We need more BEIGE, 83 242

[James M]

Introducing a beige 83 242 that I hope to keep a little longer than most of my cars, I have plans for a swap or two down the line. .Currently has a m46, b23 and no AC, just the way I like it B234T5, T5 transmission, still no AC



I’ve been trying to get my friends into Volvos so they don’t keep buying ****boxes that I don’t want to work on, one is in a 244 I bought last year, another wants a 242. After looking for a car for him I bought this 83 242 from Luke, sitting since 2014 and a little smushed in the front but he threw all in the panels I needed. As soon as I saw it in person I knew there is a good chance I’ll have to find another one for him, I can’t pass up 172 rose beige (or any beige as I guess I can’t tell the difference).

In its napping place:




After getting the parts collected off the 244 next to it we headed home, the car drove quite well for something with 5 year old gas in it, barely any brake and crusty wiring




Sunday I took the panels off and started repairs, looks so naked




Pulled in closer to the garage and got a better look at the bumper support, pushed up nicely but only at the tip, core support back looked fine




In the process I ran over the can of white lithium grease visible in one of the other pictures



I found that bracing the lower core support with jack stands, putting a bumper shock into the mounting hole and standing on it, along with some hammer swinging and map gas did a pretty good job of rebending the rail back into place




After straightening it out I wire wheeled the rusty spots and poorly painted them, should give me another 50 miles over bare metal




Put the front end together and it was looking much better, need to get some bumper trim out of storage for it but otherwise much more complete



Next was rear sets Luke included, old ones had seen better days at the hands of a long hair pup




Door panels needed to be put on but didn't fit over the wood brackets made for the speakers, after trimming them down they slipped right on, definitely going to make some brackets for my wagon when/if I but speaker back in it




Cleaned and deletriced all the crusty connectors. Fuses only worked at specific angles when driving it home and I didnt want to lose my lights. Ended up spending an hour or two chasing electrical issues to find it was bad connections at the bulb housings and intermittent bad connection from a bent fuse holder




Took a break and went out, got back around midnight, planned on heading up to Chico in the 242 about 100 miles but was greeted with a nice leak under the car




Slid under the car to find it was the hose from the sending unit to the main pump, the color (hopefully) coming from dissolving undercoating and gunk on the old hose, pulled the hose to find two holes worn in it, at the clamp and where it goes between the brackets for the tank




No place open that sells hose and I tossed the old one I took of my wagon when I converted to a single pump, So I called it quits and drove up in the 245.


Let me know if its too picture heavy, focuses on little stuff too much or whatever. Recording what i'm doing makes working on it even more fun so I'd like to make it as readable as possible

[James M]

Not really, I value the ability to work on the car this week dramatically more then sleep so I pulled everything out of the wagon, stole the hose out of it (I need a better one anyways as it sees full pressure from a bigger in tank pump) and threw it on. Why drive a perfectly functioning car when you just bought a new one.





Fired it up leak free and tossed the tools in the trunk. “Big enough to hide a body” - The guy who sold me my first 242

The 49er tape on the hammer is not mine I was rooting for the Chiefs



Got halfway out of the driveway and remembered overdrive didn't work driving it home, I was not excited to drive 100 miles in 4th gear, pulled off the boot to find the eco harness was decomposing nicely



Touched the wires together and on came the light, soldered it up and nothing… pulled off the knob to discover it was unplugged as well. Threw it back together and after a few presses to free up the switch it worked




Left at 2:30 in the morning, got gas and crossed my fingers



Drove up great, reminds me how relaxing these cars are when you maintain instead of mod, speedo is about 10mph off at 65, could use a center support bearing and I need to find quiet down the wind noise (looking at you leaky sunroof)



4:30 AM I ate half a box of Goldfish in the car and “day”dreamed about what to do with it.



For real this time: Let me know if its too picture heavy, focuses on little stuff too much or whatever. Recording what i'm doing makes working on it even more fun so I'd like to make it as readable as possible

[Harlard]

Works for me so far

[Vol242vo]

I like it, not too picture heavy. I like what you’re doing and the just ‘go for it’ attitude towards this 242. I love hearing stories about these cars sitting for so long and with very little amount of work, they just keep going...

[122power]

Nice work man! Glad it went to a motivated owner its what the car needed! Got the od workin too! Woop.

[James M]

Originally Posted by Vol242vo

I like it, not too picture heavy. I like what you’re doing and the just ‘go for it’ attitude towards this 242. I love hearing stories about these cars sitting for so long and with very little amount of work, they just keep going...

Thanks, Glad the 3 mile long post isn't too much
They do just keep going, It went from a napping in the grass to driving 100 miles by pretty much just cleaning stuff

[Broke4speed]

I dig it .

[J ripper]

Stoked to see this car up and running. It spent some time at my place.

[hackster]

Love the beige!!

Beige and Brown for the win.

Sean

[2manyturbos]

It's a great starting place. I think I have both of those front bumper corner trims if you don't have a set.

[Estateman]

Very sweet whip. I love the color and B23 + M46 combo as well. The amount of pics is perfect, can’t wait to see what else happens!

