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Rescuing Oswald, the Old Blue Amazon (1965 Volvo 122S)

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Nice job on getting it operable. Those temps are just crazy.... take care working in them.

Any luck on pounding out the roof warts? Wear proper PPE for sure.
 
DET17 said:
Nice job on getting it operable. Those temps are just crazy.... take care working in them.

Any luck on pounding out the roof warts? Wear proper PPE for sure.
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It’s been a toasty summer. Yesterday’s commute home in the Amazon was 107. I have a big rechargeable fan in the car that helps quite a lot at stoplights.

No progress on the dents. One of these days…
 
August 18, 2024

Bad pic, but the car's getting a new muffler today. Quoted $160 for a new one to get sourced and welded in - not bad! I sounded like a 16-year-old VTEC racer boy on my way to the muffler shop.

https://flic.kr/p/2qaX9kC
 
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August 19, 2024

Exhaust done - new muffler, repaired tailpipe (didn't realize it was also damaged from backfire), new exhaust hangers, and exhaust leak fixed at the downpipe. $230 out the door, and the car runs QUIET! I'm sure the neighbors will appreciate that.

Anyway, with the help of a local Volvo wizard, I began investigating why the car had such a massive backfire. First off, it looks like the carbs are running very rich, so I'll be double-checking my work from when I rebuilt them a couple months ago. Additionally, my new points are already degrading and pitting. I purchased some of the cheapest ones available, so I shouldn't be surprised. Nonetheless, looks like I'm getting a weak spark. Combine weak spark with the excess of fuel from the SU's, things start making sense.

Pertronix upgrade time! I'd been wanting to run Pertronix on one of my cars for a while, and considering this car's astronomical miles and engine wear, this is a good candidate.
 
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August 22, 2024

My 1975 Volvo 244 was picked up to be shipped from Idaho all the way over to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where the new owner plans to give it a full restoration. One year ago, I had five or seven Volvos. As of today, I have just this Amazon. Feels weird having only one project, though the neighbors and my wallet appreciate it.
https://flic.kr/p/2qbASH1
https://flic.kr/p/2qbFuDA
 
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Congrats! I feel the same way, back in January of last year I had 3 Amazons and a 142 plus my VW R32 and Golf. Down to just my Amazon coupe and my Golf and it feels great.
 
August 26, 2024

It's been over 20 days since my backfire fiasco, and while I'm waiting on the backordered Pertronix parts from IPD, I have the SU's pulled off for a thorough cleaning.
https://flic.kr/p/2qcy8Fd

When I replaced the jets, needles, seats, and gaskets back in June/July, I did a suuuuuuuuuuper lousy job of cleaning the exterior of the carbs. All of the caked grime has been causing the choke-return-spring-jet-arm-thingy to get stuck. I went to the part store and bought two hefty cans of carb cleaner, and took the opportunity to teach the kiddo about starting fluid, Seafoam, and other chemicals that she shouldn't drink.
https://flic.kr/p/2qcy8s7

Even after a thorough spray down with carb cleaner, scrub with a toothbrush, and wipe down with rags, most of the grime was holding tight. I resorted to boiling the heck out of them with Dawn dish soap (if it's good enough for the ducks, it's good enough for me), which was a great success. I need to finish tearing them down to replace the butterfly valves and stems, and then I'll get to reassemble.
https://flic.kr/p/2qcy5s4
https://flic.kr/p/2qcytaj
 
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Check your throttle shaft bushings and throttle shafts for wear. If you need them rebushed let me know, I have all the tools needed to do it correctly.
 
cwdodson88 said:
Check your throttle shaft bushings and throttle shafts for wear. If you need them rebushed let me know, I have all the tools needed to do it correctly.
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I have new ones to throw in from the rebuild kit, so I should be okay. Thanks for the offer, I'll remember for when I inevitably drag home another unnecessary project!
 
You’ll need the proper reamer to install bushings with the correct alignment from one side to the other.

If the shafts are at all worn, the bushings are too. I can’t count how many times I’ve had a customer that “rebuilt” their SU carbs and didn’t do both at the same time. They’ll work… sometimes.
 
cwdodson88 said:
You’ll need the proper reamer to install bushings with the correct alignment from one side to the other.

If the shafts are at all worn, the bushings are too. I can’t count how many times I’ve had a customer that “rebuilt” their SU carbs and didn’t do both at the same time. They’ll work… sometimes.
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Thanks for the tip, probably prevented a headache.
 
August 29, 2024

One of my IPD boxes are here, but it's stuck in the mailbox lol. The back of the community mailbox is one big door, so they're able to slip the box into our slot just fine, but then I can't get it out of the smaller front door. I'll use a box knife to try and open it up from the side to get my gasket set out without bending them.
https://imgur.com/a/Jk9R9aR
 
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dl242gt said:
Dawn did a great job cleaning up those carbs. Why can't you get to the post man side? Do they lock up the mailbox?
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I love Dawn dish soap, it's a staple in the garage lol. Especially the Powerwash spray. I started using it back when I had my K-Jet Volvos and needed a cleaning solution that was less aggressive toward rubber/plastic than carb cleaner or engine degreaser.

And correct, the backside is locked up by the postman, who is the only person with the key (since the big door opens to expose everyone's mailboxes). I got it out with a box knife and patience.
 
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