Volvo C304 (4x4) Restore and fitout - WR7002

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
11 JUNE 2013

Work has started on the rear FRame see the arrow

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The kitchen area layed out with 4 boxes. The farest away box will be a slide out draw for the cookers.

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The cockpit with the air cond unit under the passenger front

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The pilot seat with the mockup dash sitting in it. It will all be lifted about 50mm and the left side about 100mm during the rear dash makeup.

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Over the weekend - Saturday I arrived at the workshop 11.00am and left 4.30pm
We discussed over 5 hours so much stuff

1. I sat in the pilots seat and we put a seat in and sorted out the DASH position and what it will look like - next time I go up a blank new DASH will be made which will allow any control to be reached while wearing the harnessss seatbelts. sinx im 6' 2" it has to be correct for me and the SHORT friends who will drive it. as it is a small very cockpit and we are not changign thelayout at all.

2. We discussed at length the new pipe bending machine (the quality of the bends is unbelievable not one crease) and the location of all components of the "ROOF RACK" the KAYAKS have to fit somewhere and the design completely including position of LED LIGHTS hanging off it. After watching a MAN DIESEL in the BRESLAU and a few VOLVOS (all cabovers) I changed the location of the LED light rack to on top of the roof as all VOLVO''s go a long way into the water/MUD on entry - oops (usually up to the bottom of the window). The whole roof rack will be tacked together in 2-3 weeks ready for my viewing.

3. The LED lights will allow FLOW of air over the roof to the RADIATOR scoop and INtercooler SCOOP.

4. The positioning of recovery kit was decided and including the highlift JACK and shovels etc

5. I cut and fitted the rear cabin panel then we looked at it and BRett said I can make it easier and nicer we use the new alloy composit material - he showed me and im hooked 3mm thick and LIGHT as and easy to work and even easier to clean and it will lighten up the CABIN - same for REAR CABIN also. The outside of the rear cabin will also be same material means I do not have to paint it - colours we are thinking of are GREEN or RED or bright PINK .

6. All electrics apart from the WINCHES and the STARTER and alternator will be 12Volts a 12V alternator to be fitted soon - I will now proceed to order all the parts slowly there is a list of about 30 items to be purchased - List later im still flabergasted after I starting writing it out

7. The rear cabin will be totally ALLOY protected by the "ROOF RACK" - man it will be light I estimate under 100kg. It will also be prepainted as it comes in COLOURED allow so all I have to do is pick the colour I like (BRIGHT YELLOW) and thats the final lCOAT . Then the cabin has to be paited to match only. Saves me about 2-3,000 in painting the rear inside and out.

8. 1 Month has been allocated to do the wiring alone.

9. Position of everything inside the cabin worked out Wiring BOX will be on the roof and flip down and a full length console for securing stuff. Air conditioning controller already installed.

10. Radio and VHF will be on the roof.

11. KILL switch for everything will be in reach of both PASSENGER and PILOT.

12. Rear floor will be wait for it a PLASTIC FLOOR - LIGHT 10mm thick and everything proof - it comes from NZ and is for CHEMICAL cabinet making More on this one later.

13. We discussed painting and underseal and soundproofing. Once the cabin is finished it will be removed and sent to Kuala Lumpur once I find a place to underseal it here. Then take it back to IPOH (it may even be painted in Kuala Lumpur first also since we only have to colour match it to the rear external panels). Then the internal soundproofing can be installed and then the alloy finishing and the fitting of the dash and the overhead consoles and the wiring can be completed.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
23 JULY 2012

20-07-2012

Got to visit the Volvo (C304 4x4) Saturday. It was in pieces again

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Cabin one side of the shop. The new 12v battery box sitting in the front and another to be made beside it.

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Through the rear panel into the cabin.

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And the chassis on the other side

The Engines mounts redone so they can be unbolted.


The 12v Alternator is being mounted in reverse on a bracket so it faces back to the engine as there is no room for it to actually sit on the engine.

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The new radiator built for a hot rod from Summit racing in the USA. If you think its big is 18" wide by 31" high

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The final pic is the BUGGY look.


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Another visit in 3 weeks when the exo cage is built.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
12 AUGUST 2012

Saturday's visit a bit of a surprise the roof rack has started. The first two hoops done.

Two weeeks the exo roofrack will be completed.



