The slow cleanup of a neglected 240 wagon - ongoing

adrianw · 2021-05-23T12:40:46+00:00

I take it from the photos yours is a 1986-1988

adrianw

Yes that looks the same as my vin plate. I thought it might have been a dulux paint colour from previous experience, putting the 915 paint code got me no where but, CLR915 works well with a lot of hits, many thanks guys.

adrianw

Well after months of rain and playing catch up with fixing cars with issues, other than my 245, i finally got some time to get stuck into the right front strut and suspension to clean it all up and replace all the crappy old parts. i have been stockpiling parts to replace all the worn out and broken bits.

I disconnected the brakes as they need a thorough bleed anyways and i needed to get the whole strut out to refurbish and clean it all up, not a resto but to quickly turn it all around and not look as worn out. The control arm bushings need replacing whilst I have access as well. Just about everything on the suspension is dusty, rusty or covered in spiderwebs, making the job more fun.

just good to finally be able to get stuff done on it.

adrianw

Slowly but surely getting stuff done on the wagon, whilst waiting on wheel bearing parts to turn up so I can finish rebuilding the suspension on the right front wheel, I figured I try and clean up part of the dash and swapped out the steering wheels.

I wanted a sports steering wheel as I just prefer the look and feel of them in a non-airbag vehicle, having done this right from my first car (LC XU1 torana).

I fitted a Sparco 350mm steering wheel which I quite liked as far as grip width and overall size, and like James I found the speedo was obscured by the top of the steering wheel, being 6'2" in height doesn't help and I didnt want to look at lowering the seat or anything else extreme. So after some internet searching i found a 380mm steering wheel by OMP, ordered it and fitted it, and surprisingly it actually worked as you can see in the pictures, not perfect but it does the job.

GreenGL

The OMP wheel ties in really well with the Volvo horn button.

adrianw

GreenGL
The OMP wheel ties in really well with the Volvo horn button.

Thanks i never really thought of it, but when I look at the picture I see the lightening holes lining up with the Volvo badge a little and i didn't even plan it, horn button is a dodgy ebay special. I was going to go with the prancing moose horn button for giggles.

adrianw

Getting back slowly to the 240 Wagon after a few odd jobs around the house (cutting in a hole in the wall of the garage to put in a window)

i started putting the brake and clutch pedals back in, the bushings from the clutch pedal were missing, placed an order for them from berry motors, once they turn up i should be able to get them fitted, then fit the clutch master cylinder back in. ( the previous owner removed the m47 gearbox and pedals etc for some stupid reason)

The bonnet was covered in crap from various jobs, once cleared off, i started looking around for odd bad shit in the from the previous owners, i found a Shoo Roo electronic module with a crappy loom attached to it, its out now and in the bin unless someone is desperate for it.

trying to practice the wrench every day method to get stuff done on it, some day are easy to get to do stuff than others...

adrianw

After filtering through a couple of ice cream tubs full of loose spare bits collected from within the car during the initial clean out, I finally scraped together all of the parts to installthe brake and clutch pedals in the wagon. It took a bit of googling and trying interpret the Haynes manual to get them in.

I hope I got them in right...

adrianw

I scored a set of widened steel wheels some time ago, i just wanted to fill the guards with a bit more tyre and have different look, the Draco's were nice but seemed to sit in from the guard a bit.

I should have sandblasted these before I got tyres fitted, but in my haste just fitted the tyres to them whilst they were painted black. it was a pretty average paintjob, so after some application of paint stripper and etch priming, i painted them in a Suzuki dark silver, I didn't want the Holden chaser silver ( ford argent silver TBH). Now i just need my black lug nuts to turn up and finish rebuilding the right front suspension.

The rear guards might need a little bit of a wheel arch rolling though...

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