Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:07 am Post subject: Volvo PV544 |
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Some of you may recognise this car as Rick's former steed, which he sold recently to make way for another project, and I can reveal that I am the fortunate benefactor of that transaction.
The car came up to Lancashire this morning, and is now tucked up in my garage.
It is a cracking old motor, drives extremely well and has the feel of a car that you could drive more or less anywhere. Most of what the car does require in TLC terms at the moment, is on the interior, some re-upholstery of the drivers seat, floor mats, footwell trims etc. plus a fix for that ongoing charging problem, that miraculously does not seem to significantly discharge the battery when in use (mind you I haven't been out with headlights and wipers on yet). I also have a nice period Blaupunkt radio that I plan to fit.
The exterior and chrome work is as good, as it looked in Rick's previous entries, and he has had some work done on the floors and various mechanical items, so this is more of a detail exercise than a project and I will be working on the car over the winter, and aim to be using her when the weather is reasonable (no salt, snow or torrential rain).
Still not sure about the whitewalls, though!
I will keep reporting in so that you can see how things progress, and in the meantime, many thanks to Rick for passing on this excellent car _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
Last edited by norustplease on Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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kevin2306
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1359 Location: nr Llangollen, north wales
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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 7:56 am Post subject: |
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well done! its a lovely car and will be a great drive and bring huge smiles to your face
Kev |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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Had a look at the charging problem whilst having a poke around my new acquisition.
Taking the dynamo off and bench testing it had it spinning merrily so, that suggests that the problem is elsewhere. Taking the top off the Regulator shows a few problems, one of the coils looks distinctly caramelised and a link wire at the back was broken, so a new unit is on order now.
I also replaced the fresh air intake tube with some expanding aluminium ducting, which is a bit bright but a cheaper solution than the real paper and wire thing which is around £35.00 and rather flimsy.
Haven't had chance to do much else as yet, although I have ordered a new drivers seat cover and some other bits and bobs, so as soon as those turn up there will be a blitz.
I did pop up to the Lancashire Classic Car show at Hoghton Tower on Sunday, which is only a couple of miles away, and spent several hours in the sunshine perusing other people's cars. I had intended to enter the Austin, but left it too late to register and went in the modern. Ironically, I got the distinct impression that all comers were welcome at the gate on the day. Anyway, a good turnout, but not a single Volvo as far as I could see.
However, fell in love with this:
_________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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Well, the new regulator seems to have provided a fix. Fitted Saturday, and test driven that afternoon, and the red light obediently remains off.
Had a good long drive, very enjoyable.
Other jobs done, the floor mats are very brittle and falling to pieces, so they have been removed and some light blue carpet purchased from Coverdale. The carpet has been cut to fit the front foot wells using the mats as a template, and until I can find some new side panels, the old ones have been covered in the same carpet. The overall effect tidies things up quite a bit.
I will follow suit in the rears shortly, but first they need a coat of vactan on some surface rust.
Still awaiting a car seat cover from Scandcar. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22458 Location: UK
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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The main blemish on the inside of what is otherwise a very tidy car was the drivers seat. This had suffered from the failure of the cloth panels on both backrest and base and the subsequent degeneration by abrasion of the foam layer beneath. As appearances went it was very poor, and also left a dusty mark on clothing when sat upon, due to the exposure af a semi rigid weetabix like material that gave the seat its shape within the steel frame.. Rick had got over this by throwing a travel rug over and I did something similar with a fleece blanket, but found it slippery and awkward, as well as a bit unsightly and so investigated new seat covers.
Three companies market replacement OE type covers as far as I could see, Scandix in Germany, VP Automotive in Sweden and Scandcar in Holland. Scandix only had a limited range that did not include the upholstery reference for the 544, but both of the other two had the correct reference item and both priced a set of covers for one seat at around £150.
Assuming that postage would be quicker from Holland, I ordered via Scandcar. It wasn’t , and I noted that the label on the actual wrapper said VP, when the package arrived the other day, so presumably they had been waiting for the post from Sweden all along!
