Volvo 345 owner

[Azurael]

I have a Volvo 345, as noted in my signature

Despite being in remarkable condition for a 22 year-old car (Only 35k on the clock, practically no rust on it), it has a couple of problems (Has been sat in the garage for ages, but I want to restore it) - firstly, the front doors don't open. It seems the actual catch mechanisms have ceased up since everything else is connected and present. Any idea how I can sort this out? It was taken into service for something else at one point ant when we obtained the car, the back right door was in the same condition, but the garage fixed it.

Theres a few other things that I do know how to fix, and have already obtained replacement parts for from the scrappie. Both bumpers (since it has been driven into bollards in both directions), the boot catch mechanism (which is no longer attached to the car, but that one's been replaced before. Currently there is nothing holding the boot shut or locked ) and the rear right quarterlight is currently a very yellowed piece of plexiglass - here's the tale behind that:

When the rear right door didn't open, the car was parked in Walthamstow overnight, and somebody smashed in the rear right quarterlight... I can only imagine their disgust when they found that the door didn't open, so after winding the window down and squashing themself through it, they stole the following: One half-finished pack of gummi bears from the glove compartment.

No, the portable CD Player (Left ON the dash) was still there, as were all the CDs and anything else of value in the car). Best of all it that at this time, the boot catch was fallen out for the first time, thus the criminal could just've lifted the boot and climbed in

So that's my Volvo story... I hope to get this thing going soon, since considering the nick it's in I wanna restore it and take it to the Volvo Owners Club meets (It's the oldest 340 model registered in the club!)


Rock on 345

Maybe somewhen I'll go round some scrapyards and find the bits to put in electric windows, central locking (Though I guess this one means stripping out the whole dash - not a task to be taken lightly), and change the cam and tune up that sweet 'lil B14

[foggyjames]

If you simply want to replace the cam with an original replacement, I know a guy who is selling a brand new one. £40 is the asking price.

cheers

James

[Azurael]

Erm, any chance of a rev counter, or doesn't the old 345 have the correct fittings?

[5lab]

i'm guessing yours runs off an old dash - if its the smiths type i'd imagein you can fit a revcounter to it easily, otherwise i'd be doubtful

[foggyjames]

If you have a Smiths cluster (all-white lettering, square warning lights for temp and fuel), then I have a spare rev-counter for that cluster. Sadly I can't extend my 'free rev counter' offer in this case as a) I paid a fair bit for it, and b) its damn rare these days.

But if you want it...let me know!

cheers

James

[Azurael]

It doesn't look like the 340 dashes in the videos on this site... I'll take a look at it later.

By the way, I thought I recognised that 340 in the back of the Janurary Technical Driver... I read the name under it - Chris C

[5lab]

http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum2/ftopic251.html

that thread might help

[Chris_C]

By the way, I thought I recognised that 340 in the back of the Janurary Technical Driver... I read the name under it - Chris C

Hopefully I'll get another nice piccy done there soon, when I have the fogs and bumpers on, and maybe a few other bits

[Azurael]

Aha! Mine looks like this one:


Except it's Silver, and a DL - intrestingly, it has some (i assume) of the GL features, such as headlamp covers and the chrome trim around them, the sunroof and heated seats - and the original bumpers were a three piece affair - they had end caps and a dotted red stripe running round them... Maybe it was some kind of special edition? Or maybe the bumpers were just aftermarket, since I've never seen another with the same (That said, I've only seen one other bearing the 345 badge as opposed to the 340 one.

and it does, indeed have this dash:

I'm guessing that this one's too early to bear a rev counter?

Sadly, it will never be fully restorable, since it doesn't have the original engine in it. The original chewed itself to bits after a headgasket failure and never quite worked right after the replacement (flames shooting out of the exhaust were a little worrying) so after consulting with out local Volvo specialist, we had a new(er) engine put in it... They had trouble fitting the electric fan in, or something like that, but it looks totally different. It has a huge air filter on top of the engine and runs on unleaded (we did manage to work that out before we'd put four star in it too many times...)

[5lab]

i put 4* in mine lots of times before realiseing it can run unleaded

i think you *can* get a revcounter in there, but if you can its super-rare. i also guess you may have difficulty running it off the newer coil. i dont know thou. perhaps one from a different volvo of the same era (240??) would fit?

[foggyjames]

You could have fitted the old air filter to the new engine....although it'd probably be easier to get air filters for the newer one, so I wouldn't worry!

I think anything of that era with a B19 (ie: a european 345 GLS or R-Sport) had a rev counter - that's it. Any coil-based rev counter *ought* to work with any coil....for the right number of cylinders.

cheers

James

[Azurael]

Assuming this is actually thre dash from the green 345GLS up there (which I don't think it is, on second thoughts. This one seems to have some kind of plastic cover over the air inlets on the bonnet)



I can't see that it could have a rev counter... Hmm, anyway, back to the restoration. That's more important

Anybody got any idea at all how to get the front doors open? The door panels are off inside and everything is connnected so it must've ceased up?

[5lab]

spray a load of wd40 in there..

failing that, use a screwdriver to press the catch open?

Hugh

[foggyjames]

I can assure you that you could get one....I have a pic (but not on this machine, dammit!)....although everything except the speedo is different.

That plastic cover is the 'snow cover' for the heater inlet. Genuine accessory. I'd like one.

As for the doors....no specific advice I'm afraid....not encountered that one.

cheers

James

[Duvel78]

A few years ago, one rear door won't open. I used WD40 and it was solved after 10 minutes. Same problem solved with the passenger door on a GLT. Move the handle continuously when you spray the WD40 into it and you will see, the door will open.