Project Volvo 740, MOT - in the bag.

[Guest Hooli]

Looks great, should last a few more years.

 

I must be the only one here who doesn't like the US frontend though.

[danthecapriman]

Wow! Thanks for such a positive reaction guys.

 

I still can't believe what a result I've had being able to take it on tbh. You can understand someone giving away a nackered old turd but this really is a bit special. And it was all just by chance I managed to find out about it.

 

My old saloon was a really nice car but comparing that with this one and there is a big difference. This one still feels tight and solid whereas the saloon with it's much higher mileage felt much more loose and lived in.

 

I'll give it a good scrub up tomorrow and try to get some more pics before it pisses down again. I think it's going start to look really nice once the grime goes.

[Shep Shepherd]

Wow! Thanks for such a positive reaction guys.

 

I still can't believe what a result I've had being able to take it on tbh. You can understand someone giving away a nackered old turd but this really is a bit special. And it was all just by chance I managed to find out about it.

 

My old saloon was a really nice car but comparing that with this one and there is a big difference. This one still feels tight and solid whereas the saloon with it's much higher mileage felt much more loose and lived in.

 

I'll give it a good scrub up tomorrow and try to get some more pics before it pisses down again. I think it's going start to look really nice once the grime goes.

 

How could a reaction to a RWD Volvo be less than positive on this forum? 

 

I'd love to see it 'in the metal' one day.

[danthecapriman]

How could a reaction to a RWD Volvo be less than positive on this forum? 

 

I'd love to see it 'in the metal' one day.

Your welcome to any time!

[cms206]

 

 

I must be the only one here who doesn't like the US frontend though.

I don't either, never have. But then I don't even like the 90MY facelift on the 700.

 

FLAT FACE OR FUCK OFF etc.

 

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[Shep Shepherd]

I prefer a flat-fronted 740, but I can forgive The Volvo anything, as it's such a great car

[danthecapriman]

Must admit, now I've got the car I'm wondering wether I should give it a US set of lights or not?!

 

I really like the US look though. If i do use them it's nothing that can't be easily reversed back to standard if desired later on.

[Guest Hooli]

It's your car, do what you want, I just find the US front ugly & looks like the after thought it is.

[danthecapriman]

It's your car, do what you want, I just find the US front ugly & looks like the after thought it is.

It was out of necessity they used that type of light, because of US red tape and regulations on what exact types and sizes of lights had to be used.

They relaxed the regs around 89/90 so they binned off the quad lights and used similar euro style ones.

 

 

I dunno, I'll think about it! Plenty to do before that anyway.

[vulgalour]

If it's a straight swap and no modification required, just do it and enjoy. Keep the old bits to go on if you and the car part ways as the US set up will likely be worth more off the car than on it.  I quite like the US front, personally, but then I like fuss and faff on a Volvo.

[danthecapriman]

I washed it this morning.

I got a bucket of hot water and loads of car shampoo and went around all the door shuts, door seals, tailgate shut and seal and even did the drip rails, inner wings and under bonnet shuts first.

It was packed with gunge and rotten leaves but it's all come out ok and there's no nasty surprises under it all except a small random patch of surface rust on the inside shut area of the drivers door. It's not gone through or marked the outside paint finish of the door yet so I'll sort that once the weather stops being a cunt!

 

Next was the power washer. I blasted the car at half power so as not to blow water through the window seals and it made an immediate difference. All the grime and moss just lifted straight off. I went over all the rubbers and trims to really get all the stubborn stuff off, and went over the roof gutters too which were full of moss and dirt.

Once that was done I rinsed it down with the hose and set to with a fresh bucket of hot water and shampoo.

Again, no horrors were revealed and the paint works come up really nice. I've unblocked all the drain channels, the ones at the back end of the roof where it drains out under the little plastic trims into the gutters were solid with moss but they're now clean and water runs through easily now.

There's a few stonechips and small marks now visible but that's expected on a car of this age so I'll clean them back and touch them in later.

I've also blasted all the wheel arches out and got them as clean as possible along with the sills and floor pans.

Pics will have to wait as it started pissing down as I was finishing up!

 

I've also changed all the wiper blades as they were useless and filthy.

And given the under bonnet area a very quick tidy and check up of the levels for now until I get time to service it and start sorting stuff out. The oil is pretty dirty and a bit on the low side so that's been topped up, brake fluid was low too so topped that up and the screen wash was empty, now filled!

 

I've just ordered a few more parts ready for the weekend (weather dependant!), and a can of Volvo 402-2 Green Blue metallic aerosol and a 100ml touch up tin for the paint damage.

And a can of black stonechip aerosol ready for when I cut the rot out of the battery tray/inner wheel arch. I'll chop out the grot and weld in a new piece, then stonechip it for protection.

Also went and got a bottle of cooling system flush to try to clear out the system before I start putting new parts on. Someone's definitely put some leak seal stuff in it before. It's gone a dark colour and there's little particles floating around in it! It won't be in there for much longer though!

 

 

I'll get some pics when the rain sods off but the colour is lovely. Now the grime is gone it looks great, just need to do the inside now...

[oman5]

Must admit, now I've got the car I'm wondering wether I should give it a US set of lights or not?!

I really like the US look though. If i do use them it's nothing that can't be easily reversed back to standard if desired later on.

I like the U.S look, but as far as actually illuminating the road ahead so you can drive in the dark, those lights are proper shite. I had a few 80s yanks with the same set up, just about everything in the states used the exact same light. They were designed to be good enough to drive at 55 m.p.h and it shows. Try them, see how you get on?

[danthecapriman]

I like the U.S look, but as far as actually illuminating the road ahead so you can drive in the dark, those lights are proper shite. I had a few 80s yanks with the same set up, just about everything in the states used the exact same light. They were designed to be good enough to drive at 55 m.p.h and it shows. Try them, see how you get on?

