Duchess The Volvo 340 CVT

[volvomania]

Impressive what you are doing!

[benji1985]

Impressive what you are doing!

Thank you

[benji1985]

Good day all, small update for you all
26/06/16
Today i managed to get a couple of hours with out rain, so decided to crack on and finish welding in the large panel that I didnt manage to finish the other day.
So started by finishing the welds
IMAG0045 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0048 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
Not the neatest, but the only way i could do the weld as the other side was very confined
IMAG0047 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

Then cleaned up all the welds
IMAG0049 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0050 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

Decided that i am going to POR15 the engine bay etc and then i'll put some seam sealer over the welds to try and make them look a bit nicer with POR15 over that too.

Ben

[bogbasic]

Awesome work. Well, today, I refitted a few trim panels and got stuck in traffic ;-0

[benji1985]

Awesome work. Well, today, I refitted a few trim panels and got stuck in traffic ;-0

I was lucky and had a clear run from Cornwall to Plymouth.
My goal is to have her at the bkv next year

[benji1985]

28/06/16
Quick update, finally received my new parts, 2 rear wheel arches and the drivers side scuttle panel.
Little disconcerting that the sill part of the arch is not very long, looks like I am going to have to do some fabricating....
IMAG0052 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

More to come next week


Ben

[bogbasic]

Awesome work. My 360 has a 50p ebay 3 door sill on one side and the original 4 door sill on the other, but not for long I fear!! I can't see the MOT letting it through for many more years....

[SteveP]

Annoyingly that seems the case for all of the aftermarket panels, the sills and arch sections miss out a section which is probably about 15cm short in total, plus they miss the bottom lip off too... annoying!

[benji1985]

Annoyingly that seems the case for all of the aftermarket panels, the sills and arch sections miss out a section which is probably about 15cm short in total, plus they miss the bottom lip off too... annoying!

Well I can but see, but definitely going to be some fabricating to be done,

[volvomania]

I agree that aftermarket still needs extra work but at least it is still out there....

[benji1985]

I agree that aftermarket still needs extra work but at least it is still out there....

This is true, these were hard to get tbh. Could only get one side scuttle panel sadly.

Ben

[benji1985]

Good day all, Quite a big update.. lets begin
05/07/16
Today we (my partner and I) set about cleaning the remaining parts to be painted and then got the 1st coat of POR15 on
IMAG0067 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0068 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

and then we cleaned up the engine block
IMAG0091 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

IMAG0092 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

IMAG0094 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

Sadly a bolt broke in the cylinder head (lucky i have a cleaned up one) the bolt refused to move even with heat and welding a new nut on the end.
IMAG0093 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

That was all we had time for on this day

06/07/16
today just saw the finding of a few bit like the washer bottle so I could position the bracket that it bolts down to and a bit of reorganizing.
Also put on some more paint on the bits that were started the day before

07/07/16
Today I got a lift to the car and was there very early, so to pass a bit of time with waking the village, i set about dismantling the the bell housing as that needs a good clean up
IMAG0095 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

IMAG0096 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

The de-clutching servo stud broke and was quite cracked
IMAG0097 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

IMAG0098 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

IMAG0099 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

at a bit more of a reasonable time, I started to weld up the remaining parts in the inner wing
IMAG0076 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0078 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

well i tried... then i ran out of welding wire
IMAG0077 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

So had to find other jobs to do as I had no car to get some more

So cleaned up some of the surface rust in the engine bay and put some paint of it to protect it till i am ready to paint the bay properly
IMAG0079 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0080 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0081 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0082 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

I then set about removing the crappy stuff from inside the wing... so i found that the wing had been repaired with fibreglass (I dont remember do that, but i could have), also found the really bad welding as a kid.
IMAG0085 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0086 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0087 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0088 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0089 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0090 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

Then moved on to put more paint on the parts
IMAG0100 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

08/07/16
So today armed with a big roll of welding wire and dropped off early, got started with finishing the inner arch
IMAG0101 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0102 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

SO then i decided to tackle the rear wheel arch and the inner sill
IMAG0103 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0104 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0105 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0106 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0107 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

Cut out the rusty part of the floor pan and POR15
IMAG0108 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0109 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
My new piece cut and ready to go in and holes lining up with original spot welds (the black is POR not a hole)
IMAG0110 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0111 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

Wire brushed the whole area and painted to protect the metal
IMAG0112 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr
IMAG0113 by Benjamin Charlton, on Flickr

I have decided to repair the inner sill but not put it back in yet, I have loose rust from under the window that would fall down on to the inner sill if it was there and then just rust and re-damage the inner sill, so going to tackle the A-pillars first then the sills and wheel arches, still have to to do the other chassis leg, but been putting it off

But all in all she is coming on well, what do you guys think?

Ben

[SteveP]

Great progress Ben! I admire the speedy updates considering you're working outside and we haven't exactly had a summer... Watching with interest!

[benji1985]

Great progress Ben! I admire the speedy updates considering you're working outside and we haven't exactly had a summer... Watching with interest!

Thank you, the weather has been hit and miss, I do have a pop up gazebo, it helps a bit.

Ben

[bogbasic]

Epic work. I admire those who can start eardy id de bording..... Zzzz.