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Volvo C304 Restore and semi expedition or jungle taxi

115K views 378 replies 57 participants last post by  geckoadventure 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi my first Pirate Post.

I'm(we my wife and I) from Malaysia - most people call me GECKO (my nice neighbour he just calls the police hahaah) due to the large GECKO tatto I have on my arm. We (yes she told me to buy it or she would leave me) have acquired a C304 (4 wheel model only) and in the process of restoring it.

As we pulled it out of the storage park with my BJ75 on 26/07/2010. It was not running but would tick over.




The BJ75 struggled to pull it it appears the brakes we frozen on.

Onto the tow truck and down to a performance tuning shop hahaha.



Once they removed the spiders and cobwebs from the tank it started.

Then they changed all the fluids.

But they could not fix the brakes so I made decision to do the DISC conversion first before the rust treatment.

I drove it around at nite for 2-3 weeks testing it out - without brakes and only using the gears and handbrake. I learnt what was good and bad in the truck and what needed fixing. Now I have a 40+ item list to attend to.

Then 20 August 2010 I took it to the hospital (escorted by the magnificient BJ75) which was entertaining saw this on the way out. Oh yeah I burnt off a 22R powered LC II on the way up a hill it could not pass until the downhill part hahha.


This is it after being washed and driven for a few weeks. Mr Grumpy my neighbour hates it and all 4x4's the other neighbours in the street think its neat including the ("SIR") who I took his kids for a run in it now he wants to book a jungle trip with me.


The interesting one is my car illiterate neighbour she I quote "that engine sounds so sweet" its nicer than my Honda. Then where is that big beautiful 4x4 on sunday she asked.



Then the serious stuff removing all 4 wheels and portals - yeah yeah that's me working on the Jalopy.


Me working on the last wheel. The mekanik did 1 I did 3. Not bad for my first ever attempt at working on a Vovlo and no manual either.


7 hours later a A stack of portals


Once that was done it was over to the BJ75 and pulled the WARN 8274 out of it it has water in it :( and the new axle to be fitted and a new knuckle this week and new leaf spring bushes and it also has a brake problem.

We are going to put on in this round of fixes:
1. LC II Front Discs front and rear as this is a part which is readily available.
2. Install the WARN 12,000lb winch for REAR recoveries
3. Fix the taillights with LED lights
4. Fix the indicators
5. Fit new headlight wiring and H4 halogen bulbs and new reflectors
6. New radiator hoses and break hoses.
7. Battery Rack for 2 solar batteries and 2 120amp batteries and a 150AMP Alternator.


Once we
So thats my intro. I will post up stories as I slowly restore it.
The rest of the truck is STOCK.

I have previously been in (and out) a C304 during the RFC2007 when we got flooded and I was in the BJ75 in the same small convoy of 6 of us. I know what it can do - awesome. I cannot wait to take mine offroad here.

I also own a:
Toyota LC II - 13B-T monster very jungle ready
Toyota LC II 1KZ auto handbag jungle car
Toyota BJ75 - jungle ready
ISUZU pickup and
TOYOTA VIGO pickup.

My favourite is the BJ75.
 
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#166 ·
13 August 2016

Saturday one day trip - Sunday I'm in the plane to Kong Kong for 2 weeks

I'm tired long hours I wake up late and step on it the 190K flies past and I arrive outside the workshop 8:57am same time as the owner pulls up.

They are repairing my tire wiring since the puppy chewed it all off.

I see they have finished the radiator inlet piping all nicely tucked away just the radiator outlet to finish.

I have today 2 doors to top coat. The repaired rear panel to strip and undercoat and top coat.

The service panels to apply top coat, The air filter and taillight brackets to paint oh and rubber seal parts to hunt down.

The heat shield will be welded up by the workshop during the week and mounted.


I stripped the rear panel then it was time for the shopping before some of them close 1pm

I received instructions to a rubber shop. Bonus they had the seal for the rear cabin I bought enough for 2 Volvos. The second oh year I bought another Volvo last Saturday after the Kids charity day lol.


Bolts (and RIVNUTS) collected and more undercoat from the paint shop back to the workshop 2.30pm

By 5pm the rear panel is stripped sanded and undercoated along with the rest of the bare metal parts.


By 7pm the tail light bracket and the air filter are painted and the air filtter bolted down


The service hatch doors dry and when they are dry enough I mount them on the truck to keep them safe. A small resand and final top coat need to fix a few little mistakes. Wow they look ace.


9pm and I'm still clearing out parts and trying to clean up


Taillights look ace also then I try to bolt them in. The RIVNUTS will not fit in the holes damn I got the wrong size. I don't bother to try and redrill the holes im too tired.


Then I realise the issue. Oh no the rear panel some paint is lifting despite high pressure hosing and sanding the paint stripper has had revenge. Some of the doors need to be resanded and a few body filler marks fixed. The thunderstorm during painting has left huge amounts of water in the air tank some has come out on the doors also.