[James M]

Found a set of rims last night, listing stated they where 5x108 14inch enkei 92 rims. Was skeptical, didn't think they where ever made in 5x108 or 5x4.25

Picture from listing, they are silver but looked goldish in this picture to me


Went to the ATM and pulled out 160, got to the rims and he accepted an offer of 140 but only had 120 , paypaled him the difference and went back to the ATM to find my $40 still sitting in the cash slot, lucky me



Test fitted them back at the apartment and HEY, they fit! Not sure if mesh rims are liked around here but I love them, have a set of 15" enkei 92 rims on my datsun and have always wanted them on a volvo. If only someone had a set of 15 inch Multi X rims for my wagon




Specs seem to be 5x108, 14x6 et26, they are pretty damn close to the ear(?) on the rear caliper. Think ill have to get ~5 mm spacers to bring it closer to Volvo spec.



Was hoping to get a set of tires put on and try to mount them today to test for rubbing. Went to a local tire shop and called a few more, best quote was $370 for a set of aspen touring tires mounted and balanced. Thinking Ill order a set of Federal SS595 tires online and find a place that doesn't charge $72 to mount and balance 4 tires that arnt even on a car.


Ordered the tires and spacers, should be here by early next week

[James M]

Thanks for all the love on the car, glad to see Beige is well liked, looks so good on these cars in my opinion.

Originally Posted by 2manyturbos

It's a great starting place. I think I have both of those front bumper corner trims if you don't have a set.

I have the bumper trim I just have to get it out of my storage unit next time I'm down in Davis, you never know how important they are until they are missing!

[white855T]

Yep those enkeis were made in 5x108. Find a hispanic tire shop in your arear Should be able to get them mounted for about $40. That's what I pay(mount & balance). I just take my wheels and tires and watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't damage wheels. Would of been sweet to find a set in 15s but still cool wheels.

[James M]

Originally Posted by white855T

Yep those enkeis were made in 5x108. Find a hispanic tire shop in your arear Should be able to get them mounted for about $40. That's what I pay(mount & balance). I just take my wheels and tires and watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't damage wheels. Would of been sweet to find a set in 15s but still cool wheels.

There used to be a place that would for ~40 but the owner changed management and they bumped up there prices. 15s would be nice but I like the way these look

[James M]

Tires arrived and got mounted, cost more then I would like but at-least they are on. New tires are 195/60r14, much smaller then before but I like the look of the rear. The front is way to high, either gonna chop some springs or look for just a front set of lowering springs.





Finally washed the car, de-greaser and hot water from a pressure washer took off half a decade of gunk and moss, really looks great but needs waxed

Before:




After:


After the wash idle was a little irratic and I could hear a strange noise, took me a second to spot it but the cap was cracked, full of water and arcing inside, replacing it made a world of difference

Crusty aluminum for you:


Replaced the voltage regulator within the cluster, fixed my gauge issues and somehow my wipers and door chime, but that might be unrelated.



Grabbed some armrests from the PnP, old ones where cracked and felt like they where about to tear in half every time you grabbed them. Got some trim for the window handles and finally bolted the drivers one in

[2manyturbos]

I have a bunch of brown interior pieces if you need any. Window crank handles, head rest, passenger side armrest etc.

[James M]

Originally Posted by 2manyturbos

I have a bunch of brown interior pieces if you need any. Window crank handles, head rest, passenger side armrest etc.

I got good stuff from the picknpull, the armrest in the pictures is the old one. Just need a second door interior handle bezel but Jack keeps grabbing them all!

Off to the pnp again tomorrow, maybe ill find one there

[2manyturbos]

Originally Posted by James M

I got good stuff from the picknpull, the armrest in the pictures is the old one. Just need a second door interior handle bezel but Jack keeps grabbing them all!

Off to the pnp again tomorrow, maybe ill find one there

If you don't find one I have one in brown.

[Vol242vo]

Before and after difference looks great. Keep it up.

[James M]

Looked for any parts forthe 242 at the picknpull and found a black headliner for a sunroof model, hopefully it fits over the massively thicc aftermarket electric sunroof



Spend the rest of the weekend working on other volvos (anyone against multiple cars showing up in the same thread?)

Did a +t on my buddies 244, already needs a new clutch and its only at 8psi, previous/original owners said they never had it done in its 34 year lifespan


Started a black interior swap on my wagon, now to tint the windows in 2 cars

Crusty, oily and kinda tan:


Black and clean, anything dropped on the ground is now invisible in the dark:

[Old Iron]

Great save! Love good old projects like this!

[Vol242vo]

Carpet looks great, nice progress!

[James M]

Is two cars in one thread actually frowned upon? Or too confusing? They are both Beige so it seems to fit for me

This is on my 1989 245, I would make another thread but i'm already pretty far into this car



Pulled a set of black door cards from storage to match the carpets, a little crusty and water damaged


Painted them up with some moisture resistant paint, should stop any more rot


Much closer to a black interior, need the seats and rear carpet to finish the look


In come a set of WRX seats, because sliding across the seat every turn is a little annoying


Don't worry ill get back to the 242, but need to get the wagon ready for some spirited driving

[Dijon]

Dude! Didn't realize there was someone else in Chico on this board! I'm glad there's someone else close by to help me bother Jack I'm interested to see out the WRX seats work out, I'm in a similar predicament