Been a month. Busted sewer pipe has meant money meant for Volvos has gone to Mr. Plumber. 50 year old clay pipes don't like tree roots. Oh, and it's been RAINING, lots and lots of rain and most of my stuff is done in the drive way.

Couple of small things.

Newer light switch.

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Some replacement under dash trim clips. I replaced 3 in all, some were missing others were the wrong sort.

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Newer faux speaker cover.

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Ordered some spark plugs this morning from Volvo Penrith and had a bit of a chat with Ben Dunn who looks after the parts there. His second car was a 240 wagon and he loved it. They are pretty good there, have Aussie stocked parts by the afternoon.

Took some glamour shots behind the Orchard Hills Rural Fire Brigade Hall on the way home. The field was still a bit boggy but managed not to sink it down to the axles, although traction was lost a couple of times in the mud. The duco is still beading after the hybrid ceramic/wax treatment. It's desperately in need of a wash but with all that rain, not much point.

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And a quick shot with her younger sister at home. It's funny. I always thought the 240s were "big" and the V40 was "small" but there's not much between them.

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13 days later

Big Red is witness to an on-going crime in the gritty streets of St. Marys. "Not parallel park near left" Total cost $136.

Ranger Plod from Penrith Council snaps some pics of my illegal parking.

I must admit, the guy has talent. Makes the V40 look good in profile.

I'm pretty sure wife and I had unloaded groceries and were packing them away. once that was done, I was going to power spray the poop off the bonnet at the car wash.

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I'd give the bloke a job here. Anything goes where I live, including blocking the road for emergency services.

Yesterday Big Red had a real mechanic™ look over it, I got a train ride home and later that day, introduced myself to @jamesinc , Amy and Momo.

7am delivery to Stu Oldfield at Voltek. The 240 was due for a NSW Pink Slip. I've been sort of dreading this as I wasn't sure what needed replacing or was bad underneath. Supplied some new OEM spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, transmission service kit & rear brake pads.

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The idea was to wait around for the service. Initial inspection found a fried rotor cap I was told I was lucky to have made it. So new rotor, distributor cap and leads were ordered. Put her up on the hoist and saw what needed attention.

  • All the brake hoses, they were all '88 originals ex factory
  • Front bump stop and bellows
  • Splash pan (!)
  • Front sway bar bushes
  • Loose transmission linkage and bushings
  • While the suspension was OK it could probably do with an full-on ongoing freshen up to tighten it up a lot.

So all-in-all, pretty good and rust free other than a repair patch near the centre tail shaft mounting and some loose drain hole covers which I'll Sikaflex up when she get back. Looks like a improperly located jack has deformed one of the drains at some time. Stu recommended a partial floor pan replacement in the rear RHS passenger area. Sills and other problem spots seemed good, still very solid. I don't know who was more surprised, me or Stu!

So a train ride home was in order until all the ignition parts got in.

Got to see the new and old and the refurbished Sydney Central Railway Station. I haven't been there for some years.

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Then on to St Marys, my local station. Ongoing major works as it will be a major hub to the new Western Sydney Airport.

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Grabbed the V40 and a quick drive across Western Sydney to @jamesinc . Introduce myself, picked up a 240 Skandix splash pan as part of a group buy he organized. Got a good look at Amy and Momo an his lovely little S40 T4. Also bought a couple of Oz Volvo stickers. It's always great catching up with folks in the Volvo community, I always seem to enjoy it a lot.

Amy's engine bay was amazing.

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James threw in a pair of FCP sunnies and some 10 year anniversary stickers to sweeten the deal.

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Pink slip came through last night and I've got Big Red registered for another year. I'll pick her up Monday when the leads come in and get that Oz Volvo sticker on pronto.

15 days later
3 months later

Had quite a few small jobs to do on Big Red before the Oz Volvo Nationals. Unfortunately, an expensive bit of centre stainless bumper trim now lives somewhere on the side of the M4……… courtesy of some non-OEM bumper clips. Never noticed it blowing off.

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Long box of bits from GCP. Also got some original OEM clips from IPD.

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Bumper & grille off to fit it up. It was very unmanageable with bumper on.

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Several nervous checks on the way to Canberra and back. It seems to have stayed on so far. Thanks to @nugget_940
for making her look so good! Downloaded this from his big group of pics.

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Other jobs….

Working overdrive lamp.

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Pair of front mudflaps.

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Look the part!

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An old AUS international sticker had UV faded into the duco over the decades.

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So a new replacement was in order.

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There was no spare tyre. So a new spare wheel and tyre courtesy of @ramrod

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Painted some new beige trim knobs from beige to black.

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21(!) new pliable trim clips required for the rear door trim.

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Number plate covers. Oz Volvo Sticker and a quick wax on Friday night.

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Last but not least. Probably the most SATISFYING job so far. New bailey channel for the driver's door. The old brittle one was broken in parts, folded at weird angles on others and whistled worse than Alan SSSSearle at speeds above 70kph.

Out it comes.

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Took out the window with some help by "The apprentice".

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I found the missing grab handle star washer missing from when I bought the car. It had had been re-purposed as a bloody window armature washer! The bodgie shit I am sometimes finding on this car still makes me laugh!!!!

I did find the old teflon washer in amongst a pile of "found bits" in the bottom of the door some months back. So the correct washer is now back home.

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Old bailey channel was stuffed.

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New soft pliable channel went in like butter. Very satsfying.

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Greased the window slots and fitted it all up.

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The ride down to Canberra was MUCH quieter and pleasant. only a tiny bit of wind noise from the mirrors now.

6 days later

Oz Volvo Nationals 2024. She came out all right.

