Oli's 1992 Volvo 480ES Limited Edition
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:56 pm
It has taken me a week to build up the courage to write this post, having written something of great length previously and losing it due to the forum logging me out… amateur.
So, attempt 2, drafted in word.
I was introduced to the world of 480s by Will (Jaster) when, on a lunch break, we went to view and subsequently purchase his 480.
Several months and even years down the line I found myself living in London and after my other car was nearly stolen I decided that it wasn’t worth keeping it in London and that I should buy myself the London equivalent of a daily.
The concept of a daily in London may sound like an oxymoron, and that’s because it is… That being said, living in London doesn’t make the underground any more appealing.
So, having mentioned off-hand that I was looking to keep a car in London Will quickly came back to me with these pictures:
They make a pretty compelling argument if you ask me. We spoke with the owner Paul over the course of a few weeks as we tried to establish whether the car really was in as good a condition as advertised. Once we’d asked everything there was to ask we drove up to Durham to inspect.
Turns out the car was exactly as Paul had described, in very good condition.
So I did the deed and drove the car back to London.
I have a Series Land Rover and know how the novelty of an older car can quickly wear off when unreliable so the first thing I did was book it into The Swedish Car Clinic for a major service and some extra bits. That included a new starter motor and four new tyres.
Meeting its partner in crime:
Next came replacement heater knobs:
Some soundproofing and new speakers:
Some moose:
Inevitably, with the car being used more regularly a few problems were going to appear the first being one of the headlight motors failing. Upon further inspection it seemed that the gas struts on both headlights were past their best so they, along with the headlight motor were changed. Along with that came some new and more powerful headlights/beams/DRLs:
On the 480 trip to the Peak District:
On a more recent trip to Blenheim with Will and Katie:
Other gratuitous photos:
Whilst flat hunting in London I happened upon a P1800:
It’s now back at the clinic and has had a water pump and a steering pump to cure a cambelt area related squeak as well as a fresh MOT more use, I'll pick it up tomorrow evening but I gather nothing else has had to be done.
Having solved most of the immediate problems more tweaks and changes will be made as things go, this includes plans for pads, discs, dampers and springs. Which I’ll keep track of here.
So, attempt 2, drafted in word.
I was introduced to the world of 480s by Will (Jaster) when, on a lunch break, we went to view and subsequently purchase his 480.
Several months and even years down the line I found myself living in London and after my other car was nearly stolen I decided that it wasn’t worth keeping it in London and that I should buy myself the London equivalent of a daily.
The concept of a daily in London may sound like an oxymoron, and that’s because it is… That being said, living in London doesn’t make the underground any more appealing.
So, having mentioned off-hand that I was looking to keep a car in London Will quickly came back to me with these pictures:
They make a pretty compelling argument if you ask me. We spoke with the owner Paul over the course of a few weeks as we tried to establish whether the car really was in as good a condition as advertised. Once we’d asked everything there was to ask we drove up to Durham to inspect.
Turns out the car was exactly as Paul had described, in very good condition.
So I did the deed and drove the car back to London.
I have a Series Land Rover and know how the novelty of an older car can quickly wear off when unreliable so the first thing I did was book it into The Swedish Car Clinic for a major service and some extra bits. That included a new starter motor and four new tyres.
Meeting its partner in crime:
Next came replacement heater knobs:
Some soundproofing and new speakers:
Some moose:
Inevitably, with the car being used more regularly a few problems were going to appear the first being one of the headlight motors failing. Upon further inspection it seemed that the gas struts on both headlights were past their best so they, along with the headlight motor were changed. Along with that came some new and more powerful headlights/beams/DRLs:
On the 480 trip to the Peak District:
On a more recent trip to Blenheim with Will and Katie:
Other gratuitous photos:
Whilst flat hunting in London I happened upon a P1800:
It’s now back at the clinic and has had a water pump and a steering pump to cure a cambelt area related squeak as well as a fresh MOT more use, I'll pick it up tomorrow evening but I gather nothing else has had to be done.
Having solved most of the immediate problems more tweaks and changes will be made as things go, this includes plans for pads, discs, dampers and springs. Which I’ll keep track of here.