Project Memoirs: Mini on the Move.

[Six-cylinder]

This is the one I have. I'm not sure whether the copy the garage have is the same as I've not compared them.

 

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I think that is the service that will not fit the boot or glove box. If you have another cut from it on a thinner blank you should be ok if it is all original.

[BorniteIdentity]

I think that is the service that will not fit the boot or glove box. If you have another cut from it on a thinner blank you should be ok if it is all original.

 

I reckon he's lost a key because Stoner.

 

I'm gonna get the locksmith to try and knock up a key tomorrow from the lock, which I have on me.  After the car's V5 returns I'll have a go at Volvo and see if they can order me one up.

[Six-cylinder]

I reckon he's lost a key because Stoner.

 

I'm gonna get the locksmith to try and knock up a key tomorrow from the lock, which I have on me.  After the car's V5 returns I'll have a go at Volvo and see if they can order me one up.

It should be no problem having one cut as long as they have the thinner blank size.

 

I always thought it was a stupid idea to have the key you use the most thinner and weaker, they do break from time to time.

[danthecapriman]

Six-cylinder is right.

 

This is what you should have.

 

 

The short stubby handle key is the service key and the big handled one works everything.

I've just tried my short service key in my 740's boot lock and it won't turn. The big key will though, so the guy you bought your 240 from has definitely lost the main keys!

 

If you go to Volvo with your V5 they can get replacement key sets, I don't think they're that expensive either from memory.

[BorniteIdentity]

With any luck the locksmith will be able to make one for £20.  If that works, I'll run with that in the short term because it's more than likely going to be sold straight off the bat.

 

Unless...of course... it's well behaved.

 

[beko1987]

You could remove all the optional extras and create a 240 base...

[BorniteIdentity]

Success. Eventually.

 

I took the bootlock to "Lock and Key, Watford" which was a proper old school Aladdin's cave of locks and...err...keys. The sort of hardware shop I vaguely remember of the 80s that have now all become fashionably scruffy bistros for fashionably scruffy hipsters.

 

Anyway their first offer was "leave it here and come back tomorrow". Cleverly, I aksed the dude to just check there was nothing snapped in the lock. He checked it with a blank and, before you know it, I had him on the job there and then. He cut a longer key from the short one I have; it's the same pattern but just longer and thinner. That, sadly, didn't work. Obviously I had to pay him the £8 for the key, but by the time I'd come back from the car with my wallet he'd got it to budge a bit. One of the levers was stuck. A bit of persuasion and boom... Success. £8.

 

Clearly, the previous owner lost the full length key and just gave up on his belongings in the trunk.

 

On returning to the Volvo, the garage proprietor was very proud to announce they'd fixed the central locking too! How decadent; I didn't realise it even had it!

 

Next job is to retest the failed items and then drive.

 

Need to get a Volvo radio code. Any ideas?

 

Thanks for the help so far.

 

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[Eddie Honda]

What model of Volvo radio?

[BorniteIdentity]

What model of Volvo radio?

That is an excellent question, and one I'm glad you've asked.  It's a very valid questi...

 

Basically dunno.  I'll have a look tomorrow when I get the car back.  On first glance it looked a bit modern to be in there, but it's certainly a Volvo unit.

[Felly Magic]

Did the reg mean HE A DOZY FUCKWITT for the last owner? LOL Nice save there, should be a reliable steed

[BorniteIdentity]

Did the reg mean HE A DOZY FUCKWITT for the last owner? LOL Nice save there, should be a reliable steed

 

HA.

 

I'm rather hopeful that the key is somewhere among the detritus - not sure if he could have maybe locked the only boot key in there.  WHO KNOWS.

 

Looking forward to picking it up tomorrow and smoking about in it for the weekend.

[trigger]

Bringing it down to Felixstowe Sunday for the Ips-Felix run?

[BorniteIdentity]

Bringing it down to Felixstowe Sunday for the Ips-Felix run?

 

I'd love to, but being the owner of 72 children - I have to bring the big green fun bus.  Unless the wife doesn't come, in which case definitely.

[Six-cylinder]

What model of Volvo radio?

If it is the original radio Volvo keep good records of their cars. When I got my 480 a visit to the dealer got me the full history of the car printed out.

 

If you would like a brochure I have one in the loft you can have?

[BorniteIdentity]

SpiceWorld.

 

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[Felly Magic]

Happy Days

[BorniteIdentity]

Cars eh? Tut. Cars!

Picked it up from the MOT station earlier. They've done all the work required including a new battery, new front pads, a few miscellaneous bulbs and replaced the lock.

By this stage the fuel needle hardly moved, so it was straight to the petrol station.

Fucksticks.

Lock on the fuel cap is either seized or doesn't have a key. My gut feeling is 'stoner' has lost a full set of keys with the main key and the fuel key on it. By now it's 11.30 and I need to get from Watford to Kettering by 1.15.

I went back to the garage where the owner says "Oohh that's the second one of these I've had in today". After a bit of lubricant, still nothing - so in steps Dave the MOT man.

