Volvo 740 with premium beatnik grandeur - T&T, £150

[rml2345]

Take out a loan and bring it to the northern north shitters meet

[scooters]

Well, job done - thanks Scotty, a right regal pleasure doing bizniss with you squire and that's no lie..train booked - 33 quid single to Leeds - can't go wrong with that so a week today I will be going to that there Yaorkshire to collect a chuffin Volvo....

 

This has sort of been forced on me indirectly by Mrs Scooters - Mrs Scooters rescued a 2 year old Black Lab male last month by the name of Digby and like all young dogs, Digby is mad...and hungry..he also has no concept of the word 'boot'.

 

My beautifully gliptoned 820 seats were trashed in about 30 seconds - digby in the boot, 2 minutes after we leave him he's in the front of the car scrabbling about with those claws! BUGGER

 

Scooby - even worse - he defeated the dog guard in about 10 seconds and leapt over the back seat landing on the kids who then proceeded to beat him up - wee thugs the daughter smacked the poor bugger in the eye with a barbie doll - she's 2 - thought we were going to have to go to the emergency vet with all the costs that involves!!

 

So the other day when I spotted that Scotty was a/running out of space and b/ had a redundant Volvo (he offered it to Pete as a tow car) I contacted him and a deal was done.

 

You see the Volvo 940/740 boot is an area with the indestructibility of a prison kludgie - try as they might the dog can't get a chew angle on anything and what is more the load guard on these things was modled on the portcullisesof Edward Ists geat Welsh castles and weighs about the same - no pooch no matter how determined can get through - as it is steel I can also wire a low voltage current through it using a leccy fence transformer - that ought to keep the bugger at bay.

 

Then of course there is the ubershite credentials of a Volvo 740 GLE - a car you can truly have a last laugh in. Anyone who has owned one of these will know that they are just about the most indestructible car ever made - fast, if not quick, very comfortable, simple, very well screwed together and tough as old boots with enough oomph to terrorise the most determined Hdi rep mobile on the M6 all day long for the cost of a couple of tanks of his diesel!

 

On top of this we have a road trip planned to London, Kent and Sussex in early July - the Scoob has a dodgey driveshaft which I will replace at some point. The Rover is a bit on the small side actually, so is the legacy, they are not huge cars so we would need a roof box for all our clobber - cost of roofbox and roof rails is far more than the golden turd so this makes perfect shitters economic sense.

 

And then there is destiny!

 

I first saw this car on ebay just before xmas, it was being sold by a chap in Berkshire who used it as a classic car tow vehicle and who had kept it in excellent mechanical fettle - hell, it even had new rubber! So a rash bid secured it - by early january collection was proving an issue and I was struggling healthwise - then a phone catch up with Mr Glover who was suffering from terrors and frost bite from rashly using an MGB as a winter hack in Lincs offered the perfect opportunity - Sam decided to take on the turd - he sold it to Scotty (Hillman) as per this thread and destiny washes it up on my beach.

 

I must say, I am rather looking forward to it - you really can't beat the feeling of school bully you get driving one of these - it beats bogwashing a squirt hands down - whats more the new car brigade give you a wide berth so petrified are they of your 'couldn't gie a fek' attitude

[Shep Shepherd]

I must say, I am rather looking forward to it - you really can't beat the feeling of school bully you get driving one of these - it beats bogwashing a squirt hands down - whats more the new car brigade give you a wide berth so petrified are they of your 'couldn't gie a fek' attitude

 

Couldn't agree more - the dirtier/shabbier a RWD Volvo gets, the more other road users leave it alone, especially the popusheep in nearly new BINIs, Audis and BMWs

[rml2345]

+1! Other road users seem to avoid shonky Volvos like the plague. It's bloody brilliant.

[HillmanImp]

Well I will be sorry to see the Volvo go. Its the first slushbox I have ever owned and I have to say that 99% of the time the are a great idea. Its just the 1% of the time when you get a good empty country road that you need a proper box IMO.

