Here's a quick project thread for my summertime plaything - a 1980 (mk1) 345 DL manual in 139 Blue (Mist Blue...?)
The car came up for sale (http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... f=8&t=9895), and I decided to buy it as a stop gap while my 'main' mk1 project car slowly makes its way back from the bodyshop (full restoration and re-spray) and in due course to the road. I was fed up of not having a roadworthy 300 in my life! The general plan is to fix a few of the problems, then run it around for a few months, probably pop a new MOT on it (October), then sell it.
The car had a few things wrong with it, and I think John was struggling a little to keep on top of it. So far, I've fixed the following...
#2 Spark plug thread damaged, causing plug to blow out. Thread insert installed (on the second attempt...the first was too short!)
Mid box holed (half the box missing). Second-hand replacement mid-box fitted.
Split breather hose resulting in huge vacuum leak. Pipe shortened to remove split section.
Driver's exterior door handle non-operations. Link bar shortened to take up slack.
Still to do...
Seal a couple of minor exhaust blows
Replace half-shafts (torn CVs and resulting noisy joints)
Look at the carb - the throttle stop on the choke linkage needs adjustment, making cold starting tricky, and it's still not right when warmed up...suspect further smaller vacuum leak(s).
Replace shock absorbers (presumed to be original) all-round...it rolls like hell!
I also need to do something about the wheels / tyres. It's currently running on three late-model 13" alloys and one steel, as the tyre on the fourth alloy has a nasty puncture. All four appear to be horribly out of balance, to boot! I'm planning to fit my 13" R-Sport alloys, but those won't be for sale with the car (as with the spoiler shown below), so I still need to have something usable to leave it on come sale-time. I suspect I'll replace two tyres on the late-model 13s, and get all four balanced...unless the buyer will be fitting their own wheels. I guess I'll get the R-Sport rims fitted, then worry about the rest come sale-time.
The body is very good for saying it's a 30 year old car, but the new owner will need to decide which direction to take it in. Rust-wise, it's really very good indeed. It's suffered a few battle scars (the owners before John were elderly, and it met the garage door frame a few times), and would take a lot of work to make it absolutely straight...but it's really not at all bad. My feeling is that the damage is not really severe enough to be worth spending the money on making it perfect. The patina suits it! I think localised re-painting in a few areas where it's suffered paint damage (and in places touched in previously), and it'd tidy it up a treat. I might even do that myself if I get really bored!
Finally...pictars!
The day of the purchase...
Exhaust issue:
Repair on the replacement mid pipe (the sleeve broke clean off, so required re-welding). Note the visible leak!
And the money shot...earlier today I got a bit bored, so decided to paint and fit some R-Sport spoiler hotness.
I've been out of the game for 18 months or so, but (in spite of me not holding the camera still in low light) I think that last pic is what inspired Mark Morrison to write "Return of the Mack" (in a vision, I presume)
A better one will hopefully follow tomorrow.There will be updates...
cheers
James
You can't count the things you're setting up and not selling with the car 
