–By Eric Fantin– The Volvo improvements continue at a slow and steady pace. The car was started with the repairs done previously: new gasket, studs and nuts, the motor runs well and idles well. It’s a tad cold-blooded but more tweaking is in-store.
On the gear box front, fluid was flushed and replaced, filters were cleaned, the speedometer was reattached. I was able to drive the car to the first Car and Coffee show of the season in St. Paul, made back and forth without an incident, a victory in my book, for a car that had languishing in the weeds and later in a garage for over 10 years!
Later one I was able to test the overdrive with temporary wiring, another success!! The overdrive drops around 400 rpm at 60 mph, so the car is in a happier place. I will eventually replace the single weber carburetor with the proper twin SU’s for more horsepower as the 140 is a heavier car than its predecessor, the Amazon, but essentially kept the same drivetrain, so any improvement in the power band would help.
The overdrive is now properly wired with a fuse, relay and a functioning dash light. I replaced a couple of tie rods on the front end. I verified that the lights, wipers and fan are functioning. The next set of improvements will be to replace coolant hoses, radiator, fix the dash and license plate lights, a new windshield is needed along with a wheel alignment and many more miscellaneous items.
The cosmetic part of the car will see minor improvement but overall, it will stay as it is, an original hard working wagon full of battle scars from years of faithful services.
Have a question or comment for Eric? He can be reached at: straigh8@gmail.com