Next one I'll leave the windows open and have the engine bay tidied up.

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When I picked up the spare wheel from @ramrod, he asked if there was anything else I was in need of. "A black handbrake console?". He said he didn't have anything but when I arrived, he had arranged a few spare wheels on his driveway & he also manage to find a box of consoles. They were pretty dusty and I chose the one with intact bits. Told him I was very,very happy and he had made my day.

Didn't get a before pic but it was looked pretty funky…..like the steering column trim (left). It tidied up well with some soap and water, a stiff brush and treatment with 303 protectant. Turned out very nice.

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Took out the front seats. 4 x 13mm nuts holding in each one.

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Lots of crud underneath.

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A 17mm bolt holding in each seatbelt.

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Phillips head for the console.

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Disconnect the courtesy light and seatbelt warning light and slide out.

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And just a moment ago decided to get a side by side shot and found the intact one is an older style compared to my newer broken one……. Bugger 😂

So still on the hunt for a "newer" black centre console!


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Anyway, I've got some more to write up. Took out the carpet, underlay mats and treated some rust. But outta time, have to go & do some night shift.

Bugger, I’ll see if I can find the correct cover in uncracked condition

Sorry about that, they look identical to the naked eye

    Wow, I never noticed they were that different, until now.

    The early type had the seat belt receptacles housed within; the later type had a coin box.
    Does the back end of the handbrake lever foul on the earlier type of console?

      ramrod Bugger, I’ll see if I can find the correct cover in uncracked condition

      Sorry about that, they look identical to the naked eye

      No apology needed, I didn't know either so it's just as much my fault. I just found out when doing a side by side yesterday. I should have realised earlier as the new cubby wasn't fitting. .

      If you don't have another it's Ok I'll just pass it along for the same price you gave me. It's a very nice console.

        Major Ledfoot The early type had the seat belt receptacles housed within; the later type had a coin box.

        Yes, the newer coinbox/cubby is a little bigger and doesn't fit. There's also a curve cut out on the bottom rear on the newer panel to bolt in the seat belt receptacles. Slot for the newer seat belt mounting bracket, plus the mounting holes as Ramrod mentioned.

          So there were a couple of floor sealing plugs loose that Stu noticed when it was up on the hoist. Had a quick look by lifting the carpet and sound deadener. I'd have to remove the carpet for some temporary repairs.

          Next…… vacuum the carpet. Love the Bunnings Ozito shop vac, it was last year's Xmas present from the missus..

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          Unscrew the shifter housing * lft it up, remove the various trim panels, unscrew the heater control panel.

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          Lift the carpet out. It looks like some leaves and fuchsia petals found their way between the carpet and sound deadener.

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          Front carpet has worn through at the heel 7 is looking tired so I've ordered some new plush style from Knox Interiors in Melbourne.

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          Passengers side sound deadener mat looked sound but smelt 38 year old "musty".

          Driver's side sound deadening mat looks like signs of water ingress and the rubber/vinyl cover was cracking. Zinc oxide stains from the galvanized service cover underneath. Plus it smelt…..really bad.

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          Service covers. Driver's side will need de-oxidizing & a good coat of silver zinc, passenger's side just a bit of a clean.

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          Drain hole and floor panel plugs.

          The driver's side was rusty and looks like some bubbling under the bitumen deadener. Also a couple of extra rubber plugs have filled a couple of holes.

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          Passengers side was much better with just some surface rust. looks like a bit of a spike on a drain hole which I'll flatten out.

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          While up on the hoist, Stu also pointed a triangle cut out of the floor and a bit of metal patched on top covered with liberal amounts of sound deadening spray. He said I'd probably need a new floor pan as it was close to the driveshaft mount.

          A quick peek under the rear carpet and saw a heap of white silicon. Put the carpet down and pretended "not to see it".

          Out with the rear bench and carpet.

          Pulled up the rear sound deadening and Voila! Stu was right, I'm going to need a new floor pan here. Still trying to work out if the patch panel material was a 20litre drum and what brand it was.

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          Wide angle view of the floor. Good in places…..not so good in others.

          Not sure what those round plastic plugs are. Maybe some Endrust or similar access holes for rust prevention? Or are they factory?Image description

          Ugh, that floor pan repair is a bit of a bodge….

          Choices - you can cut a replacement out of a wreck; they're pretty much the same from 74 to 93. Or is your want brand new panels, VP Auto stocks replacements, as does Brookhouse (UK), but Wolf (US / Canada) doesn't cover 140s/240.

          What are you planning to use to replace the hard, white putty used to hold those floor drain plugs in place? I have number of them which need to go back on the 142.

          Oh yeah, btw - those 2 screws which attach the bottom of the centre console to the backing plate (forward of the transmission shift lever)? Don't lose 'em - those screws are unique to that part of the 240, and aren't used anywhere else on the car or on other models. (Unlike many other 240 and Volvo fasteners in general, the same nuts, screws, washers and bolts are often used in multiple places all over the cars and are commonly used in a wide range of models). /trivia

            Major Ledfoot Choices - you can cut a replacement out of a wreck; they're pretty much the same from 74 to 93. Or is your want brand new panels

            I'm going to get new ones. Looks like VP & Brookhouse supply Klokkerholm made panels. Also found an alternate supplier.

            I have a couple of alternative for the plugs. Found some 65mm blanking grommets which fit perfectly but will probably not withstand rocks etc. I'll get s a photo tomorrow. JB Weld epoxy adhesive would probably be best. Their silicion adhesive has kept the bumper on so far. My panel beating colleague at work who is going to repair it may have some other alternatives.

            Thanks for the tip on the screws.

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