So I took the 740 in to my local mechanic this morning to get it up on a hoist and give it a thorough check over. We spent nearly 1.5 hours going over it with a fine tooth comb.
I’m pleased to say, the news is pretty damn good. The only things he recommends to be done in the short term are exactly what I had already identified myself.
*** His should do list;
Front and rear struts and shocks. ( car still has original OE items)
Front brake rotors are slightly warped.
Front sway bar links and bushes.
*** His could do list;
Lower ball joints. ( no play in them, but may as well while front end is out)
Other than that he struggled to find fault with the car and pointed out things that showed how well maintained the car has been.
The cooling system appears to have been given considerable attention. The coolant is correct, hoses and water pump look to have been replaced at some point and although the radiator looks to be original, it is in excellent condition. The power steering pump also looks to have been replaced/overhauled.
Steering rack has been done, also the brake master cylinder appears to have been overhauled.
He inspected the cars underbody closely and concluded, that although it looks a little dirty, it is all original and rock solid with no signs of any structural repairs. That’s always good to hear!
I will probably go further than his list in regards to brakes and suspension etc, and for piece of mind look at the cooling system more closely. But I’m very pleased that there isn’t really anything that needs urgent attention.
Another note was the exhaust is looking very old, but is genuine Volvo. His opinion is that it may still be the factory original. I wouldn’t have thought that it could be after 32 years, but I suppose it could be possible if it has had a very sheltered life. Can anyone confirm if these had stainless systems fitted in 1990 from the factory?
I’ll start stockpiling some parts now, in preparation for a mechanical freshen up in the near future.
