AcidicDavey's 98 V70 AWD - The not an R or T5 thread!

**AcidicDavey** · Wednesday 31st December 2014, 20:12

Cheers Jim, have some more piccies

31-12-14 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

31-12-14 002 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

31-12-14 003 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

31-12-14 004 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

31-12-14 006 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

I opened the bonnet earlier for fluid checks and was shocked, muddy splodges everywhere! That was driving through snow on Boxing Day for you, nearly got stuck with the front wheels spinning, all cleaned up now, only took 10 minutes.

31-12-14 007 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

31-12-14 008 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Still a bit standard under there

. Need to remove that stupid dump valve. I want a do88.se RIP kit, purely for the bling factor if anything, full exhaust and turbo with all the trimmings etc. I have a very long shopping list but not the funds to execute my plans, which is a blessing really as if I had the money to buy it all then I'd get bored quicker wouldn't I? With it all spread out I've got more to look forward to

.
All of that above though will have to wait, immediate future is some paint and then that all important 3rd pedal

**AAnickmac** · Monday 12th January 2015, 22:49

Lovely looking motor. Have just read whole story of this car and am amazed with what you have done. Very very impressed, and those wheels are just the best.
I Might have to have a word with my brother as he works for Porsche mid sussex. Well done.

**AcidicDavey** · Monday 2nd February 2015, 21:10

Cheers buddy, means a lot, here's a C70 with the same twists

Haven't posted in here in 2015 so let's have a babble.

This weather is doing my nut in, well not the weather but bloody gritters!
Driving back 2 days in the evening last week along the A49 and the car got seriously struck, I reckon the paint on the front bumper is pretty ruined now

.
I opened the bonnet today to try and get access to the awfully positioned sidelight bulb but was sickened to find salt everywhere! It's got under the battery tray, literally everywhere, all my hardwork...

I'll wash the car on Friday in prep for the bodyshop the following day

Yes the rear bumper is finally getting painted along with that damaged front spoiler 'flap' and a couple of other little extras.
I can't wait to get it done although a few people are pretty disappointed I'm losing the bumper fun.

I've been eyeing up donors for a manual conversion although I keep losing out due to be too slow, I have an urge to buy something so it might aswell be a breaker. I'll keep what I need for mine and sell the rest, in truth I just need something to do as I am struggling a bit here!

Here is the car, a ****ing state! It's all rather depressing.

30-01-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

I love this car but it's taking a real battering lately

On a positive note there was a suspension noise from the rear going over bumps, it went 'boing' as the rear compressed over a speed hump etc but it has completely gone, must have been something stuck/wedged in spring like I thought, I'm calling that a win...

**martybelfastt5** · Monday 2nd February 2015, 21:52

that is looking superb!

**Biff** · Monday 2nd February 2015, 22:18

Don't lose heart, keep on!
Sell that Alfa & concentrate your efforts on the big V.
Manual & powaaaar. It deserves it. ❤️

**AcidicDavey** · Monday 2nd February 2015, 22:28

Don't you worry Biff, the pot is being built, just too slowly

The Alfa is worthless so seems silly to sell for peanuts but then I have very little interest in sorting it either

It's just a big pretty Italian cupboard atm!

Don't think I've ever mentioned on here but I've suffered from quite bad depression for many years and am unemployed therefore paper is rather difficult to chase with zero income.

Kick up arse needed now and again! Just this time of year, gets you down ya'know?

**AcidicDavey** · Friday 6th February 2015, 20:32

Well you may remember me complaining about a filthy engine bay last time I posted?
I know we're still in Winter Mode but I had to sort it out!

Example of how filthy it was... Bloody gritters!

03-02-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

I spent about 2 hours in the freezing cold cleaning it up and getting rid of all that damn salt, it had got everywhere!

03-02-15 002 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

03-02-15 003 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

03-02-15 004 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

03-02-15 005 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Much better, bet it is filthy again though

. It wasn't running quite right after cleaning, stuttering when slowing to a standstill but a quick wriggle of everything and it is fine now!

But, as the car is going away tomorrow I simply had to clean it, just look how filthy it was! My hands were ££££ing freezing! I had only washed it just over a week ago!

06-02-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

06-02-15 002 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

06-02-15 003 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

It is really weird, the rear wheels get much filthier than the fronts now they are spaced out? When I was running a more offset setup it was the fronts getting dirty. Maybe some of those rubber AWD flaps in front of the rear wheels will help?

06-02-15 004 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Anyway, this view will look very different soon

06-02-15 005 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

**claymore** · Friday 6th February 2015, 20:59

Followed the progress of this car since you started the project on VOC in 2009, and loved every minute of it, wasn't too keen on some of the early mods, but it's just got better and better, well done bud, the car is a credit to all your hard work.

