Johnno's Big Red Box '88 240GL

So the auction description is.

Vehicle Overview

388,365ks

Registration

CNH91R (NSW)

Expiry 07/08/2024

VIN

YV1245887J6771935

ENGINE

B230F128918901218

No Roadworthy Certificate Included

Vehicle NOT on WOVR

No Finance Owing

Running and driving example of a modern classic Volvo, ideal entry level classic or conversion base!

KEY FACTS

This running and driving example of a modern classic Volvo is an ideal entry level classic or a fantastic base for a engine conversion. The GL is presented in very original condition and has traveled 388,365ks since new and retains both keys. Features include GLE wheels with new tyres, air conditioning, power steering, aftermarket head unit, aftermarket digital heads up display and more.

CONDITION REPORT

Runs and drives

- Speedometer only works sometimes
- Air Conditioning only works on fan speed 3 and 4
- Passenger Rear door strip loose

Interior
Minor marks and scratches from normal usage

Exterior
Some scrapes, scratches and dents with faded paint visible

Front Tyres
New

Rear Tyres
New

Service History
No Log Book

Keys Included
2x Keys

Fair enough. The Caringbah inspection confirmed most of the above. Started first turn of the key and sounded like a muffler delete. Paint was worn back to primer from polishing in spots, bonnet paint was stuffed, interior seemed pretty good and engine looked like it had a heap of new bits on it. Some minor rust but I had seen worse at the previous week's Show and Shine. Rubber, mouldings etc could do with some attention.

Tuesday morning. First drive of a 240. Maladies and impressions in a rough order that I remember.

• Hand window winder, drivers side is banging on the speaker cover
• Door pockets held together with rivets and cloth tape
• Drivers door grab is loose from door card
• Brakes are very good!
• Muffler delete sounds cool!
• Blown globe light indicator comes on when applying brakes
• Suspension and steering are great, comfortable ride
• It starts raining. low & high speed wiwer works, intermittent doesn't
• Window washer doesn't work
• Rear wiper and washer don't work
• Third brake light sometimes works sometimes doesn't & is missing the cover
• A strip of sparkie's insulation tape doing a rough seal of front windscreen, works loose and flaps around on the M5
• I read these were slow but it seems to have a little bit of poke
• No weird sounds at speed suspension and steering seem good!
• Drivers seat may need a foam/base refresh. It's sort of comfortable but sort of wrongly aligned.

Anyway got her home and had a look at the rear tail light stage right. Tail light was melted around the brake light area. Dremelled it down and sanded contact points. Fixed the brake blown bulb issue but introduced a blinker/reverse/fog light blown bulb warning.

Roinik yes the third brake light needs the back door shut "just right" for it to work so I think the loom is smooshed.

Went to Picton Cars and Coffee Yesterday with some other Volvo guys and Peter with a gold 240GL pretty well said the same thing. Two man job to get it off with looms available from IPD.

Threw a few stickers and some Mighty Car Mods 100mph tape on her. Consensus from the guys was a few laughs, it's janky but a good solid base. Keep the enamel duco as is and proabably vinyl wrap the bonnet in black.

Comfortable cruisy ride from Sydney's Western suburbs to Picton, with no alarming noises, smells or warnings.

Onward with some small things……

I'm on an audio gear forum Audiokarma and thought I'd apply some audio repair stuff to a 36 year old Volvo with electrical issues. Deoxit D5 has a pretty good reputation over on AudioKarma, it deoxidises and lightly lubes connections. Great for pots, switches and connectors. A 50 year old Yamaha receiver with a "scratchy" volume control was sprayed ten years ago and hasn't required a dose since.

So a can of De-Oxit D5 has become a new addition to the glovebox. I've used this to rejuvenate some vintage Yamaha, Harman Kardon and JBL gear, now onto some Swedish gear. Got about 10 x crusty electrical terminal/contact/switch things working again. Stuff is magic.

Under bonnet light now works. I thought this was completely gone.

Interior light worked when put on the "ON" position 50% of the time but door switches did not work. All good now.

Rear cargo dome light was not working at all. It now works with the door switch and in the ON position

Hit all the door switches for good measure. Only the rear RHS was working. All now activate to dome light, including the rear cargo door.

Windscreen washer motor was dead. Sprayed a little deoxit on the terminals and it came to life. Nozzles were blocked and needed a blow out.

Replaced the front dome bulb with an LED unit. Quite a bit brighter inside.

And lastly applied Deoxit to any 1/2 oxidised earth screw I could find in the engine bay. Unscrewed and screwed them them for good measure.

Next thing that was really bothering me "Trim Mouldings". Didn't know if these were described as "Door protectors', "Door trim" and various other google searches. Downloaded a parts catalogue and found they are known officially by Volvo as "Trim Mouldings'.

I find that the later series 240s trim mouldings really add the the style of the car. Divides it vertically in a pleasing way with a very strong thick line. Unfortunately my vehicle had molding issues

I thought some mouldings may be the older earlier thinner trim in places but they were new style mouldings. Age had degraded the thick rubber from the bottom on the LHS front door, RHS wing, RHS rear 1/4. Broken clips on most. RHS rear door is stuffed.

I did a buy me now on eBay for a bundle over Easter before I had picked up the car….no reply from seller. Picked up the car Easter Tuesday. Flew to Adelaide, stayed a few days (still no reply from seller) flew back to Sydney, got turned back to Adelaide due to the rain, spent the night in the airport and arrived in Sydney next morning. Still no reply. Received a reply 10 days later from a very apologetic seller & picked up the mouldings, talked some 240 things and got some spare clips in the deal.

Also bought 20 odd of the new designed clips from IPD.

These are great, put them in, turn them 90 degrees and pop them on. Only issue is if the stainless is a little loose, they will rotate and drop out and bounce like a bloody ball bearing a roll away. Once they are clipped in though they hold firm.

Slide in

Turn 90 degrees and pop 'em on.

Cleaned the dust off. Treated the rubber with a good load of 303 protectant. And applied the mouldings with all the clips. LHS is complete and that complete thick black & chrome line looks much better IMHO.

If anyone has a rear 240 RHS rear door (1246632) and RHS rear 1/4 panel wagon moulding (1255960) in chrome,

please get in touch!