'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

Post pictures and stories about your cars both present and past. Also post up "blogs" on your restoration projects - the more pictures the better! Note: blog-type threads often get few replies, but are often read by many members, and provide interest and motivation to other enthusiasts so don't be disappointed if you don't get many replies.
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Paul240480
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'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#1 Post by Paul240480 » Thu Jan 20, 2011 8:04 am

:D Image

Okay, you have probably noticed that Volvo's are my 'thing'. I've owned a 240 Torslanda, 340GL, 850T5 Est, 244GLT, 480Turbo Auto', 240GL Est & an 850 2.5GLT 20v Est. The last two are still with me.
Tank is my 240GL Est with the B200e (2.0ltr K-jet) engine from 1989 & currently has 198,600 miles recorded.
He started life being purchased from Cambridge (Volvo) Garage in Portsmouth & lived in Clanfield (Nr Petersfield Hants). He was issued the reg' F 991 RBP, but soon was put on to the private
plate AAC 6 X. during this time, he was fully maintained at Cambridge Garage. He was part ex-changed after around 2 years & was issued F 847 SDL. The next owner was a lady police officer who ran Tank upto 2003 & 148,000 miles. Tank was serviced every 6 months by the same mechanic, during this time. December 2003 I asked if 'Tank' was for sale, and shortly after he was mine :D
It was here that my mechanical abilities began to take a sharp rise :lol: At the same time we were very near to a life changing move to France, having just sold my T5 Tank was to take on the roll of dog mobile, removals van & 5-berth caravan puller!
I carried out the 'usual' on purchase change of oil, plugs, dizzy cap & rotor & then waited for the outcome of an MOT in Feb 04. Tank passed & the only advice given was that the clutch was 'biting high' (something I was aware of & used as a negotiating point on sale).
So as we had a 'clean bill of health', I took him to Swallows Volvo Specialists in Gosport, he had a new clutch fitted, rear oil seal & cambelt change...................
Last edited by Paul240480 on Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:43 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#2 Post by Paul240480 » Thu Jan 20, 2011 2:13 pm

July 04 saw us move to France, Tank was loaded to the gunwhales, roof rack, back seat full, 2 dogs in the boot, caravan in tow. Our daughter was navigator & Elaine (swmbo) was in her car (which then was the 480Tub). Journey made no problems.
So onto Tanks next chapter. Re-registration (again :D ) though, this time onto French plates. I had to obtain a certificate of comformity, LHD headlamps & provide various other bits & bobs of paperwork & of course, a French MOT (contrôle technique). This Tanks failed on a lower ball joint & brake pads (front) with an advisory that the rear shocks protection had perished (infact it had all but gone). I had the work done here, & later Tank was issued with reg number: Image
..........

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#3 Post by Paul240480 » Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:35 pm

In 2005 we moved into our current home (as per my sig' below). I found that Tank had a groaning noise on cornering & this turned out to be wheel-bearings. Never having done a great deal of car related stuff I had no real idea of what was involved. By chance I met another english couple who were looking for a place to buy & the chap was a mechanic. He fitted new front bearings & also reaction rod bushes (rear) for me. Whilst doing the job he told me that the discs were 'on the limit', and said he'd do them for me. Anyway having watched him dismantle the brakes to do the bearings I decided that I could do it myself & save some cash. I was already a regular on the Volvo Owners Club Forum & began to read up on brake issues & many invaluable 'how-to' threads with photo's. I ordered the bits from GSF & these were bought over by friends. They were all BREMBO stuff. Fitting went well, no major issues. I enjoyed doing it & the knowledge of knowing it was done correctly & the satisfaction was a good feeling. I was hooked! Over the next few months I replaced the water pump, thermostat, hoses & radiator, as well as doing plugs, leads, oil changes, filters etc.
Time rolled by with me carrying on replacing worn out parts 'as & when'. No major issues.
By now it was 2006 & it was Contrôle Technique time again. Tank went in & ..................... failed :roll: . Nothing major though, just track rod ends & an advisory that the rear axle bushes were worn. The latter I learned was the reason I was getting a 'clunk' on take off from time to time.
So track rods from GSF, around £8 each saw Tank being issued with another 2yr CT.
My thoughts were now with this annoying clunk. I read up, and decided that this was not for me. I posted on the VOC forum for advice. I was told that a 'simple home made puller' will suffice :lol: . I went to a couple of local garages, they refused the work saying that special Volvo tools are required. This is very typical of a lot of French garages, if it is not Peugeot, Citroen or Renault.................. That said now-a-days this not so much of an issue. Anyway I was still wondering what to do...............
Last edited by Paul240480 on Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#4 Post by Paul240480 » Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:00 pm

Then a fantastic 'offer' was received via the Volvo forum. A chap on there who was (still is) the 240 'guru' contacted me. He informed that he was in the middle of making a purchase in Brittany & needed some accommodation for a weeks visit in order to finalise his land deal. He offered to spend a day doing the rear bushes & giving Tank the once over if I could put him up. Well 'gift' 'horse' & 'mouth'!
Mike & his wife came over that January & I booked a slot in my mates hanger for the day. He showed me how to replace the bushes using poly-inserts, a much easier option & probably longer lasting. He also bought new rear springs (shocks having been done as per earlier post). Basically Mike did one side, talking me through it & I did the other with his 'beady eye' watching. After we finished, he said, "right spin him round so we can get some light under the bonnet you are replacing the cambelt next and I've also bought a dizzy cap, rotor & a set of leads for you". What a 'top bloke'. Well we got on with that, finishing around 1900hrs that evening. The work was photgraphed & is now subjects of 'how to' posts on the VOC forum.
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Axle bush.jpg
Poly Being fitted
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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#5 Post by Paul240480 » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:17 pm

