Volvo C304 4x4 Build/Restoration - WR002

[geckoadventure]

log bridges - last weekends outing story coming logs bridges plenty.

[geckoadventure]

The spare tires are being setup so we can use the rear winch to lift them up and down of the truck i really to not feel like lifting 45+kg up and down. A special connection is being made to slip on the roof using the snatch block to make life easier.

[geckoadventure]

The new stereo reay for installation.


New wheels soon to be installed.


The new lights ready to be installed.


Delivery to the builder of these items this weekend.

[rob-mu]

Nice! what size rubber?

[geckoadventure]

Nice! what size rubber?

35" sneakers factory size

Light is 50" should be sufficient for jungle usage hehe

[geckoadventure]

8 August 2013

A long drive to IPOH due to the public holiday traffic. Handed over the 35" Maxxis sneakers, the 4 small LEDS and the 50" LED and the stereo and a strip of LEDs.

Inspection revealed Hi-lift jack holder almost finished. Shovel holder next. Hammock loops being prepared, handgrabs for all ladders done.
Roof for the Radiator and intercooler etc ready locking mechanism to be designed. My seat area has been pushed back allowing my seat to move back 75mm which is huge when you are 6'2".

Inspection of the new AMADA shocks reveals 3" too much travel so looks like the shocks will never work hard.

New sneaker and the removeable entry ladder in place




The positioning of the www.ufilta.com 20 litre water containers roughly in place we will allow for 3 to be stored and removed.
Due to keeping with simplicity no fixed internal tank or pumps to fill it.


The front wall frame is now finished and the hi-lift jack holder is tacked into place. nExt is shovel holder and air filter.


Over all the frame is now finished.


What's left to do well the DASH and Console and the wiring, power steering, fitting of seats, air cond (fitted just needs to be connected How to start and stop the 14B-T donk. 6 seats for customers in the rear and a removeable side rails so that the 4 rear doors can be removed when necessary. Floor to be cut out and boltdown points welded in. Roof to be cut out. The middle doors and panels to be cut and punched out, the mesh for the radiator roof to be fitted

We have divided DASH into Driving needs - OIL/WATER TEMP/Speedo/TACHO/Fuel Volts/AMPS to the right and recovery DASH. Air pressure and vaccum will be above on the roof along with the lockers and 4wd vaccum switches.

Next week I have to deliver ICOM V8000 VHF radio, the remaining gauges and the fridge slides.

and we discovered the 2 200 AMP batteries were dead oh dear there goes $1500rm.

and the final issue - where oh where is the ground ANCHOR going to go.

[tomsoffroad]

Mate loving this thread. Would love to build a wagon like this one day

[geckoadventure]

Mate loving this thread. Would love to build a wagon like this one day

Its a lot of work I giving the builder a migrane hahaha

[fullthrottle]

Looking bloody good Dave.
Almost ready for its clothes now.

[geckoadventure]

Looking bloody good Dave.
Almost ready for its clothes now.

Someone has kindly told me I have added 250 kg to the back and made it top heavy it will roll over.

Over the weekend I will weigh 1 12" piece of 2 x 1 and work it out.

I have 450kg plus 40 to 35kg for the old tire holder.

[geckoadventure]

1 November visit.

The 50" LED light frame is built on top of the cabin.



The T-MAX 18,500 (yellow) and the WARN 12,000 to the left all mounted in their mounting point


The winch controller box is also ready


The top view of the winches and winch controller box.


The crane to lift the spare tires up and down ready to connect to the warn winch is ready


The top hatch is ready with the hole for the exhaust.


The doors now back on



The seats are mounted.




Next visit the dash sould be completed then its painting time.

The water tank is to be built next a size of 150w x 400d * 1700l cm should give us 102 liters it will bolt to the rear panel.

The floor and walls alloy panels are all cut out and bolted down and has been removed so they can continue to work on the steel bits.

[geckoadventure]

The builder off to the rainforest challenge (RFC2013) tonight so I got a quick update and worse the worker doing all the welding resigned.

Dash is built and console - overhead console not done but all gauges will be up on the console except the speedo (Garmin colorado GPS) and the tacho - tiny tach.

So work has stopped for 2 weeks until the 15th at least. My goal is just after Feb - ideally for my birthday on 5th March I want it on the road.







Once the dash is built and the overhead console done its sand blasting and painting time.

[Cameron]

far out, stink that you're suffering more setbacks but at least the end is in sight!!!

[tomsoffroad]

Send it to NZ, I'll finish it for ya

[rokhound]

Send it to NZ, I'll finish it for ya

Yeah, but you'll want to keep it as payment for finishing it..

Looks the shizzle

[geckoadventure]

Send it to NZ, I'll finish it for ya

Unfortunately the volvo hates cold climates as much as I do. Lol

Then there is the issue of my wife beating me with the kendo stick if I send it out of the country.

[Taz]

Shame about the setbacks but the guts of it is there at least.

Then there is the issue of my wife beating me with the kendo stick if I send it out of the country.