 

It has electric everything (in comparison to the Audi's electric nothing) and is quick (compared to the Audi).

 

Was a tough call on whether to sell the Audo and keep the Volvo or vice versa but everyone said to keep the Audi as its the more sensible choice. I will get over the dullness of the Audi once I get one of my faster cars back on the road.

 

And I agree, you can drive it how you want. People don't mess with the Volvo.

[eddyramrod]

+1! Other road users seem to avoid shonky Volvos like the plague. It's bloody brilliant.

 

Yep, that was my reasoning for using a 740GLE estate for a 27-mile commute across two towns and the space between. Others might have bought a Micra or Panda for economy; I had this barge. GR998.75 for preventing queue-jumping!

[Volksy]

my faster cars back on the road.

 

It's the fastest car you own..

[jonny69]

Ah, an excellent read. GR8 4 dogging. Shame you don't live nearer Chobham Common, you get props rolling up in that. Or a handjob.

[hhhugues]

Suppose that answers my question from the "dull" thread. Spotted it the other day around West Park... Shame I won't see it around Leeds anymore !

 

I had a 740 auto some years ago, it was brilliant. Such an easy car to drive, and super comfy. Head gasket went and I just got another car Kicking myself to this day. Although it wasn't gold, and it was a facelift version, so nowhere near as cool...

[HillmanImp]

Suppose that answers my question from the "dull" thread. Spotted it the other day around West Park... Shame I won't see it around Leeds anymore !

 

I had a 740 auto some years ago, it was brilliant. Such an easy car to drive, and super comfy. Head gasket went and I just got another car Kicking myself to this day. Although it wasn't gold, and it was a facelift version, so nowhere near as cool...

 

Whats the 'Dull' thread?

 

Will defo have been me then. I work in Lawnswood and live in Whitecoates (Hyacinth Bouquet talk for part of Bramley ) so drive down there all the time.

[hhhugues]

Dull cars thread ! your map alerted me to the fact that you're clearly leeds based, and i'd seen the volvo a few days before, so I put 2 and 2 together. With the tailgate, it couldn't just be another one !

I live in kirkstall myself...

[HillmanImp]

Ahh I had not seen that post. Makes sense. You may well have seen the Audi 100 Avant or the DAF smoking about too. The other cars have not really made an appearance locally.

[hhhugues]

I don't think I have, but I'll be on the look out ! big fan of both...

[scooters]

A huge thanks to Scotty and Chris, popped down to Leeds this morning to collect the beast...had a good chat and saw lankys old lpg Audi and Chris's vomit spec Toyota .

 

I've had heaps of ovlovs over the years but never a 740. I can honestly say that I see why folk rave about them...what a machine, works like an old swiss watch and crafted from granite. This is a non turbo but pulls very very well and is the most civilised motorway cruiser I've had since the e34 535.

 

Much amusement when en route back to Durham a couple of twats in an ibiza r sporty or some crap, decided to join the a1 and overtake a lorry just as I was steaming up the outside lane...no indicator ..I slammed on the anchors and flash him to which the troll flicks me the finger and ther floors it and waves at me...obviously thinking I would eat his dust...well he couldn't shake me and eventually pulled over to cry when his euro box ran put of steam going up a hill.

 

Childish but rather fun!

[purplebargeken]

That really irritates the crap out of me, being given the finger by some asshole who is in the wrong and usually driving like a complete knob. Makes my usual placidity go on holiday for a while whilst I want to beat them to a bloody pulp and insert their finger into their own suitable orifice.

[eddyramrod]

the troll flicks me the finger and ther floors it and waves at me...obviously thinking I would eat his dust...well he couldn't shake me and eventually pulled over to cry when his euro box ran put of steam going up a hill.

 

Childish but rather fun!

 

Perfect! That's Volvo life all right, they are full of surprises for the sheep who just see a big old brick. Well handled sir.

[Shep Shepherd]

the troll flicks me the finger and ther floors it and waves at me...obviously thinking I would eat his dust...well he couldn't shake me and eventually pulled over to cry when his euro box ran put of steam going up a hill.