With a home made lock smashing slide hammer, he had the lock out in about 1 minute.

Success.

 

 

Absolutely no drama making the 70 mile journey up to Northants, never a moment's worry. Until you turn sharply. And you nearly empty the contents of your stomach into your own lap.

Looking handsome in the carpark tho.

[Eddie Honda]

Radio?

[BorniteIdentity]

Radio?

Yes. It still has one. It's still not working. Do you know a man? I'd be mega grateful.

 

The interior is my favourite thing about the whole car. Timeless fonts, chunky switchgear, purposeful layout. It's brilliant.

 

 

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[Sloth in a bowl]

I look at that dash and I'm thrown back 35 years to remembering my father's A reg, 240GLE, with hand wind roof and overdrive button on the gear stick but no radio.

 

I may be very tempted by this when you decide to move it on.

[BorniteIdentity]

I look at that dash and I'm thrown back 35 years to remembering my father's A reg, 244GLE, with hand wind roof and overdrive button on the gear stick but no radio.

 

I may be very tempted by this when you decide to move it on.

 

It has one of those "sunshine roofs" too.  If the weather is set to be fair for the next 18 days then I'll try to open it up tomorrow - previous stoner owner indicates in his advert that it works, so we'll give it a go.

 

I won't be keeping it very long.  It's great, and I'd really like one to keep.  But I've got so much to do on the other 4 cars over the next month - plus a long term keeper would need to be an estate.  In black.  In GLT trim.  With the Virgo alloy wheels.

[Felly Magic]

110,000, not even run in for an old Ovlov, 3.4, 31 and 44 please

[BorniteIdentity]

Radio?

 

Called Volvo Watford - they want me to show up with the V5c, both maternal grandparents and take a full internal examination.  In public.  On the forecourt.  On Facebook live.

 

Just called Marshall Volvo Welwyn who told me the code within 8 seconds.  No fuss.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Don't ever be tempted to put Granada wheels on it. They'll go on ,with a bit of brute force and ignorance that only a 22 year old wannabe car trader posses, it'll pass its MOT then the feckers won't come off! Even if you handbrake it into a kerb with the wheel nuts undone. You'll have to leave your nearly new Michleins on it rather than the dodgy cracked ditchfinders you intended to sell it on. You will then have to find some rims and new tyres for your Granada- God knows how the new owner will ever change a puncture or fit new tyres.

The usual, don't ask how I know this, applies.

[BorniteIdentity]

Fixed. 6315 for anyone who wants to steal a 27 year old radiogram from an old Volvo.

 

No aerial going up. If it's not the fuse I'll just cut the wire and pull it up.

 

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[egg]

Love all the present re-sale fettling, your 'doing a Wilson squared'

[anonymous user]

If I remember correctly it always was a separate key for the fuel cap, I had the same problem when I bought one of mine. The car had not been used for a while and the fuel cap lock had seized so ended up broken. I don't remember a new cap from Volvo being expensive.

I just wish I could find/afford a nice 240 estate, they are still one of my favourite cars

[BorniteIdentity]

If I remember correctly it always was a separate key for the fuel cap, I had the same problem when I bought one of mine. The car had not been used for a while and the fuel cap lock had seized so ended up broken. I don't remember a new cap from Volvo being expensive.

I just wish I could find/afford a nice 240 estate, they are still one of my favourite cars

 

It was really clever how the guy got it off.  His little tool (fnar fnar) was inserted into the lock, and the slide hammer basically cored the cap and the lock fell out.  Best of all, it still works perfectly - just without the lock.  I asked him if he'd pass it like that and he said absolutely.  So, as far as I'm concerned, that's one less thing to go wrong - which is precisely what old Volvo's should be about.

[danthecapriman]

Your missing your fuel cap key too!

 

 

Here's mine again, the small all silver key opens the fuel cap. So the bell piece previous owner has clearly lost the keys for this.

I never bother locking my fuel cap, the locks are a bit shit anyway and it caused me a right ball ache one day on my old 740 saloon, went to fill up and the key wouldn't turn. Lock was seized. So after that I never bothered locking them.

 

Great work so far BI, it's a lovely car and should have loads of life in it yet.

[BorniteIdentity]

Your missing your fuel cap key too!

 

 

Here's mine again, the small all silver key opens the fuel cap. So the bell piece previous owner has clearly lost the keys for this.

I never bother locking my fuel cap, the locks are a bit shit anyway and it caused me a right ball ache one day on my old 740 saloon, went to fill up and the key wouldn't turn. Lock was seized. So after that I never bothered locking them.

 

Great work so far BI, it's a lovely car and should have loads of life in it yet.

Thanks man. As feared - there's obviously a full set somewhere. I'm going to text him to that effect, and also ask if he has any service history at all.

 

I'm other news, I continue to be amazed by the efficiency of DVLA. We did the deal online, on Monday, and the V5c arrived at 10am today.

 

So I can now get on with the business of retaining H3 ADF.

 

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