My new toy!!

[Al Housman]

I am a relative newcomer to the syncro scene and having met Aidan and some other enthusiasts at Llanfyllin (I was the chap in the Hilux fresh from a muddy swim at the festival) I decided to take a trip this last weekend to eastern Germany to see a Doka.No rust(honest) and mechanically good,it made the 750 mile trip back without missing a beat or losing a drop of oil/water.And at 40+mpg too!!

First thing to do yesterday (after a good night sleep) was to take my boys up to the top of the nearest mountain to do some downhill biking.It got up effortlessly even on road tyres(the hilux wouldn't do it on offroad tyres!)I was/am well chuffed.

I speak German quite fluently which was/is a big help since not everybody out there speaks English(nor should they) since the first for.lang. in the old East Germany was Russian.It's handy to be able to check details and negotiate.Having said that I think most sellers over there are sound and a vehicle with long TUV(MOT) should be OK.If anybody would like help in dealing with a German seller let me know.

I'm after some 15"steel rims for the Doka if anybody has some.Will any from other VWs/makes do?
Also I need to replace the CV boots on the r,hand front driveshaft.Any words of wisdom/warning before I make a hash of it?

Thanks for reading my ramblings.I'm off to play with my new toy!

See you around.

Allan Housman

[v-lux]

Hi Allan,

Im going to have some Merc 15" steelies for sale very soon, probably along with a set of part worn Greenway Macho's.

Im just getting some different tyres put onto another set of rims so i will have the macho's and rims spare.
I was running two sets of wheels for a while, road / offroad. But ive gotten bored of swapping them around hence the spare set.

Let me know if your interested.

Alan

[syncroandy]

Hi Allan,

Great to hear you've taken the plunge, and that you're happy with your new Syncro. Be good to see you again maybe at the next Syncro event, I'd like to hear more about Yurts..

I too have a spare set of Merc steelies, for sale now, but with Atacamas, which are a diamond pattern, slightly more aggressive than the machos. If you want 'em let me know before Sun. pm. as I'll be able to bring them with from where I'll be at the weekend.

Re. the boot, make sure you get the correct version boot, there are two styles. Clean up all fasteners you need to slacken first and soak in plusgas. Slacken hub nut with wheel on ground, obviously. The inner CVJ bolts may be either Allen or 12-point. Once the shaft is free, access to remove it is tight, from memory I think last time I undid the upper wishbone from the upright, and the ARB link rod. YMMV

Andy

[Boltze]

Hi Allan,

congratulations for your "new" syncro. Where in eastern Germany did you get the syncro?

[PC52]

Well done, Bit of a long haul but it sounds well worth it.

Hope to see you at some events.

[Al Housman]

Thanks for the feedback on wheels and CVboots.I've just bid on some Merc rims fairly locally (before I checked this forum-ho hum,that's life).I need some pretty tough tyres(i think) since the Doka will have to replace the Hilux in the woods,but may well go for a more dual purpose set as well(makes me sound loaded,which I'm not!!!).

I went to a small town called Waltershausen and bought off a small dealer who was selling on behalf of a pipelaying company.There weren't any more but I'll ask him to keep his eyes open for me.It had been well maintained and had hardly been offroad(according to the bash plates etc)but I did take him to task for putting a new pair of tyres on one axle only(he seemed a bit grestfallen by this!).I took the main drive shaft off for the return journey(all that Autobahn just seemed too risky for the drive train) but when we replaced it back home the yellow dots we'd put on matched perfectly.Just good luck or did both axles run the same,I don't know!

One very positive result is that my wife is so impressed by my purchase that we'll probably use it in place of our Renault Trafic camper- so that's two vehicles it'll replace-I call that versatile!

Good to meet you Andy by the way.Yep,if you want yurt talk we've some pretty clued up people round here.

Regards.Al

[HarryMann]

Al,

Well done, remember you dropping in on the Monday..

I'd go Macho 205/75/15 and Mercs, plenty of spare wheels and tyres, two sapres on wheels ideally, being directional.

Leave on for tarmac, and go anywhere anyone can on the hills. On slippery roads and in the wet, the tyre will let you know when the time comes, a bit eariler than road tyres, but doesn't disgrace itself.

Have no plans to change at the moment, about £40/each

[dave friday]

Al, 40+ mpg! what engine ,oil cooler, inter cooler, oh' and at what speed?
ta.