Volvo 2 - No not another one WR6973

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
How wrong could I be, since my last visit to the cabin workshop they have not answered the phone nor have they been open when I have popped by for a visit.

Others have also been trying to visit their vehicles and also getting the same results.

Needless to say i'm getting rather pissed. it costs quite a bit of loot to go through the road tolls to visit the cabin shop and it turns out its a 1 hour round trip for the 26k to this workshop.

We may have access to borrow a cabin from another workshop so we can get it down to the chassis workshop to get the rollcage built started. Will find out after Sunday when the owner of this spare cabin is back.

Meantime I am getting the new half shaft delivered and about to order new high ratio crown and pinions. I have a set of new Alloy toyota PCD rims and ordered new tires so we can move the chassis around soon. I have to be able to move it as 25 cars are turning up to this workshop for a movie shoot in the coming weeks and the 10 crash cars.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
27 March 2018

A quick trip down to the cabin shop after work to see if they are in fact working nights like they said - no they are not. This has become a common sight from the other in the group who are watching out for their vehicles being worked on. Some have been here 2 years or more with little progress.

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Friday 30 March 2018

I run down to the chassis shop after work and collect Volvo 1's water tank and pay the bill, it looks ace work.

Then the bonus - they have got the engine and gearbox hanging there in position with just the 4x4 lever to remove so it can be positioned properly in the chassis and the new mounting points made up.

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We discuss me bringing the cabin from the cabin shop if no progress is made in next 2 weeks so I can work on it.

Meantime the new crown and pinions are being delivered tomorrow for the Toyota professor to install then the axle tubes can be brought back to the chassis shop and re-installed.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
Went down to the cabin shop and surprise he was open and not one bit of progress has been made on the cabin except they say the cabin cross member is ready for collection from the laster cutting shop - so why have the not collected it - oh we were closed all last week. Crikey!!!!!!!. Another customer was there pulling his kit out he is in our watch this workshop group.

Due to my current health state I have left the cabin there to be worked on with the threat no weekly visible progrss via pictures it comes out, including him not sending pictures as that means no progress. Next update due is this Saturday.

Another member of our watch this workshop group is on the warpath on FB and letting loose with his opinions lol.

This panel restoration shop is putting itself out of business the biggest customer just left with his huge deposit spent by the workshop with no work performed and others are spreading the bad service word. He is the only one who can take court action as our amounts are not considered courtable *^* sigh - Mine is the last paying cutomer left and that is only on a week by week basis.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
Thursday 26 April 2018

Finally after weeks of trying to get hold of the cabin workshop and several visits to see if they were open along with others dropping in to see if he was open he finally answered a message - he did not ring etc.

I made an appointment for a progress update. Thursday 12.30pm

YES - he is open

I look at progress and realise he has done not one thing since we last inspected the cabin on 17 March. I make a decision - it's coming out. A frantic set of phone calls and i finally got a flatbed tow truck. They offer me the cardboard templates but in the end I saw they were not loaded up into my trusty Isuzu.

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I contact the Chassis shop tell them it's coming in soon.

Meantime we load it into the tow truck and the last paying customer leaves the workshop. WIth no workers and all 4 current paying customers gone (still owed their deposits etc) and future customers being wanred off on FB the future looks bleak.
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Finally 3.30pm its unloaded at the Chassis shop

A quick walkaround reveals the amount of panel work I have decided to do myself to do once I'm back on my feet. Meantime I can comedown and start identifying all the issues and prepare new templates and draw up the final plan for this monster. In all honesty I do not know when I will be back on my feet I have failed another hospital hedart checkup.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
Saturday 29 April 2018

Visit to the Chassis/Cabin workshop to draw up a detailed chassis plan.

I have been doodling away on the design of Volvo 2 and its looking like this, now I need to get this onto a proper scale drawing.
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Crikey it's a struggle just to walk back and forth to the desk to write down the measurements the heart goes nuts.

Once the measurements are taken it's time for a really close inspection of the cabin in the bright light.

There are 31 separate areas on the top half which need attention either a dolly hammer or just welding up holes all of which can be fixed up quite easily just time will be 3-4 days.A couple of area need cutting out and new pieces welded in,, We can get these laser cut before hand and just weld them in.

Then there is the cabin bottom. its a lot worse than I thought we go through marking issues areas. Andrew asks how much for a cabin from Sweden I tell him. He says buy it this will be constant draw up laser cut trial fit/bend then recut and oh more to cut and the wages cost will be huge.

So I contact Tatanka on FB they reply in less than 30 minutes. yes we still have the cabin we will get a shipping cost for you to Malaysia.

Left side of cabin areas marked for repair.
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Middle of cabin areas marked for repair.
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Right side of cabin areas marked for repair.
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Then its time for home once the rain stops and Zing the ever growing puppy will not sit still for a picture
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During the week I went for the Heart check but not as I expected I was sitting in the hospital peeing blood when I got the heart check lol. However, the heart is improving and now sits in the 70's which is much better than 150 range and is becoming more rythmical again.It's still got a way to go to get back to the 52 resting range which it was for about 30 years. A change of dosage and the blood stops and i'm released. Lol they call this good news.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
5 May 2018

Damn ISUZU is delayed by 2 days coming back from 200k away in IPOH and is only back on Tuesday with 67HP gain (to 177) and 38% increase in torque from 360nm to about 496nm.

