WANTED - early 343/346 instrument panel
 

Hi,

I've got a 1978 Volvo 343 which I'm currently doing a load of welding on. The dash panel where the speedo goes has had a later panel crudely hacked in and I'd like to put this back to the original.

I know this is a difficult panel to get - haven't found any on Ebay. Just I think it would be nice to put this car back to stock as there's not many of the original Mk1 300 series Volvos around now!

Wayne

Nice work! Have you got any pics? Mk1's are indeed rare now. Do you have a pic of the instrument cluster? I can't think what a 1978 dash looks like.... I assume it's the same as an up to 82 model year before the later Mk2-Mk3 dashboard.

Is it like this?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/...41da0aff_o.jpg

You might want to check out volvo300mania.com as someone on there might be able to help as well

Hi Steve,

Yes! That's the very one. The steering wheel is slightly different I think but that's about it. Very nice interior! Is this your car?

I'll get some photos up when it's out the yard/rubbish tip that it's in! It's been sat there for many years. Another reason I want to save it is that it's date of registration is exactly the same day as my Birthdate in December 1978.

Cheers, I'll try volvo300mania too!

Nice to see another northern 300 owner!

+1 on the car pics.
Id love to see it.

Early 300s are getting rare now, and have maximum coolness.

I reckon you might be in luck - that dash isn't quite as rare as the even earlier stuff so someone might be able to help you out on there!

That interior was a pic taken of my '82 343 which I had a couple of years ago... it's since been imported to an enthusiast in the states!

Sounds like it's worth saving!

Aha! Another Geordie (I'm from Newcastle originally!) As soon as I've got it rolling I'll be posting pics, don't worry!

At the moment it's in someone's back yard sandwiched between a brick wall, an old chicken coop full of rubbish and a *yack* *spit* Mk4 Ford Escort.

That would be cool. I may have a lead on the volvo300mania forum, fingers crossed but if that doesn't work out it's reassuring to know it's not as rare as I first thought.

I'm fascinated at how the vast majority of the classic car world don't seem to even give these a second glance and yet someone from the US imported your's! I never gave it a thought that these never made it to the US. In fact I never realised Volvos generally made it to the States until a few years ago when I saw a music video for Metallica's "Turn The Page" and the main character was driving a brown 240!

300s are pretty much the LAST undiscovered RWD retro cars.
In that, still very good, and still a joy to run and drive, and still CHEAP.

A same condition 240 GLT will command 4 or 5 times the value of a 360 GLT (same engine for the most part).
If you price RWD vauxhalls or fords of the same era, then you really do get into mortgage money for good examples.

So youve chosen well dude.
A lot of them are being ragged and destroyed by TrampDrifters atm (because theyre so cheap I suppose) so its nice to see another dude looking after one.

Its worth it man.

Theyre a good car.

I think things are slowly turning in the 300 series' favour to be honest Wayne... people are finally giving them the recognition they deserve, and prices are rising for nicely kept and early examples.

About 15 years ago when my parents were driving Mk2's I always thought the Mk1's were hideous (even then, you rarely saw one on the road - maybe one or two in scrapyards!), but now I look at them and they're damn cool :D

As a very wise (read: drunk) friend once said, time + rarity = desirability.

Never thought Mk1 & Mk2 Ford Fiestas would ever be desirable as they used to be everywhere but now they've become a classic. Even early Nissans!