Volvo 480 Club Europe

Eventually, Lily had her spray job so it was time to apply the pinstripes I bought from cranna - original Volvo ones, black and grey and still in the box. Perfect !
The bodyshop use their local signwriter for stripes - silly me had visions of an old fashioned signwriter with a paintbrush in one hand and stick to steady his hand in the other. Instead he was about 25 with a computer system that cuts designs from vinyl, but at least he was able to stick my pinstripes on very accurately once we'd agreed the exact position.


I am so pleased with them, lovely finishing touch.

Those stripes finish off the white sooo well!

I'm really looking forward to having Lily meet Lily in October

As for that poor GT ...I think breaking it up for parts is probably the kindest thing now...

David

Damn you all

I want pinstripes as well now!

ah, but what colour would you have ?

Did the signwriter make new ones or use yours?

They look really smart, not something you see today.

arthuy wrote:Did the signwriter make new ones or use yours?

They look really smart, not something you see today.

He used the Volvo ones. I don't know how long they will stay looking good - I'd hoped to have them laquered over but the white paint is built up in layers and the top one isn't completely clear so it would have meant laquering the whole car as an extra coat. Also, I was warned that the laquer might affect the stripes and make them bubble. Just have to be ultra careful when cleaning.

dragonflyjewels wrote:

arthuy wrote:Did the signwriter make new ones or use yours?

They look really smart, not something you see today.

He used the Volvo ones. I don't know how long they will stay looking good - I'd hoped to have them laquered over but the white paint is built up in layers and the top one isn't completely clear so it would have meant laquering the whole car as an extra coat. Also, I was warned that the laquer might affect the stripes and make them bubble. Just have to be ultra careful when cleaning.

Hmm...interesting problem to have! I guess on a metallic finish there would at least be the benefit that the top coat will be a clear lacquer. You'll just have to get used to being very careful!!

Looking forward to seeing this car "in the metal"

David

Heater buttons before and after sanding
There should be a picture here, but it isn't displaying sigh..... I checked I'd got the url right by copying it into my browser, and that found the pic no problem so it must be the forum playing up. I didn't get an error message, it just showed the url instead of the photo. Has anyone else had that ?

Silly me, kept thinking I'd got a typo in the URL and didn't even look at the command !
These are the heater buttons before and after sanding. Still debating whether to follow jifflemon's advice and add a coat of nail varnish. Anything bigger would go on the polishing wheel with jeweller's wax but we'd have to rig up something to attach these to. Might dig the Dremel out if I can remember where I put it when we started the house renovation. Anyway, they'll do for now.

Those heater knobs make a huge difference to the interior of 480's

dragonflyjewels wrote:Silly me, kept thinking I'd got a typo in the URL and didn't even look at the command !
These are the heater buttons before and after sanding. Still debating whether to follow jifflemon's advice and add a coat of nail varnish. Anything bigger would go on the polishing wheel with jeweller's wax but we'd have to rig up something to attach these to. Might dig the Dremel out if I can remember where I put it when we started the house renovation. Anyway, they'll do for now.

Oh

When I first bought the GT ready to be Al's retirement car, he was still working away. I put it in the garage and used it as a cupboard for all the 480 parts I kept buying. In the boot was a cardboard box with all the smallest bits in it. When Al retired he emptied the car out, took an inventory (which he promptly lost ) and re-arranged the garage with most of the parts stashed in the roof rafters. Many times I have asked after my box, many hours I have spent searching for it. FINALLY last week I found it with the treasures we'd been needing - original Volvo sunroof struts (Lily got repaired with 3D printed ones from Shapeways) but more importantly these:

So, both turbos went to Belgium with shiny new buttons - hooray
Amazing what turns up on evilbay every now and then

Oooh
If you have a spare one for sale...................................

Sorry to say I only bought 6 - never envisaged having 4 480s. Wish now I'd bought the lot of course, but I don't think we even knew about the club at the time so 6 seemed ample. There were loads of them so there must be cars out there sporting newish ones. Might be worth asking when a breaker comes up.

4 480 sounds delightfully unreasonable

o totally - sheer GREED ! It's not as though we like them or anything.....

Sylvia and Al are buying them all up to make them as rare as possible on the market and so push values up...

David

damn, sussed us out.....
I was actually quite proud of myself when I turned down an offer to buy a friend's two tone - we just can't bring ourselves to sell any of them. Anyway, now the two tone is being featured on Wheeler Dealer we should see prices rise as long as they don't mention quirky electrical problems or unobtanium. Trouble is, prices of parts will probably rise as well and they're ludicrously expensive now

dragonflyjewels wrote:Silly me, kept thinking I'd got a typo in the URL and didn't even look at the command !
These are the heater buttons before and after sanding. Still debating whether to follow jifflemon's advice and add a coat of nail varnish. Anything bigger would go on the polishing wheel with jeweller's wax but we'd have to rig up something to attach these to. Might dig the Dremel out if I can remember where I put it when we started the house renovation. Anyway, they'll do for now.

Nail varnish isn't that durable.

Enjoyable read - I love before and after photos, you can really see the improvement after her respray. It was lovely to see Lilly last weekend too, and those pinstripes are great.

You mentioned you had sunroof struts 3d printed, are those the small plastic things that always break? I have a new pair still in bag of those somewhere, but I can not find them anywhere Nice to hear someone is 3d printing them, do they still do them?? As I may need some!