SwedeSpeed - Volvo Performance Forum banner

'74 142 update.

52K views 147 replies 15 participants last post by  pistorman 
#1 ·
New proud owner of a 1974 142!

Hello there. I just bought a 1974 Volvo 142, its orange in color. I bought it for less than 1K and I want to restore conservatively to original.

I have been told to take my car to Southwest Automotive in Houston (Richmond Ave).

My car only has 70,000 miles, it used to be owned by an elderly lady, whom basically used it very little. The sad part (for the car) is she lived in Denver and some rust occurred, not too bad though. Its an automatic and because the car had been parked without use for about two years, the person that sold it to me basically only changed the battery, ran it hard for 40 miles and the transmission stopped working.

The engine runs fine, and as for the rest of the car its all there.

Next things are new tires, new exhaust and muffler, service, some rust repair, full repaint to original color. Maybe have new upholstery and enjoy the heck out of it!

Here's some pictures:

http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n607/pistorman/1974 Volvo 142/
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Hello there. I just bought a 1974 Volvo 142, its orange in color. I bought it for less than 1K and I want to restore conservatively to original.

I have been told to take my car to Southwest Automotive in Houston (Richmond Ave).

My car only has 70,000 miles, it used to be owned by an elderly lady, whom basically used it very little. The sad part (for the car) is she lived in Denver and some rust occurred, not too bad though. Its an automatic and because the car had been parked without use for about two years, the person that sold it to me basically only changed the battery, ran it hard for 40 miles and the transmission stopped working.

The engine runs fine, and as for the rest of the car its all there.

Next things are new tires, new exhaust and muffler, service, some rust repair, full repaint to original color. Maybe have new upholstery and enjoy the heck out of it!

Here's some pictures:

http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n607/pistorman/1974 Volvo 142/
Welcome to Swedespeed, Victor.

"...restore conservatively to original..."

Does this mean "dollars" or in a conservative fashion?

A rebuilt Borg-Warner Type-35 3-speed transmission will cost nearly $2,000 parts/labor/install.

The rust repair - $1,000?

Exhaust, complete - $500?

Tires - $400?

Re-paint - $2,000?

Retro-fit air conditioner using R-134a - $350?

Complete service on entire car (parts/labor) - $500?

If you "surrender" your 142 to Southwest Automotive best to have just won a case with a $10,000,000 settlement in your client's favor.

Consider making the needed repairs over time and in a prioritized order.

In my view the first step would be to source a used 4-speed automatic transmission from a Volvo 240, rebuild this unit then install it in your 142 (under $1,000 complete?). This could be done by any Houston-area non-franchise transmission shop.

Once the car is running with the sorted 4-speed it will need tires and exhaust to pass inspection.

You are looking at near $2,000 to get this fine Volvo Classic up-n-runnin' - let's roll!

George Dill
 
#4 ·
Hi George, thanks for the welcome.

You are correct!

This is actually my fourth classic car I picked up. I have finished two classics, a 1970 Toyota FJ40 and a 1962 Ford Anglia Deluxe 105e, both restored to full original shape. I have a guy in Dallas I work with for body and paint work and he does a great job.

I should have waited for your post, I just agreed to have the automatic transmission in the car rebuilt for 1400 including parts, labor, taxes, removal and re-install and a one year guarantee. It makes all sense to have had the 4 speed in the car, but I didn't think of it.

Have you had experiences with Southwest Automotive, all I want them to do is the full service, no surrendering for them to restore for me anything else.

I bought the metal body parts from VP-Autoparts.com it really did not need much, rear outer spare wheel wells one side kick panel, and two wheel surrounds patches, the body guy will custom make the repair patches for the rust behind the turn lights. These parts all in all cost me about 300.

The full top quality paint job, rust repair, I have my guy in Dallas do for 2K.

Exhaust I think it maybe a little less than that but about 400.

What tires do you recommend and where should I buy them. Called Sears automotive and they told me they didn't have that size.

Thank you in advance, below are links to see two of my restore threads of my other cars, the one for the FJ40 is quite long though:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/334539-pistormans-1970-fj40-build.html

http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n607/pistorman/
 
#13 · (Edited)
Hello all, its been a while since I have posted any progress on my 1974 fuel injected 142. I am of course in need for some direction.

So far I have had the BW35 transmission rebuilt and done correctly (went to a "specialist" shop before, what fraudsters there are out there), I have sourced all metal parts for repairing all rusted areas, meaning two new old stock front fenders, lower kick panels and rear lower quarter panels, as well as both sides wheel wells and troughs.

I am trying to get some NOS orange interior, so far waiting on a contact in Sweden (any pointers also accepted).

Now, I want to buy single stage paint as it was originally done. My paint code I believe is 113-2 (orange), any one know a good source?

