Derrick the Volvo! Update P47

[jon-ovlov]

So, thought it was high time I put my project up. Been on here for awhile, however Uni and chaos and the car have made me not let the world know whats happening for ages. Finally, i have some time to put it up! I'm doing motorsport eng at uni, and thought i cant't do that course and not have a car. After wanting one for years, i could finally affrod and run one.

So, here he is. B reg '84 1.4 GL. His name Derrick came about from my girlfriend, because he's old and grey (thanks Jess).


IMAG0031 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr

I got him with 47K miles on the clock, full tax and MOT for the measley sum of £500. No structure rust what so ever! Shaweet! I've had it for a few months now, quite a bit of work has gone on since then.

Bit of basic body resto began. respraying the bumbers, (tired and faded), bonnet sprayed (matte black, don't hurt me!!) as the paint on the bonnet was scratched to heck, and minor rust spots on the door/quarters.


IMAG0021 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr


IMAG0073 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr


IMAG0119 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr

So after a couple of hundred miles, the alternator packed in. after breaking down just down the road from my house in brizzle, there was just enough electricity to get us back! 2 alternators later (1st one melted) aaaaaaannnnd the battery light comes and goes. most likely voltage regulator.

Also on the cards was repacement rear shocks, as he was sitting wonky (rear shock collapsed). so temporary replacements were ordered, until i can afford some of dai's units. Then found that both had collapsed! That'd be why it was so wallowy on the corners!


IMAG0209 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr

Size comparison of the shocks.

Also, the LH brake was binding. off to kwik fit for a brake diagnosis. I vaguely knew what needed to be doing, just wanted it confirmed. Knew i was going to do it myself. Got quoted £380 for everything!!!! to which i though sod that, and did it all my self. so, new disks and pads (£30), caliper (£40), wheel cyclinders (£20) and drums (£80) and i did all for under £200.

New headlight glass done, nice gouge where wiper without blade had carved it out (cheers to helldriver for those), door pull, ashtray, wing mirrors and other missing trim bits have been sorted too.

Next on the cards were some wheels. Got some 13 x 7 weller mattigs with new tyres off the 'bay, which look sweet. i want a smaller offset though, as they don't protrude enough! On it too now is a single bucket seat and a new steering wheel, which ive managed to sort the horn wiring out for just today. Also cheers to VND for the 300mania stickers!


DSC_0095 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr

Thats all i can think of for now, though there is a lot more planned for Derrick, when i get the dough! As he stands . . .


DSC_0116 v1 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr


DSC_0112 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr


DSC_0099 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr

Also, massive thanks to everyone whos helped out when ive asked about problems, and to everyone ive bought bits off.

Watch this space!

[Speedy88]

That actually looks really really nice! Got any more pics? The plates suit it so well too!

[volvosneverdie]

Koudos dude. Youve done quite a bit of work there and the car does you proud.
Looks good to me. I effin love mk2s in silver.
I know the black bonnet bit has been done to death but I suppose you could say the same about lowering and poke. No reason not to do it if you like it IMO. Your car at the end of the day.

Keep the updates up dude.
Really interesting read.

Oh, and MOAR PICTARS!!

[Speedy88]

Yeah I was gonna slate you a bit for the bonnet and I don't know why but it actually works here really well. Plus you had good reason to do it

[jon-ovlov]

ha ha! Phew! yeah i wasnt sure bout how the reception would be of the sacralige black. But yeah, i love it! you cant see it in the origional pic, but it was like the bonnet had been used as a table (?) i dunno.

hopefully more pics up later.

[L14MNP]

Nice one Jon. Looking good mate. Gotta love a mk2.

Yours looks a lot like my car. You gonna be welding the diff then?

The back of yours reminds me of the slammed 343 on here with the banded Nova SR steels and roof rack. Not a bad thing to be mistaken for IMO. lol


LIam.

[dubweiser666]

yer car look's great!, the battery light comes on when the alternator is not turning / giving a charge, i know this cos mine tended to slip recently in the cold weather, just needed tightened / checked regular.

looks great wearing those wellers!, good luck, love em mk 2's!

[Becca May]

Gorgeous that! Pics are really lush too

[Nimminz]

looking good!

[jon-ovlov]

Cheers for all the comments peeps!

Nice one Jon. Looking good mate. Gotta love a mk2.

Yours looks a lot like my car. You gonna be welding the diff then?

The back of yours reminds me of the slammed 343 on here with the banded Nova SR steels and roof rack. Not a bad thing to be mistaken for IMO. lol


LIam.

Aye lad, i thought that when i was looking through! Proper cool stuff. where'd you get the rear window blades from? I'm going to weld the diff yeah, it'll end up with most likely the F7R conversion. Thats the plan anyway! I've seen the 343 with those wheels, its gorgeous.

Been designing some exhaust stuff for formula student at uni, gonna put it to good use on the volvo soon. Ive got a CAD of one i did awhile ago, dunno where it is. The rear can is a cherry bomb, so that'll definatly go on derrick, the whole 'zorst below is for a suzuki R6 engine though.


finished zorst by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr


zorts hi def v2 by Jon Hawkes (aka jonnytouge), on Flickr

[Hell Driver]

Looks great in those photos, if somethings already scratched/damaged, I wouldn't be worried about modifying it. Glad the headlight lenses etc. have been useful! Your photos remind me of when I was at college and got my first 300, in 1991! (my parents old 1.4 77 343). I would never have believed then, that in the future students would be doing the same 20 years later! Keep up the good work, if it wasn't for the folk into modifying theses things I don't think there would be half the interest in keeping them on the road that there is.

[jon-ovlov]

Ok, this problem has persisted for awhile now, just took to be norm, until yesterday, when it stayed on and the car nearly died. today i checked and cleaned all the terminals belonging to the battery/alternator circuit, to no avail. i ran the engine idling for awhile to see if the battery light would go out, and it didnt. There are no corroded terminals, everything is tight and not wobbly, and both battery and alternator are a couple of months old, if that.

I'm going to recharge the battery and get a volt metre on it to see if the alternators gone again, (surley not) after that i have no idea. Its really starting to grate now, as i love my volvo, and hate seeing it just as an enormous paper weight.

Lastly, could it possibly be a faulty thermostat by any chance?

ive posted this twice, for some reason.

[jon-ovlov]

ALRIGHT! Fixed the battery, turns out it was a faulty alternator. So no more battery warning light. Nice 13V+ across the battery too. Need to swap the pulley to a single piece one, and adjust the fan, as its fouling the housing slightly, nice high pitched squeek. Guh.

Next on the cards are to get the door handle seals on once i get them, and fix the heater fan. Heaters fine, fan isn't, so works well on the motorway! Also, fix the leaky spoiler.

Put some more stickers on today, thats about it. i'll get some pics up tomorrow.

[Speedy88]

Good work. BTW do you live in North Redland in Bristol? I've got a friend I see quite a bit up there and it looks very similar to your pics.

[jon-ovlov]

Cheers. I'm in clifton atm. so similar sort of area, just round the corner.