Awww! Mothballs!!

Here you can talk about the joy owning a Volvo 480 brings. Non-technical discussions take place here, like what is the difference between an ES and a S version.

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Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by Martin Mc » Fri Apr 10, 2020 7:40 pm

Hello wedgie community,

I was wondering how many others of you might have taken a similar decision to lay up / mothball / hibernate your cars due to the current lock-down? I started last month by taking the car off road and declaring SORN and then that progressed to putting the car into the garage in an effort to make the front of the house look a little tidier. Then, due to the extraordinary levels of 'forced DIY' (that I'm sure many of you have become acquainted with in recent weeks!), combined with the loss of recycling facilities, vast swathes of cardboard and other cack has needed a place to stay. Needless to say the destination wasn't my choice (SWMBO deposited the first lot and the idea persisted), but it has raised the odd eyebrow :wink:

Here she is... :( :lol:
Image
Anyone else gone into lock-down limbo with their wedgie?
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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dragonflyjewels
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1584
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:38 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by dragonflyjewels » Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:29 pm

Ours never came out ! Eva hid in the carcoon while we were in Spain. Home on the 4th and Al was packing the coon away on the 5th in eager anticipation of having her back on the road. However, I decided we should self isolate and just keep the Saab taxed for the duration so Eva only drove off the coon base then back and sat warming her engine. Lily hasn't set rubber outside our garage and Sven is still snoring in the rented garage while Snazzy is snug in the restoration workshop. Al started Eva, Lily and Junk today to give them all a warm up. As usual the girls turned over a few times before starting and Junk sprang into life instantly. That car is amazing, the battery on it is an old one that got replaced on one of the other wedges and it must be 6 months since Al last connected it up and ran it. Even the manky cheap old tyres still had full pressure in them. Has to be the one with the tatterdemalion body that has the best mechanics dunnit :bla:
Sylvia

Snazzy - 1993 Paris Blue ES red dipstick 2.0i bought 2001
Lethal Lily - 1991 White Turbo
Paris the Unicorn - 1991 Paris Edition
hubby has
Sven - 1994 Racing Green GT
Evil Eva - 1992 Paris Blue Turbo

no previous 480s - can't bear to sell any

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by jifflemon » Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:53 pm

I'm busier than ever on them!

Perfect time to start getting all those little jobs done! Come on Martin, those rear lights are dying to polished... plus you could get the wheels off and give the insides of them a real good clean?

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by MisterH » Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:08 pm

Mines getting more use now than ever before. Because my grandmother has denentia, me and my father take daily trips to check up on her and make sure she is behaving. I drive the Volvo over there through the country lanes and give her a good blast on the A-roads now deserted. In terms of keeping cars stored we have no garage space so all our cars live outside anyway, without a cover, that being said, the Volvo is the dryest it's been in yonks

My grandmother was cooking mussels tonight to will have to see the damage tomorrow :shock:
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by Martin Mc » Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:33 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:53 pm
I'm busier than ever on them!

Perfect time to start getting all those little jobs done! Come on Martin, those rear lights are dying to polished... plus you could get the wheels off and give the insides of them a real good clean?
Haha Jeff, yes I thought about the rear clusters as soon as I'd posted the pic, as they stand out like a sore thumb at the back of the car. Just need to find the thread (I'm sure there are several actually) to swot up on what to do and then add to the mountain of cardboard by going online and ordering the kit!

I've got the battery disconnected whilst she's laid up, so not going to move far (not withstanding the motorhome, wife's car and my run around that stand between the garage and the open road ;)
MisterH wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:08 pm
Mines getting more use now than ever before. Because my grandmother has denentia, me and my father take daily trips to check up on her and make sure she is behaving. I drive the Volvo over there through the country lanes and give her a good blast on the A-roads now deserted. In terms of keeping cars stored we have no garage space so all our cars live outside anyway, without a cover, that being said, the Volvo is the dryest it's been in yonks

My grandmother was cooking mussels tonight to will have to see the damage tomorrow :shock:
Mixed feelings for you there - on the one hand you have the old lady needing lots of attention, likely to deteriorate rather than get better and probably a shadow of her former self - and then there's your gran!

