Volvo 480 Club Europe

arthuy wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 14, 2021 9:34 pm

If you need any LHD parts let me know I still have a load of parts attached to the remains.

Arthuy if you want to sell any LHD parts let me know, as it is hard to get parts for mine being in the UK. Don't let them go to scrap

End of the month so Eva has now been sorned - here she is about to disappear into the carcoon in the new parking area.



All set for R4 to arrive now. I'm hoping we'll be able to get it into the carport so it can have a proper wash, but the turn is tight and it's a bit of a slope up. I'd be very reluctant to try starting it, I have a horror of old cambelts

Jealous of that carcoon...

Be great to see R4 starting to come back to life again - well done!

David

Transport has now been arranged - R4 should arrive with us Wednesday afternoon. Thursday we are off to have our vaccinations so snow and sub zero temperatures permitting, Friday is initial cleaning day. Normally I'd be tackling mould and fungus with a bleach solution but I suspect that wouldnt be a good idea on a leaky 480 !

Disappointingly, we had to postpone transport as the collection point is at the end of a very long lane blocked by heavy snow. It got cleared this afternoon but not finished til nearly dark. We've rearranged it for Sunday - according to the forecast it's the first slightly milder day so less chance of black ice. I shall just have to contain my impatience a few more days

Well Sunday didn't happen as there was a fresh fall of snow in north Suffolk with enough wind to cause drifts on the lane where R4 was patiently waiting. Just as well really, I was quite unwell after my jab - Al didn't even get a sore arm. Anyway, all back up and running now, collection was re-arranged for late this afternoon. Our Saab went into the bodyshop on Monday to get damage sorted by careless parking (paid courtesy of the other driver's insurance - Al was in the queue for the post office, about 3 feet away from the car with plenty of potential witnesses) So, the only car available to travel over with the keys was Lily. She had a wash and wax a couple of days ago ready for her photoshoot for agreed valuation so she WAS immaculate. The plan was to get there early so I could park Lily alongside R4 and take a photo of before and after restoration white turbos. Sadly, the transporter was early so already there waiting and lots of parked vehicles left nowhere to turn around easily so I had to give up on that. Lily was far from immaculate anyway, there was still deep hard packed snow in the middle of the lane in places, which huge puddles either side (sigh) so I had to creep along with two wheels in the puddles and two on the snow, otherwise I'd have lost my spoiler and done my pricey exhaust some damage into the bargain.

R4 was reluctant to move despite only having been there since November, but a few tugs with the winch eventually got her out of the deep gravel and freed off the brakes. I've put my foot down over this cambelt - we have no idea when it was last changed and I'm taking no chances with a precious turbo engine so there was no question of trying to start her.

So here she was being winched onboard



and ready to be pushed off and into the carport



Rain tomorrow, have to contain my impatience to get cleaning. I did just remove the soggy heap of newspapers from the rear footwell, noted that they had been attacked by the homeless mouse and wondered if Willow might like a night in the car. Maybe not (sharp claws, leather seats - not good) A fresh pile of dry paper is now soaking up more water from the carpet. The whole atmosphere inside the car is damp and musty smelling but no signs of mould on the leather seats. O for a nice dry day so I can open it all up for a few hours.

Timing today was great ! We had a grocery click and collect order to pick up in Norwich so Lily got another run. The threatened rain held off all morning, so we whizzed Lily through a carwash as well and got back home in time to put her back in the garage and close the door just as the first drops started to fall. After lunch, the rain stopped and the sun came out so out I went with bucket of hot soapy water, brush and hose. While I attacked the forestation and compost in every conceivable nook and cranny, Al got to work on the carpet with the Vax and then cleaned all the leather down. He had the doors wide open for several hours so it got a good airing.

Outside looks like this now





As expected, the clean revealed more bits and pieces of rust but nothing major. Also a shallow dent just above one of the rear arches which might well pull out. Another piece of good news - the sheath on the tailgate electrics looks intact, so hopefully it doesn't leak or need re-wiring.

The mouse had been nest building again, the fresh newspaper I put in yesterday had been attacked. Maybe the noise of the Vax prompted him to evacuate but I don't hold out much hope.

Looks like another car in that first side-on photo! Looks great.

Haha, I always get a sense of achievement if I get home and undercover just before rain falls too!

Oh, poor mouse. Looks like he's going to have a meeting with an untrustworthy piece of cheese.....
I even catch my rats in humane traps because I'm so incapable!...apart from the one the dog got.

