Pete's 203 Panelvan

Hi fnqvmuch,


Does Pete have any of the original cylinders. If so resleeving would be the go.

He could try,

Glen, Stainless Steel Re-sleeving. Brendale Brisbane. 3889 6669

Or Wayne, Better Brakes. Southport (07) 55710271

Had work done at both places with no hassles.

Cheers,

Dano
 
Once back in my dim past the local baker had a mail, unwrapped bread, and boxed groceries run. In fact several. He was ill for a while and so Dad volunteered 19 year old me to do one of the runs in a 203 van. Much of the run was through forest on a two wheel dirt track. rarely if ever graded. Now Peugeots hadn't long won the Redex and so I flogged this van as hard as it would go around these dirt tracks. It was great fun. Actually the car went really well although it filled with dust and the loaves of bread were quite dusty. They mail and un wrapped bread were unceremoniously dropped into various roadside mail boxes. Most were rusty 20 litre drums or other probably unsanitory containers. Surpisingly for me, despite my youthful exuberance, I still never beat the bakers time.
 
my van in the 80's Castlemaine Vic,
Bellingen NSW...
 

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There are stories of 203 ambulances being driven hard in their day, and standing up to harsh treatment , like your bakers van .
One has to consider the flogging the
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Cinesiound vans must have had to get ahead of Redex cars to film them
 
The Horsham ambulance based on a station wagon could and did average 60 mph on emergency runs such as when it delivered the respirator to Jeparit, a trip so fast it was written up in the Wimmera Mail Times.
The Redex drivers accused Cinesound of having two identical 203 vans, they couldn't understand how it could get in front of them all the time.
 
Make sure the universal joint is in perfect order before refitting. My knurled joint developed play in the yokes and they're not an off the shelf item. Rear gearbox mounts were available ex France but expensive.
There were a few choices in 175-16 tyres including radials. Lada Niva and London taxi size.
 
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The cracking of the fuel float corks was found in them all and probably resulted in the variable readings between cars.
 
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