Volvo Amazon

[purplebargeken]

Thought I might be arsed starting some kind of thread for the Ovlov. God knows I've had it for nearly 2 years so why not. Hopefully there might be some interest.

 

Quick history lesson. The car was owned by Keith Moody of that there Practical Classics from 2004 IIRC. He used it more or less as a daily and upgraded a good few mechanical bits and bobs along the way including overdrive, tacho, oil and voltage gauges. He also fitted Bilstein shocks, lowered springs, a sports manifold, sports exhaust, halogen headlight conversion, spots, twin carbs with K&N filters, electric ignition, rebuilt bottom end, revamped cooling system with electric fan. Good tyres. Oh, rear seatbelts for the little one's. The Volvo served him well and completed various escapades incluyding a track thing, Le Jog and various other things. Has a towbar and reversing spotlight thing. I fitted a DAB radio/USB thingy and a couple of speakers in the kick panels.  The car was bought for my 50th birthday last year (albeit 6 months early). 

 

I guess the car is kind of GT orientated now given the bits.

 

Sadly Keith was not so focused on things like the seats and little bits of bodywork.

 

The worst offender being some rust along the rear OS wheel arch, there are a couple of bubbles here and there. The wiring in the engine bay is a little haphazard with what looks like domestic wire being used here and there as well as those white connector blocks, fuses are just lobbed in and connected via ordinary female spade fittings. 

 

I am in the process of replacing this little rats nest with proper wire, colour coded using proper connections and heat shrink stuff. I have most of it done now, just a couple more wires to go. I have a source for some correct colour seats but am trying to save up for them. The wheel arch will be tackled shortly if the weather remains reasonable as well as the pain in my back. Parts availability for these is good, although some bits are expensive such as front wings and some other panels. 

 

Photos over the next couple of days.

 

Ken

[garethj]

I'd like one, I borrowed a non-overdrive car for a week once and it was a bit busy at 60mph but otherwise a very nice drive.  Sadly the prices have now risen well out of my comfort zone so I'll have to own one through your eyes instead.  Keep us posted please.

[Fabergé Greggs]

Ah yes, I used to keep a keen eye on the owners forum and remember this one coming up for sale.

 

I adore them, and this sounds very usable.

[gordonbennet]

My very first car @ 17 an Amazon,  122s imported from all places South Africa.

 

Happily have another, looking forward to the pics.

[Rusty Pelican]

love these , Volvo means " I run " and lets hope it continues to do so 

[purplebargeken]

Cheers guys, the car is mechanically spot on and easily keeps up with motorway traffic with minimal effort.  Slow steering is an effort however

 

Just the cosmetics really and tidying up an older paintjob. 

[twosmoke300]

love these , Volvo means " I run " and lets hope it continues to do so

I'm sure that was a quiz question on radio two this week

[spike60]

I  thought it meant "I roll".  Guess I'm wrong again!

[Rusty Pelican]

I'm sure that was a quiz question on radio two this week

was it , what kind of quiz do radio 2 do nowadays , must listen more often 

[Rusty Pelican]

I  thought it meant "I roll".  Guess I'm wrong again!

your right , im wrong 

[purplebargeken]

Hopefully get some hot picture action for you lot tomorrow.

 

I'm hoping to actually use it in anger on Sunday. That is if no-one blocks the garage access. 

 

It has been known.

[purplebargeken]

The Amazon was re-mot'd a few weeks ago and I have been slowly but surely raising the mojo required to do those 'bits and pieces'.

 

Today I took the plunge and removed the vinyl/foam dashtop pad off the metal dash. The pad was warped and cracked, although it didn't bug me it was something that wasn't too much hassle to do. 

 

Saying that, I actually like the unadorned metal dash. It is all properly body coloured and really 'lifts' the interior which can be a bit dark. I will also be painting the windscreen trims (4 of them) in body colour. They are black from the factory but also make the cabin a darker place.

 

I'd be quite happy to leave the dash pad off but the only issue is the instrument binnacle. It needs some kind of cover. I experimented on the old section and cut it down so that it only covered the binnacle. The  whole thing was crap. The original was so warped and bent. What a mess. I'd have to make something that would cover the open bit along the top and a little each side. Need to think more on that. 

