Alex's 360 build thread

ALVO360 · 2018-03-01T00:23:50+00:00

This is where it all began. only 12 days ago on the 24/02/2018. Its had all oils changed, coolant flush leads, plugs, air filter, dizzy cap and rotor, thr...

ALVO360

While I was in Melbourne staying at a good friends house, I stumbled accross this while I was using the bathroom:

I should probably Glen 20 that S#!t, but it was from this discovery which lead to me collecting other magazines:

Wheels Magazine of 1984 had a big feature on the 360. It's rather amusing that they have the title of "Volvo's sporting chance" and show a photo of the 360 being passed by a bicycle:

Roinik

We had one of those little Hondas. What a pocket rocket 1.2 (if you could keep traction on the front wheels).

Anyway, great thread.

Major Ledfoot

Funny, I may have a copy of that Motor Manual somewhere....

Angus242164

That edition is from the month I was born!

ALVO360

@Roinik It's definitely a strange little thing. How'd it handle? It looks like it weighs about 700kgs! You probably had to check the weather for strong winds and gusts daily ? but seriously, underestimated cars are my favorite kind. That's what I love about Saab's and Volvo's.

@bgpzfm142 they're a great read. Do you have a collection?

@Angus242164 - lucky for me it doesn't have your name on it, cos you would have a very strong case for claim.

Major Ledfoot

@ALVO360 back in those days (when I'd just graduated to a full license - none of this green Ps crap then!), I bought Motor Manual regularly, and anything else that had a Volvo road test or feature. Pretty sure that particular copy I have, went into storage with all my early 1990s Auto Actions, after I moved back from Brisbane and before I went to live in Columbus OH. Pretty sure there's a Modern Motor feature on the 360 at around the same time, probably published on Angus' birthday. :D
PS: Yeah, I'm feeling really old now...

Laurie

Hi all,
Interesting to see the wheels mag of the 360GLT earlier I this thread. Here is a photo of the same 360 taken a few months ago. It is original to the last nut and bolt etc, including the paint mismatch on the rear door and rear 1/4 panel. The car has three distinct paint colours after it was damaged by a journalist testing it. I have a copy of the Wheels mag clearly shows the colour mismatch way back then..

P The car was originally registered BXX 222.

Roinik

ALVO360;c-157402 wrote@Roinik It's definitely a strange little thing. How'd it handle? It looks like it weighs about 700kgs! You probably had to check the weather for strong winds and gusts daily

Those little Hondas handled like they were on rails. The suspension was very tight. If you took the wastegate limiter chip out (and the 108 km/h buzzer) they'd do over 200 km/h. It was still rock solid at that speed. No safety protection though.

ALVO360

Ozvolvo Kaleen meet and greet with @paul0075 - great turnout.

ALVO360

@Laurie look at the shine on your 360. Truly beautiful and likely one of the best original survivors in the country.

ALVO360

@Roinik Wow, I'd really feel like I was living life on the edge by doing 200+kmph in that thing. I do wonder what kind of hole they were planning to fill in the market by producing such a thing. It looks like you could still drive it comfortably if you removed the front seat ?

ALVO360

@bgpzfm142 car magazines have come a long way since then, but like most things, "they dont make 'em like they used to". We all get older together, but at least age usually comes with experience and wisdom, and you are able to share that and help others grow.

ALVO360

New brake discs arrived today so I got stuck into it, only to realise that sparesbox have sent me the wrong pads...grrr! It has at least given me a chance to clean everything thoroughly and remove the bearing race's from the hubs

Incorrect pads. Check out the uneven wear on the pads. The rusty areas aren't making contact

Some before and after:

ALVO360

New bendix pads arrived today, thanks to AutoOne. New wheel bearings have been fitted but one of the seals I got in a kit from Classicswede was the wrong type! Had to source a new one from Specialty Fasteners. I'll add that to the list of setbacks.

Discs installed - still waiting on the caliper rebuild kits before I replace the brake lines and paint the calipers. I'll be bedding in the new brakes while im waiting.

With the brakes, bearings and calipers sorted, It will be time to move onto the fuel pump + filters, transmission and seals + halfshaft rebuild and rear bearings + rear brake valves/cylinders.
I'll keep going until I run out of parts or motivation.

ALVO360

Update: finished the initial bedding of the brakes. Bites well and pulls that 360 up very quickly with light to moderate braking. The real winner of the parts replacement is the wheel bearings. I was getting vibration at higher speeds, the steering wheel was pulling slightly to the left and some tracking issues when hitting grooves in the road.
Strangely enough the bearings weren't noisy, nor did the wheels have any play when checked with the front jacked up. So far, so good :+1:

ALVO360

This is what was left of my 4 door handle seals. New seals have been fitted.

Before and after.

ALVO360

I managed to get some SAAS bucket seats for cheap.

Installed the later model GLT spoiler

The whole time ive owned this car I never noticed this until now @timbo

ALVO360

Still waiting on those damn caliper rebuild kits :angry:

Chris

Nice looking seats!

ALVO360

Chris;c-158584 wroteNice looking seats!

Thanks. They do look nice, but they aren't very comfortable for me. I'm actually considering swapping back the original seats if I can't fix these.

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