'Tank' A 'Rolling Resto' Bloggy (of sorts)

[mach1rob]

Baby oil works well too on faded plastic trim, as does a heat gun (just not too close tho!)

[Paul240480]

This mornings little tinkering session was changing the oil in the differential. Been on the 'list' for some time, but always wondered about the easiest way to get the oil 'up' into it once drained. In the past I have used various 'long nozzled squeezy bottles' and lost about as much as I used

This time for £8 or so, Amazon supplied this little 'Draper' Pump:


It worked a treat, will try it on the gearbox next

[Paul240480]

All is quiet in 'Tank world' right now............ so for some light Tank type entertainment.......

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d7a4d344e ... gview=true

[Paul240480]

Tank is just rolling like a gooden... Looks for wood! One 'niggle' of mine is that these models were fitted with a basic radio cassette and two wimpy speakers in the front doors. Later models had a beefier system with 4 speakers and an amp. I like to keep Tank original-ish so have been looking for speaker upgrades to go directly into the existing mounting location. Not that easy to find as they need to be quite a shallow speaker so as not to foul the leccy windows.

So today I had an offer of a later style R/Cassette , amp and 4 speakers with surrounds FOC
An 'oppo' on the VOC forum who had stripped his one out and 'free to fellow 240 enthusiast' .
bargain . Won't get it till July when another VOC forumist comes over for his yearly Hols.

[TerryG]

You mean that you won't be coming over to enjoy the lovely weather in England before July

[Paul240480]

You mean that you won't be coming over to enjoy the lovely weather in England before July

^^^haha, well, T-shirt was the 'order of the day' here today I spent 5 days with my folks in Feb in Derby. That was quite mild ! Managed a DTS with my brother in town too!
But no not planning to 'enjoy' any Brit weather......

[Paul240480]

So, as I'd given 'Zeb' (my 850) 1st 'go' with my new electric polisher, I thought it only fair to give 'Tank' some of the same treatment. Very pleased:thumbs_up:

Like 'Zeb' Tank was quite well waxed up, so just gave him one coat of Colly476 to bring back the red once more.







......and yes I've seen the grot in the gutter

[Luxobarge]

I've got one of those polishers, and I agree it's a great bit of kit, very rewarding. Yours are both looking great Paul - nice one!

However, what's the mark on the LH front of the bonnet? Did you go right through?

Cheers!

[Paul240480]

I've got one of those polishers, and I agree it's a great bit of kit, very rewarding. Yours are both looking great Paul - nice one!

However, what's the mark on the LH front of the bonnet? Did you go right through?

Cheers!

Hi LB. I think I may have gone through the top coat Though, if you look back through other pics it has been gradually getting worse over the last few years, so it wasn't down to the polisher. Funny thing is, this last 'polishing sesh' was the 1st time I've included the roof since, I guess 2011 (last years pics did not show ant 'roof shots' ) . But before polishing this time, I saw that it has 5 or 6 'patches' like the one on the bonnet. You can see them in latest pics, disguised a little by the cloud reflections. Maybe the harsh sun is taking its toll? Tanks outdoors 24/7.

Still, it'll be grounds to justify a re-spray in the future.....

[Paul240480]

So, back in July Cumbrianmale (VOC forum username) & I fitted an amplifier and loom (with Cm doing the 'working out of wiring) for the radio cassette. Leaving me to 'just' wire in the rear speakers.
I started of trying to source rear door cards with speakers fitted over here on Frenchy Volvo Forums.... but nowt turned up.
That left me with cutting my current door cards, something which I wasnt overly confident to do, lol.
The cards were marked 'where to cut' for 4" speakers, but I had 5.5" which will not go in that location.....
On Monday I popped up to visit another VOC forum member & friend on his hols here & between us we managed to cut out the cards. The speakers had to go quite well back, so are a little tucked away by the rear seat bolsters.... but still has a 5-6cm gap. Sound is not at all muffled . Sound quality is much better & even with my old personal CD player hooked up to the cassette slot (remember those) I could wack the sound up & no distorting. I have an old mp3 somewhere, will have to charge that and try it...

Anyway a few pics to add to my blog:
Door Card Cut:

Speakers Fitted, nuts and bolts & a touch of loctite to stop the nuts coming loose:

Speaker and Grill in place:

Whilst the door cards were off, some waxoyl type stuff added:thumbs_up:

Pulling the wires through:


Wiring into the block from the amp' - we hung the amp way down and out of the way with zip ties:

And the final 'look':