Volvo 1800ES: Engineering a Resurrection

In reply to NOHOME :

This is going to keep the stock 4.10 gears in it for now (it was an automatic car); with the T5's OD the overdrive ratio will be well under 3.00. Really looking forward to it.

Ordered new calipers today, might as well put all new brake parts.

New calipers arrived; I only had a right hand one on hand anyway, so I just got a new pair, both sides.  Tack welded the left hand side bracket together, and on the first try it was a near-perfect fit.

Now it'll get pulled off to completely weld it, modify the backing plate for this side, and then the front brakes will be on and ready for plumbing. 

In reply to volvoclearinghouse (Forum Supporter) :

I can assure you then that with the 4.10 this thing is going to scoot when you mash the pedal.

In reply to NOHOME :

That's why I set the 302 back behind the front axle. 

Both front brakes are on and ready to be plumbed.  I actually set the car down on 4 wheels for the first time since I'd started modifying the front cross member.  Wow.  Of course, this was mostly done for the purposes of swapping out the recalled Harbor Freight jack stands with new double-locking 6 ton stands. 

So now there's less liklihood of the car crashing down upon me.  Which is nice.

To celebrate the newfound safety of working underneath the hot rod Swede, I decided to get back to repairing the floor.  The next section ought to be the driver's side rear, since this will be where the seat will need to attach.  I finished slicing out the transmission tunnel all the way to the cross box section that forms the base for the front edge of the rear seat.  The trans tunnel will be completely fabricated back to here. 

Then, armed with Milwaukee's finest Sawz-All and Angle Grinder, the rest of that panel of flooring was next...

This photo reminds me that I always manage to gore myself on the handbrake handle entering/exiting one of these cars.

volvoclearinghouse (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to NOHOME :

That's why I set the 302 back behind the front axle. 

So where exactly does the driver's seat land now?  What is your view out the side going to look like?

TurnerX19 said:

This photo reminds me that I always manage to gore myself on the handbrake handle entering/exiting one of these cars.

LOL.  You get used to it when you drive one for a week straight on vacation. 

In reply to NOHOME :

The back of the driver's seat will land approximately at the B-pillar.  So the view out the side should be through the side door glass.  I'm 5'10", and it's approximately where the stock seat location would be with the adjuster all the way back.  The back seat becomes a lost cause, unfortunately, but it was never much to begin with.  At least it'll still have a passenger seat, unlike Plymford. 

volvoclearinghouse (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to NOHOME :

  The back seat becomes a lost cause, unfortunately, but it was never much to begin with.  At least it'll still have a passenger seat, unlike Plymford. 

My current stable consist of the FRS, MGB GT and the P1800 ES.

I am the president of the " stupid back seat club ".

In reply to NOHOME :

' I am the president of the " stupid back seat club ". '

By comparison, taking the 2 kids out in Mrs. VCH's Camaro doesn't even require thought or planning.

The best is the Corvair- since it's a droptop, loading in the family is as easy as lifting them into the back seat.  Which is fine, now that they're compact. 

The '66 Jag makes a pretty decent family hauler, too.  Crew cab, with a nice airy ceiling. 

Rusty floor: GONE!

New sheet metal: FITS!

The box section that forms what was the lower rear seat support, also runs laterally across the car and seems to provide some structure.  After slicing out the floor it looked like the seam at the front lower edge of that box section was unwelded, so I ran a bed across the whole thing to solidify it.  With that 16 ga sheet welded to it and all around it'll be nice and solid. 

The new floor back there essentially eliminated the little trough that was the rear set footwell, making the floor flat.  It'll be easier (hopefully) to attach a seat to, and I'll probably run some C channel under it for bracing where the seat attaches. 

I had been using mostly reclaimed steel for the work up to now, but I finally caved and bought 2 sheets, 2' x 4', of 16 gauge from the local metal supply place.  They were $25 each, way cheaper than material at the orange or blue stores, and working with virgin metal is just...so nice. 

Before you go nuts welding that metal in, I'd mock up the seats you plan to use.  There's a reason why the OEM floor is so low.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

Before you go nuts welding that metal in, I'd mock up the seats you plan to use.  There's a reason why the OEM floor is so low.

Ready, Fire...Aim!

