1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Here you can start a thread about your 480 days. Only the starter of the thread is allowed to fill his thread, and only one thread per person. Threads are simply a personal diary.

Moderators: jifflemon, coyote1980, Rachel

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by jamescarruthers » Tue May 04, 2021 4:29 pm

OMFG it’s basically ready and will go for an MOT in a few weeks.

Image

Image

Bumper stripe may be a bit thin!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

User avatar
edie_fox
480 Rookie
Posts: 415
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:05 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by edie_fox » Tue May 04, 2021 4:33 pm

My favourite colour! Looks amazing James. Good luck.

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by Alan 480 » Tue May 04, 2021 5:01 pm

jamescarruthers wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 4:29 pm
OMFG it’s basically ready and will go for an MOT in a few weeks.

Image

Image

Bumper stripe may be a bit thin!
never mind the bumper stripe, I'd be scared to take out onto public highway just in case any eejit is within twenty paces!!! :hopping:

looks really , really good
Alan

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

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by MisterH » Tue May 04, 2021 5:49 pm

Wow James that really does look stunning, you have done an incredible job with that!

Still personally not sold on the coloured bumpers, seems to be overbalanced a bit in my sight, but that has to be one of, if not the best around now :hopping:


Really well done, I wonder if we will have another launch car come out of the woodwork, have you made any progress on that database?
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
Jay-Kay-Em
480 Rookie
Posts: 428
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:42 pm
Location: Huntingdon
Contact:

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by Jay-Kay-Em » Tue May 04, 2021 6:39 pm

Yep, to second others, lookin' fab.

The coloured bumpers also look great... but I still need time to program my brain of a CPV launch car not having them black.

It makes you realise, in bright red, just how much of a WOW factor that must of been to staid Volvo dealers in '86.

I doff my cap to you sir and look forward to seeing it out and about one day in the Cambridgeshire area.
Jay-Kay-Em
-------------------------------------
Click here for My 480 Turbo Diary
Click here for My Cars

Norm57
Can tell where the 480 was built
Posts: 362
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:08 pm
Location: Knaresborough

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by Norm57 » Tue May 04, 2021 7:44 pm

Wow James that’s stunning! Hope you can bring it oop North later this year.How long has it taken in total? And whatever the cost it looks totally worth it,well done.

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by dragonflyjewels » Tue May 04, 2021 8:24 pm

Looks fabulous ! Glad to see your patience has been so well worth while.

Talking of thin bumper stripes, we went to see Sven today. Paint job all finished but the rear bumper stripe is also thin - must be a bodyshop 'thing' to match the width on the bumper to the width on the rubbing strips. I didn't have the heart to remind him we discussed it on Snazzy (as well as not wanting another painful lump on the bill !)
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

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by jamescarruthers » Mon May 24, 2021 8:43 am

OMGF! Today is the day!!!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by jifflemon » Mon May 24, 2021 10:40 am

Hope the weather improves!!

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by jamescarruthers » Mon May 24, 2021 3:02 pm

Home now!

Image
Image
Image
Image

Delighted that the wheels match the centre caps after refurbishment.

A few little things to sort out for me, but nothing major. Radio seems to have died after being off for so long. A few bits of trim need some TLC. The brake compensator rattles a little now that it has the correct springs on the back and sits properly.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by MisterH » Mon May 24, 2021 3:34 pm

https://i.gifer.com/83RO.gif

Wow James you have done a spectacular job getting that to that point, and the black trim lines really set the car off. It looks so ready to hit the autoroutes and head for the sun (with suitable rear light protection obviously :lol: )

I take it you have done suitable rust proofing on yours? I was not best pleased when a paint bubble appeared on mine 3 weeks after paint...
Not too bad though
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
Jay-Kay-Em
480 Rookie
Posts: 428
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:42 pm
Location: Huntingdon
Contact:

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by Jay-Kay-Em » Mon May 24, 2021 7:08 pm

Wow; congratulations getting D828CPV home. A genuine salvage story. Top work!
Jay-Kay-Em
-------------------------------------
Click here for My 480 Turbo Diary
Click here for My Cars

JohnO
480 Newbie
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:59 pm
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland
Contact:

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by JohnO » Mon May 24, 2021 8:12 pm