Good luck with the next stage whenever it comes. It looks like it'll be a nice car.

Do the stone protection bits vary in colour on so many cars simply due to differing age? These are nearly black. Is it just because it's been stood?

Do the stone protection bits vary in colour on so many cars simply due to differing age? These are nearly black. Is it just because it's been stood?

I've no idea ! Lily still had hers when I bought her and they were just yellowed with age. Maybe the Swiss got black ones ?

Look at those arches! Jealous green-eyed monster alert in Lancashire!#

What a fabulous find. My first 480 was a white ES, 1991, with white bumpers and low miles. I've always loved the colour (or lack of it I guess). Not sure I could cope with a turbo these days mind - most motoring I've had for ages is a trip to the local B&Q for home decor supplies..

Looking forward to the emerging story of her rescue and rehabilitation.

Great stuff !

Best!

Martin

Martin Mc wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 19, 2021 6:14 pm

Look at those arches! Jealous green-eyed monster alert in Lancashire!#

especially in white which normally shows every tiny rusty mark!!!

With the general unavailability of reasonably priced 480s in Germany and it being left hand drive, I've got my eye on it.

Now if importing it and getting it registered wouldn't be so difficult...

What's involved in importing and registering?

Transport costs, though if it got mot and can drive that's not a problem.
Since it's outside EU now, 19% vat, luckily the 10% customs fees should get waived since it's originally already from "inside EU" i'd hope Switzerland counts enough for that.
To get it registered in Germany it needs to get a full appraisel from the TÜV, depending on how much got changed to get it driving in the UK the headlights and speedometer have to get swapped.

How’s the Vat calculated? On the purchase price? I’m sure that could be easily “adjusted”

I’m sure Sylvia could confirm if the dashboard is still in km, and I know we’ve someone on the board with a set of LHD headlamps (if they did get converted!).

There was a chap on here that said they need headlamp levelling for the TuV - or does that only apply to cars SOLD originally in Germany?

It's calculated on the purchase price plus any additional expenses like shipping/transport.

it's starting to sound quite reasonable and rational.

As far as I know, all cars wanting to pass the TÜV need to have their headlights adjusted properly. but that's less than 50€ at a mechanic.

Well, the speedo wasn't changed so no problem there, but we'll need a better face for the rev counter than that ! Anyone got a spare ?



As it was mot'd a couple of times I assume the headlamps were changed

This one has a really interesting history, which I have gleaned from the owner's obituary. He was an English professor of plant pathology who went to Zurich to take the Chair at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ie top man). When he 'retired' he brought the car back to the UK and bought the farm we collected it from. It was an experimental farm where he continued his research which he was apparently totally absorbed in, often forgetting to eat. I've printed it off for the car's history file, along with the patchy mot and uk service history (always by Volvo). He seems to have had periods of not driving, possibly ill health or maybe just not leaving the farm often enough to warrant it.

Kira, I'd be very pleased if you did decide to have it, it's in very sound condition and deserves to go to someone who will appreciate it and take good care of it. Thank you for your latest donation to the fund - it's great that you are so interested in our rescue efforts. It's too soon to estimate what the costs might be, but I'm expecting it to be quite a lot less than the German turbos go for even with the import charges.

As far as delivery is concerned, we have just had to cancel a visit to my daughter in Mannheim due to virus regulations at both ends but we usually drive over so we could come in 2 480s and return in 1. Just a idea worth thinking about if you decide to have it. No pressure - I have 480 contacts in the Netherlands, Belgium and France as well as Germany where we have a friend who buys, repairs and sells 480s so we have plenty of other options.

I have a boatload of spare rev counters, I will post one to you.
(or I can post one to Kira if she has collected the car - will be a tad cheaper and without hassle as I am in NL)

Great ! Thank you Robert. It's probably best to send it to Jeff, we don't yet know if the odometer is still working so he might be operating on the cluster anyway. Pity we didn't think about it before you sent the pcb for R3. Think I'd better check the rescue queue to see if there is anything else obvious.

Given the Covid situation is still VERY fluid at the moment I don't know if it's possible to attend FOTU on July 31 and stay at Jeff's. If I'm going it will be by Eurostar train (direct connection between Rotterdam and London for €100) which allows me to take a large amount of stuff without stupid security check and baggage fees. But I can also send a box with goodies over to Jeff. The circuit board was sent by regular mail because it fits in an envelope