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Topic ClosedTristar Syncro, 2WD to 4WD, more BHP!!

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Ghia View Drop Down
Vanorak
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Nesh

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tristar Syncro, 2WD to 4WD, more BHP!!
    Posted: 04 Nov 07 at 21:36

Ok ok, everyone knows I've already got 2 Syncros which aren't currently on the road aswell as a twin sliding panel van which is not much more than a rolling shell but now and again something comes up which you just can't say no to.

I've been after this particular Syncro for almost a year when a good friend down south first told me that he'd seen a RHD Tristar Crewcab sat on a street with tax which was about to run out.

I asked him to leave a note on the windscreen with my phone number and saying that I was interested in buying it. After about 7 notes and over a month of nothing I got a phonecall from a garage on behalf of the owner saying he wanted x amount for it and that he would sell it for that. I said ok I'll buy it and started getting ready for a trip to the capital city.

A week later I spoke to the owner for the first time and said I would come down the following day to collect and would bring cash. He seemed ok with it so I looked up train times and checked out the address etc. However when I phoned up the following day about to set off for the train station, he changed his mind and said he couldn't sell it and that he wanted to keep it!!

I said ok but please give me first refusal from now on if you want to sell it.

Over the next 11 months I pestered the owner every 2 months or so to check if he wanted to sell it. Then out of the blue I got a text from my friend down south saying that the owner wanted to sell it if I was still interested. I phoned up immediately and the deal was back on.

This weekend has been a stressful one with organising cash, lots of phonecalls back and forth, a day late and I had just about given up hope that the owner was going to part with this rare beast!

Come about 3PM today, I got a phonecall saying that the Tristar was in Leeds!!!

We met up, exchanged cash for V5, MOT and a clear HPi and I've bought yet another Syncro!

The pic is one taken by my friend down south as I haven't had chance yet to take any.

It's a 1990 RHD Tristar Crewcab. There are conflicting reports as to how many were actually made but it's something around 18 to 21. I will try to contact VW and get a precise figure. I think I'll probably find that Aidan has the info correct of 18.

This particular van came spec'd with the following:

Power steering, central locking, truck mirrors, headlight washers, dip rear view mirror, front and rear difflocks, Syncro westy towbar, spare wheel carrier underneath, spotlights. I'm still discovering things!!

It's present condition isn't fantastic though. Bodily it's very good. There's very little rust, a little on the seams, a few dings and dents here and there but mechanically it's a mess!

It has lost it's 4 wheel drive system and is currently running a 2.1 DJ engine with carb setup, 2WD 4 speed gearbox and 17 inch OZ racing wheels! Not exactly helpful for offroading . Whoever fitted the 2WD gearbox has even removed the propshaft protection bar mounting points so I'll have to weld some back on!

From the look of the engine, it's a Volkspares replacement which doesn't fill me with joy. It's not very happy at present but I'm hoping a good service etc will sort it out. The speedo doens't work at the moment which could be anything from the clock, speedo cable or speedo drive inside the front differential. I'm presuming there is a VC inside the front diff but who knows!

I'll have to build a gearbox for it, find a propshaft, engine proection bars, propshaft proection bars, reconnect the difflock system and fit a syncro exhaust system to the engine.

Atleast it's on the road and I can drive it around as I've been driving everyone elses cars around since I sold the Bluestar!!

I'd like to say thankyou to my other half for putting up with me this weekend as I've been a right royal pain in the arse!!!

Thanks baby!

 

MG



Edited by Ghia
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' Jeffy '

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 07 at 21:50
Hey hey, nice!

I wondered why you'd sold that Bluestar so quickly!
Alan Hayes - Campervan Culture
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 07 at 22:18

looks very good! get those wheels sold though! you do seem to like a challenge mind

how much?
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Vanorak
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 07 at 22:29

Yup the OZ Racing wheels will go at some point when I've found something to replace them with.

Just adding to the list of things which have gone walk about, the rear sliding windows and the spare wheel carrier which sits under the front of the van.

I didn't find out that this was for sale until mid week. The Bluestar went because it needed to at that point. Funny how things swing around isn't it!

Hope your syncro gets better soon Alan.

MG

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Coprophagous Cretin

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 07 at 22:45
thats proper bo.





YOU CANT EDUCATE GAMMON

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Ghia View Drop Down
Vanorak
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 07 at 22:57

Ok update on manufacter date. After sifting through ETKA, I think I've got the date of manufacture to 4th May 1989. It sat around until 1st March 1990 to get registered!

Had a quick lookup of option codes too.

It came with rear mud flaps from the factory, rear heated screen, supposedly an LSD but I think this is an error with ETKA as this has come up before on other vehicles and it means rear diff lock.

MG

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' Jeffy '

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 00:20
Cheers mike,

I'll keep you updated on the progress.
I'm beginning to hate turbo's.........
Alan Hayes - Campervan Culture
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Vanorak
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 01:16

 

did it have rear sliders ?  they were a option from what i can tell..

ive got a pair... proper black frame too.. but im keeping them for my crewcab..

WHY T3's.... because they are just so adictive, and having one just aint enough
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 11:37
Very nice and like your other Synchros will end up as a great toy!

Oh and I didn't know until now that you have a serious bout of Synchronitus!

Dr. T15 - Took test in a T2, drove a T1, T4, T5 and now run a T3 - and I am not Tee'd off
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 13:04
looks nice
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 21:04

Ghia,

how much for the wheels ??

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 21:13

Originally posted by VWlewis VWlewis wrote:


Oh and I didn't know until now that you have a serious bout of Synchronitus!

Yes I have Syncronitus very badly!!

Update on what else I've found out. The front driveshafts are missing and that's the reason that the speedo isn't working! Fairly fundamental

Also it's running 3 225/55/17 tyres and one 235/45/17 tyre , so I need to get that sorted pronto.

I think I'm going to buy another 2.1 DJ engine to rob the injection system from etc in an attempt to get it running as per factory. It has a rear heater under the rear seat and the rear doors had door pockets but they were missing. After a quick look in the locker area, they've been rattling around in there but are in great condition so they'll be going back on.

I'm ordering some small bits from VW just to replace stuff which is broken like seat fixings etc.

MG

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 21:17
Originally posted by hobbit hobbit wrote:

Ghia,

how much for the wheels ??

Lol, good question. I've got to find something else to put on there first and get the 4th tyre on so they're running the same size.

Dunno about price. Will have a think!

MG

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 22:10
Originally posted by Ghia Ghia wrote:


Also it's running 3 225/55/17 tyres and one 235/45/17 tyre , so I need to get that sorted pronto.

[/QUOTE]

 

Has it passed an MOT like that?? Should've failed

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 07 at 22:35

Mmmm tell me about it!

I'll have a 225/55/17 on it tomorrow.

MG

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 07 at 19:33

Small update on the Tristar.

I've discovered that the exhaust is blowing from Cyl No.2 flange to head joint. One of the threads in the head has been stripped so tomorrow will be spent stripping the exhaust off and timesert-ing that hole! Then hopefully it'll be nice and quite to drive.

The engine has always run badly so I've replaced all the servicable (not sure if that's a word!) parts, HT leads, Plugs, Cap, Rotor arm, Vacuum unit for dizzy, Air Filter (was thoroughly black!). As it's a volkspares engine, it has solid followers so you have to adjust the tappets so that's been done and it's quitened down a lot and is now running smoothly at tickover.

The van has been drinking fuel like it's going out of fashion so I put it on the gas anyliser. Even though the exhaust is blowing, it was running 6.3 CO%!! A bit rich and probably the reason that it used to bog down (flat spot) from about 1850rpm to 3,000rpm. Once done it ran better but was still running very cold. Sitting in traffic, the temp guage would not get above 1/4 so I suspected that the thermostat had failed open.

After 4 attempts of getting the bolts out of the thermostat housing (syncro housing is aluminium and bolts are steel!), they eventually gave in and I removed what was only the top of a thermostat and the rest had been removed! One VW thermostat and new seal later, I have a van which runs up to temperature, the radiator fan cuts in and out and atlast I have a heater in the van which works!!

Plans for working on it tomorrow include fitting front driveshafts, fitting a different set of wheels and tyres, timesert-ing the cylinder head, refitting the drivers seat arm rest (previously had a snapped bolt so was hanging down), refitting the cup holders, generally cleaning the vehicle inside and out, adjusting up the rear brakes, fitting lots of little bits and pieces which I've ordered from VW.

MG

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 07 at 21:30

Hi Mike

Got a 2.1 dj from the crashed carat if interested?

Cheers

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Nov 07 at 08:38
Thread hijack alert - how much for the DJ??
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Nov 07 at 16:48

A quick sneak at what wheels will be going on instead of the OZ Racing wheels. This is just temporary as I have something else in mind long term for the Tristar.

These will eventually be the street wheels for Limey.

MG

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Nov 07 at 18:12
It'll never fly I tell ya, another syncro for Ghia rest home for unloved VW4WD

Looking good Mike.

Needs to be a bit higher though, get it up the ScoobyVelle altitude!!
T3 Westy, T3 Syncro (the ScoobyVelle), New Beetle Cab, 2 x Polos - I have too many projects
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