventura peugeot citroen site for 29 euros without the plate. A bit pricey.

You could try Dean who has shit loads of Pug stuff. Not cheap either. Can't remember what his site is 

called but I have a phone number if you need it. D Spares has broken a couple over the last year or so,

he's the first person I call for spares first, so he might have one.