The seat works.  Fire away!

Got the floor tacked in here, still need to do a full perimeter weld.

One thing had been bugging me...the last time I checked the toe on the front suspension it was like 1/2" toe out, and I'd adjusted it in as far as it could go.  So last night I went out and modified the tie rod ends to trim 1/4" off each end.  The result was about 1/2" of toe-IN.  hehehe.  Well, at least now it's adjustable.  I feel better now.  And can get back to the metal work. 

Now that the engine's in and the floors are starting to become more steel than air, I really want to get a driveshaft in this thing.  It's going to be $400 to have one made up, but I guess I just better suck it up and get er done, rather than agonizing over it. 

I like what I see. This thing will be very zippy with that gear set. I would look at some good valve springs and a harmonic balancer because you will want to hit the upper register often. 

Lack of posting here does not indicate a lack of progress.  Got the driveshaft measured up- it's going to be a wee short little thing, only about 28" long.  But, I checked the length at ride height, compression, and full droop and it didn't vary by more than 1/4".  So the slip yoke at the trans output should be fine. 

I also started welding in the replacement outrigger member on the driver's side, and started poking away at the rusty mess of the passenger side floor now. 

The passenger floor, rusty metal being sliced & diced:

It was raining ferric oxide underneath.  Note new, non-Hazzard Fraught double-locking jack stand.

The ES got put on hiatus for a bit while I got a 122 ready to rallycross.  Last night I was back in the garage, adding new metal to the passenger sill of the ES:

Now that that's tacked in, the floor will be next, then the rest of the engine doghouse can begin to be framed in. 

Holy jumping Jehosaphat, it's been a fortnight since I've updated things in this neighborhood!  Progress is being made, as progress can be made.  Besides the rally car there have been some house projects, a wagon I've been restoring for the kids, a 1950 American Flyer train set my dad gave me that I got running, and building a new barn.  So, near total and complete project ADD going on, but at least any procrastination on one project almost inevitably leads to progress on another.

So, where's things stand with the 1800ES?

Currently working the passenger side.  The front floor is patched, and the new firewall is Under Construction.  Next up will be the rear floor patch and then to start framing in the doghouse and driveshaft tunnel.  Although I really ought to get that new driveshaft fabbed up first...

Welcome back. 

That is a lot of firewall setback.  You have the same Miata seats I have and they are located about the same in relation to the B-post . How is the legroom working out? 

In reply to NOHOME :

Good to be back. 

The firewall setback isn't as severe as it looks.  Basically, about an inch or two behind where the flat floor intersects the angled-up piece that follows the frame rail into the engine bay, I welded in the new firewall mostly vertical.  The seat will be basically all the way back; the rear seat is coming out. 

The footwell will be pretty narrow, only about a foot wide.  This is to give adequate clearance for the exhaust over here, as I had to move the engine slightly to the right to give the driver enough room. 

Also, Mrs VCH is five-foot-two. 

Nice work.  Going to take some serious tube fab for the exhaust, if I'm seeing this right.  What about heat in the cockpit?  Looks tighter than a Honeymoon hole in there, so to speak.

volvoclearinghouse (Forum Supporter) said:

Holy jumping Jehosaphat, it's been a fortnight since I've updated things in this neighborhood!  Progress is being made, as progress can be made.  Besides the rally car there have been some house projects, a wagon I've been restoring for the kids, a 1950 American Flyer train set my dad gave me that I got running, and building a new barn. 

Stabby couplers or knuckle couplers? Steam or diesel? 

(yes, I have my dad's collection of Flyer stuff, with a few Lionel bits tossed in.)

In reply to RandolphCarter :

Whatever these are.  See pics below.  There was some literature in the box from 1950; assuming that was the year the AF stuff is from.  There was also an HO setup, HObbyline, from 1955.  Cool old toys, they run great despite being boxed up for 20+ years.

My dad actually got them from a friend of his.  They're both in their 70's, and the friend has no one in his family who was interested in them, and knew my dad had grandkids (and a mechanically-minded son).  In an ironic twist, shortly after my dad brought the trains down, his friend ended up in the hospital with some serious illness.  My kids made some cards this morning to send to him, thanking him for the trains and wishing him get well.