Pfffft, excuses, just dress accordingly =P



Saw your kayaking trip write up the other week man. Was a good read.

[geckoadventure]

Shame about the setbacks but the guts of it is there at least.

Then there is the issue of my wife beating me with the kendo stick if I send it out of the country.

Pfffft, excuses, just dress accordingly =P



Saw your kayaking trip write up the other week man. Was a good read.

I just added day 11 to the diary.

[geckoadventure]

Shame about the setbacks but the guts of it is there at least.

Then there is the issue of my wife beating me with the kendo stick if I send it out of the country.

Pfffft, excuses, just dress accordingly =P



Saw your kayaking trip write up the other week man. Was a good read.

JUst added day 11 and final day to the writeup.

[geckoadventure]

The to do list to get to 1 March 2014 completion date
01. Order Tiny Tacho
02. Buy Garmin Colorado
03. Order Digital Fuel Gauge from US
04. Order Air and Vaccumm gauges
05. Design Overhead Console
06. Build Overhead console
07. Position for Inverters and USB chargers
08. Design Rear Side bars and access to replaced removeable doors
09. Wiring
10. Sandblast and undercoat and paint chassis and body
11. Fit Alloy body panels
12. REfit every part.
13. Sound proofing fit (after back in Kuala Lumpur)
14. Collect shcks from Malacca
15. Buy leaf springs (after back in Kuala Lumpur)
16. Power STeering do (Ford F5000 tractor kit)
17. Buy 3+3 seats for rear $600rm each) and harnesses
18. Fit rear seats
19. Tie Down points identify and fit/create
20. Hammock connect points fit
21. 100liter Water Tank Make (Anivsah to supply 3 filters)
22. Roller slides purchase 4 - delivery January from Australia
23. Buy 4 MAxxis Bighorn 762's
24. Buy 200' of 11mm winch wire for the PTO and 125' of 9mm for the M12000 winch
25. Design PTO winch lock (Lever by vaccum) to replace canvas strap
26. Oil leak in DIFFS fix
27. Electric pump for engine radiator
28. REplace CV booties
29. Buy 2 200 amp batteries
30. Buy Reversing camera
31. Buy Icom VHF radio speaker
32. Buy driving camera.

[geckoadventure]

Long (5 hour+) visit to the workshop on Boxing Day since the mechanic was working on the truck XMAS day I had no issue having a vist. Arrived 11.30am time for chit chat and then lunch and then the serious stuff. First the office we started with a blank sheet for the control panel and worked our way through switched 1-26 which need to be on the control panel

Then the discussion on 12v vs 24v everthing discussed and reviewed again.

The empty switch box ready for me to reach when harnessed in.


Slowly the switch location emerged till we had this on the full size drawing.


The wiring diagram revisited all red is 24v all blue is 12v.


After 60+ minute time to go to downstairs and discuss Bretts list then mine.

What's been done - all the ALLOY panels are cut out and now waiting for the rear seats and Drawer system to be installed.





There will be a raised platform at front 1/2 of the rear to sit fridge on (no it will not slide) and underneath will be a sliding table to be used as a cooking bench it will slide out approximately 600-800mm and will be 39" wide (1 meter).

The exhaust is now in place along with the hilift jack (6ft) and the shovel and chungko will also go here. The air intake will also fit up beside the exhaust.




I now have the depth of the fuel tank the matching gauge and sender from VDO can be ordered.

Then onto the rear seats 6 of these to be fitted they are 22" wide each we have 68.5" to fit them in. See our wonderful crash test dummy not smiling as we get the seat height correct. Once fitted then we can strip the rear sandblast it and undercoat it for the panels to be fitted. The seats are to only be fitted when the doors are removed and fixable sides designed along with harness seatbelts. So it will be a 8 seater when taking passengers.


Underneath the winches are all ready with new guides welded to the axles for the T-Max 18,500lb winch. Guides on springs to hold up the t-max and Volvo PTO winch cables to be fitted.

The seats have been removed ready to get the wiring done now it will be started this week.


Starting to look complete.




Water tank relocated and redesigned its either now 94liters (24 gallons) or 104 liters (26 gallons) and will be on the front wall of the reaer cabin.

It's first real trip will be 26-28 April when we have a 3 day trip to Cengal Besar (big tree) everything has to work as this track is now really cut up.

New steering wheel to be obtained possibly toyota hilux or similar and after market power steering to be added to the steering column. Steering column etc will be shrouded in alloy to replace the newer plastic which looks tacky on a Volvo.

2 months to go till d-day.

I have to deliver in next 2 weeks fuel gauge and sender, digital tacho, Water, 3 seats and harnesses.

[smurf182]

This is pretty inspiring, awesome build

[fullthrottle]

nice work Davey boy. Looking awesome as usual.
April eh.....hmmmm might have to schedule a work trip then

[geckoadventure]

Fuel gauge and matching sender ordered. 24V volt meter ordered. Vaccum gauge ordered all VDO. Digital Tacho at home waiting to be delivered to the workshop when the other parts arrive.

Slowly getting there.

