Some DAF news from me. A mad moment?

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

Those of you who have known me for a while will know that I have long had a policy of owning just one DAF at a time. This has been due mainly to lack of storage space, time, money and the fact that my mechanical dexterity is not ideal when it comes to fixing them. I have also been only too well aware of the pitfalls of buying old cars with the best of intentions of "saving them" only to find that they often lead a very inactive life, which is not ideal.

But, every now and again, policies are changed. It happened to me a few years ago when I saved a lovely red Volvo 340 Variomatic.

So guess what?... I've gone and done it again. For the best of intentions, plus the fact that it brings back some childhood DAF memories for me. And I am at a funny nostalgic age now.

You may remember that last year, an advert appeared on here for a Volvo 66 in a sensational shade of 70s yellow. It was going to go to a classic car auction in Wiltshire. It didn't sell.

There was then a bit of comment and interest but again, no takers. The future was looking uncertain for this even rarer than many DAFs car.

So to cut a long story short, I did a deal with the sellers. This was actually just before Christmas. The sellers pointed out that there were one or two mechanical queries but on the whole, it wasn't too bad.

I arranged for it to be collected and delivered to a local DAF-understanding garage, who would check it over when they could, in between working on modern cars, and all sorts of old cars including Jags, Lotus, et al. The owner and staff are mechanics of the old school, and just know stuff.

As a result, they had it for a long time and I got my hands on it a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, in its past, "work" had been done on the transmission which has not done it any favours. There was a bad vibration issue which has now been reduced although it's still not quite right - I suspect weights etc have been messed around with. Also the adjusting lugs have been broken off at some point. But we have treated it to brand new belts. The carburettor also had bits missing, but a new one has been found.

It's remarkably clean and rust free underneath, no welding. There are cosmetic rust issues on door and window edges etc, and the interior is clean and unfaded.

So there we are. How long I'll keep it, I don't know. But I have even rented a lock-up for it!

Here are a couple of(hand held shaky phone)videos.

Oh heck what have I done?!

[33grinder]

Nice one Mr B! Just goes to show, one is never enough! Looks quite sprightly too.

So, can we presume you will no longer be turning up at AGMs in your modern?

[Patrick]

Oooh! Sweet! Perky little fellow too! Well done Sir.

[joe]

Good going. It looked nice when it was on for sale.

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

Thanks chaps. It does come over well in the pictures.

It's strange (and good) how clean and non-rusty the underside and inner and outer sills are, but paint is a bit scabby here and there. Some would be due to stone chips but bizarrely, there is a rust hole in the top(!) of the boot lid - hence the gaffer tape patch.

Interior is marvelous.

Ideally I'd like to get the paintwork sorted out. The front wing has had a bump in recent times, as has the bonnet, but the main thing was to get the mechanicals and transmission sorted.

It's a nice car. It takes me back to 1975 when I distinctly remember having a conversation as a 13 year-old with my grandpa about how cool it was that DAF was now Volvo(!) and that "5mph bumpers are really useful". Grandpa had bought a brand new 55 in 1971, which is my earliest DAF memory as he took my cousin and I a little ride in his new "unusual" car. Little did I know then...

But, today I have been out and about in my 33 and you know what... I just love that little car!

I hope the video clips actually work and show the car moving - for some reason they just stop start and jump for me, but it is an old mobile phone!

[Patrick]

Remember my Grandfather being quite furious at the final full take-over of DAF by Volvo. He wasn't impressed when he read about modifications to the variomatic either - having seen something about the use of metal belts! No, he wasn't impressed at all!

[swissdave]

Very nice.