I will fit them I think. I've got them now anyway and it's nothing that can't be reversed later.

The light output should be sorted satisfactorily too, the original LHD lights were sealed beams which will be replaced for RHD conversion of the lights.

The new RHD dip beam lights are not sealed beams, they are standard lights with removable bulbs so in theory I can use upgraded high output bulbs in them. The light itself is still pretty small when compared to the original euro style lights though so I'll probably invest in some better bulbs anyway.

I do like the US quads. I think they look better with the chrome trim and it will make it that little bit different over here.

 

My Mercury still uses dip and full sealed beams (the little round ones) which are pretty poor in the dark! I'm not too fussed with that though as I never use it in the dark.

[Noel Tidybeard]

one thing i will say about ovlov headlights is this- i had to shuffle some cars about for my gfs boss one evening and the 740 with only one working headlight put more light down than a sierra 2.0is with dip, main and fog lights!!!

[Tickman]

one thing i will say about ovlov headlights is this- i had to shuffle some cars about for my gfs boss one evening and the 740 with only one working headlight put more light down than a sierra 2.0is with dip, main and fog lights!!!

On this note, at one of the Scotoshite meets I took the Toledo and the dipped beams of the Toledo were easily out shone by any of the Volvo's lights while on dim.

[danthecapriman]

I'm well used to crap lights having old Fords! I don't really care much though as I'm not often driving at night. I think if I get some uprated bulbs for the new RHD lights that should do the trick.

[danthecapriman]

Had a bit of time to play with this today while the rain had stopped.

 

I decided to start with the ignition system. While the car starts and runs, I've noticed it misfires and hesitates at times. It's worse when the engines cold and if you put it in gear when it's doing it, it often stalls the engine.

So, to start with the basics. I've replaced the spark plugs, HT leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm.

The old plugs looked ok, they were all an even good colour and weren't damaged but since I had a new set, in they went. The HT leads were all past it, they were dirty and had gone hard.

The dizzy cap was a bastard to get off! The location on the back of the head on these engines isn't Volvo's finest idea and there's not much space to work. Got it off in the end though and it was well past it's best!

Finally the rotor arm, this was easily the worst one I've ever had to change, on any car! They just push on but this one was unbelievably tight and took a lot of pulling and wiggling to free it. It honestly took the best part of an hour just to free the rotor arm.

 

IMG_0389 by Dan Clark, on Flickr

 

Nice new parts.

 

IMG_0387 by Dan Clark, on Flickr

 

Manky old bits.

 

IMG_0388 by Dan Clark, on Flickr

 

This is the old dizzy cap exactly how it came off. How the hell the car was running at all is a mystery. All four of the brass terminals were corroded and worn badly and it's broken. It's also the cars original one! Date stamped 1987!

 

Doing this has made a massive difference. It's starting perfectly every time now and idles and revs cleanly with no hesitation or mis fires. So that's one job sorted.

I've also been using some paraffin soaked wipes to clean up the under bonnet areas. There's oily dirty residue all over the place but the wipes are making short work of cutting through it. There's a lot more to do but it's a start.

 

Finally for now, a couple of pics of it now it's clean. It's come up very well but ideally needs another going over and some polish.

 

IMG_0390 by Dan Clark, on Flickr

 

IMG_0391 by Dan Clark, on Flickr

[oman5]

V. jealous. That's come up really well. Stunning in fact.

[holbeck]

V. jealous. That's come up really well. Stunning in fact.

 

^^ I think that sums it up pretty well.

[Felly Magic]

Winner! Bricktastic, and it's scrubbed up well. Another great save on the beige forum

[Burnside]

Nice save and great to see the Omega, Wolseley and Caravan find homes too. I think that original dizzy cap says it all about Volvos.

[Twiggy]

That`s excellent ! You`ve made a cracking job of that.

[cms206]

I would fucking LICK THAT.

 

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[Guest Hooli]

That's a proper ovlov that!

[trigger]

I would fucking LICK THAT.

 

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You can lick it after I've bummed it.

[dollywobbler]

Gorgeous! I'd love to try a not-entirely-knackered flat-front 740. Both the ones I've owned have been pretty awful - mostly because you really could feel every one of the many, many miles they had covered.

[danthecapriman]

Gorgeous! I'd love to try a not-entirely-knackered flat-front 740. Both the ones I've owned have been pretty awful - mostly because you really could feel every one of the many, many miles they had covered.

I think you've been unlucky with yours. I love these cars but even I'd admit that old blue one you had a year or two back was a bit of a nail.

The gold saloon I had wasn't far off 200k miles but it had been well cared for so that one was fine. This one though is about as low a mileage as your likely to find on one of these now (unless your really lucky!) and it feels like it. I'm 100% sure that with a bit of recomissioning it'll be an excellent example of an early 740.

 

I'm not going to bother making it a mint show car but a very tidy road car that I can use all year round.

I must say (and I suppose I would wouldn't I!) the colour of this one is gorgeous! I like blue cars anyway but this is a lovely colour and it looks great with the chrome/shiny trim on the car, it really suits it I think.

[eddyramrod]

I knew that was a great find as soon as you introduced it the first time.  Every update just proves me right.  Well found Dan!  And good to see it getting the care it deserves.

[hairnet]

You can lick it after I've bummed it.

wtf essix bwoy luvs not frod wtf

 

bring trig back or else

[danthecapriman]

I knew that was a great find as soon as you introduced it the first time. Every update just proves me right. Well found Dan! And good to see it getting the care it deserves.

Certainly makes up for the loss of my gold one! I won't be selling this one.