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Took a customer for a 4x4 trip along with me the VOlvo just blew him away he had never seen one.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
3 SEPTEMBER 2013

Yay progress

The external cage/roofrack is taking shape.

The front view still not complete.
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Side view
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The rear tray floor frame is also taking shape.
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The Radiator on the left and the intercooler hanging in place on the right will be the exhaust.
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geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
30 DECEMBER 2012

Visited the Volvo in the hospital yesterday no pics the light at 5pm in the workshop through the skylight just made taking pics impossible.

1. Shocks fitted for a test and removed the REAR piggyback will hit the Springs and the other way too round too easy for bamboo or a vine to wrap around the wheel and tear the piggy back off. Piggy back down also impossible things will hit and tear them off. A quick call to the AMADA shock shop and they will convert the rears to REMOTE for me in a few weeks. Wonderful
2. Put the wife in the passenger seat realised the floor needs to have a 50mm platform as her feet not touching the floor resulting in loss of circulation
3. Fuel tank inspected after builder consesses to making it 1.5mm ALLOY and not 2 or 3mm so its now an experiment we will 1/2 fill it when the truck is finished and drive and see if it bursts open - oooooooooppps.
4. Wife inspected the proposed composite material for the outside and gave it the thumbs up
5. Work resumes on 15/1/2013 when the builder finishes the order of 15+ military trailers
6. CHecked everything else on the truck all seems to be progressing ok. Cabin rollcage is complete.
7. More pics in 3 weeks time when I visit the hospital again.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
24 APRIL 2013

Work is progressing

Intercooler mounted and pipes made fan on intercooler to go

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All tack welds now permanent on the cage the ROOF CRoss steel is being recut due to some "errors"

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Radiator final fitting next week

Cooler for engine oil to now be added not sure where it is being mounted yet.

Muffler and exhaust to also be mounted this week.

Old rear body weighed 440kg and is now a Chinese body part for a jeep I hope as it was sent to the scrap heap

Rear floor will be 3mm alloy sheet it was decided
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
14 MAY 2013

OK quick visit Saturday on the way to mothers day dinner.

The Volvo radiator and fan connected along with piping - we will work our during testing if the 14B-T water pump will pump the water up the extra 3feet during testing.

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Only a bracket left to hold the pipes
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The side view I loose another 6" from the rear cabin rats.
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The front rollcage is almost complete
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I have to find a 80 series AIRFILTER (4.2 Diesel) - easy ordered I have to deliver it this week and then it and the exhaust can be installed.

The air filter will fit in the hole behind the drivers seat.

Not long before the thump of a 14B-T diesel splits the air.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
24 JUNE 2013

Progress

two weeks into the full time worker on the Volvo progress is being made.

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Looks like the Exhaust is mounted but the air intake is not. However the 4 wall frames are up and so is the roof frame and the floor frame is done :)

I expect better pics this week with the Alloy roof or the rear wall completed.

Also found this last week after sending 3+ hours to find stuff - finally I have a starter and kill switch. But I need to find a 12v to 24v RELAY to kick the starter solenoid with it.

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geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
29 JUNE 2013.

Progress progress progress

This mornings 2.5 hour visit and discussion in seating position and lights.

My drivers seat needs to go back 3" or 75mm so the corner of the engine compartment will be moved back leaving the existing shape.

We then pretended I was strapped into the harness and organised all the DIFF LOCKS etc to be moved to above the driver on the roof, Winch controllers etc will be there. Being 188cm its amazing how far I can reach.

Console will now be constructed.

Then we discussed rear lighting and switch position.

Then the progress. Wow 2 weeks and a lot done.

The rear frame looks strong with only the air filter to be fitted
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The rear right and left front doors are complete and swings out gull wing style as shown here.
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The middle post is hand made c-channel and a bent flare for the door seal you cannot see the quality in the pic.
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The new front floor and my foot well widened for my size 11 boots
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The roof will be 3mm alloy and can walk on it and a side top rail will be added to tie stuff too. The floor will be bolton/off 3mm alloy so the complete floor can be lifted for maintenance work. The rear "door" will be cross braced up next week and the "DOOR" will not open side entry only.


