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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: November 7, 2017, 5:24 pm 
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Acerguy wrote:
Beautiful work, as always!

thank you Acerguy :cheers:

Nov 4-5, 2017

Got the front brakes sorted and back on the car.. now all of the consumables up there (caliper/pads/rotors) are easily obtained..

Got the air intake and parts of the turbo plumbing back from being ceramic coated.. I wasn't so much after looks on these as I was the heat protection; the large "J" pipe runs right under the hood, and the downpipe is right next to the battery.. the stubby little cold air intake pipe was coated because I do care little bit about looks, and I wanted it to match :wink:

The last pic shows the car very close to final ride height.. right after this pic I took it home and raised the nose another 1/4".. I did not take it back out on this day for 'final' ride height/stance (ohh- there's that word! :roll: ), but you get the idea..

================

Still sorting the car, an ongoing process.. Took it to work yesterday (11-6-17) for the first time and discovered it goes into limp mode when I really hammer the gas on the freeway.. gotta sort that out.. Today (11-7) it's getting aligned... Also, I'm having trouble with my brake setup, and once I take some measurements I'm pretty sure I'll find that my pedal ratio is off (more on that as it develops).. as it is, it takes way too much pedal force to stop the car...

So on to the next thing, and slowly but surely the list of MUST DO things gets shorter 8)


--ccrunner


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1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
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"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: November 10, 2017, 7:30 am 
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You chose the correct name for this build log... That l'il red Volvo is sexy, Bay-bee!!! :mrgreen:
(As Austin Powers might say.)

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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: November 15, 2017, 12:32 pm 
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A non-car field trip..

My sweetie wife and I are both middle school teachers, and even though the school year is barely 1/4th over, we're having a terrible year.. Maybe it's us, maybe this group of kids, maybe global warming.. it doesn't really matter why it's happening- it's just a poopy year so far. Interacting with 150 twelve year olds daily is taxing on the best day, and sob-inducing on the worst days..

So when Lisa declared that we're going to Monterey for the weekend to stay in a hotel we can't afford with money we don't have, who am I to protest? (I like this girl, and I've been around long enough to know when to just shut up and do what I'm told).. Anyway, off to the coast we go!

On the way over, we cut through a little farming town (Salinas), which is where we found the 30 foot tall lettuce pervert. Lisa says I'm the pervert for thinking the way I do, but c'mon!, the guy's holding his giant lettuce balls out in public, and he seems pretty proud of them!

The rest of the brief weekend was nice.. we were sitting on the beach when this pirate ship appeared on the horizon, which was unexpected and pretty cool..


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1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: November 15, 2017, 1:12 pm 
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Location: Guadalupe, CA
Nov 11-12, 2017

Back from the luttuce-perv and pirates outing, time to blitz on the Volvo and get it to where it can make an out of town trip..

Last year Matt Farah (who created The Smoking Tire Youtube channel), featured my Honda build, and it's gotten some internet love- link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU4bIsdnbkM&t=176s

I learned recently that he's winding down production on the channel, and I reached out to thank him for taking on the Honda, and wish him best of luck on his next thing.. After a bit of back and forth about my current (Volvo) project, we came up with a date that I thought I could have the car up and running for it's own Smoking Tire test drive (cool!!)..

The car is still being sorted, and the interior isn't even in, but I told him I'd have it together and ready to drive, which just happened a few days ago, as I took the car on it's first out of town trip to SoCal..

She's got several little issues (still overboosting being the biggest), but in general, the 1800 did great! Matt drove it much harder than I've dared to (fact is he scared me at first!), but in the end, my little red GT did pretty well.. Matt was very nice, and the whole process was super organized.. it was also cool to meet some other car guys (Matt films several cars in one session).. I don't know when the drive will air.. probably in the next month or two..

When filming was over, I got back in the car, and she did great getting me up over the Grapevine and back home.. still some sorting needed for sure, but lots more confidence in her now that she's been on a little trip, and driven with mild aggression :drive: ..

Took a few pics on the way down the mountain..

