[X] My Assistant

The insurance company charges a lot, but as soon as there is an accident, they "total" that old for a tiny amount that is disproportionate to the rate they charged.

You either pay exponentially to maintain an agreed value or get hosed on the market value. The problem is their model is a computer model and does not reflect actual market values at the moment. They just assume they will pay you jack all and model that.

Then you have to pay insurance insurance to protect your premium in case you have to make a claim to avoid them jacking your insurance premium to the moon if you ever make a claim.

It's hard to get interior parts for a mid-70's Volvo in America.

I need the plastic trim that goes around the windshield on the inside, a new mounting bracket for the radio, and a new plastic piece that goes between the moon roof lever and headliner.

Possibly a new rear window defroster switch as well, but I'm going to try to open that up and see if I can fix it first.

The engine itself seems fine, though... at the very least, the k-jetronic fuel system doesn't seem to be acting up.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 20 2022, 03:32

It's hard to get interior parts for a mid-70's Volvo in America.

I was going to say that would be easy except the last time I tried was a long time ago.

I was going to say that would be easy except the last time I tried was a long time ago.

You live in Oz; they probably haven't all rusted away there yet.

Some parts are easy enough (though maybe not cheap); K-Jetronic fuel injection was used on a lot of cars, not just Volvos. Headlights are easy. You can get new headlight bezels/frames from Volvo Trucks because they made some trucks that use them (although you'll be paying through the nose for them because they're truck crash parts). The cylinder head/engine block (mine's got a B21, 2.1L I4 SOHC, 8 valves) could probably be replaced wholesale with a B230F (2.3L I4 SOHC, 8 valves) from an early 90's Volvo. The interior moon roof plastic part I need could almost definitely be taken from an early 90's Volvo, if I had one with it. I used to; wish I'd kept it. Maybe I'd 3D scan it and print a new one if I did. I think you can still get a dashboard (the cover part, not the mechanical part). Lights are easy enough. The thermostat is probably interchangeable with my '93's. The shift boot never changed between then and the end of the 200 series. Steering wheels changed, but if you don't need it to look original I'm pretty sure you could put one from a '93 into it and it'd work (except the airbag of course).

But door cards, other interior plastics, a center armrest, or red seat upholstery? Forget it.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 20 2022, 15:59

I finally managed to get my old 1971 Statesman back.



The mate I sold it to left it outside for 15 goddamn years.

It used to look better.



I have a small block chev lined up for this car.

This is the same model as Mick Taylor's car from Wolf Creek.

That green is sexy. Always loved that model and colour.

I concur on the colour, although I'm not sure we got that model stateside (or in Canada). Did we?

I did the classic "old car" thing and left the headlights on, killing the battery. Popped the clutch in reverse on the driveway to start it again though.

Also, some bad news. The '76 Volvo's blower motor's lowest "on" position (level 1) doesn't work. The ballast resistor is probably burned. The blower motor is the single biggest bitch of a part in the entire car to get to, and is sort of legendary at this point amongst 100/200 series Volvo owners. It's just buried underneath absolutely everything else, so you end up with a yard sale outside your car while dismantling it.

And with a car from 1976 I'm a lot more afraid of breaking some brittle plastic than I was on my '93 (which still had lots of brittle plastics, to be fair). But most interior parts are interchangeable from 1981 upwards, whereas the first five model years are very different. So they're older and they also never made as many to begin with.

I've dismantled 240 dashes before, but they were from late model cars. I guess there might be a little less wiring in the way in this one, but it's still a harrowing sounding task.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 22 2022, 23:38

Are there modern replacement parts like this one:

[www.ebay.com.au] https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/334444804781

Are there modern replacement parts like this one:

[www.ebay.com.au] https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/334444804781

Those are way too new.

But VDO PM3512 fits. Then the resistor pack costs almost as much as the motor does ($40-50 AUD). I wonder how hard it'd be to just add my own high-wattage resistor to substitute for the bad part. It looks like it's basically a big potentiometer with four discrete settings (by making the current travel through a longer or shorter portion of the resistor).

If my parts car has a good one I'll probably be stealing from it. I think it fits all model years for the 100 and 200 series (a 25 year period).

Waxed the car today; it's looking great. I'm always amazed how much the waxing does, even though it doesn't look too apparent while you're doing it.

I finally managed to get my old 1971 Statesman back.

The mate I sold it to left it outside for 15 goddamn years.

It used to look better.

That poor car.

I have a small block chev lined up for this car.

What is the original engine?

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 25 2022, 02:37

What is the original engine?

202 red motor.

I took this back when I owned it.



It looks horrible now.

Dang.

