Volvo C304 4x4 Build/Restoration - WR002

[geckoadventure]

29/30 December 2016

Day 1 and 2 of a 5 day rush.

5 days to work on the Volvo in a row.

I work on creating the nice entry of the 4 power steering hoses into the cabin LEFT, RIGHT, POWER and RETURN .

Day 1

Remove the brake and booster and the clutch cylinders . We cut and brace the dash.

Cut the hole for the hoses and start the plate from 4mm alloy.

Day 2 then assist with the wiring of the central locking putting the wiring internally in the door frame.




5.15pm we have glued down the rear cabin alloy valance. Day work is over no wait the horse float is out we can get to the front roll cage. Pick it up and install it slowly. The horse float is reversed back in as we finish. The truck is complete no more large parts remain to be bolted down.


The roll cage looks good in the new colours.


The 4 hole plate which is giving me grief


6.10pm leave the workshop. Then the trusty Isuzu DIES about 500meters from the workshop engine check light on. It runs enough with light off to get it back to the workshop, leave it and leg it the 2+k back to the hotel via a halfway meal and a cold beer to cure my sorrows. I think its fuel filter will check in morning.

[geckoadventure]

1 January 2017

Does not start well a walk in the rain to breakfasst then picked up and taken to the workshop we decide to bolt down the front roll cage. Hmm it will not the top bolts do not line up I confirm with Brett I have to trim 7mm of the right side top and 1mm from the left side due to the welds stopping the tubes sliding in and we also need to clean up the joins they look awful and some scraps and water damage. It's decided off it comes.



Making the plug to seal the top tubes from a piece of 4*2 that the guard puppy chewed up,


Then fitting with sealant


Then fixing the welds and the grinding mistakes from removing a cross joint gone wrong.


Then we check the gear lever to see if it'ss working. It is but we discover 4 wires we had missed from the loom. Damn!!!!!!!!

Now we have the issue of the ugly hole from some beaver who called themselves a workshop from the previous owner to deal with also this will burn vauable time. The deadline is 5/March/2017 my birthday.



Home time I have the front roll cage sanded, filled and undercoated and repainted it looks smick and I cut the ends off correctly an verify with a vernier ruler. The roll cage fits as I fit it myself with the forklift and a bit of string. It bolts in 10 bolts of the 14. The last 4 well I missed thatss 6mm hole with a 8mm thread. Needs to be fixed also.

2 January 2017

Day is for pedals I find everything I neeed, hen its lunchtime and then the heart plays up cos I forgot to take the tablets yesteray and this morning I have to rest for the rest of the arvo.

Hometime pic.


The 5 day visit ends sadly with a wasted 1/2 day.

Train home to Kuala Lumpur

[geckoadventure]

7 January

Damn the Isuzu is not ready so ISUZU inform me leaving a lasst minute plan of taking the mighty Landcuiser up with its dead air conditioning of taxi train an taxi's I elect the Landcuiser.

so we (Joe fom the kids home) arrive 10.00am yes I'm late hot wet with sweat and the windows rolled down for 190k.

First time for Joe make 8 2" Square plates with a nut attached for the underneath of the seats so there is no chance of seat mount bolts pulling through in an emergency. So guillotine lessonss under strict adult supervision.


My job searching for nutz an bolts and missing wipers part. I fluke the end of the steering lock nut. One WF nut left that we that at the bolt shop by taking the whole steering assembly to the bolt shop.


Then its time for the pedal assemby it does not go well. The master cylinder bolt hole does not line up with the brake pedal.

End of the day what do we have pedal assembly not working. Seat bolt down points done without turning on the argon gas damn. Pedal assembly failed. Steering ready waiting for pedals to be installed.

[geckoadventure]

8 January 2017

It's decided after measuring the pedal travel and position etc that the pedal needs to be 30mm lower to give 40mm of travel and match up to the lower position of the master cylinder.


The two part pedal is made.


Then I make the bottom of the pedal and the bushes from solid bar and drill them out. They will be welded up Monday as we do not have a long enough 14mm bolt in the workshop but it's now ready to go.


