Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,

Please excuse my ignorance - I'm new here
I'm considering buying a syncro which has no diff locks fitted - I think it was a german fire bus in a previous life, and the current owner reckons that these were a very basic spec hence no diff locks.
Is this worth persuing or should I wait and buy a van with all of the bits I want?
Any other drawbacks with this type of bus? (apart from fuel economy) it has a 2.1 petrol engine.

Thanks,

Paul

If you are going to use the bus mainly on road, then no diff lock is not a prob.

Phone CJ of syncrospares fame and discuss the price of a second hand gearbox with difflock and associated pipework and fittings. It is an all day job at the very least probably two, to get it all up and running. Then factor this cost into the price of your dub. Can also be fitted to your box but you will still need a difflock diff.

Because of the limited amount of articulation in the suspension the syncros rely on the difflocks much more than a landrover type thingy. But it depends on your usage. If it is in very good condition then it is defo worth a punt.

Someone who has actually done this will come along in a minute and put me right.

There is nothing wrong with a 2.1.......when they are behaving themselves. 20mpg around town 25 mpg on a long run.

Where is this bus, not in Exeter is it????

Its more fun to buy a basic van and pimp it out with extras

If the body and engine are good go for it. A good gearbox is a plus but if you want to fit difflocks its easyest to swap the box with a locking one so thats less important. The control side is only an extra wireing loom and vac pipes

Thanks for the replies guys.

syncrosimon - no this particular van is in the south east, but I was considering going to take a look at the one in exeter - why do you ask?
Do you know something I dont?

Not wanting to diss anyones vans, but this is a bit of a mismatched van, pressed lower front suspension arm on one side and a cast one on the other, plus a 2wd exhaust and lowered engine bars to suit.

Every van has it's price though.

Ok thanks, you may have saved me a trip.
I am in the process of looking for a good van to convert to a camper - or even a camper if one comes up, so if you know of anything worthwhile?

Maybe I shuld post a wanted ad

Just a word on difflocks in general.

They are of very little use on a soggy campsite or on a beach ...if that's all the "off-roading" you intend doing in the future, you can well live without them.

Difflocks only become necessary on ondulated terrain or very badly rutted tracks