 

It would look cool 'naked'. I'll take some pics tomorrow. I have plenty of black vinyl and some plastic sheet. 

 

Just have to get rid of the old adhesive and bits of foam now

[purplebargeken]

This is what an Amazon dash looks like. It's 'ok'. Not very inspiring. It is a metal dash base covered by a foam/vinyl pad which goes the full length of the dash and has a binnacle cover. Mine was badly cracked. This is not an unusual thing. In all honesty I think it makes the car look dark and dingy inside, especially when the inner screen surrounds are also black.

 

 

Luckily I have a complete dash with an uncracked vinyl thingy. I have theoretically sold the metal bit to a chap on the VOC forum who had his Amazon nicked and vandalised. Twats. 

 

The foam pad was pretty loose anyway, the glue having stopped doing its job in many places an awfully long time ago. It needed some gentle* persuading in places, mostly the middle and there you have it. A nekkid dash, covered in old glue and foamy bits. Yum!

 

 

 

 

Thing is, I actually like the painted metal look. Having applied copious amounts of WD40, cutting paste and a scrubbing type pad, I am left with this:

 

 

 

 

So. Nekkid (but painted nicely again) or plastic pad thing? Whaddya reckon? I have the paint and so on.....

[purplebargeken]

I think I mentioned earlier. The only issue is that I would need to fashion some kind of cover for the binnacle. Ally plate and some vinyl should suffice. 

[dugong]

Pale grey or red alcantara would be nice.

[purplebargeken]

The binnacle cover? 

 

Trouble is, that wouldn't match the interior. The seats are that red/brown splotchy colour with black carpets.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Looks nice as it is scuffs and all

[Asimo]

I like the bare metal look but are you going to be driven nuts by 'screen reflections of the white?

 

(I would find some MIG / grinder genius to dissapear that ashtray)

[purplebargeken]

Cheers

 

It shouldn't be too bad. If it is I can always just fit the pad

 

The ashtray is a bit sad isn't it. They had a lovely dash but fitted lots of rubbishy bits like the grab handle (why) and that ashtray. The heater controls are nice and functional. The instrument cluster is cool too. Because Volvo.

[purplebargeken]

That isn't rust in the pics, it's just glue residue

 

I think I will take off the grab handle. It irritates me. 

[anonymous user]

No the grab handle has to stay; don't you realise that was carefully designed and positioned to be in the correct place to smash the passenger's teeth out in the event of a collision.

[Tamworthbay]

No the grab handle has to stay; don't you realise that was carefully designed and positioned to be in the correct place to smash the passenger's teeth out in the event of a collision.

Being an Ovlov it's more likely to gently cushion the passengers head as it bounces off the dash.

[purplebargeken]

Okaaaay, I'll replace the grab handle with a brick then. Everybody happy?

[purplebargeken]

Hmm, in piccie #5, the grab handle looks like the beak of a slightly angry white bird. 

[purplebargeken]

Ok, the pole seems to indicate that the head impact absorbing pad should remain So shall it be.

 

However.......... I think that I shall fit it so that it is removable, perhaps using velcro or something similar? Just in case

 

I will paint the screen surrounds body colour as I do have to do something to 'lift' the interior. It really is dark and a bit gloomy in there. 

[purplebargeken]

Final bit of cleaning and the dash pad has been fitted, secured in place with sticky back stuff in case of future removal urges.

 

Just got to buy some of those speed fastener/u clip things as the original fasteners are shite and the holes are a tiny bit too big for the screws alone.

 

No biggie.

 

I want to relocate the tachometer as I really do not want to be putting holes in the new pad but finding an alternate location is errr, trying. 

[purplebargeken]

The vinyl pad has been secured along the top with screws and washers. No problem there really.

 

The very front of the pad is next. Cos stupid - I forgot the fasteners! I was thinking about the best way of securing the front end and as a very thin strip of 50 year old plastic takes the strain I wonder if it might be best to obtain a narrow strip of aluminium, drill holes and screw in to the dash. This would evenly distribute the load by acting like a long vice. The thin plastic would be sandwiched between the strip and the metal dash.

 

Do you get what I mean?