1979 Volvo Laplander 4x4 build
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- #27
Thanks! I've been following Ged's truck with awe. Don't be expecting as much electronic wizardry and dime stacking welds in this one lol.
It's a Volvo, it broke all my other tools!
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- #29
You and me both! But this one's going to be diesel! Looking at the VW/Audi AEL engine thy used in the 850s and early V70s. The first Volvo I had (bought from NI_Volvo_Nut many years ago) had that engine and it's ideal for this job, it even bolts straight up if I get the 5 speed box from a diesel 740. A bit of work needed to fit that to the transfer box in place of the 4 speed, but it's all been done. With 6.17 diffs and a 1:1 transfer I need the overdrive ratio or I might as well put a bike engine in! Might still go for lower ratio diffs in future, they're Dana 44s so there seems to be a air range of stuff, I'm just not sure how much will fit off the shelf.
I find this vehicle very interesting, probably because I hadn't seen one before so I was googling a bit to learn more.
I stumbled on this site, which you have probably seen, but has a lot of stuff in English. Has some basic manuals etc.
michaels Volvo C303 site in englisch
I stumbled on this site, which you have probably seen, but has a lot of stuff in English. Has some basic manuals etc.
michaels Volvo C303 site in englisch
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- #31
A bit more progress with the stripdown, with a fight to get the heater out, the windscreen off, and the first cut in the body as I'm getting ready to lift it off the chassis.
The heater is going straight on the scrap pile. I'll work out a better solution than this...
With the heater and windscreen removed the cab doesn't have a whole lot left to do. The pedal box will be a bit of a pain. It has a weird brake master cylinder arrangement, with 2 cylinders for the early twin circuit system, 2 fluid reservoirs visible on the dash top, 2 servos behind the rear bumper etc. I'm going to look at making it a more moderns etup, with one master, one servo and a check valve...
The first rough cut behind the cab, making sure to cut aft of the body mounts so the cab is held with 4 bolts as per the factory ones, not 2! The Makita recip saw is great for stuff like this.
The heater is going straight on the scrap pile. I'll work out a better solution than this...
With the heater and windscreen removed the cab doesn't have a whole lot left to do. The pedal box will be a bit of a pain. It has a weird brake master cylinder arrangement, with 2 cylinders for the early twin circuit system, 2 fluid reservoirs visible on the dash top, 2 servos behind the rear bumper etc. I'm going to look at making it a more moderns etup, with one master, one servo and a check valve...
The first rough cut behind the cab, making sure to cut aft of the body mounts so the cab is held with 4 bolts as per the factory ones, not 2! The Makita recip saw is great for stuff like this.
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Some more progress with the stripdown. The wiring on these is a nightmare, every core is either blue or yellow (very Swedish) with aluminium tags on each end. Of course the tags are now mostly white powder, and with the changes I'm making anyway, it's getting ripped out and done from scratch.
The rear body is now liftable, just waiting a reshuffle (and this spare Amazon to be sold) so I have room to move stuff around.
Of course nothing can ever be lifted without forgetting something. This time it was a load bearing handbrake cable which might now be knackered, probably already was though!
The rear body is now liftable, just waiting a reshuffle (and this spare Amazon to be sold) so I have room to move stuff around.
Of course nothing can ever be lifted without forgetting something. This time it was a load bearing handbrake cable which might now be knackered, probably already was though!
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- #34
Is there any way to edit the first post so the picture on the preview is at least the right vehicle?
It's been a busy few weeks, but been chipping away most evenings.
Rear body is now gone, and the chassis is pleasantly solid underneath, no nasty surprises, and just a bit of rust on the rear crossmember to deal with. I'll get the chassis blasted in the next few weeks all being well.
