DAF 33

[inconsistant]

Looks like a fine automobile Rob, you have impeccable taste in shite cars! Always fancied a Daf or Volvo 66 but I’m not brave enough!

[LightBulbFun]

On 09/11/2025 at 18:23, Matty said:

Bloody pedant 🤣. Fascinating system though. I think i understand the basics just about but the mechanics in their entirety not so much. Ill do

if you go to the 7 minute mark, you can see a very similar system action  

(the only major difference is the DAF's have a vacuum system to hold the pulley sheave position depending on certain road/driving conditions, and of course DAF's have 2 CVT pairs rather then just one  )

[Sigmund Fraud]

56 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

DAF's have 2 CVT pairs rather then just one  )

Most, but not all :

[Sigmund Fraud]

2 hours ago, camryv6 said:

Would Metro cylinders be metric ?

or Rover 100

No clue, but I suspect there will be someone on the DAF club forum who has researched this and can confirm.

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

No clue, but I suspect there will be someone on the DAF club forum who has researched this and can confirm.

Metros could be either imperial or metric.

...Or if you get a Friday afternoon car like my first one - metric on one side and imperial on the other.  

Yes that confused the hell out of me when I found it.

[purplebargeken]

I had a sweet little blue 33 a few years ago. Spares from Daf Hobby in Holland or Matt from Essex Dafs possibly. It has been a few years mind.

[purplebargeken]

Rear light lenses are totally and absolutely fragile as fuck.  If you are deeply careful, take them off and use suitably coloured glass paint on the inside to restore a bit of colour to them.  The push in screen wash plunger is also fragile. 

Seats are bloody comfy though. Massive inner wheel arch intrusion into the cabin is entertaining and quirky.

[wuvvum]

On 11/11/2025 at 12:55, Sigmund Fraud said:

Most, but not all :

Is it only the 46 that didn't?

[RobT]

Nocturnal exhaust bodgery was going on here.  A blow from the silencer meant it stank and was noisy, so Liqui Moly exhaust bandage was applied.  That's my go to fix* these days as it's much better than the Holts shite.

Yeah yeah I know, the number plate.  But it was £4.99 and will do for now.

It was blowing here but the body of the silencer is fine, plus the majority of the pipe is still solid so it won't shear off.  A real improvement so I hope the bodge proves robust.

I've also checked the ignition timing this week seeing how crucial it is to the correct running of the transmission, and done the basic blow test on the vacuum system by blowing through the two pipes at the bulkhead that lead to the rear of the car.  Resistance and blow back was felt from both pipes so hopefully that indicates the diaphragms are OK.

Feeling buoyed up by this progress I took it for a run around the block.  No FTP after 10 minutes so that's good!  It was dark so I'll try and get a video of it running another time.  The battery light remains on at idle, so despite replacing the battery and dynamo hopefully the £8.18 NOS voltage regulator I've ordered will be the cure.  Obviously I should've replaced the cheap part first but it needed a new battery anyway.

The only fly in the ointment (at the moment) is an oil leak from the OS reduction gear.  I replaced the oil on both but that will need doing as it's too heavy to ignore.  I'll see if I tackle that or pass the job to a new owner.  The main goal for me was to get it running and stopping which I've managed to achieve.  Whether it's running as it should is another matter, and next steps are to check the fuel mixture again and the vacuum system setting.  Rear brakes still need doing properly, but with adjustment and the fronts done fully it's safe to use at urban speeds.

[purplebargeken]

Great work!! First dibs please 😆😊😊

[Zelandeth]

I think most systems with a dynamo/generator rather than an alternator will have the light on at idle - usually takes 1500rpm or so to get them to wake up and start properly charging.

[RobT]

Thanks I didn't know that.  The previous owner said the light had only come on recently, which indicates there might be a charging issue anyway.  The lights get brighter with revs too so I'll see what the new voltage regulator does.

[purplebargeken]

As Zealandeth said, there is usually a glow at idle. Never hurts to replace the VR for the sake of just a few quid 😊😊

[purplebargeken]

Essex Dafs are alive and well on fb for advice and bits. Matt Roberts is the main guy 😉

[purplebargeken]

The 33 uses a 6v battery which used to be a bit pricey. MG ones might have been tried but don’t quite fit IIRC (it was a fair few years ago since I Daf’fed).

[RobT]

Thankfully 12v on this one Ken as it's a '73.  

[purplebargeken]

Oh that’s a bonus! Mine was an earlier one 👍🏼

[320touring]

@RobT great work on this!

Giving me motivation to have a fettle with the Oxford if the weather is decent at the weekend

[Lacquer Peel]

1 minute ago, 320touring said:

@RobT great work on this!

Giving me motivation to have a fettle with the Oxford if the weather is decent at the weekend

What about your freshly cleaned gazebo?

[RobT]

5 miles in this tonight and goal achieved.  Photos next to the local 44.

I adjusted the vacuum system the other day by measuring the pressure and winding out the rotary valve rod.  It now does the high ratio effect after you've thrashed it up to speed.  Time to sell it now as that's project achieved, and before I break anything and render it immobile.  I've enjoyed getting it to this point.

[dollywobbler]

Love this. As others have said, the lack of charging at idle isn't necessarily an issue. 

[N19]

Paging @Andrew353w!

[Andrew353w]

15 hours ago, RobT said:

5 miles in this tonight and goal achieved.  Photos next to the local 44.

I adjusted the vacuum system the other day by measuring the pressure and winding out the rotary valve rod.  It now does the high ratio effect after you've thrashed it up to speed.  Time to sell it now as that's project achieved, and before I break anything and render it immobile.  I've enjoyed getting it to this point.

YEA!!! Blimey, TWO Dafs! Setting up the point at which the vacuum "kicks in" is critical, and best done with a tachometer (rev counter) attached to the engine while adjusting it. If you set it to come into effect too early the car will stall as you move off and if it's too late the car will over-rev and use more fuel. When it's set correctly you'll "feel" the car's "just right". I've fitted a rev counter & two vacuum gauges to my 33 & monitor this as I drive around. Happy to offer more help if needed.  

[Andrew353w]

7 hours ago, N19 said:

Paging @Andrew353w!

Thanks for the heads up! Your garage access is blocked at the moment, as a builder's putting up a fence nearby! 

[Andrew353w]

Looking at the bodywork your "M" registration 33 is pretty good! Mine's a little hors de combat at the moment & need some serious T.L.C. in that regard, but mechanically it's spot-on. If you need any parts please D.M. me.

[RobT]

Thanks Andrew.  I like the colour of yours.  The paint is shite on mine but that doesn't bother me at all.

Regarding the vacuum, I've set it up using approximation mostly and I reckon it's over revving at the moment so I'll keep tinkering.  Much better than it was though.