The new templates for the floor coverings are made




Home via a visit to my Ipoh Mum and the windows down the whole 205k drive home

[Taz]

Home via a visit to my Ipoh Mum and the windows down the whole 205k drive home

Probably had the volume at 11 playing AC/DC too. Bloody bogans!

[geckoadventure]

Home via a visit to my Ipoh Mum and the windows down the whole 205k drive home

Probably had the volume at 11 playing AC/DC too. Bloody bogans!

Ha Ha no you cannot hear the stereo when moving lol the engine howl and the trepador tires reduce all music to background clutter even "'11" lol.

Oh I do have AC/C music lol.

[geckoadventure]

29 January 2017

14/15 January was a charity trip into the jungle to deliver food to the Orang Asli after the monsoon rains

Then the factory was unavailable the next weekend.

So 29 January was second day of Chinese New year so I'm back on the Volvo. Ihave the mighty RED Landcruiser after fixing the aircond and a few other items to make life comfortable for the wife on our Journey to IPOH for Chinese New Year.

It's decided after measuring the pedal travel and position etc that the pedal axle needs to be 30mm lower to give 40mm of travel and match up to the lower position of the fulcrum needed.

We are working on the pedals when we hear a mewing noise a close investigation reveals 4 kittens in the guillotine and one angry mamma cat.

She runs leaving me to sort out a box and warmth for the kittens - they are cold and wet and Mr Brown is locked away he will kill the kittens.





We finish the brake pedal off and its mounted in the bracket. It all fits in the proper place. I make a bracket for the clutch arm. It does not fit well however there is a 20mm height difference. We need to remake the clutch cylinder bracket.


The clutch needs a spacer bush made its a bit loose.

That obstacle means I can work on the accelerator pedal.

30 January 2017

Work on the pedal continues and it's mounted in place it looks like it will work . I mount the steering column to make sure niothing is in the way.

Home time - wifey decides its CNY we have dinner with Mum before leaving. 9.30pm we leave Ipoh for the 200k drive home. Yup you guessed it CNY traffix was so bad atfer 2 hours I had travelled 9k on the highway. 6.5 hours later at 4am in the morning I arrive home exhausted. I keep the wife awake the whole way as punishment for making us leave late lol.

[geckoadventure]

mistake

[geckoadventure]

2 February 2017

Public holiday in KL train up arrive IPOH 1.00am - Tired I collect the trusty Isuzu from the workshop 8.30am

Back to KL in the evening

4 February 2017

I'm starting to hate this drive I just sit on 150K for the 190k just keep outta my way.

First job finish the accelerator pedal off a few mods it will be finished. Like heck, I decide to add a clamp to stop the cable top moving and causing issues a few more hours are lost making sure itsLate in the arvo down to the bolt shop - hey it's open I get 4 imperial UNC 1/4 inch bolts. They don't fit damn.

The go faster pedal is slowly getting completed.


5 February 2017

Mr. Brown smells cat and eventually finds mama cat upstairs and a 2 hour watch and wait game. Mama cat proves she is cunning and eventually slinks away unscathed.


First job finish the accelerator pedal off a few mods it will be finished. Like heck I decide to add a clamp to stop the cable top moving and causing issues.

It's all ready in the arvo and finally looks better. Then the 4 bolts for the door stop will not screw in.

Late in the arvo down to the bolt shop - hey its open I get 4 imperial 1/4 inch bolts. They don't fit damn.

The go faster pedal is slowly getting completed.


7 February 2017

Another holiday - take joe from the home with me. We work on brackets for the seat bottoms etc.

[geckoadventure]

9 February 2017

Another Public holiday the drive to IPOH is easy less than 90 minutes still on 150k.

First job finish the accelerator pedal off a few mods it will be finished. Like heck I decide to add a clamp to stop the cable top moving and causing issues.

We take the clutch pedal miles away to a engineering shop they are also open. They specialize in GEAR cutting. More on this later as they can make PORTAL gears hmmmmmmmmmmm.They will have the nylon bush ready

Saturday. The day cruises by working slowly to finish the bracket.

The go faster pedal is slowly getting completed.


10 February 2017

Bolt shop take a pic of the thread with me. Crossed thread and a UNC tap and I run around all 4 bolts on the right door then the left door and all the bolts now fit. Now the bracket bolts in and the go faster pedal all works. The inspector gives it the thumbs up. Then it's painted.

Mr Brown excited to see me as usual.


The completed go faster pedal.


Then only thing left commence the brake line fitting. We prepare the Volvo to move across the workshop. By 4.30pm it's across the shop and on the hoist with a lot of effort its sitting on wooden planks on the hoist.

6pm hometime.

[geckoadventure]

11 February 2017

Strip the volvo brake lines out then down to the parts shop for Toyota and Volvo hoses and the hydarulic shop for new pipe and fittings. $550rm is emptied from my wallet.

3pm back in the workshop after 4 hours/away I get the Rear brake lines done but I have to go steel pipe brake to brake as the flexible hoses are not the right length so we will get more monday and fix up the issue. Meantime I finish the piping to the master cylinder for the rear brakes and will sort out a longer flexi hose next week.


12 February 2017 - Sunday

Fit the clutch slave cylinder and lay the piping out till I run out of pipe as I cannot find the 2 spare 5 foot lengths I saw in the workshop Friday.

Cut the panel under the passenger seat in the wheel well to give access to the injector pump etc.

Fit the drivers floor.


Cut out the 2 sidelights fill panels as the new sidelights from Volvo are much bigger and need new mounting

points created.

[geckoadventure]

16 February 2017

Work on the steering disassemble and reassemble the steering column parts so the worm screw works properly.

Rebolt it all in and the brahe booster yet again.. Chasing parts etc and the day is gone.

17 February 2017

Work on the steering again bolt in the top half of the steering and it all fits nicely.

[geckoadventure]

3 March 2017

Drop into friends workshop to get the alloy watertank remade into stainless steel. There is his immactulately finished PINZ. In the shop is my friends PINZ all the light grey panels are new and designed in-house. They look so factory that he has more pinz's lined up after to have the same operation done.




4 March 2017

Day Trip to the Volvo I was going to drive quietly since the Isuzu'as rear tires started sliding out during the week in the rain. However, it's dry so I sit on 140k instead. Work continues on brake lines they are getting so close to being finished. We order the new hydraulic cylinder for the power assist steering. 2 weeks and can collect. Then it's an emergency run down to the tire shop for 2 new rear tires for the trusty ISUZU.





Back to Kuala Lumpur in the evening as tomorrow it's my birthday and I have 4x4 driver training to run. It's a much safer 190k run back home with the new Michellin sneakers on it.

Mr Brown throws a sad when I leave.

[geckoadventure]

10 March 2017

Get to Ipoh and realise no Fone however, the workshop is opened for me. Work on the brakes and clutch piping all finished except I miss getting the last pipe correctd as they have moved the mounting brackets 30mm and there is no more strech left as the hydraulic shop closed 5 minutes ago sob.

11 March 2017

The workshop is locked cannot get in. Damn the wrong message was conveyed to the workers and I cannot ring them. So I head home to KL a days work lost.

[geckoadventure]

18 March 2017

My last full weekend on the Volvo until after June as I have 14 kids from the orphanage to teach kayaking on Sundays until their 5 days kayaking adventure with me in June.

Inspection shows

Front mudflaps mounting points bolted on.


Steering arm has been shorted 40mm resulting in reduction of steering turns from 2.25 to 1.5 making it nicer to drive.


Rear electrics panel is almost completed.




I finish the rear piping and all the way to the front and sheath the piping under the dash.


I grind down the front holding nuts 3mm to make the joining nut on the pipe to flexi hose tighten up and the front brakes are then completed and make the firewall to the master cylinder piping up.


Right rear mudflap mount


and left


Power steering assist cylinder collected. Before you ask yes its equal pressure both ways even though it looks single action. It will be mounted to the DIFF next week.


The hydraulic shops beginnings was for the tin mining industry in IPOH.


The brake and clutch piping all protected, holding brackets will be made next weekend


I finish the rear piping and all the way to the front and sheath the piping under the dash.

Clutch pipe is relayed as one piece from slave cylinder to firewall

Wahoo they are all finished and tightened down.

Knock off time

19 March 2017

9:10am damn the gates been locked I cannot get in. I give up and go home at 10.00am. Another day lost.

[wjw]

Great read as always

[Cameron]

any further updates?

[geckoadventure]

any further updates?

Sorry sport I been sick caught a stomach bacteria from something in a crappy restaurant in mid march which caused diarrohea after every meal for 2 weeks before they admissted me to the single room hotel with nurses in it lol. Been in Hospital 3 times for a total of almost 4 weeks in hospital, out last night feeling a lot better.

I believe they have worked on the power steering cylinder being mounted tot he front axle. Apart from that I have very little updates.

I have the new front windows to collect from the glass shop. I have the new stainless steel water tank to collect. I have ordered new LED front lights deleiver late this week.

I hope to collect the overhead console and speaker panels early next week when back at office so they can be tested fitted and powder coated.

[geckoadventure]

22 May 2017

Well it's been 8 weeks at least since I last saw the Volvo. After being off work sick for 6 weeks with a stomach virus from something I ate and now training the orphanage kids for the August Kayak adventure I took a day off work to visit it for progress.

Meantime in the 7 weeks I have obtained new front windows cutoms made and cut for the wonderful price of 40USD a pair for 9.7mm laminated autoglass oh and I left it at home damn curses. I have new LED headlights. The new stainless steel water tank is still being made.

So whats been done.
- Powersteering is almost completed
- Rear 12v power panel is completed no pics as the Volvo is way up on the hoist.

They collected the power steering parts from the engineering shop and I fitted then to the power steering cylinder. Went down to the hydraulic shop cut the hoses to length and got new ends fitted. Then connected the power steering hoses to the new cylinder. New holding brackets for the left and right hoses made and mounted. Could not fit the top power steering hoses as the Volvo is way up on the hoist. But next visit I will have it done.

Mr Brown was so happy to see me he decided to help me on the workbench while I chopped 10mm off the mounting bolts.


Finally it was all bolted down. We may have to change the design of this does not work.


Discussion on the switch rollcall we have 5 to buy to have them able to complete the front switch panel.
Then it was time to test out the new LED headlights. Ooooh they are cool. Bonus they have sidelights and indicators built into them.


So now we can weld in the inserts I made and touch them up with paint etc.




A few things left to do:
- Air conditioning
- Assemble doors
- Build new Drivers dash panel
- Wipers build and fit
- Connect remaining switch panel wires
- PTO find switchs and refit
- Test everything

[mudsurfv6]

good work, even with 8 weeks off its progressing quicker than mine.

when you indicate is that sides headlight designed to turn off?

[geckoadventure]

9 June 2017

Took the week off to take 17 orphanage kids on a 4 day intensive kayaking training camp. Then had the Friday to myself. So a visit to the Volvo was in order. 5:5am Leave KL with young Joe from the orphanage with me . 7.30am in IPoh for breakfast and 8.15am at the workshop.


So whats been done.
- Powersteering is almost completed - still have resivior to mount
- Bull bar was bolted down but not correct so I have this to fix today.
- Rear floor has been bolted down
- Covers are being made for the inside of the door locks.
- The side bars on the bumper have been remodelled to protect the underneath of the cabin door frame.





Then we moved onto the power steering resivior - cut hoses ready to bolt it in. Damn the braket is imperial bolts 6mm will not fit. We need to go to the bolt shop later.

Cut and fit the brake booster vaccum hose.

Then we found the engine mounts we had missed bolting down the underside of the engine mount locking washer. So we made 2 8mm washers from steel and bolted them in - 1 hour gone

Connected up a missed brake pipe part.

Then it was time for a test fit of the glass we had so happily brought from KL.

Great dissappointment they did not fit. Turns out some idiot made them bigger than the exact tenmplates we supplied. Quality was terrible. They were returned to the glass factory much tot he anger of the big chinese shop manager who looked like he wanted to string the cheap bangaldeshi labourer up when he explained how he made the windows.





Then Joe tried out the hammock setup and gave it the thumbs up.


Oh we missed getting to the bolt shop.

Soon it was hometime and the end of a very unsuccessful day and Mr Brown decided to get friendly with Joe by holding his hand with his teeth.


Final view of the Volvo before I see it in a couple of weeks.




So whats left
- Doors assemble and bolt on
- Air COnd to do
- Dash wiring
- Switch Panel to be cut out
- Power steering final connection
- Fix the loose rubber hose we found under the engine
- Window wipers buy and fit
- PTO Switches find and install
- GEar lever hole repair
- Windows fit.

[Smurf]

It is starting to look like a truck now. The end is getting closer and I bet a few on here are waiting to see it all put together. I know I am. Top effort.

[geckoadventure]

It is starting to look like a truck now. The end is getting closer and I bet a few on here are waiting to see it all put together. I know I am. Top effort.

You cannot beat my nagging wife - she is on my tail to finish it. However, the kids 6 day KAYAK trip in August now has the priority but the issue is I Need the Volvo to save me taking 2 trucks to the trip and a whole heap of money. The Volvo can take 1 19foot boat on the roof , tow the 18foot heavy boat and take all the kids bags etc in the rear . Then we only have 1 12foot boat on the roof of another truck.

[Gardengnome]

It is starting to look like a truck now. The end is getting closer and I bet a few on here are waiting to see it all put together. I know I am. Top effort.

You cannot beat my nagging wife - she is on my tail to finish it.

Does she know about the second Volvo??

[geckoadventure]

It is starting to look like a truck now. The end is getting closer and I bet a few on here are waiting to see it all put together. I know I am. Top effort.

You cannot beat my nagging wife - she is on my tail to finish it.

Does she know about the second Volvo??

Nope no idea

[geckoadventure]

26 June 2017


Public holiday Parts run after spending the 2 previous Saturdays chasing parts . Compressor, ARB pressure switch, drop seats off to cushion shop, return glass to glass shop to remake as they really screwed it up.

Recce for corporate team building etc and of course the Sunday kayaking training for the orphanage.

Saturday 24 June was teaching a kid from the orphanage the basics of welding - trying to show these kids career opportunities.

So they sent me a pic of the switch panel. It's a go cut the new one out.

Meantime in my spare time I have been drawing up the rollout drawer stuff (cooker plate and hidden tables) free-hand ready to get to the bending engineer to do his magic laser cuttting and bending stuff. I only need to repurchase 2 M8 internal diameter bearings so we can do the final measurements needed for the 60+ bearings needed to make it roll out/in smoothly.

Switch panel is layed out they are laser cutting the new one out now.


The cushion shop sent me the pic of the seats they are ready. They look ace with material instead of the sweat causing PU. However, they are closed for Raya holidays so I can only collect this coming Wednesday.


So welding lessons for the kid and I slowly get the racks for the military box storage at home completed.


Collected the speaker panels and the overhead console. They did not bend the speaker panels sigh - have to do that in IPOH next time.

Then we attacked the overhead console - Oh Crap there is a design issue and the first weld splits the 5052 alloy - sigh back to the drawing board and redesign to make less pieces. There goes 600rm of 5052 alloy rats.


The speaker panels I need to spend time sanding them ready to mark and bend then they can be undercoated and painted the desert storm colour with maybe a blue sheet behind the gecko to highlight it.


Then finally 26 June 2017 a late arvo 2 hour run to IPOH 190k away to drop off the glass, COmpressor and pressure switch so they get it all fitted.

Well the 2 hour trip turns into 4 hours the traffic and the accidents. We test fit the glass after they delivered it to my house after the mouthful I gave them after returning the first attempt back to them - F**K they did not follow the perfect templates yet again and left the bottom corners of each window intact instead of trimming them off. It's ok the workshop will grind the insides of the window frame welds out.

Dinner then home time - another 4 hours goes by and I arrive home 1.30am exhausted. No idea when I will get to the workshop next maybe next sunday if I give the kids kayak training to someone else to run.

[wjw]

Still reading this.... just so you know

[tomsoffroad]

Same loving this thread

[geckoadventure]

Still reading this.... just so you know

I need to add more stories of incidents lol.

[1bad4x]

Amazing work.!