The cab is stripped now, including the sound deadening stuff on the inside and a fair bit of the paint on the outside. Need to dig the doors out of storage to strip those too. The cab is almost ready to lift - just need to remove the handbrake and gearstick and it'll lift straight off. Waiting on doing some work on my new daily before taking up more shed space by splitting them. Once the cab is off and the chassis is being blasted, I'll make a start on the axles - I have 2 sets, they're all Salisbury which if they were for a series Landy would be a very good thing, but may prove tricky to get some parts for. Won't really know til they're stripped down. I am hoping to change the 6.17 ratio diffs to something more suitable to diesel torque, like the 5.38 from earlier Laplanders, or maybe even 4.7s if LR Salisbury gears will fit. It'll never be fast though - I'm told they get pretty scary above 60mph!
It's been a busy few weeks, but been chipping away most evenings.
Rear body is now gone, and the chassis is pleasantly solid underneath, no nasty surprises, and just a bit of rust on the rear crossmember to deal with. I'll get the chassis blasted in the next few weeks all being well.
The cab is stripped now, including the sound deadening stuff on the inside and a fair bit of the paint on the outside. Need to dig the doors out of storage to strip those too. The cab is almost ready to lift - just need to remove the handbrake and gearstick and it'll lift straight off. Waiting on doing some work on my new daily before taking up more shed space by splitting them. Once the cab is off and the chassis is being blasted, I'll make a start on the axles - I have 2 sets, they're all Salisbury which if they were for a series Landy would be a very good thing, but may prove tricky to get some parts for. Won't really know til they're stripped down. I am hoping to change the 6.17 ratio diffs to something more suitable to diesel torque, like the 5.38 from earlier Laplanders, or maybe even 4.7s if LR Salisbury gears will fit. It'll never be fast though - I'm told they get pretty scary above 60mph!
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Brilliant!
So many memories of these! "The Pig" as we call them, very capable off road
Should have petrol engines, so sweet with the I6 but the I5 or T5 would be very nice too
So many memories of these! "The Pig" as we call them, very capable off road
Should have petrol engines, so sweet with the I6 but the I5 or T5 would be very nice too
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- #38
The bigger C303, 304 and 306 had the I6 B30 engine, this C202 only came with the B20 I4 which is enough of a squeeze! The original model that used this body is known as the 'Valp' in Sweden, which I believe means puppy, for how awkward they look. Not too much progress lately, been on with other stuff and lacking in motivation!
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I had a few weeks of little to no progress, as I've been working through my new to me daily XC90 when I've had a chance. I did manage to separate the cab from the chassis, and decided it was worth getting a local fabricator to sort the rusty rear crossmember and few other bits for me, to speed things up. The portable gantry crane made easy work of this job! I'm weighing up whether to get the chassis galvanised at this stage. It's not without its risks, it could warp the chassis. I'll take advice from the fabricator on that, as I may regret not doing it.
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Just makes me work harder! There are times when it's just too cold to bother, it's 30 mins each way to drive from the house too. One day I'll have my own windproof shed 30 seconds walk away.
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Definitely worth getting it properly rust sealed with it all apart anyway. It's a beast but so cool
Most defenders get rebuilt onto new galvanised chassis as by the time people get round to it, the original chassis is beyond saving. I was also watching a thread on another forum where a Disco 3 was being refurbished and he decided to get the chassis galvanised for longevity. He found it difficult to find a galvaniser to do it as they were worried about the risk of dirt inside the chassis contaminating their tanks. In the end he found somewhere who scheduled him in just before a tank drain down but i think it took a lot of effort to get to that point.
Wont have a problem getting it gavlinized as long as you get it blasted inside and out, its what ive done on both my defender builds, the likes of Sperrin or Silverwood galvinizers will acid dip the chassis as part of the process that will remove the last of the contaiminates.
Its the only job for a box chassis. For an open chassis I just prefer paint as its easier maintained.
Cheers,
Ged
Its the only job for a box chassis. For an open chassis I just prefer paint as its easier maintained.
Cheers,
Ged
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- #48
Unfortunately that's where I am! My welder man has suggested if I get it galv'd they'll leave it in the acid over a weekend to get it clean.
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740 diesels have 4+OD manual box, don't know if that makes any difference to you.