Sand and Syncros

[steffanstringer]

I was lucky enough to go on vacation to Namibia in September - see holiday pics http://web.mac.com/sstringer/iWeb/Site/ ... t%20I.html

One of my 'jobs' when I was there was driving Defenders. Thought it was great fun and was really impressed with what they can do. Didn't cover any extreme terrain but it was good to have experience of using the low ratio box and locking the centre diff in the dry sandy river bottoms. What the diesels can do on tickover is incredible. So it got me thinking/wondering what my beloved Syncro would be like in sand - am itching to try when it's a little less wet out there

Second thought I had - more of a daydream really - was wouldn't it be neat if Seat or Skoda would start making the T25 again 'under license' from VW? What would the strategy be for resurrecting the T25 Syncro? Focus on the budget Toyota/Land Rover market? Working vehicles for safari, construction, tourism, research and field work? Try to keep it simple and reduce dependence on electronics as much as possible.

So what models/features would sell:-

• Left and right hand drive versions
• Four door walk through doublecab
• Load bed lined and fitted with lightweight drop sides
• Five seats with 3-point belts
• 16" wheels with 205 or 215R16 ATtyres on some lighter alloy wheels
• Front and rear differential locks
• Petrol and diesel models ? 120 BHP
• Five road gears and one 'Gelaende'/crawler
• Factory fit-options - roll bar, hard-top, snorkel, air conditioning, communications, GPS, safari/roof tent
• Power steering?

What would you want?

I guess everyone has the right to dream


Steffan

[toomanytoys]

Nice thought.. but got to be realistic
never gonna happen.. why resurect a vehicle that was end of development in 92.. the south african spent millions on trying to upgrade and deemed some things not worth the effort..

But...

Rebiuld one to "as new" with uprated parts etc, but who is gonna buy it..

not many people in here that would spend 20k on a "refurbished" syncro I am afraid... and you add up the parts cost to do a refirb let alone the hours...

But if it was possible (ie if I win the euro lottery and I can persuade VW to give me the presses and production line...)
A limited number of new "expedition" vehicles could exist... but even then it would be a nightmare... alternative drivetrain isnt a problem.. or engines.. but passing homoglation would be...

My spec...
TDi 1.9/2.5
6 speed trans with reduction gears
16" wheels
Discs all round
Power steering
Aircon
4 door double cab or bus

there are lots of techy bits in assosiation with that lot too.. but I wont bore you...
well, we can all dream...

[blurb55]

Hey Si, that figure of £20k, think Baxter has got that kinda figure in mind to fix the Scoobyvelle

[Russel]

Firstley:if u are correctly setup a syncro is very good in the sand.
Secondly:VW SA stopped producing the t3 because of VW germany.(Chain of comand)Unfortunatly some parts were still made in europe and this is to sease.U will see a lot of t3 parts now become obselete.
And on the third thing:to rebuild a syncro propley will very well exeed £20000.Been there done that and i am under inshured at £25000.

[syncropaddy]

I think one of the reasons that the syncro didnt sell in huge numbers was that is was too expensive to make ..... hence the more feeble T4 and T5

[Russel]

The flat four was a very costly engine to mass produce(water cooled)
Hence SA went inline on the t3 from 1992 till the end June 2002.
Paddy i will have a 2wd loom that can easily be moded for syncro aplication.

[vwjon]

theres a sh*t load of very dry soft sand over here in oz. drop the tyre pressures to 15 / 20 psi, and off you go, i was amazed at the eaze my syncro sat on the sand, if you stop the van sinks so out come the sand ladders. the locals were gobsmacked cos this vw kombi was just cruising across the sand, is it 4 wheel drive?? the worse thing was we got stuck in a sand hole! thats a big hole which is full of very fine super soft sand, the drivers side sank straight up to the sill, i was a little worried cos half the van was on the sand, and half the van was down to its sill, it was listing pretty bad, the sand ladders were just getting pushed into the soft sand, but we were travelling the length of the ladders each time, then some old dude turned up in a huge toyota thing, rope round the roo bars and off we go, he was on quite hard sand which is where we were heading!! the guy said he often pulled out "tourists" its great fun, loads better than being freezing cold and wet up to you elbows in mud!!

[Russel]

Thats the hole thing about sand"there are hundreds of tipes of sand"
all with their own caracteristics.

[toomanytoys]

Not a bad guess at 20k then... and that wasnt even considering extras such as winch camping gear etc etc.. just a mechanical body refurb... with some upgraqdes

[amulet]

The secret is to keep writing the cheques but just don't make the mistake of adding them up! That way you cunningly keep yourself in the dark and kid yourself that it's really costing half of what it actually is!!

Ha! I bet that's where VW went wrong - they started adding up the cheques...

[blurb55]

Some bloody accountant with a calculator!

[Mudlark]

So what models/features would sell:-

Rustproofing

[HarryMann]

Front axle an inch further forward, front energy absorber box an inch further back and an inch higher.

Removable front spoiler/wrap-around air-dam

Integral roll-cage

Whole transaxle scaled up 10% all round to take 20~25% more torque

Proper front mounted oil cooler as standard on all models...

for starters

[toomanytoys]

I have one of those "cheque book bleeding" moments approaching...

[blurb55]

Can offer Samaritans type service as I am just about to fund Poppy Baxters University Education!!