Anyway, all that is bye the bye, and the other night I took out the drivers seat which just slides forwards off its runners, undid the two bolts that hinge the backrest, and stripped off the covers. The backrest is like a sleeve that is held by hog rings on embedded rods at its base, the seat has a ply base onto which the tailored cover is stapled, out of sight on its undersurface. The frame itself was in good condition as were the sprung divan type seat base and backrest internals.
I fortunately had some foam of similar density to original, which I used to patch in the damaged areas, and then stretched the netting liner that comes with the covers, over both base and backrest.
The covers rolled on reasonably easily, you really could do with a helper to compress the springs slightly just to make it a little easier, but my four legged assistant, was not able to quite understand what I was after and so with a little contortionism, I managed it by myself, pulled everything tight and stapled /hog ringed everything into place. The covers are a superb fit, and much easier to get looking right than some replacement covers that I fitted to my daughter’s VW Beetle a few years ago. They even match (VP claim to have a source for the original material) although a little light shampooing on the passenger seat might not go amiss.
My assistant also thought that the repaired seat was excellent
This weekend's job is to refit the seat, and also to finish off the rear seat footwells which I have treated to a good coat of vactan after removing the old mats whilst the seat was out of the way. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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Just a few more detail bits and pieces on the 544.
Externally I have fitted a new pair of rear mudflaps and painted the wheels. I have also found some small rubber stops which plug into the holes on the bonnet flange. This stops the metal to metal contact when the bonnet is closed and the erosion of the paint and the holding of moisture to create rust. Alas these usually seem to harden and drop out over the years.
I have also treated it to a new rubber gaiter for the gear lever, the old one having perished and split along its flange. This seemed a fairly important piece of weather and soundproofing since it is all that seals the gear lever penetration through the transmission tunnel. Appearance is improved and the chatter through the gearstick in third has now disappeared!
Was off work today and had a cruise round to do a few errands this afternoon, very pleasant it was too, sun out, radio finally working and some warm air on the toes from the heater.
Still not sure about the whitewalls though. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22458 Location: UK
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kevin2306
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1359 Location: nr Llangollen, north wales
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 9:13 am Post subject: |
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cracking job on the seat, how much better does that look!
I like the look of the white walls, they create a look harking back to the days of glamour..
kev |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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In spite of the prophets of doom on the TV weather forecast, the sun shone in Lancashire today, so I did my errands in the Volvo. Very nice too, although I thought that I'd locked myself out in B and Q's car park.
WD40 before I lock up next time, methinks.
One or two other classics out too, a nice Morris Traveller and an MGB. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Haven't been out and about much in the old bus over Christmas and in fact stowed it away in a friend's garage for the Christmas/ New Year period itself, to make way for the family cars that tend to clutter up the drive over the holiday, as they all descend upon us from the four corners of the country.
I need to spring it this weekend, weather permitting, and am then going to take it round to see one of our local restorers with a view to getting the rear spare wheel well sorted out. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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Back on home turf. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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We're now booked in for replacement of the rear spare wheel well and the front and rear screen rubbers, as soon as Brookhouse can get parts over to me, probably towards the end of next week.
I could do the welding myself probably, but space is at a bit of a premium at the moment, and as for the window rubbers....no way.
I will put up some pictures when things get under way.
Gritters out earlier today, so that's the end of classic motoring around here until we get a few downpours to wash the salt away again. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:16 am Post subject: |
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Here we have a selection of parts for the Volvo, arrived this morning from Brookhouse, including new windscreen and rear screen rubbers, a new boot lid seal, and repair panels for the rear boot floor and the spare wheel well.
Tomorrow I deliver the car and parts to the restorer and hopefully in not too many weeks the car will be ready for Spring. _________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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norustplease
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 782 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 11:10 pm Post subject: rear end makeover |
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Repairs in the boot area are now well under way. Although things looked superficially okay, Rick had been clear that there were some problems in that area and closer inspection had shown that there was some fibreglass in there and a probe at the back end of the wheel well had showed up a hole.
After discussions I had obtained some repair sections as per my previous post and here are a sequence of images showing the boot work proceeding.
Repair panels were courtesy of SCANDIX and were good quality heavy gauge steel.
I'm also pleased to say that removing the screens did not reveal anything other than a small amount of surface corrosion.
_________________ 1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV |
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