--ccrunner


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Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: November 27, 2017, 12:21 pm 
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November 25-26, 2017

I'm chasing down more sorting issues.. The first and easiest was to swap in the Bilstein front shocks.. I also swapped in a LOUD!! :shock: horn I pulled from a 1990's Ford in the wrecking yard (the cheapie horn I was using was just not cutting it)..

Then I moved on to the cooling system, where I have several issues.. I had to move the temp sender (for the gauge), as I originally installed it up too high on the radiator, which ended up being an air pocket, giving wildly inaccurate readings (I should have routed a small return-to-coolant bottle line in this location).. So I welded a 1/8" NPT bung into a radiator line to relocate the temp sender, and have now routed a small return line up in the radiator corner (as I should have originally)..

Separate cooling system issue.. After a bit of head-scratching and investigating, I learned that I had my heater hoses reversed ging into the heater core... an easy enough fix, but it sure would have been a lot easier to have read the directions in the first place :roll:

Yet more cooling woes.. The GM computer-triggered fan-on command is a gradual on/off (for the stock variable speed fan).. since I've eliminated the BCM, I don't have the needed GM OEM fan controller, so my relay has been having a terrible time as the computer does it's soft-start thing, giving my on/off relay only partial voltage.. It seems relays don't like this; there was much buzzing and heat and burned up relays.. I scrapped the GM trigger lead, and wired in an aftermarket (Derale) adjustable controller, (which also gives me the benefit of having an AC on/fan trigger).. Ideally this will be the end of me frying relays trying to get this cooling fan turned on and off 8)

Finally, I needed to address the trapped air in the cooling system.. I may have fixed it by changing the temp sender location and routing a small return line (as noted above), but it in my research trying to remedy the issue, I learned that the Sky/Solstice cars that I've modeled this drive train after have their own set of trapped-air issues from the factory.. While it seems like more an issue with the Kappa bodies than with the LNF engine itself, I'm not taking any chances.. GM issued a TSB for the problem, and called for the installation of a pair of simple, cheap air-bleed valves in the coolant return lines.. for less than $20.00 I bought 2 valves (part #20876185), and installed as directed.. guys that have done this report that these little pea-sized valves fix all trapped-air issues :D

As of today (11-27), I still have to get it buttoned up and refill the cooling system.. a few more hours of work and she'll be back on the road..

In preparation to fix the Electric Power Steering (hasn't worked since I originally hooked it up), I went out to Pick-A-Part over the Thankgiving weekend to catch their 40% off sale and get another unit (pic of the 'new' unit #2 below).. I'm pretty certain that I just got a bad EPS the first time, so I'm planning to simply swap them out- I'll know in a few weeks if this will in fact fix the problem..

--ccrunner


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1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 4, 2017, 12:40 pm 
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Dec 2-3, 2017

I'm putting these pics here as I'm having a hard time getting the EPS to work, and trying to send pics through ebay to the seller of the control unit is proving nearly impossible.. Installed column #2 and things still don't work-- quite frustrated- this should have been a plug and play thing.. seems almost impossible that I'd have gotten 2 bad columns in a row..

--ccrunner


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Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 4, 2017, 3:33 pm 
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Not sure about this. I read about one installation sometime back that their EPS required input from the ECU I think it was vehicle speed related. The EPS required that to apply the amount of steering power. Anyway, there was a guy (don't all good stories start like this?) that was selling an external box that you could wire in that you could just dial the amount or power you wanted. Are you just trying to wire the steering column(s) in to B+ and Gnd? Maybe you are missing some other important inputs.

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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 6, 2017, 12:04 pm 
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rx7locost wrote:
Not sure about this. I read about one installation sometime back that their EPS required input from the ECU I think it was vehicle speed related. The EPS required that to apply the amount of steering power. Anyway, there was a guy (don't all good stories start like this?) that was selling an external box that you could wire in that you could just dial the amount or power you wanted. Are you just trying to wire the steering column(s) in to B+ and Gnd? Maybe you are missing some other important inputs.


Hey Chuck.. this is exactly the setup I'm installing.. I found 'that guy' :) (Bruno) on Ebay, and bought his "dial in your desired PS" kit a few years ago.. I'm just now getting around to sorting my EPS issues, and I can't get it to work, even with a second donor column.. I'm waiting for Bruno's reply via Ebay to help diagnose my issue.. Incidentally, in just the last year or so he's developed a kit that will allow for the input of a vehicle speed sensor, giving truly 'speed sensitive steering' EPS as a standalone :o .. Once he responds to my email, if my issue is in fact a bad controller, I might see if I can upgrade to the newer version- but let's not be greedy, I'd be happy just to get this one to work :lol:

--ccrunner

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1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 14, 2017, 12:39 pm 
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Location: Guadalupe, CA
Dec 9-10, 2017

Still trying to remedy the EPS issues.. just learned that the creator of the stand alone kit on Ebay (Bruno) has a new email address, so I've reached out to him at his new contact... will come back to this issue soon- cool thing with the EPS is even when it's inop, the steering still works as 'normal'..

-Sorting the brakes.. I forgot how long it takes to sort a restomod.. so many little details to go back and chase to make to your own liking.. I'm still doing this with the brakes.. I don't like the effort it takes at the pedal, so the first thing I'm chasing is what is my current pedal ratio? Had to pull the pedals down to get an accurate measurement- Looks like it's 4:1, not nearly enough for a non-power brake setup :(

So I set out to get closer to 6:1 or even 7:1... In this instance, it was easiest to raise the master cylinder about an inch, which now gets me to about 6.2:1.. That should do it :) ..this now has the master cylinder about 3/16" from the bottom of the hood rib (see clay in the pic).. that's as close as I dare get..

After all was moved and welded into place, I went out to test it.. It felt good, but the pedal is a little 'soft,' (which was expected as it now must travel farther to do the job).. I flogged it VERY hard to find the limits.. I (foolishly) overdid it, as I was getting a little smoke at the wheels after jamming the brakes over and over and over to find their limits.. Well, I certainly found the limits of my DOT 3 brake fluid :shock: .. I'm such a dummy.. I'm certain I boiled the fluid.. I got out to touch the wheels and see how hot they were (you know, cause of the smoke and all), HOT! HOT! HOT! :twisted: This is not a race car dummy!!

Anyway, despite this being built as a GT, I was disappointed in the brake fade/boiling issue (even though I know I was being abusive).. To stiffen up the pedal, and give me more peace of mind, I'm going install stainless hoses on all the corners, and I'm switching to DOT 5.1.. at that point I think I'll be done with the brakes..

--ccrunner


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Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 14, 2017, 12:40 pm 
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Location: Guadalupe, CA
Dec 9-10 cont'd..


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Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 14, 2017, 3:52 pm 
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That last picture makes it look like your car is getting a Spa day.

I'm surprised about the brake issues. I thought you were well above normal in brakes for that type of car.

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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 18, 2017, 1:17 pm 
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carguy123 wrote:
That last picture makes it look like your car is getting a Spa day.

I'm surprised about the brake issues. I thought you were well above normal in brakes for that type of car.

I'm surprised to still be having issues too.. at this point I'm really more frustrated than anything.. I've posted up a topic in the suspension/brakes section seeking help to finally fix this- here's the link:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19193

If you have any thoughts I'd appreciate the input- I'm now at 1000 miles on the car, and I surely thought I'd be past this nagging issue by now :roll:

-ccrunner

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Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 18, 2017, 5:38 pm 
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Well if you decide to just throw the car away in frustration I'd still like to have it, it's just that you passed my money limit a long time ago!!

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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 21, 2017, 1:07 pm 
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12-21-2017

So I look outside and I see a kid jump, no, stomp onto my car's hood; then his buddy takes a turn at it :shock: ..

I'm not a violent person. It's just a silly car. I have really good insurance. They're just middle school kids making mistakes.

I have many reasons not to go out and inflict great bodily harm to these little snowflakes, yet to my marrow, it's all I want to do..

...It was last Thursday (12-14) as I was reading a story with my middle school English class, when I happened to look up and see 2 kids milling around the front of my Volvo, which was parked in the school's front lot.. I didn't think much of it, except why are they not in class?.. My gut told me to keep and eye on them.. they were looking around to see if they were being watched (they seemed unaware that anyone could be looking out a window as I was, or that any one of the dozens of school cameras were recording them).. Suddenly snowflake #1 takes about 5 steps back, gets a running start, and jumps up onto the hood of my car! Did that just happen?! No, I'm daydreaming... Darling #1 jumps down, and, it's at this point that snowflake #2 takes his 5 step head start, and he too leaps up onto the hood :shock:

While I'm not violent, I'm not exactly a pacifist either, and now I know I'm not daydreaming- this just happened.. As a teacher, we're told never should you leave even one student, let alone an entire class unattended.. couple that with the fact that the car and the offending snowflakes are about 50 yards away, and each boy has already started running away in opposite directions.. also, there's a 6 foot fence/gate between us, and my keys are buried in my desk..

If it were to happen again, I'd do exactly the same thing.. As I ran out of the room I told one of my more responsible students that she was in charge, and I'd be right back.. my students had no idea what was happening as the hood stomping all went down to their backs.. I didn't care if I was to be 'written up' or reprimanded for leaving the class- surely the video would vindicate my actions.. If there's one thing you probably shouldn't do, it's jump on the hood of a classic car enthusiasts baby; particularly if he's a life-long competitive runner- (even if he is 50 years old)..

I don't remember jumping the gate, but it made quite the impression on my students. They've taken to calling me Spiderman :roll: . I'm not a sprinter anymore- now it's more of a distance thing for me, but the head start snowflake #1 had on me required a bit of speed, which I was happily surprised I still have, if needed.

I'd estimate it was short of a 1/2 mile when I was within yelling distance of Darling #1 (as this all unfolded I had to choose just one to go after, and unfortunately for this kid, I happened to choose him).. As I closed in on him, I suggested that if he didn't stop I'd make it that much worse when I do catch you, and rest assured, I will catch you. And with about 15 feet between us, he just gave up..

As teachers we're trained Do Not Touch The Kids!.. Taking no chances, I did not touch the kid, but I took a commanding hold of the kid's jacket hood, which the kid was at the time attached to.. there was to be no more running away.

-----------------------------

In the end, the video showed it all.. the milling, the stomping, the fleeing, the gate jumping, the sprinting, and eventually, the return of snowflake #1 to campus by the scruff of his coat, being held by a teacher whose restraint was tested farther that it's ever been. I've learned that this was the last straw for snowflake #1, and adding this to a long list of prior 'issues,' he'll be leaving our campus. Snowflake #2 doesn't have quite the rap sheet built up yet, so he's still around until his next stunt (I find it a little sad that stomping on a teachers, or anyone's car isn't enough to have you dis-invited from school- but it seems that's not my call to make)..

I also learned that these boys were lucky to have jumped where they did on the car (their shoe prints were easy to see), as somehow there was no damage!? On the Volvo 1800, the hood is surrounded on all sides by sheet metal, and they just happened to have jumped near the edge of the hood where it meets the fender (an inch or two closer to hood center and it surely would have caved the hood)--watching the video you'd swear the hood was toast.. way to go Volvo!.. I also learned that because there was no damage (trust me, I looked! no paint issues- nothing!), the Sheriff's department won't open a file.. If there was in fact damage, then it's a crime.. As I told my principal, I guess it's ok to go dance on people's cars, just don't mar the paint while doing it :roll:

I'm not a violent person. It's just a silly car. I have really good insurance. They're just middle school kids making mistakes. Karma's a real thing, and I doubt they'll be so lucky next time..

--ccrunner


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Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com


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 Post subject: Re: A Sexy Volvo...
PostPosted: December 22, 2017, 8:56 am 
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Wow! :shock:
Kudos to you on your restraint :cheers: , and on your school in today's totally broken world for not siding with the perps.
It probably took a few days for that adrenaline rush to pass.

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