Now I kind of want one. Too bad it looks like no Holden HQ's were ever sold here, even under different branding. Looks like it doesn't just use a north american GM design (even for things like the engine), which makes it interesting to me. Probably would be a logistical nightmare getting parts in the states, though.

I believe this is the first public picture I've shared of this car. Post-wax.
There's some scabbing that doesn't show up in the picture on the hood (on the "crease"), but overall it looks quite good.

Blue car belongs to a friend whose garage I visited to get out of the sun while waxing; not mine. Will probably be wintering it in a storage locker.
I hope the k-jet fuel system is okay with that. I know they don't love sitting unused, and this is my first time having a car with it.
[i.imgur.com] (IMG:[i.imgur.com] https://i.imgur.com/4TJkZYdg.jpg)
Reflects light well enough now that I had to blur some reflections (license plate mounted above door, etc.).

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 25 2022, 15:43

The problem was when I bought retro cars in the past, I used to get them cheap but they were full of rust issues.

The problem was when I bought retro cars in the past, I used to get them cheap but they were full of rust issues.

Yeah, rust is the one thing with old cars that isn't (practically) fixable. Finding a good body is 90% of the problem.
This one has minor rust issues on the trunk, but I think I can get that fixed since it's just starting.

This is the original paint.

[i.imgur.com] (IMG:[i.imgur.com] https://i.imgur.com/4TJkZYdg.jpg)
Reflects light well enough now that I had to blur some reflections (license plate mounted above door, etc.).

That's a fine looking Volvo.

If I were you I'd check the inside of the fuel tank for rust.

Any obstruction in that fuel system and you're going to have major stuttering/idling issues.

The problem was when I bought retro cars in the past, I used to get them cheap but they were full of rust issues.

Yeah I just ground it out and welded it with a mig.

Then down to repco for some cheap black rattlecans.

Any obstruction in that fuel system and you're going to have major stuttering/idling issues.
Yeah I just ground it out and welded it with a mig.

One I had was like 50% repaired properly and 50% bog.

That's a fine looking Volvo.

If I were you I'd check the inside of the fuel tank for rust.

Any obstruction in that fuel system and you're going to have major stuttering/idling issues.

because it'll clog up in the fuel distributor and/or injectors, right?

because it'll clog up in the fuel distributor and/or injectors, right?

Yes.

That's a mechanically injected car, it'll also wreck the fuel pumps.

One in the engine bay and one on the tank.

The tank pump is part of the sender unit and really fun to replace.

This post has been edited by Mags_: May 27 2022, 13:39

Yes.

That's a mechanically injected car, it'll also wreck the fuel pumps.

One in the engine bay and one on the tank.

The tank pump is part of the sender unit and really fun to replace.

I did not realize the pump/sender were one piece. Wow.
I assume you're speaking from experience with the '81/'82(?) GL? RIP.
How much of the fuel system did you end up having to replace? Did you have to take apart the fuel distributor?

I'll check the tank situation; I suspect it's fine based on the condition of the underbelly, but I guess it somewhat depends on if someone used ethanol gas and loosened whatever gunk was in there. And how long it sat.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 27 2022, 18:32

With my '82 Volvo I had to replace the tank and the sender unit, (which cost me a lot here in Aus.)

I had the fuel lines blasted out.

The other fuel pump also needed replacement.

One of the many reasons I'm selling my Volvo.

I was going to put a 1UZ in it but I honestly cbf at this point.

Also the biodegradable wiring in the dash/engine loom.

Check the fuel tank.

If it's rusty on the inside save yourself the stress and get a replacement.

With my '82 Volvo I had to replace the tank and the sender unit, (which cost me a lot here in Aus.)

I had the fuel lines blasted out.

The other fuel pump also needed replacement.

I was going to put a 1UZ in it but I honestly cbf at this point.

Understandable.

Check the fuel tank.

If it's rusty on the inside save yourself the stress and get a replacement.

I'll have to drain the tank/let it get low on fuel first, but I will. Thanks for the advice.

Also the biodegradable wiring in the dash/engine loom.

Yeah the 76 models don't have that problem yet. Nor do '88 and newer (and some '87's). Early-mid 80's are the "malaise" years for that.

One of the many reasons I'm selling my Volvo.

That's a shame (but again, understandable). If I was in Aus, I'd buy it off you. The body looks great from the one photo I've seen. And I like the color.
I hope the new owner can give it the care it needs. The wiring is probably the biggest nightmare if most of the fuel system's already replaced (and adjusted appropriately).

I think have a friend in Victoria who may be interested, actually. I think it was Victoria, anyway. He's one of the Myspleen private tracker admins, so if he is interested that might work out nicely for getting you an in if you're still interested in that. It's the tracker that specializes in off-the-air recordings of TV from the 80's.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: May 27 2022, 22:00