1982 Volvo 343GL
Discussion
I sold these new when I worked for Lex 'back in the day'. I think I had several of each derivative as a demo at some point!
After a shaky start in the late 70's when they first came out in variomatic guise only (build quality was atrocious), by the time we got to early eighties and a choice of 4 or 5 speed manuals (4 speed in the DL & 5 speed in the GL ) became available they were really quite good. The de-Dion set up at the rear with rear mounted gearbox gave it virtually 50:50 weight distribution and they handled really well.
As stated by others, the introduction of the 2.0l B20 engines (badged 360) made for a much more exciting car to drive and the one to have was of course the 360GLT with the fuel injected unit and gas filled shocks etc.
I could go on lol
Got me quite nostalgic now! 😂
Ps - as for the white 'buttons' mentioned by the o.p. .... not a clue... decoration? Certainly not anything functional!
After a shaky start in the late 70's when they first came out in variomatic guise only (build quality was atrocious), by the time we got to early eighties and a choice of 4 or 5 speed manuals (4 speed in the DL & 5 speed in the GL ) became available they were really quite good. The de-Dion set up at the rear with rear mounted gearbox gave it virtually 50:50 weight distribution and they handled really well.
As stated by others, the introduction of the 2.0l B20 engines (badged 360) made for a much more exciting car to drive and the one to have was of course the 360GLT with the fuel injected unit and gas filled shocks etc.
I could go on lol
Got me quite nostalgic now! 😂
Ps - as for the white 'buttons' mentioned by the o.p. .... not a clue... decoration? Certainly not anything functional!
Cheers guys!
I know it is a car that will divide opinion, similar to the allegro/marina thing. For me I've always liked volvo, this one stood out due to both the history and the interior. Something a bit different.
Great to hear stories of those who bought/sold/drove them new, the 80's to me as a kid were a golden time in motoring.
I'm budgeting between £500 and £1000 to make it usable, but realistically it will do less than 500 miles per year, the odd show really.
The rest of the time it will be laid up beside my similar time warp 740. Good job for my bank balance I didn't like fast Fords when I was young.
I know it is a car that will divide opinion, similar to the allegro/marina thing. For me I've always liked volvo, this one stood out due to both the history and the interior. Something a bit different.
Great to hear stories of those who bought/sold/drove them new, the 80's to me as a kid were a golden time in motoring.
I'm budgeting between £500 and £1000 to make it usable, but realistically it will do less than 500 miles per year, the odd show really.
The rest of the time it will be laid up beside my similar time warp 740. Good job for my bank balance I didn't like fast Fords when I was young.
Great car OP. Love that interior!
I had a 340 DL and 2 360 GLTs quite a few years back and loved them. Surprisingly well balanced for an old brick! The 2nd GLT had many of the Volvo OEM accessories fitted and I planned on fitting a 2.3 lump. Unfortunately never got round to it and still regret that!
I had a 340 DL and 2 360 GLTs quite a few years back and loved them. Surprisingly well balanced for an old brick! The 2nd GLT had many of the Volvo OEM accessories fitted and I planned on fitting a 2.3 lump. Unfortunately never got round to it and still regret that!
My old man had one of the first 343's PAN 280R was the reg and was tangerine orange. Wonder how long it lived for ? On our first long journey to Penzance it got stuck in gear. Was a Variomatic ! I was only 8 at the time, so some things are a bit shady. I was with my nan and we were heading for the helipad to fly on holiday to the Isles of Scilly. Cue, old man sitting in the back of a dustbin lorry arriving at the helipad, as they gave him a lift from the garage.
We got back off the island for the homeward journey, after the holiday, to find that the garage ( not a dealer garage there !!) couldnt sort it , so we had to hire a 1.3 Marina . We drove all the way back to Berkshire, to get home and hear the phone ringing. It was the garage, the car was fine and they managed to unstick the gears. So, cue old man, turn on his heals and drive all the way back to Penzance , to collect it. He'd only been in the door an hour. So, nearly a thousand miles of driving in 2 quality vehicles in a day.
We got back off the island for the homeward journey, after the holiday, to find that the garage ( not a dealer garage there !!) couldnt sort it , so we had to hire a 1.3 Marina . We drove all the way back to Berkshire, to get home and hear the phone ringing. It was the garage, the car was fine and they managed to unstick the gears. So, cue old man, turn on his heals and drive all the way back to Penzance , to collect it. He'd only been in the door an hour. So, nearly a thousand miles of driving in 2 quality vehicles in a day.
irish boy said:
Cheers guys!
I know it is a car that will divide opinion, similar to the allegro/marina thing. For me I've always liked volvo, this one stood out due to both the history and the interior. Something a bit different.
Great to hear stories of those who bought/sold/drove them new, the 80's to me as a kid were a golden time in motoring.
I'm budgeting between £500 and £1000 to make it usable, but realistically it will do less than 500 miles per year, the odd show really.
The rest of the time it will be laid up beside my similar time warp 740. Good job for my bank balance I didn't like fast Fords when I was young.
Please let us know in advance if you’re going to any shows. I haven’t been to one for a few years and I’d love to see it - or the 740. Be good to meet another barge threadist too. I know it is a car that will divide opinion, similar to the allegro/marina thing. For me I've always liked volvo, this one stood out due to both the history and the interior. Something a bit different.
Great to hear stories of those who bought/sold/drove them new, the 80's to me as a kid were a golden time in motoring.
I'm budgeting between £500 and £1000 to make it usable, but realistically it will do less than 500 miles per year, the odd show really.
The rest of the time it will be laid up beside my similar time warp 740. Good job for my bank balance I didn't like fast Fords when I was young.
Cheers and enjoy.
Car landed this morning.
The transport company that lifted it is 40 miles away from my house so it was a bit of a risk driving a car that as far as I knew had not been on the road since '82, and that I had never seen!!
Bad start, turned the key and nothing. Got a booster pack on a and saw that someone had left the interior light on. Fired straight up into a nice smooth idle...so far so good.
Turned out I had nothing to worry about, it drove absolutely perfectly to my mechanics who performed a quick service. Condition wise it is basically as new. Small car park dent on the drivers door which I'll get taken out and thats about it. All dash lights, fans, heater, dials etc etc work perfectly. Surreal experience driving home as it is pretty much as it would have been picking it up new in 1982.
Never been in a 340 before but was very pleased to see the same dials as my dads old 245dl.
Plans this week will be to get the steel wheels dipped and coated, and new tyres. Then change all the other fluids and electrical components and see what happens after that, probably not much other than being stuck away again till spring.
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The transport company that lifted it is 40 miles away from my house so it was a bit of a risk driving a car that as far as I knew had not been on the road since '82, and that I had never seen!!
Bad start, turned the key and nothing. Got a booster pack on a and saw that someone had left the interior light on. Fired straight up into a nice smooth idle...so far so good.
Turned out I had nothing to worry about, it drove absolutely perfectly to my mechanics who performed a quick service. Condition wise it is basically as new. Small car park dent on the drivers door which I'll get taken out and thats about it. All dash lights, fans, heater, dials etc etc work perfectly. Surreal experience driving home as it is pretty much as it would have been picking it up new in 1982.
Never been in a 340 before but was very pleased to see the same dials as my dads old 245dl.
Plans this week will be to get the steel wheels dipped and coated, and new tyres. Then change all the other fluids and electrical components and see what happens after that, probably not much other than being stuck away again till spring.
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Wheels dipped/painted. New bf goodrich tyres all round, kept the original Michelin ones.
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k, particularly the seats and the paint colour.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff