no diff locks

[hooja]

Evenin,

been looking at a 14" lhd syncro caravelle, very nice!! however no diff locks at all, i didnt know they had made any without. Are there any other differences with this model, is it set up more like t4 syncros or will it still be a capable off roader?
Its got that whole executive thing going with it, that makes me think it might have been built for ferrying business men across flat grass!
anyone had/got one?
cheers, bob

[jed the spread]

Evenin,

been looking at a 14" lhd syncro caravelle, very nice!! however no diff locks at all, i didnt know they had made any without. Are there any other differences with this model, is it set up more like t4 syncros or will it still be a capable off roader?
Its got that whole executive thing going with it, that makes me think it might have been built for ferrying business men across flat grass!
anyone had/got one?
cheers, bob

If its the one in Peterborough Jake (syncroand101) imported it a few years ago. He will be able to fill you in on the details of the vans history i guess if your serious about buying it. No diff locks though ...

jed

[hooja]

ideal!
cheers, i'll send him a message, the engine looks too clean to be origional but current owner isnt sure about the history! but yep no diff locks, not sure its for me, although surprisingly, i can afford this one! maybe this is the compromise im goin to have to make
bob

[syncropaddy]

Aidan will diff lock it for you .....

[hooja]

Thought about that, but then i would need more money than i have and as its the 2.1inj first bit of cash i could get together would be for gassing it.
Im assuming £5-600 to diff lock it (but i could be way out there)

[toomanytoys]

But.. if you dont intend to go silly offroad (ahem, like some of us... ) then it isnt an issue at least for the moment... they will go surprisingly far even without difflocks and its better to pick up a nice non locker than a rough one with lockers.... Bare in mind that at some point its going to need a box refurb if it hasnt had one in recent time, so then it is even less of an issue.. depends on what you want to do with it...

[syncropatrick]

Some more chat about this van here http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/t3-sy ... lle#361554

[peasant]

Look at it this way:

Without difflocks you can resist the temptation to lift the van to high heavens and put some silly bigfoot nobbly tyres on it.

Instead you can get some nice alloys, some decent road rubber and with the 2.1 engine you've then got a "quattro" van (and still won't get stuck on a wet campsite)


BTW ...difflocks on (German) LHD vans always were expensive optionals

[jed the spread]

The van has 161000 miles so I guess a rebuild gearbox is on the cards soon enough. For just over a grand it could be done with a rear diff lock pin, plus all the vacum and actuators for the rear diff lock plus fitting etc. It's godda set you back £1700 with the labour, I believe the VC is tight (or was) so best factor in another £600 plus labour for that too. If it has the origional engine, I havnt seen many do more than 17000 miles on a
2.1 so a new engine or an updated upgrade would be a sensable choice if your consiering using it for offroading shinanigans.

Jed

[syncropaddy]

The van has 161000 miles so I guess a rebuild gearbox is on the cards soon enough. For just over a grand it could be done with a rear diff lock pin, plus all the vacum and actuators for the rear diff lock plus fitting etc. It's godda set you back £1700 with the labour, I believe the VC is tight (or was) so best factor in another £600 plus labour for that too. If it has the origional engine, I havnt seen many do more than 17000 miles on a
2.1 so a new engine or an updated upgrade would be a sensable choice if your consiering using it for offroading shinanigans.

Jed

You wouldnt want to be puttin the man off buyin it now Jed .....

[jed the spread]

Nah.... Its a nice van, I have been in it a few years ago.

jed

[syncroand101]

Yes, I know the one, metallic blue, one of my fav vans. Most mod cons on it, elec mirrors, heated front seats, green glass all round, power steering ABS etc etc. Also had a 'rare' step option, with a step which was pulled out from underneath by the sliding door to help people get in and out.

From memory I think the engine was a VW rebuild before I bought it over in Germany. Certainly ran very nicely and pulled a good speed

The story with it was that it was a bus from the VW factory used to move important persons and visitors about when they visited. VW was starting to go tight, with scrubbing after a good run on tarmac. It had also had a respray of some panels on the nearside (from memory) with a slight colour mismatch if you looked carefully.

Damn nice bus.

[hooja]

If it has the origional engine, I havnt seen many do more than 17000 miles on a
2.1 so a new engine or an updated upgrade would be a sensable choice if your consiering using it for offroading shinanigans.

Thats pretty much what i was thinking, the engine does look surprisingly clean but if it is the origional i havent got much faith in it lasting too much longer.
This is all good stuff, im so desperate for a syncro that i am in danger of buying myself a money pit and shafting myself in the process.
As it stands, this one looks like im going to need/want: decoupler, new engine (maybe),or gas conv, at least rear diff and i've still then got to put camper interior in to some degree. Although it is a nice tidy looking van!
Heart or head again!!!
Or maybe i should work harder and save some more money up to buy a certain 14" holdsworth conversion i have been offered, or i could get a transhit county

[jed the spread]

From memory I think the engine was a VW rebuild before I bought it over in Germany. Certainly ran very nicely and pulled a good speed

.

jed

[syncropaddy]

this one looks like im going to need/want: decoupler, new engine (maybe),or gas conv,

It seems to have had a new engine at some stage so you can knock that off your 'immediate list' but check it out well and if its a dry engine you should be OK. Rear locker would be nice to have - I have both front and rear and I have yet to use my front one! Gas conversion would be a good idea from what I hear but a decoupler is just something else to go wrong so i wouldn't bother with one.

That last statement will get loads of posts from all the decoupler owners!