Ok, time for a much overdue update from me... things always get a bit hectic at the end of semester with marking exams and assignments and stuff. All the more reason to need to tinker on the weekends to give the brain a change. This is a really long post, so if you hate this many words, scroll down for pics :)
The first, longest and least appealing job was to sort the paint on the roof. So off came the roof-rack and sanding began. I got Autobarn to mix up a rattle can of Volvo code 400 for the front section where the paint was absent (presumed missing). The match was pretty darn close, and because the 'join' with the rest of the paint on the roof is under the front 'beam' of the roof-rack, it's pretty darn hard to tell. The clear was pretty sketchy over the whole roof, so I clear-coated the lot. It's not a pretty job, and it badly needs a lot more cutting and polishing, but it's weatherproof and functional, which is all I really want for now. I ordered some new lug nuts and refitted the roof-rack (replacing the missing parts where the last owner had 'made good' with silicone sealant.... )
I finally got around to wiring in my gauge set, which proved interesting. The missing part was the outside temperature sender, and rather than try and find a comparable sensor (and probably get it wrong and make expensive errors) I decided to look up the resistance/temperature data for the original Volvo sender and make one from a thermistor/resistor combination. It seemed to do the trick, and is accurate to within +/- 2 degrees! I housed the electronics inside a spare threaded nipple to increase the thermal mass, and she rides! Currently residing under the glove box as a cabin temperature sensor rather than external temp, but I'll fix that at some stage.
My order also arrived from FCP, and I decided to replace the ailing blower motor straight away. Well, strictly that's not true - I took the centre console off to replace a couple of bulbs, and realised that someone had been inside the dash before me and left things in a sorry state. So, once I'd gotten started, I just kept going. Cleaning everything I took out on the way was an extremely worthwhile and cathartic thing to do too, and given the amount of crap in the vents, probably good for my health too!
With the new blower motor in, I started reassembling. A lot of dash parts were mispositioned (relays), misaligned (vents) or simply not plugged in, and so I now have a much more fully working dash, with new LED illumination! I've also fixed the wobbly lock on the glovebox – it's the small things that annoy the most.
So having done all of that, I decided yesterday to take the old dowager on a good 50km drive on some windy roads out north to stretch her legs and appraise me of anything else that needed doing. As usual, a good/bad list emerged:
Good:
+ Dear gods that car is good fun to drive! I had a massive grin on my face the whole time. It was just a joy, especially on the twisty bits.
+ All of the dash lights now working, ambient temp gauge (currently cockpit temp) working, restored tacho traces appear to be holding up.
Bad:
- The blower blades were very slightly rubbing against the housing as the shank of the new motor was about 0.2 mm too short. I had a suspicion this would happen when I reassembled, but it didn't become noticeable until driven. Bollocks.
- The vacuum gauge still doesn't work - the needle just doesn't move. The vac line I've put in is sound, and is pulling good vacuum, so I can only assume the gauge itself is stuffed. It's possible to get the needle to move by sucking on the tube (easy tiger) but you need a hell of a vacuum to get it to move.
- No aircon is going to be a struggle on hotter days!
- Handbrake still decorative.
- In-tank pump is making the most unhealthy set of noises. I suspect timing is just right to replace it.
The first time I did the blower motor, I spread the task over 3 days, so I could fully disassemble, clean and carefully re-home and adjust everything on reassembly. Today's job was to get back in and shim the shank of the blower motor. I decided to try an experiment, and it is indeed possible to do the blower motor job without removing the dash, vents, seats, etc. In fact, with a bit of care and nimble fingers, it can be done rather quickly (and non-destructively). I'll post a full how-to with pictures at some stage. I clocked in at less than 2.5 hours, and that was accounting for half an hour in the middle experimenting with different shims to offset the fan blades on the spindle.
On Friday, the she-barge is heading back to Berry's for the jobs I can't easily do/am not confident to do here - both fuel pumps and the handbrake shoes.
Then I'm just going to drive her for a bit and enjoy, while I decide on the next pressing issue: what to replace my daily driver (currently a '97 BMW 316i) with. I'm thinking V50 or similar, and Mark
@iceton1975 has convinced me that a D5 powerplant is going to suit me (and I think he's right), although they do seem a bit rarer over here. I don't like sedans much because they're a bit impractical for what my daily needs to do, so wagons seem like a good idea. I'm thinking of getting my first ever auto (had manuals my entire life) as I'm clearly getting old and fat and bored of changing gear in traffic on my daily commute! Any thoughts?
Fully nude the first time round:
It's true: they *do* build the car around the blower motor!
Brilliant trick from cleanflametrap.com
She cuts a fairly fine figure now:
