James Cook Forum

Hey,

I plan to buy 309D from 83. I'm thinking about a particular model but I have no experience and I'm not sure if the rust problems that the car currently has will mean to me a lot of work and costs or maybe it's not so bad. I am sending a few pictures for inspection and I will be grateful for information what you think. First of all, I mean the rust at the hinges of the door and other points visible in the pictures. The owner also informed me that the windshield is leaking so there is probably a serious problem with rust. Thank you in advance for the information and feedback from your forum colleagues about what you think.

Regards,
Gobeli

Good morning Gobeli,

recently I bought a James Cook with less rust then this one you think about. We are still working to fix it for our summer vacation, bigger rusty spots around the car will be replaced in the fall. So there is a lot of work to do and also to spend some money. Now if I watch the pictures, I see no trip this year and a complete work around the car at once. I'm sure that you also have to dry out the interior. Windshield leaking couldn’t be the only leak if you watch the marode „rainline“ ( I don’t know the word for Regenrinne) between the roof and the body. I don’t know your skills but for me this car would be no option.
Good luck on the way to find the right car for you.

Hallo,
Es ist richtig, was Hummelmann schreibt. Diesen Wagen zu restaurieren ist sehr, sehr sehr viel Arbeit. Den Rost, den du jetzt siehst, ist nur ein Bruchteil der Stellen, die du bearbeiten musst. Die Regenrinne, die gesamte Front, A-Säulen sind Arbeit für Monate.
Dann wird der Fußboden durch den Wassereinbruch von vorne zerstört worden sein, also teilweise erneuern. Und so weiter.
Auf so ein großes Projekt musst du viel Lust und Geduld haben. Und du musst natürlich die handwerklichen Fähigkeiten haben.

Andi

Hey,

Hummelmann and AndiP thank you for your feedback.

My potential plan with that car would be to take it for a short trip this summer, with all the problems it will have on board (the actual owner claims he is using the car normally for some trips in Europe so I hope it would be ok.) and then we are planning to do the complete restoration stripping the car to bear steel and repairing the rust, redoing insulation etc.
We want to do as much as possible ourselves but for sure we will hire some specialists. The asking price for that car is arround 6k and we are prepared to invest the same amount in the restoration (not included some camper equipment that we will replace..) Do you think that such plan seems reasonable?

Thanks,
Gobeli

Good morning Gobeli,

I'm pretty sure that you would find a better car. There was an offer one month ago, 310d, built 1994, 160T km, interior in good shape, for 10.000,- with normal rust intensity and ready for takeoff. You would have definitely less frustration if you wait and keep on searching.