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1981 244 GL High MPG - daughter's first car

Khrrck said:
Seems like it sometimes. Either way, your time is worth something. At this rate you'll be able to sell it for top dollar if it survives long enough.
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Sometimes it’s the journey man!

I enjoy the process and I got this job to be able to do this. Other 240s I plan on selling will get the same treatment next, hate to die and leave a pile of crap
 
Jack said:
Sometimes it’s the journey man!

I enjoy the process and I got this job to be able to do this. Other 240s I plan on selling will get the same treatment next, hate to die and leave a pile of crap
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Awesome build so far. Its worth it to put your kid in a car you know is safe no matter the time it takes. I'm excited to see it done.
 
JonLasaga said:
Awesome build so far. Its worth it to put your kid in a car you know is safe no matter the time it takes. I'm excited to see it done.
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Thank you, I appreciate the compliment. My whole life revolves around volvo... son will need a car within a year too :omg:

today.
Pressure washed the front carpet, it's in 7/10 condition. I might have another blue one, if not then the issues are where you dont see it
JZMsqri.jpg


pressure washed the all weather matts. I have 1.5 sets, car came with the yellow painted ones... I cleaned that up (no pics)
kEEJnxl.jpg


worked on stripping driver front seat
seat bottom is done for
K2hopJX.jpg


removed the covers to wash tomorrow
roWCBAy.jpg


stripped all the parts to blast/coat at work. I'm planning on reinforcing/stiffening up the seat back, sooner or later they always lean or break
dQFECAI.jpg


misc seat hardware. Not installing heaters at this time
Gc8xQA9.jpg


seat back foam is also junk
qyTGMB0.jpg


took the pedal assembly apart (no pic). I need to find a thicker bolt for the clutch pedal return stop, they are always bent. I might also reinforce the the area where the cable goes through the firewall, I have seen some crack there
DPZPoHo.jpg
 
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James M said:
You are making it too nice for a first car,
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I wondered the same thing, but perhaps it's just envy. My first car was a pile.

On the other hand, not every first car becomes a valuable learning experience at its own expense. Some are cherished... I knew the value of my own sweat equity, and would never have done anything risky. You're really lucky about family members wanting to be involved with your amazing and admirable OCD perfectionist projects... is Daughter of the same mindset? If she's inclined to get her hands dirty (even slightly) with this stuff, it's hard to imagine she wouldn't fall in love with the result...

Jack said:
new t-clips and I had the springs zincked awhile back
QpwI6BI.jpg
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Holy cow, I had completely forgotten what those little springs are supposed to look like! :cool: Yikes, too many years of living near the ocean...
 
Toybox said:
not every first car becomes a valuable learning experience at its own expense. Some are cherished...
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My coworker has his 70s Chevy still and is completely restomodding it. I kinda envy him.

My wagon lasted ~7 years... And when I crashed it, still were plenty of parts could have been pulled off it. So all that powder coating doesn't necessarily go to waste even if the chassis gets totaled eventually.
 
Toybox said:
I wondered the same thing, but perhaps it's just envy. My first car was a pile.

On the other hand, not every first car becomes a valuable learning experience at its own expense. Some are cherished... I knew the value of my own sweat equity, and would never have done anything risky. You're really lucky about family members wanting to be involved with your amazing and admirable OCD perfectionist projects... is Daughter of the same mindset? If she's inclined to get her hands dirty (even slightly) with this stuff, it's hard to imagine she wouldn't fall in love with the result...

Holy cow, I had completely forgotten what those little springs are supposed to look like! :cool: Yikes, too many years of living near the ocean...
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I enjoy working on it more this way... whether daughter crashes it or it car gets messed up is out of my hands, shes responsible and takes care of her stuff. I am super lucky to have a great partner in this... we even meet at a Davis volvo show. I'm really not OCD in person. Daughter enjoys cars but she doesn't work on them, She's always liked 240s. My son has done some wrenching with me


Khrrck said:
My coworker has his 70s Chevy still and is completely restomodding it. I kinda envy him.

My wagon lasted ~7 years... And when I crashed it, still were plenty of parts could have been pulled off it. So all that powder coating doesn't necessarily go to waste even if the chassis gets totaled eventually.
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It wont go to waste, I recycled more 240s then most
240 240 said:
powdercoating 40 year old car parts is an investment?. ✍️ ✍️ ✍️ I'm taking notes
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let me tell you about our color selection!!!

today
washed the covers
jjLdOmm.jpg


blasted most of the seat parts
4g0Q0He.jpg


welded up the clutch junction
lXSFdBa.jpg


reinforced the seat back
C1yEujc.jpg


242 seat from 1985 has an extra bar at the bottom.. I never paid attention if this is a 242 thing or just standard after certain year. I imagine the latter
moI073D.jpg



made a seat support grid out of 1x1 mesh one of our customers gave me
ZBDcHhp.jpg


fixed the clutch cable hole
sjG1pef.jpg


HjkYO85.jpg


this one was for you #240 240
EYLLUUZ.jpg
 
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glue some fabric to the top of that grid. Put it over the top, and fold over and use contact cement to glue it to itself.
Your new grid will cheese grate that old foam and leave cheeto dust on your carpet for years to come unless you put protection
 
240 240 said:
glue some fabric to the top of that grid. Put it over the top, and fold over and use contact cement to glue it to itself.
Your new grid will cheese grate that old foam and leave cheeto dust on your carpet for years to come unless you put protection
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I always glue carpet on the underside of the bottom seat foam

Biggest issue is on the sides of foam where the seat frame bottom wedges inside the foam

Anyone ever used dye to renew the fabric?
Originally the covers were super dark. Material is in good condition just faded
 
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Jack said:
I always glue carpet on the underside of the bottom seat foam
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good. carpet is at least something, but carpet has a deep nap the metal will eventually work its way through to the thin backing. you usually want something tightly woven and flexible like the nylon white backing used from naugahyde that is oem for the volvos.
Jack said:
Biggest issue is on the sides of foam where the seat frame bottom wedges inside the foam
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Use upholstery leather scraps here. go to a local shop and dig through their dumpster, or use roached leather from an old 240 turbo seat.
The back suede side glues really well to metal with contact cement. and leather can be cut to exact dimensions to follow the metal.

Jack said:
Anyone ever used dye to renew the fabric?
Originally the covers were super dark. Material is in good condition just faded
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Dye will always break down then rub off in time and stain clothes. especially in automotive California heat.

fabric paint looks cheap since that weave is multi colored.

if you have to have that mickey mouse shit done then use all the sem prep stuff.

Keyston Bros.

m.keystonbros.com m.keystonbros.com

Don't waste money on old covers. Just find some epa permabanned 3m scotchguard. spray the front and back side, and reinstall. It was just discontinued this year but someone might have some cancer cans left over.
The scotch will restore color a little bit but more importantly the fabric will last longer.


sweedish car parts has vynil blue covers on sale for $100. That's almost what I would spend on materials alone if i did it here at work. I ordered some because my car has blue vynil interior and matches.

Volvo 240 Vinyl Seat Cover. Blue. 3 Single-Stitched Lines. Color code 5123 3L1STBUTEMP

www.swedishcarparts.com www.swedishcarparts.com
 
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Should turn out nice with a fresh batch of dye on the seat covers. Such a great first car. I can tell from your posts she is gonna really enjoy the car.
edit: Didn't see 240s post till after I posted. Sounds like a good plan.
 
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