Up call taxi to Nice breakfast. Call taxi to take me to auto store. Buy a dolly hammer set. Then another taxi to boat shop and collect the new HELLA waterproof tail lights for Volvo 2. Then the same taxi back to the workshop. Crikey $170rm in taxi fares gone.

Go to lunch very hungry then back about 1.15 ready for action.

I decide before pictures of the white circles is needed there are 31 of them to repair. I'm given the bangladeshi worker to do the welding and I can do the dolly work.

Left side
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Roof top
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Right side
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Only takes me 10 minutes to knock out 5 dents with the dolly hammer and the curved dolly.
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Then I see several dents and issues I missed. They are marked for repair also.

Rapidly we make progress each window has 8 bolt holes to be welded up. The TIG welder makes quick work as I prepare the holes for welding tap and sand etc.

All the smiley faces are repaired ares 2 holes filled or one. We find several pinholes and they are drilled until no more rust and a circle cut out and repaired also.

Then we decide to remove the spare tire carrier off the roof. Man i'm so happy I did its a rust haven. Now I need to get the IPOH shop to do same to Volvo 1.

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One hour laster I have it cut out in about 12 sections and wire brushed down. More work is needd to pull out the dent and fill the holes. I have also saved myself cutting a 8" plate and welding it in double bonus.
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Then it's time to wander around the cabin and view the days work.
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At hometime what do we have 31 dents or bolt/rust holes filled and 11 to go. So why could the "professional body shop" take 8 months and not achieve what I did in one afternoon with a dicky heart and working very slowly.
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I still have the rear and the front to look at and once I lift the cabin off we know there is rust on the bottom ledge to be cut off and replaced.

Roll on 2 weeks time - they are cutting out the engine mounts and gearbox mounts once they get rid of the PINZgauer which is taking forever to get the owner to get the last part to put the dash back on and drive it away.

Taxi home and the wife has cooked a meal for us - so nice.

Today we also found another victim of the "professional body shop" who also lost his huge deposit with no work done. I'm so glad the cabin is back in my hands even though I have lost 8 months.

My health is improving the goal of me and Volvo 2 competing in RFC2018 is still in sight.
 
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geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
Well some good news. The pictures I posted about 2 months ago of the Volvo 2 cabon caught the eye of the Volvo wrecking yard TATANKA.

They contacted me on FB and said we have one bottom RHD cabin in stock do you want it.

We have gone back and forth waiting for a price of shipping.

I recontacted him 10 days ago and said do you still have it I really need it.

I now have a shipping price for the cabin bottom and 4 doors from Sweden to Kuala Lumpur

Just waiting for the invoice to send the money which cannot be done till next Monday due to the 3 days of holidays after our dramatic election here.

The good I expect to be here in 4-6 weeks. Now I can just concentrate on the cabin top and the rear panel.

So many thanks from Claes at Tatanka for friending me on FB and the Volvo TGB forum on FB also.

We can quietly restore the bad cabin bottom over the coming months and it may be able to be used in another Volvo restoration you never know whats around the corner (Adams Volvo 3 etc).

When I have a pic of the shipping crate I will post it.
 

Anthony.V

Observer
Subscribed!

Way to press on! Can't wait to see the progress. Just don't forget to take of yourself as well!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
19 May 2018

ISuzu is returned Friday 11 May from IPOH. Saturday fancy breakfast is ruined by seeing a water leak from the ISUZU. So instead of working on the Volvo I have to head 30k the other way and spend 4 hours in the workshop repairing the cooling split hoses the Turbo shop caused. We had fixed one and reattached everything when we realised there was 2 leaks sign. Take everything off and fix leak no 2.

Hence I missed working on Volvo 2 by the time I finished it was time to head home and get ready for the family dinner outing.

Friday I paid for the Volvo Cabin and doors to come from Sweden - to Malaysia I guess they will arrive in the next 5 weeks.

I Have been told by the heart surgeon to start exercising by walking etc as I'm slowly improving so he has agreed I can work on Volvo 2 (1 I'm still banned from driving that long) but no heavy ligting etc.

Breakfast cheese on toast with tomato and hot cross buns - a rarity in Malaysia
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I sleep in today due to an icident with the CATS waking me up to go in and out from 3am onwards and because we are looking after a ********** cat for a week I cannot leave the outside door open - damn.

Hence breakfast is at 12.00pm. Then it's down to Volv0 2 workshop 10 mins away.

I have no news on Volvo 1 progress.