:D :D :D
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by MisterH » Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:40 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:33 pm
MisterH wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:08 pm
Mines getting more use now than ever before. Because my grandmother has denentia, me and my father take daily trips to check up on her and make sure she is behaving. I drive the Volvo over there through the country lanes and give her a good blast on the A-roads now deserted. In terms of keeping cars stored we have no garage space so all our cars live outside anyway, without a cover, that being said, the Volvo is the dryest it's been in yonks

My grandmother was cooking mussels tonight to will have to see the damage tomorrow :shock:
Mixed feelings for you there - on the one hand you have the old lady needing lots of attention, likely to deteriorate rather than get better and probably a shadow of her former self - and then there's your gran!

:D :D :D
The radio aerial brushed a low hanging branch and now won't retract all the way :roll:

Still works though but the radio screen has never displayed anything since I've had it, so picks up weird comedy sketches and Norse code on the air waves!

Other than that the car runs fine
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by jifflemon » Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:46 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:33 pm
Haha Jeff, yes I thought about the rear clusters as soon as I'd posted the pic, as they stand out like a sore thumb at the back of the car. Just need to find the thread (I'm sure there are several actually) to swot up on what to do and then add to the mountain of cardboard by going online and ordering the kit!
One less excuse!

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Apr 12, 2020 3:11 pm

I was suggetsing taking the 480 off the road and NOT puting the SS1 onto road, but SWAMBO insists that she cannot park the C30 so the 480 will be getting used through summer.

The old one is getting a serious re-hash of any 'iffy' metal-work ready for the winter in ABZ. might not be super tidy, but solid is the name of game
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by jifflemon » Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:28 pm

So here's a suggestio for any bored owners. Clean your wheels.

Step 1 - remove the wheel. Yes, seriously.

Here's the cleanest wheel from Henry:
Image

Image

Step 2: Soak with a variety of chemicals, starting with TFR at a 50/50 dilution rate, moving through to actual wheel cleaner, normal car shampoo, before finishing off with a bit of clay barring for the face.

Image

Image

Took about 45 minutes per wheel.

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by Martin Mc » Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:57 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:28 pm
So here's a suggestion for any bored owners. Clean your wheels.

Took about 45 minutes per wheel.
No, not that bored yet :rofl:
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by Alan 480 » Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:45 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:57 pm
jifflemon wrote:
Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:28 pm
So here's a suggestion for any bored owners. Clean your wheels.

Took about 45 minutes per wheel.
No, not that bored yet :rofl:
ditto, plenty of jobs on EVA (and the other one) before I get onto that !!!! :shock:
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

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brinkie
480 Connoisseur
Posts: 857
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:20 am
Location: The Netherlands
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Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by brinkie » Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:54 pm

I seem to be one of the "lucky" people in this Covid-19-ridden world, that has been swamped in work and so does my wife, both organizations we work for are going through challenging times. On top of that, both children are at home because schools are closed, so we have to help them with school work as well.

Needless to say, poor little 480 is currently mothballed and tucked in, filled up with ethanol-free fuel and has a fresh battery, fully charged and disconnected.
Image

But the big V70 is now crying for attention, the passenger side rear view mirror was a bit wobbly and when I investigated the cause, I suddenly had a mirror glass in my hands (in one piece, not shattered on the pavement fortunately!). So I have glued it back in. Drivers side mirror was also about to leave its home, so glued that one back in as well. I will probably lose a bit of the mirror heater function but the price of a new V70 mirror is higher than glue. :)
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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brinkie
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Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by brinkie » Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:28 pm

PS: Martin, have you already swapped the instrument cluster? After its long journeys through Hermes-hell I am very curious it will actually work. :)
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: Awww! Mothballs!!

Post by Martin Mc » Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:25 pm

Robert,

Soooo jealous of the wonderful treatment you are lavishing on your 480 - as you've seen from the first photo on the thread, mine is somewhat less comfortably stowed in a garage that is more reminiscent of a recycling centre than a safe haven for a treasured vehicle!

On the cluster question - yes, I fitted it on the same day it arrived via Tory HQ Hemel Hempstead :) and yes it works (mostly). I've noticed the info-centre doesn't scroll between functions via the dashboard switch, but had wondered whether I might not have seated everything correctly in my haste to swap the units over. When I get a little while I do intend to do a quick strip down and refit to see if the info centre can be coaxed into life.

Best regards to you and famliy, and all fellow wedgie enthusiasts wherever you are in this oddly challenged world!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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