|
It's stock standard, not a custom job, 245 Van is exactly what's stamped on the plate.
The 245L is a light comercial variant of the basic DL wagon (70's style with big round headlights). They shipped to Australia as a cheap way of getting a station wagon (The heafty import duty did not apply to comercial vehicles.) It's basicly a 2 seater variant, with a flat steel floor running from the tailgate to the B pillar just behind the front seats. A steel partitition seperates the load bay from the front seats, and has a removable grille section rom window height up. The rear doors have flush panels on the inside, with no door handles or window winders. The space where the rear foot well would be forms a great storage space under the floor.
Because most new car buyers were looking for a 245DL wagon on the cheap, most had the steel floor cut out and rear seats installed and my L is the only one I've ever seen in original condition, as my parents bought it to use as a commercial vehicle, although the rear doors are from a wagon, not from a van, as we did later consider converting it. Those flush panels are on my shopping list if I could find them.
The Taxation office were quick to realise what was happening and closed down the loophole, so 245L's in Australia are all the round headlighted 77's and 78's, and only come in blue orange and white (It's a truck, how much choice do you want?)
I have considered fitting back seats, but my wreak is a rarity, and passengers in the back just annoy me anyway.
I'll take some photos next time I'm working on it and post them up. I wanted to take some work in progress shots, but the old crumpled panels lying around the the shed are proof enough of its condidition when we started.
|