They help me split the cabin, remove the rear panel and leave me the top hanging on the car lift. Then it's all mine andI work my way around identifying more little rust holes to drill out and repair. I cut out sections of the front of which need replacing THey are going to make new pieces and weld up during the week. I am getting my Toyota mechanic to come assist us in reassembling the Volvo axles on the chassis so we can move the Volvo around the shop.

I wear a wire brush out cleaning the paint off. However, The damage caused by the "expert restoration" shop using a scrapper and a heat gun is immense deep gouges everywhere in the steel sigh.

Splitting the cabin was an engineering feat lol using the car lift.
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The rear of the cabin needs a little work before its ready to paint.
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The front not as bad as I thought only 2 areas cut out.
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The rear panel I will tackle next trip it has about 4 areas needing cutting and replacing.
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6pm my 5 hours are up. I left the shop with over 30 new areas to TIG weld up by next Saturday.

Time for cranberry juice and a meal at the pub since I can no longer drink beer.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
26 May 20186

Since I'm still banned from driving long distance I'm only working on Volvo 2. Volvo 1 has made no progress since the last set of pics I posted for it.

The cabin bottom for Volvo 2 is all paid up and leaves Gotenburg on 30 May and is due about 4 weeks later in Malaysia.

Early start at Volvo 2 workshop. First job finish cutting of the engine mount and make the 2 vaccum brackets welds I had cutof the chassis look like they had never been there no marks nothing to be seen by the vehicle inspectors.

3 hours later 2 of the 3 weld cleaning operations are done then I have to make way for the Volvo axle asssembler to start weaving his magic one of my friends offers to help him while I go play with the cabin top.

Allen turned up to work on his Pinz so he can take it off to get the air conditioning installed.

Meantime I have a little fun while doing the cabin. Idiot driver
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and idiot passenger
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Then a saw Andrew with a mini horse I asked him who's horse is that he said mine. This Doberman was huge he came up to almost my belt loop and is one imposing dog/horse. He has a great personality and lets you know he needs to be patted with one swipe of his head lol. He is constantly on guard never stops watching people.
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Then Allen got his Pinz started and even with wiring still to complete a quick road test it was ready to be taken down to the AiR COnd shop next week. He has beaten me in the race between his Pinz and Volvo 1.
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After 3 hours I finally have a lot of progress on the 4 dents/awful creases on the roof and it's starting to look factory again.
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By 6;20pm and packup time it's really improved I still have one crease line to remove and then just concentrate on removing all the dents and finish putting the proper curve into the roofline. Next weekends work.
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The Volvo portal assembly area we ended up not completing as we could not find the 2 locker cogs they have gone missing sigh.
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The cleaned up vaccum brackets on the chassis.
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Roll on next Saturday.
 
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geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
29 May 20186

Public holiday so I worked in the morning and then head off to the workshop 10 minutes away.

Allen was there working on his Pinz. Only one thing to do tap the roof dents more. Then it was lunchtime at restaurant "Silly Billys" how apt.After lunch they started welding up the holes in the cabin but the welds were not sticking on the back panel due to the rust content. So we marked the strip covered by the channel and I cut it out. We are going to weld a new complete rear panel on after I clean the rust up with PYE.

Then it was back to the roof tapping until 5.30pm its starting to look ok 3-4 more hours and the roof might be finished and shaped and smooth.

We discussed how to fix the rear panel I might have to make pieces by hand to weld in.

The rear panel after I perform the surgeons cut.
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The roof damage is slowly being pushed back to the factory standard.
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Jim your next challenge is to remove all the rust from the bolt on rear panel by 30 JUne else it will rust away. This tape will self desctruct in 5 seconds lol.
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More rear bolt on panel damage.
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Good news is the Cabin bottom is being loaded onto the boat tomorrow.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
30 May 2018

The cabin is on the way from Sweden to Malaysia roughly 4 weeks before it arrives in Kuala Lumpur.

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It looks pretty good
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geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
2 June 2018

I have been given during the week 3 months freedom to drive and travel etc then if my heart does not improve I'm under the knife if the heart does not return to normal rythmical level i'm having an operation of some sort. I had a long chat with the Cardio and he believes firmly that the cause of my heart issues is my extreme cycling adventures over the years.

Volvo 1 had 2 days work done on it this week also and it's alnost ready to start.

Cabin day, first I go out and hunt down a brand new engine oil cooler and fan it's put in the storage box in the workshop. The ATF cooler I collect during the week.

I tap away on the cabin for over 2 hours and it's pretty straight now by the bit I have tapped out is out 1mm more than I need for it to be flush all the way along. The right side is flush. I will try and fix it next weekend some more with a small amount of heat.
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The right side I have fixed the old wound which also got welded by previous offenders and is difficult to tap out. The rest can be body filled.
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After a hour sleep due to the heart saying enough and giving me cronic fatigue in the opressive heat I'm refreshed and ready to go.

Then I tip the cabin over and applied the PYE rust converted 2 layers into the cut made last week and cleanup all the welds by flapper wheeling them flush.
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Every other old rust scars are PYE treated the same to prevent the rust coming back. I'm told the new rear panels will be here next week to weld on.
 

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