Next I am repairing all of the fuel system. I bought a new replacement tank but it did not come with a lower nozzle/outlet as to where the fuel pump goes. Sad because I really need a gas tank, mine is corroding inside and has a humongous amount of soot and rust debris. I guess I can have it cleaned up and resealed in a local radiator shop, but there's a company in PA that actually opens them up, sandblasts them and reseals them for a comparable price. I am thinking of doing that.

The fuel sender came out with a lot of rust, it still work, but it looks like its going to fall apart soon. Again there is a supplier up in NY that restores them. I'm guessing its also going that way.

I can't find a source for the fuel filter that attaches to the tank brackets, anyone know where I can get them?

Also, I went to Rockauto and ordered 4 rebuilt injectors. The surprise was although they say it fits my vehicle, they really don't so I took mine out and I'm taking them to a place in Houston where they clean them by sonic vibration.

Another thing I did was replace the instrument panel with one from a 240. It fit right in although this one has an tachometer. All I am missing to work is that one black cable from the tachometer needs to be hooked up. I am guessing its a ground? Oh, and after the swap I noticed that the turn signal lights up the wrong instrument panel turn arrows. I am still wondering out how I'll sort this out.

Any help is much appreciated!
 
#15 ·
Hi everyone, on big question, I found a source for Volvo paint. I want to restore my car to original. I believe my car is orange, it looks orange too. For some reason it has a finish code of 116 (Dark Yellow) instead of 113 or 113-2 Orange. I am wondering if there is a mistake? My car is certainly NOT yellow. Then again I have had experiences where the paint's name has no resemblance to how it looks. Does anyone know if my car is a 116 Dark Yellow or a 113 Orange? Would flks in Volvo have made such a mistake of placing 116 in my build plate?

By the way, I want to go single stage acrylic urethane paint. Just as it came from the factory, no clear coats, etc. Anyone have had experience with PPG or other brands? Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!



 
#18 ·
I'm getting the car ready for the body shop, I bought most metal parts from Rock Auto, and God knows how, but a guy in Georgia had the unobtainable front fenders for the 74 model. Volvo stock. He let me have them at an awesome price.



I have a great number of questions, I'll shoot them in time.
 
#20 ·
I am not a paint expert by a long shot, but I've talked to a few people in the business. PPG has a pretty good reputation; a friend of mine who restored an old pickup truck used PPG. Sikkens and Glasurit also have good reputation. At the lower end is DuPont and Sherwin-Williams (this is what I've been told, no personal experience here).
 
#22 ·
I am having new shock absorbers, rotors and pads installed on my car. As well as tires, I ended up getting some Coopers, 195/65/R15s. The 185s were too short. Hope they fit OK. Also, does anybody know if my model uses girling or ATE? having a hard time finding front wheel pads.





 
#23 ·
Girling calipers use a straight pin to hold the pads in with a hairpin cotter on one end and a small cylindrical head on the other. The calipers usually have the Girling logo ( a hand grasping a large letter G in a circle) cast in on the visible side of one of the cylinders. ATE calipers have
a pointy pin that snaps in and does not have a retaining cotter, also a cross-shaped spring between the pins and the outboard edge of the calipers.
Yours look like ATE but I can't see them quite well enough in the pic.
 
#25 ·
I have better pictures of them, I am also guessing these are ATE as no girling logo was found. What do you think of my tire choice?
Perfect tire choice.

If not too late, confirm ATE or Girling for front and rear and hand brake shoes.

Then let us know if you want daily-driver pads, hot-rod pads, no-dust pads, etc.

Once we get firm guidance shopping will be more definitive as I am finding new OE ATE front pads L/R (Volvo Part Number 270165) for $10 plus $6 shipping anywhere USA (this includes Texas for now).

George Dill
 
#33 ·
#29 ·
This how the tire is supposed to look now :)



Still lots to do, car is going to the body shop tomorrow, then some mechanical work-lots of cleaning, new exhaust assembly, new IPD ceramic exhaust manifold, cleaning the gas tank was a nightmare. I'll post pics of that tomorrow. Used a KBS system. Had to pressure wash the tank several times, treat it with marine cleans, rust encapsulators, then a tank seal. Hope it does the trick because all the replacement tanks on sale did not have a lateral pick up line, all they did was have the opening for the filler neck and an opening for the sender, I am guessing it would draw gas from the sender in the prior models, but on this one it just did not work this way.

Just waiting on VP Autoparts to come through with interior :) and some trim.
 
#31 ·
I think its a button that doesn't do anything, just a blank. May, though I can't tell yet, it may be a front/back balance of the monoaural stock AM/FM radio. I bought a stock looking radio with state of the art innards that will substitute this radio. I plugged it and it sounds beyond awful.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top