Really looks great James. What a job.
JohnO
Central Scotland
M ybw Celebration 51/480 just adopted from fellow member
F ggg Black 480 es 1989 - garaged for 20 years, rotten arches

Rob88h
Started learning about 480
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:59 am
Location: Essix

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by Rob88h » Mon May 24, 2021 9:42 pm

Simply stunning

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by dragonflyjewels » Mon May 24, 2021 10:02 pm

WOW !! From tatty barn find to spectacular beauty -excellent work all round.
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

User avatar
volcar16
480 Newbie
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 6:07 pm

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by volcar16 » Mon May 31, 2021 3:00 pm

My parents had a Volvo UK demonstrator car with a CPV registration when I was a kid, a white 144 Ex-Police car with a blueprinted engine and brakes from a 164 my dad always used to say whenever it was mentioned. It came from Lex Brooklands Volvo in Leeds and when my parents first saw it at the dealer they walked past as it still had a red stripe and a blue light. All that lot was removed before purchase of course and they owned it from a few months before I was born until I was 11. It's a bit of a legend in our family. I did look into getting the registration back but I gather the plate dies with the car when it's scrapped. It lasted until 1989 DVLAs website tells me. I'm sure we have many better photos somewhere but this is the one I have kicking around.

Image

Image
1995 Volvo 480 Celebration 244/480 (owned 20 years)
2002 Volvo C70 T5 Coupe (owned 16 years, featured in "Classic & Sportscar" magazine, May 2021)
2009 Mercedes A160 (the sacrificial car used for work protecting the Volvos :D )

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by jamescarruthers » Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:36 pm

Early MOT pass today! Particularly triumphant as I did zero prep. work as I’m rather busy.

I’ve only done about 1000 miles since the last MOT and hardly any work to it since. It drives very nicely but there are some finishing jobs I really need to get on with.

Image

I seem to have some dash issues:
  • info centre is very dim, but I don’t think it’s the bulb as it can be seen to change brightness with the dimmer (or is this the adjacent lights bleeding through?)
  • digital clock isn’t illuminated… but weirdly is powered up because when you press buttons, the screen comes on
  • VEM lighting dead (previously soldered up c/o Jaster so hopefully another solder job will see it right.
  • I am not sure the above are related at all
other minor stuff
  • replace damaged rear seatbelt buckle
  • replace damaged rear seatbelt socket
  • replace damaged passenger door pocket
  • replace broken central vertical heating vent
  • none of the mirrors adjust particularly well electrically
  • rattle from the back— I think it is the early style brake compensator since I put the right, non-goofy, springs on
  • still need to try to swap the passenger door key internals over
  • accelerator pedal fouls at the bulkhead due to some broken plastic, sometimes preventing return to idle. I’ve done a temporary sleeve with some hose pipe but I need a nice permanent repair. Pretty sure I have a spare cable somewhere.
  • add sound deadening to bonnet and doors
  • check wiring to tweeters… sounds dreadful now for some reason
  • grease clutch pedal linkage to prevent squeaking
  • lightly grease back of steering wheel as it seems to squeak on the trim!
  • get correct width of black stripe on the bumpers
  • door cards not properly retained
  • driver’s door rubber sags when window is down
  • piece of plastic side (headlining) trim hanging down in the rear
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by dcwalker » Thu Mar 31, 2022 5:45 pm

Congratulations on the MOT pass James; as ever, that car looks stunning!

Might your lighting issues he a failing lighting rheostat? How is the illumination of the other gauges?

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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

Re: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by MisterH » Thu Mar 31, 2022 5:52 pm

My info centre has dimmed from time to time, I found I just had to take the shroud of and wiggle the plugs in the back of the dash. For extra peace of mind I WD40 + Silicone greased the plug and It seems to be fine. Since I did that though there has been an incessant squeak coming from the dash, but this is the way. :lol:
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: 1987 480 ES Project -- D-reg, 2nd oldest in UK

Post by jifflemon » Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:08 am

James, can I remind you of a post of yours from 2019
jamescarruthers wrote:
Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:59 am
6. Install some decent speakers and wire in rear cubby hole ones. Right now it's sounds horrific!‎
Did you ever actually do that? :rofl:

/pot/kettle mode off

As ever, if you swing it MK way, many hands make light work (or, in this case, speakers!)

Post Reply