[geckoadventure]

6 January 2014

The to do list to get to 1 March 2013 completion date
01. Order Tiny Tacho - ordered and delivered to my house
02. Buy Garmin Colorado
03. Order Digital Fuel Gauge from US - ordered VDO gauge as REMARK industries never answered email or fone - on way today
04. Order Air and Vaccumm gauges - ordered on today
05. Design Overhead Console - designed by brett
06. Build Overhead console
07. Position for Inverters and USB chargers
08. Design Rear Side bars and access to replaced removeable doors - designed waiting for Brett to make
09. Wiring - started
10. Sandblast and undercoat and paint chassis and body
11. Fit Alloy body panels
12. REfit every part.
13. Sound proofing fit (after back in Kuala Lumpur)
14. Collect shcks from Malacca - not heard if rebuilt yet
15. Buy leaf springs (after back in Kuala Lumpur)
16. Power STeering brett has ordered kit from USA.
17. Buy 3+3 seats for rear $600rm each) and harnesses
18. Fit rear seats
19. Tie Down points identify and fit/create
20. Hammock connect points fit
21. 100liter Water Tank Make (Anivsah to supply 3 filters still waiting)
22. Roller slides purchase 4 - delivery January from Australia
23. Buy 4 MAxxis Bighorn 762's
24. Buy 200' of 11mm winch wire for the PTO and 125' of 9mm for the M12000 winch
25. Design PTO winch lock (Lever by vaccum) to replace canvas strap
26. Oil leak in DIFFS fix
27. Electric pump for engine radiator
28. REplace CV booties
29. Buy 2 200 amp batteries
30. Buy Reversing camera
31. Buy Icom VHF radio speaker
32. Buy driving camera.

[Cameron]

got a similar list for a car of mine that I need to drive to CHCH on the 28th of feb.
I wish us both luck

[geckoadventure]

10 January 2014

The to do list to get to 1 March 2013 completion date
01. Order Tiny Tacho - ordered and delivered to my house
02. Buy Garmin Colorado
03. Order Digital Fuel Gauge from US - ordered VDO gauge as REMARK industries never answered email or fone - on way today
04. Order Air and Vaccumm gauges - ordered on today
05. Design Overhead Console - designed by brett
06. Build Overhead console
07. Position for Inverters and USB chargers
08. Design Rear Side bars and access to replaced removeable doors - designed waiting for Brett to make
09. Wiring - started
10. Sandblast and undercoat and paint chassis and body
11. Fit Alloy body panels
12. REfit every part.
13. Sound proofing fit (after back in Kuala Lumpur)
14. Collect shocks from Malacca - not heard if rebuilt yet
15. Buy leaf springs (after back in Kuala Lumpur)
16. Power STeering brett has ordered kit from USA.
17. Buy 3+3 seats for rear $600rm each) and harnesses
18. Fit rear seats
19. Tie Down points identify and fit/create
20. Hammock connect points fit
21. 100liter Water Tank Make (Anivsah to supply 3 filters still waiting)
22. Roller slides - to be made for the Volvo
23. Buy 4 MAxxis Bighorn 762's
24. Buy 200' of 11mm winch wire for the PTO and 125' of 9mm for the M12000 winch
25. Design PTO winch lock (Lever by vaccum) to replace canvas strap
26. Oil leak in DIFFS fix
27. Electric pump for engine radiator
28. REplace CV booties
29. Buy 2 200 amp batteries
30. Buy Reversing camera

[geckoadventure]

13 January 2013.

More progress. The new custom toolbox has been built and its holding tray. New 12v battery holder built since we are going from 2 12v batteries back to one really large one.

Wiring is almost completed. Fuse boxes etc all installed in the new center console.

Water tank construction starts later this week.

my next visit is on 24/1/2014 on my way to a wedding in Penang.

By then I hope to have the remaining gauges to take up also.

[geckoadventure]

18 jANUARY 2014

Latest progress

all the door handles and latches for the side doors have beeen purchased including the central locking.

Fuses and fuse boxes all connect up also. Power steering units have arrived from the USA and the first one is being fitted to the workshop racing Landrover (V6 Nissan turbo engine it does go rather rapidly lol) and tested so they can sort out any issues and then apply to the Volvo.

Switches and warnign lights to be purchased next week and fitted. They are all going to be bright and approx 1" in diameter each no tiny stuff in this truck.


The gauges finally on their way next tuesday from the USA no way they will make it for the friday run to the workshop in IPOH. So will have to courier them up after sigh.

The new secure toolbox (where the radiator used to be) is built and mounted in its new home.

Priced two new 200AMP batteries this morning from my local supplier 200USD each - sigh.

Next Friday go and buy the rear passenger seats and harneses on my way to the workshop.

I managed to find the big switch I hope to use as a STARTER button - yes its 3" in diameter lol.



Then the kitten knicked the measuring tape

[Escudo boy]

There isn't a scale to measure how awesome this thread is!!!!
How do you get at the exhaust and stuff between the cab and body for repair or servicing once the body is complete?