So with those bushes out of the way, the next few months rolled by with not a lot needed. The normal filter & fluid changes were done. I diagnosed a leaking air intake gasket, so replaced it. 4 new tyres were fitted, to some old Volvo 'corona' alloys that I snapped up for a bargain £50 :D .
Then it was Contrôle Technique time again. This time straight through with a couple of minor advisories. Shortly after this I bought a gunsons eezibleed kit & changed the brake fluid, another new 'mission' for me, which went well.
Then between xmas & New Year o8 -09, Tank under took a long drive to Holland. This was us to collect our Xmas prezzy, which was to be Haiyla, a Border Collie pup from a highly rated breeder. During the trip, which was around 1300 miles (made with 3 stop overs) Tank behaved impeccably.
The day after our return, I nipped out for bread & the front off-side wheel bearing failed spectacularly!
Image
It looked bad as you can see. Removing the outer race revealed it was worse! The inner had welded itself to the axle-stub. The axle stub is part of the strut. Initially I was stumped & quite simply, felt out of my depth..........
Last edited by Paul240480 on Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#6 Post by Aar0sc » Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:37 am

As nobody else has commented, I thought I'd say what a lovely tale this is turning into :)
Your Volvo's been having quite a life in France, and it's nice that you're learning from it's problems :D
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500; 1974 Jaguar E-Type OTS V12

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#7 Post by Luxobarge » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:03 am

^^^WHS^^^

Turning into a good blog this, keep it up! 'specially as I'm getting interested in Volvo estates right now - looking for an 850T5 for myself, not a classic of course but shares some decent Volvo DNA with the older ones.

Cheers :D
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#8 Post by Paul240480 » Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:25 pm

Thankyou for the kind comments :D

After a bit of a battle I managed to get the outer race and the hub off. The bearing 'rollers' simply fell out leaving the inner race firmly stuck! I tried some 3 legged pullers that I borrowed, but I could'nt get them to grip - they kept slipping off of the stub :roll: So my final attempt was to cut it with my angle grinder. This worked a treat except for the fact that I slipped a little and cut a gouge in the stub itself :( So any chance of saving the stub axle was now, well & truly 'out of the window.

This 'saga' had already been documented on the VOC forum. The advice was to 'simply' replace the strut & to swap over the spring & shock. Once again I was feeling a little daunted. Not having a lot of choice I decided to give it go, again following a 'how to' thread & its pics. All was going well until it came to undoing the brake pipes. One came away a treat, the other I discomknackerated :roll: I was then advised that I should have used a brake pipe spanner!

Anyway by this time, once again Mike was on the case. He informed me that his son would make two new pipes (belts & braces) & he had a McPherson strut ready to send out & would loan me a set of spring compressors. All I needed do was cover the postage. Fab!
The package duly arrived complete with a hub & good bearing. Good news then? Well no it wasn't the strut may have been dropped in transit & the top of the tube had been bent in, so the cover that screws into the end would not go in. I took it to local workshop but the chaps there condemed it as scrap :cry:

Having sucessfully removed the strut I was feeling a little more confident & decided that the best option was to find a scrap yard & see if I could remove a strut from another car. After quite a few phone calls, I eventually found a yard that confirmed they had a number of 240's from which I could take my pick :D
ImageImage

I chose the white 240 to be 'the donor'..................
Last edited by Paul240480 on Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#9 Post by Paul240480 » Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:56 pm

Strut removal from the scrap yard car went well. Nothing was seized & I left 80€ lighter with the strut complete with shock & spring still attatched. Once home I began to compress the spring for the 'swap over' from my old 'dead' strut. Well I'd seen my borrowed spring compressors in action many a time in pics on the volvo forum........... a few minutes of winding, then deciding, 'no I'm not happy with this', unwinding, moving the compressors a bit & winding again & then again getiing to 'no not at all happy'. I decided spring compressors were not for me. I had visions of them slipping off & me receiving a sprung loaded uppercut! Yep I wimped out :roll: So fully aware that it is not good practice I fitted the scrap yard strut complete with the shock & spring it came with. :oops:
Re-fitment went well, I repacked the yard bearing with fresh grease & bled the brakes once again. After a short test drive, during which the wheel was at about the
'1 O'clock position' to go dead ahead, I booked Tank in for another tracking session at Euromaster. The tracking sorted that out & Tank was driving well again & the un-equal shock spring issue did not have any apparent effect. During this saga, I had taken a few days out to fly back to Derby where I had a few days with my brother & drove back in:
Image
Volvo 850 2.5 20v GLT aka 'Zeb' - He has proved (touches wood), 2 years on to be a good 850 quids worth!
Zeb was to take over from Tank as our main car, relegating Tank to (mainly) local journeys. This being the reason I was not too concerned about the shock/spring issue - that said replacement of front springs & shocks was added to my list of work required..............

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Re: 'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

#10 Post by Luxobarge » Wed Jan 26, 2011 6:04 pm

Good stuff.

I like "Zeb" - good cars these, only yesterday I bought a 1997 V70 T5 - only £900, a few issues to sort out but boy does it shift! Enjoying your thread as I'm all "Volvo'd up" at the moment :D :D
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

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