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The angles look wonderful.
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The left side is impressive with the angles back frame. The "middle" work area (the radiator and exhaist area etc) will be two parts bottom half will fold out as a LADDER and the top half will be bolted in.
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Brett talking to the workers telling them to finishe it by next friday
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Front view - still a few bars to add to the front to make it tougher.
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The final product - the DAKAR class winner from 1983.
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Colour scheme is done

Completion date discussed RFC time 2013 so mid-late November 2013.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
20 July 2013

a long visit today

First the tour

The doors all fitted and all with gas struts to hold open - wow gull wing style.
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Right side
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Top view
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Then upstairs to the Wiring diagram
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Yup its all wayed out in red and blue red is 24v and blue 12v then as we go thru it with my switch diagram vs bretts count we have a discrepency I have more in the end we agree looks like my 42 is very very close and bretts 36 could be short..



Back downstairs 1.5 hours later

we have decided

1 month to paint everything except the alloy skin - second paint round

then the fitting of everything including the proposed 6 seats (we are talking 6 high quality customer seats) in the rear and the removal of the doors to be replaced with side rails

The winches and yes he is installing a 30 litre water tank and with our simplicity motto its going to be gravity fed.

THe new target date of mid November is looking good.

Many surprises on vehicle launch to be revealed :)

Next visit I gotta hand over the newly sponsored LED lights - The stereo - the rest of the instruments and the OFFROAD controls switches for the winches and a new albright controller sigh the other one is on a comp truck now lying in the workshop after its rollover in Ride N Seek TV program which im sure you all saw and two wheels.

Next visit should see the floor cut and fitted the water tank completed the dash started the winch wiring etc all layed out and ready to install.


The rear rollbar.
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The spare tires are being setup so we can use the rear winch to lift them up and down of the truck i really to not feel like lifting 45+kg up and down. A special connection is being made to slip on the roof using the snatch block to make life easier.
 
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geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
The new stereo reay for installation.
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New wheels soon to be installed.
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The new lights ready to be installed.
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Delivery to the builder of these items this weekend.
 

geckoadventure

Geckoadventure
8 August 2013

A long drive to IPOH due to the public holiday traffic. Handed over the 35" Maxxis sneakers, the 4 small LEDS and the 50" LED and the stereo and a strip of LEDs.

Inspection revealed Hi-lift jack holder almost finished. Shovel holder next. Hammock loops being prepared, handgrabs for all ladders done.
Roof for the Radiator and intercooler etc ready locking mechanism to be designed. My seat area has been pushed back allowing my seat to move back 75mm which is huge when you are 6'2".

Inspection of the new AMADA shocks reveals 3" too much travel so looks like the shocks will never work hard.

New sneaker and the removeable entry ladder in place
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The positioning of the www.ufilta.com 20 litre water containers roughly in place we will allow for 3 to be stored and removed.
Due to keeping with simplicity no fixed internal tank or pumps to fill it.
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The front wall frame is now finished and the hi-lift jack holder is tacked into place. nExt is shovel holder and air filter.
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Over all the frame is now finished.
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What's left to do well the DASH and Console and the wiring, power steering, fitting of seats, air cond (fitted just needs to be connected How to start and stop the 14B-T donk. 6 seats for customers in the rear and a removeable side rails so that the 4 rear doors can be removed when necessary. Floor to be cut out and boltdown points welded in. Roof to be cut out. The middle doors and panels to be cut and punched out, the mesh for the radiator roof to be fitted

We have divided DASH into Driving needs - OIL/WATER TEMP/Speedo/TACHO/Fuel Volts/AMPS to the right and recovery DASH. Air pressure and vaccum will be above on the roof along with the lockers and 4wd vaccum switches.

Next week I have to deliver ICOM V8000 VHF radio, the remaining gauges and the fridge slides.

and we discovered the 2 200 AMP batteries were dead oh dear there goes $1500rm.

and the final issue - where oh where is the ground ANCHOR going to go.
 
Hi my first post
What geat project Gecko.
Ive done alot of recearch online about the Volvo C30X Machines and are very keen to get one.
My problem Im in Oz RHD

Thanks in advance

Gazoz

Hi Gazoz - where in Vic are you? If you need some help with bringing in and registering a C303 - happy to assist. Ian
 
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krl81

Adventurer
Hi Gecko!
Awesome build! :)
And as a Swede I think is great to see someone on the other side of the world putting in time, effort and moneyinto an old Volvo. :) definitely subscribing to see it progressing and finally finished. :)
 

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