**AcidicDavey** · Friday 6th February 2015, 21:34

Thanks mate

I was a bit too keen to spend money when I was a teen, now I'm actually able to save it means I've been able to go a better way with it.

How it once looked folks...

Tethys, silver bumper cover etc.
WTF was I thinking lol

**AcidicDavey** · Saturday 14th February 2015, 19:26

Well well well, got the car back today

Always a worry using someone for the first time but I'm satisfied so all good. Got a bit of overspray to deal with (like on the exhaust) but no biggy. They've played with the tail pipes and well, they're quite wonky! Will have to sort asap, they've never been quite right as I rushed fitting them all those years ago but hey.

Looks a bit plain back here now

14-02-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Resprayed the front splitter thing again, it had a surface crack in it from years ago as well as the recent chips.

14-02-15 002 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Had a lock surround for free so that got painted too.

14-02-15 003 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

And a pair of mirror covers as well. I won't be fitting them yet as the black plastic is damaged, I'll nick the mirrors off a breaker I'll buy soon

14-02-15 004 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Flap to protect the new paint

14-02-15 005 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Car is quite dirty, due a good clean up, polish etc and dusty inside and all so need to sort that out soon.

p.s. Anyone interested in the beige boot mat?

**RollingThunder** · Sunday 15th February 2015, 10:39

Paintwork looks smart Dave! Quite a transformation. Still can't get over how clean your engine bay is.

You'd have a dizzy fit if you say mine - got an oil leak from either the dipstick tube or oil pressure switch, so oil is all over the front of the engine, plus underneath it, and of course all the way under the car and over the back end too

Haven't actually lost a lot of oil, it just goes a long way

So, if you've got 30 mins to spare... ?

**AcidicDavey** · Sunday 15th February 2015, 20:58

Cheers Sam, a bit of shiny paint makes a world of difference

. If anything it is a bit too shiny bumper wise now

Just consider the oil spray as rust prevention

. To get my engine bay as smart as it is has literally taken about 2-3 hours plus a 10 minute wipe down every other week or so, easy!

I'm pleased with the actual paint finish, before the paint was very dull along the rear bumper. There is however some real bad overspray over the rear passenger arch, quite how they've managed that I don't know!

Need to do something with badges too. When I painted them black last year the paint ended up cracking while they were in the house, maybe they got too near the radiator?

Anyway, with the departure of one sticker (albeit quite a big one...) comes another. I actually like this one from Deadly Decals.

Volvo Sticker 1 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Volvo Sticker 2 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Random...

15-02-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Just condensation by the tailpipe btw...

15-02-15 002 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

15-02-15 003 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

**foammanmark** · Sunday 15th February 2015, 21:01

Great pics of a great car.

**Tomcat** · Sunday 15th February 2015, 22:50

Pics are making me more than a bit jealous, beautifull car bud.

**RollingThunder** · Monday 16th February 2015, 08:26

Me too, I love the way this car has come on. Didn't like the sill guards at all, but since they've come off the car gets better and better. Great job Dave.

**AcidicDavey** · Saturday 28th February 2015, 20:25

Cheers you 3

Done a couple of service bits to the car over the last couple of weeks.

Fitted a new ignition coil, an MSD Blaster SS one from iPD that I found on eBay. The engine is ever so slightly noticeably smoother but more importantly that part is now future proofed. I mention this as one car I had the ignition coil 'expired' on the M1 about 120 miles from home at 1am with no breakdown cover! Bloody Golf!

Bit tricky to fit, especially when you have no metal drill bits

.

iPD Ignition Coil by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

22-02-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

Also given it an oil change and changed the plugs. Figures for those that care...(Yes I am this sad!)
Mileage 125,436

Last oil change done 26/03/14 @ 117,703,
Last plug change done 24/11/11 @ 114,478. Even though they'd only done just over 10K the electrodes had worn down a bit, a bit of oil under the spark plug cover too, need a new oil cap seal by the look of it.

Hard to think the car has been back on the road for nearly a year now in one go, about to break my record for using one car in a row lol.
MOT due soon so booked it in, insurance too and the TAX! *sigh.
Insurance is going up, my cheapest quote I've got is £338 fully comp which is great for a 22yo I guess

but still £40 more than last year

.

It's booked in for Monday, it doesn't expire until 26th I think but may as well submit it as soon as I can. Pretty sure it isn't going to pass but I've already got the bits I need just need to fit them, at least if the car fails it means I'll kick my arse into actually fitting them

I've stupidly agreed to take a friend (as I'm just that nice) to Heathrow in the night/morning. It's going to be 400 miles and I'm leaving @ 2am.

Random photo!

20-02-15 001 by AcidicDavey, on Flickr

**foammanmark** · Saturday 28th February 2015, 20:52

Great update and I like how you slipped a random pic in at the end of your awesome looking motor. Any random pics of that beautiful Alfa that you also slip in? Insurance sounds very reasonable to me, even with the increase.