New Restoration in Australia

Volvo TGB and 30X (303/304/306) mods and resto work, news, resources and non-technical stuff
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rathgar
Australia
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:21 pm

New Restoration in Australia

Post by rathgar »

Hi There,

I'm new here and have just bought a right hand drive C303 in Australia. Here's a few pictures. I believe that it was originally a Malaysian army vehicle and then owned by Flick (pest and weed company). On the up side I have records dating back to 1984 and several boxes of new old Stock parts. On the down side plenty of rust to deal with. Firstly it will be put into service here on the farm and work will be carried out next winter when I've got more time.
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IMG-20181028-WA0002.jpg
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Pinz aus
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:00 pm
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Re: New Restoration in Australia

Post by Pinz aus »

Looks like a great project

What would Flick have used it for?

Has anyone got any idea how many 303’s in Aus?
I’m curious how it compares to Pinzgauers.
rathgar
Australia
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:21 pm

Re: New Restoration in Australia

Post by rathgar »

They were set up as spray rigs for rural weed spraying. I know of 2 vehicles that were based in Tamworth and then moved to Toowoomba when the Flick employee went out on his own. Some of the correspondence I have from Flick implies that there were more than 2 but maybe they were just trying to talk it up. The guy I bought the vehicle sold the other vehicle about 4 or 5 years ago to someone in South Australia. I saw a similar vehicle listed on Facebook about 3 or 4 years ago, for sale in Lismore, but it was an Australian delivered vehicle (had Australian compliance plates).

Others I've heard about;
The ex Dr Karl vehicle is supposedly in Brisbane.
I have been told Manar Park (4WD park) have 2 or 3 6WDs
I know of 2 people in Melbourne with 6WDs (Roobar on here is one of those)

Lets keep adding to the list!
geckoadventure
New Zealand
Posts: 481
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:48 pm
Location: Malaysia
Contact:

Re: New Restoration in Australia

Post by geckoadventure »

Cool the cabin rear is different to the police version.. I'm surprised they sold the army ones overseas,. How you going to restore it?

Dave Laidler has more than 3 I believe including one he is making to a 4 door.

How is the internal rust?
rathgar
Australia
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:21 pm

Re: New Restoration in Australia

Post by rathgar »

At this stage the restoration will be mostly metalwork.

It has had a lot of work already done to brakes, axles and suspension.
The motor and gearbox seem quite serviceable at this stage.

There worst rust is in the roof next to the roof hatch. But there is also rust between the windscreens and in the left had side rood gutter plus plenty more smaller spots. Surprisingly the floors seem pretty good as does the chassis. I will probably pull the top half of the cab off and then that will give me a better look at things.

Pretty confident is is ex military as its still drab olive inside and I have the convoy lights in a box. I also have a series of letters written be Flick in 1991 stating that we bought the vehicles from you. The letter are written to the Malaysian Trade Department and then the Department of Defence trying to source any stock of spares they may have had. No answer from the DOD! They must have been disposed of prior to 1984.

Is Dave Laidler the guy at Manar Park?
geckoadventure
New Zealand
Posts: 481
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:48 pm
Location: Malaysia
Contact:

Re: New Restoration in Australia

Post by geckoadventure »

rathgar wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:02 pm At this stage the restoration will be mostly metalwork.

It has had a lot of work already done to brakes, axles and suspension.
The motor and gearbox seem quite serviceable at this stage.

There worst rust is in the roof next to the roof hatch. But there is also rust between the windscreens and in the left had side rood gutter plus plenty more smaller spots. Surprisingly the floors seem pretty good as does the chassis. I will probably pull the top half of the cab off and then that will give me a better look at things.

Pretty confident is is ex military as its still drab olive inside and I have the convoy lights in a box. I also have a series of letters written be Flick in 1991 stating that we bought the vehicles from you. The letter are written to the Malaysian Trade Department and then the Department of Defence trying to source any stock of spares they may have had. No answer from the DOD! They must have been disposed of prior to 1984.

Is Dave Laidler the guy at Manar Park?

DOD will not help the Royal Malaysian Police never replied when I tried to get depl;oyment history of Volvo 1.

Yes David Laidler

PYE rust killer/converter stops the spread of the current rust.
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