 

Childish but rather fun!

 

Perfect! That's Volvo life all right, they are full of surprises for the sheep who just see a big old brick. Well handled sir.

 

I love turning the tables on people like that with The Volvo

[Morgan84]

I managed to snare Mr Shineyheadmidlifecrisis twice in his Z3 hair drying machine in a Fiesta;he fell down on roundabouts where his RWD can't go fast ( suspect it was only a 1.9 ),but my little Zetec powered Fiesta can happily scream round,up the inside of him,and happily off into the sunset with a happy grin on my face. My Shineyheadmidlife crisis goes screaming past,until the next roundabout,where Lady Luck craps on him,and he has to stop,but I can see over the roundabout,and the coast is clear = foot down,and up the inside of him again

 

*sniggers*

[HillmanImp]

Glad you are liking it. I did really want to keep it by sensible head took over and I have kept the Audi instead.

 

Every muthafucka does get well out of your way too. Its great. Plus when its parked outside your house you will notice that your neighbours will suddenly feel inclined to tidy up their front garden so that there is no scrap metal lying around. Unfortunately on the flip side of that, if the slate goes missing off one of the houses down the road the police will be round again.......

[barspeed]

Thats mine and my old man's, glad to see its still going and will be looked after!

 

Here's a pic a few years back when I used it to retrieve my daily runabout

 

[scooters]

Barsp - are you the chap who sold it to Sam Glover and me last year?

 

now in my custody in Edinburgh - will be going to another 'shitters' sometime in the next few days for house moving duties - turning into a sort of 'Autoshite Pool Car'

 

I had the beast up to the Highlands and back this weekend - didn't miss a beat obviously!

[Shep Shepherd]

^

I enjoyed viewing the photos of the car 'in harness' when you offered it on eBay

[HillmanImp]

So that will be 5 people on the forum who have owned it since January. Is that some kind of record?

 

Quick, get Derek Acorah to contact Roy Castle and the McWhirter twins! Even if someone exhumes their bodies to confirm the record, it will be more tolerable than asking Kriss Akabusi and Cheryl Baker.

[cms206]

I should probably speak up; I should be number five this year, collecting it later this week from Castle Scooters. My justification is that the Senator is too nice to use for tip runs and I've not done the garden for nearly two years. I also have a load of furniture to tip and should be moving house over the summer with a bit of luck, so this is working out cheaper than the projected cost of hiring a van on several occasions.

 

Nothing at all to do with the fact the Senator's needing welding and an alternator and I really fancy another grotty 740GLE. Honest.

[barspeed]

lol im amazed at the amount of interest the old girl has created.

 

Im seeing my Dad today, im sure he found some of the history documents after it had gone. I'll ask if he has them still and I can pop them in the post.

[Danblez]

Jesus what happened to that front wing did a train run into it or something?

[scooters]

tough old beast indeed -

 

could probably use a change of ATF sometime and the hole in the airbox needs 'regaffertaping' other than that business is the same as when it rolled off the assembly line in 1988! - as you would expect...

 

You have to ask- why is it that these cars have not hit 'classic' status in the same way that contemporaries have - even PC doesnt have a buyers price guide for them...I suspect this is because they are still in use as daily drivers especially the 900 series and will be for many years hence.

[dollywobbler]

Not sure Scoots. They're not a very interesting car in some ways, yet they are incredibly hardy and capable (interior plastics aside. I've seen better quality plastic inside a Netto own brand Christmas Cracker). PC have at least included a 740 Turbo in this month's group test.

 

Having driven both, I much prefer the 740 to the 240, but the 240 does seem to have more character and more of a classic feel.

[barspeed]

Jesus what happened to that front wing did a train run into it or something?

 

Hit by a Renault Clio exiting a junction, forced the Volvo into a ditch. The Clio lost its bumper, wing was ripped off, door rippled. Girl just didnt look left, took two years before I got compensation for the damage it did to my neck and back but all Agnetha needed was a bumper end cap and indicator lens...

[barspeed]