DAFt

[seth]

What do we know about DAFs? Anyone had one? How would one cope with daily use. Spares situation OK for the 1108 Renault engine? Ta!

 

 

 

 

[nigel bickle]

C'mon Seth-more info needed.Spil da beanz

[shite_meister]

  seth said:

WOW! that is one little fat honey, I'm liking that alot.

 

I can tell you all you need to know about DAF Trucks seen as I work for them but I kinda guess you ain't talking XF105s:

 

Mind you just think of all the crap you'd get in the back of that!

[seth]

  nigel bickle said:

C'mon Seth-more info needed.Spil da beanz

Err. One kind of found me today and its probably available. And it lives a mile away. Anyone want to buy an MGB?Shite-meister. Thanks for the offer of advice. I think parking a truck would be tricky around here....

[dollywobbler]

I think cooling was the big issue with the Renault engines. I'm trying to remember why I'm thinking that though. Stuck thermostats? Weak head gaskets? Can't remember but at least parts are easily available.I've been a passenger in a 55 and I've driven a 33 and a 340 Vario. They're certainly very odd but misunderstood generally. Yes, drive belts can snap but (apart from the single-belt 46) I understand you can still get home on one belt. Good owners club so good support - they've got good links with The Netherlands. They do rust though.One very big word of warning - the general rule is to start them in gear (with a foot firmly on the brake pedal!). Whatever you do, DO NOT tinker under the bonnet without making sure it's in neutral. Too many people have revved it up under the bonnet and been run over... (centrifugal clutch).

[Richard]

Cooling is always an issue with French engines. I think the 1108 engine has wet liners, which can be an arsepain to deal with.

[seth]

Thanks chaps /\ I think a full inspection is in order to see what's what....

[Mr Lobster]

1108 Renault unit is pretty tough. HG can go but they are generally pretty robust.

[mouseflakes]

Those 1108 engines are fine - they are the 'Sierra' engine - started life in the R8 and I think the last ones were in the R19?? (anyone know for sure?). Also in the 340 Volvo (which makes sense given that they bought DAF I 'spose). Tough as old boots and well proven. Yes, they have wet liners but I've only had one with problems and that was because a garage had pulled the head off for the previous owner rather then knocking it sideways to avoid lifting the liners.I'm guessing you can carry out the same upgrades / transplants as with equivalent renaults (I put a 1400 from an R11 in the back of my 1108 R10 with minimal mods) but I'm not sure what the benefit would be with the fairly-omatic tranmission - would you just get to the same top speed but quicker?? Might snap your elastic?

[shite_meister]

  seth said:

 

Completely unhelpful this but it does look like the gentleman is about to expose his er...gentleman to this young lady. Apologies like.

[scooters]

I have owned a Daf 44 and a Daf 55 Marathondafs basically split into 2 types - 1 - the aircooled 'Dafodil', 33 and 44 - flat 2 cyl boxer engine - aircooled front with 2 belt variomatic transmission running from a centrafugal clutch.Engines are tough as old boots - transmission is great - when you get used to it.. the only thing is you have to me mechanically confident to service these things yourself - you won't find a mechanic who knows anything about these cars - the transmission is actually pretty reliable provided you service it properly and you change the belts every 30k/3 years - modern belts are much better than the originals.you won't find a Dafodil - you wouldn't want one with a 600 cc engine anyway33's are cute44's are more practical and benefit from Michelotti design so look pretty cool and retro - although as they were post herald - some would say that all his post Herald work looked a bit 'Herald'performance from each car is adequate -motorway cruisers they ain'tparts are avaliable from the club and from Danny in Holland who runs an online source...dafworld.com (I think) the Daf Owners Club and forum are good starting points.Bodywork wiase both these cars are as tough as nails but will require fettling and rustproofing as all are getting on a bit - loads of roomk for the taller driver - dutchmen are on the whole - tall!The 55 is a different kettle of fish - especially in Marathon formThe Marathon Edition was made after Daf successfully entered 2 cars into the London - Sydney Marathon - both finished and did respectably well.The variomatic transmission is ideally suited for rally driving as it basically acts like a sohisticated limited slip diff - the Marathon also had a rude buy exhaust a 1300 tuned Renault Engine - same one as the Alpine and was quite frankly the biggest hoot of a car i have ever owned - However - I swapped her for a '55 Moggy with a Dutchman who was willing to risk his fingers in the transmission cones - 55's 66's and what was the Volvo 340 also have a centrafugal clutch buut - unlijke the aircooled Dafs they have a plate instead of shoes which makes them a bit easier to work on66's and the 340 have a single belt - fine but if it breaks and you don't have a spare - then you are stuck - at leas the 55 and predecessors have 2 so you can limp homeIMHO both the air cooled and water cooled options are great wee cars and are truly practical classics and pretty rareone thing you must NEVER do is put the car on a rolling road - it destroys the drive shaft as the variomatic CVT needs road feedback to function - so at MOT time - stand over them!!!hope this helps

[seth]

Fantastic replies. Many thanks! Certainly sounds like one would be up to the job.

[Ratdat]

I test drove a J reg coupe once and it was quite a hoot to drive, although incredibly noisy under acceleration. The Daf club turned up at newark autojumble a while back...

 

 

 

[scooters]

twostroke2turbo are selling a pair of Daf 44 s on ebay at the moment - a main car that was well known in club circles and a back up for spares - he wants £950 for the pair - the main car is out of MOT and will probably need a bit of work to put it through - personally I think he is looking for far too much money - I bought an MOTd 44 for 400 last year - my 55 was about a grand but Marathons are very rare cars

[Gompo]

  scooters said:

personally I think he is looking for far too much money

Arent 2ST quite well known for having high prices in the Saab crircles?

[Volksy]

There's this the the bay -

 

[Andrew353w]

I've owned several of these, including a 66 Marathon! Great cars; somewhat unusual and they take some getting used to when you're driving them but well worth the effort. My 1st ever car was a Daf 33, and I owned quite a few of these. My Dad used a 33 van (rare as hen's lower incisors now!) and our family cars were a Daf 55 and a 66 at that time. Early air cooled ones were 6 volt electrics, which was fun on a cold morning, but they always did start! Great for driving in snow and ice, as the belt drive system acts as a early self-locking differential, so Dafs can get through quite bad road conditions that would defeat bigger cars. The 66 couldn't do this, though, as it had a conventional differential arrangement.

[Torsten2001]

I've had a 31 Dafodil and Scooters 44, superb cars, can't add any more!

[Andrew353w]

Pity you no longer have that 31-seriously rare AND quite the most good looking of the baby Dafs. That really sloping bonnet was something else and it was the only Daf that was supplied with a starting handle! No fuel gauge on the base model either! That's real shite motoring!

[Ratdat]

Talking of rare ones, when I first moved to Lincolnshire, Roger Windleys scrapyard at Tattershall had a Daf 33 van... it's the only one I've ever seen in the flesh so presumably uncommon?

[Jazzy Jeff]

I know of only two 33 vans left, although there might be more. Both changed hands rather recently on eBay and are in the paws of two club members.I've got a 55. Serious fun and almost disgracefully cheap too!!