Packup the workshop and make a list. To fit the cabin all I need is the heat shield mounted and the radiator outlet completed and the last bend of the air intake done.

10pm Home time - hook the trailer and boat up and its time for home for that long 190k drive home. I stay awake all night prepare 1 car for a charity event for a kids home for a friend to drive and the ISUZU is prepared for the employee to collect and do running around to fix the 8 broken ATV's from our business, packing for HK. I finally fell asleep 5pm in the Hotel in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Progress sometimes is tiring lol.

And that Volvo it's in really bad shape. I know the resort it used to run on taking tourists and saw it being abused.


Right rear cross member ripped off etc.
 
#167 ·
Thank you

Thank you for the updates. They are always great to read no matter the level of progress! Sorry to see the paint/compressor issues.

The new Volvo looks like another great resto thread in the making.:smokin:

Do I also spy an XJ next to the new Volvo in the last pic?
 
#168 ·
Thank you for the updates. They are always great to read no matter the level of progress! Sorry to see the paint/compressor issues.

The new Volvo looks like another great resto thread in the making.:smokin:

Do I also spy an XJ next to the new Volvo in the last pic?
Yes the XJ not part of any current or future story lol.

Someone asked in another forum what's the plan?

This is the idea so far:
- rugged shopping trolley to go to expensive malls and jockey park it beside the farking porches ferraris's and Bentley's if you think i'm joking i'm not lol.
- Toss the rear tray steel round tube tray with alloy tray and slightly chopped.
- Full restore of cabin covered in a comp spec rollcage - think Dakar truck - Rahmat from Rahmat playhouse garage is already crying after seeing the pics
- 2 winches probably 8274's
- fix missing section of right rear chassis
- rear mounted radiator and intercooler etc
- air suspension and if I can get past road transport a-frame suspension
- 2 sets of doors one with windows chopped off other full doors (handbag days out with wife).
- fit race harness seats and belts
- engine possibly 15B-T and Toyota auto gearbox
and that will be it one big fun offroad truck that I may use in comp to show because I CAN lol

Rollcage made in IPOH rest done in KL at a workshop (or rent half an engineering shop sill looking) by me and yet to be found
 
#170 ·
4 September 2016

Yes it's a Sunday, Saturday was spent taking the long narrow boat to the boat factory 2 hours north of the workshop where the Volvo is, so hence 4 hours north of Kuala Lumpur (370k away) and along with the new tank and gauge for the boat I'm getting renovated/rebuilt read for the 1-9 October trip.

Unfortunately I arrive at the boat factory 15 minutes after it closes thanks to a truck accident which blocked the highway tunnel off for 60 minutes means I gotta come back Monday morning.

So I gotta crap load of work to do remove the fuel tank there is a pile of diesel on the floor again. is time it's drastic action required.


Tank is removed and washed out an dried ready for Mondays fixup.


Then I find the reason for stuff (food ) disappearing from the back of the truck the errant puppy can climb and walk on beams.


Then we weld up the exhaust heat shield and is a bust it neds to be remade sob as it WARPS after the tacking welds.


Then it's onto the roof I have the remainder of the 5 holes to weld up grind weld up grind.

Eventually its done but the bends in the roof from its life as a police riot squad truck are left.


Tank I'm ready to create a new bung Monday.
 
#171 ·
5 September 2016 - Monday

Early morning - 7am to be exact I'm back on the road 2 hours or more up to the boat factory drop the boat off and deliver the new fuel tank and see the transformation of the restored boat

Then it's a long haul back to IPOH coming


Big delay on the way back due to this rolled truck sigh another hour lost.



I cut the new bung out of 8mm alloy block and drill the hole and tap the thread and hand it over to be welded to the tank. When we shut the factory at 6pm it's tacked in.
 
#172 ·
10 September 2016 - Sunday

Work is on the rear panel final sand and preparation. I spend most of the day working on this.


The new bung is in the tank and I re-mount the tank and put 72 litres of diesel in it. Bravo 8 hours later it's not leaking. It's finally fixed. Only the tank cover to go.
 
#174 · (Edited)
16 September 2006 - Friday public holiday

Sunday morning hit the roof with body filler all the tape is where body filler small amounts have to go.




By early evening I have the cabin top sanded and undercoated




17 September 2006

Finally it's painted then I see the mistake the leak in the paint can has leaked onto the valance sigh


Rest of the day is spent preparing a RHD steering assembly for a guy in Melbourne which I salvaged from a wrecked Volvo.

Now for the long break next weekend is collect the boat a prepare it and my camping for my 1-9 October holiday of camping and fishing.

See you all in a few weeks.
 
#177 ·
29 October 2016

Extended Holiday over, workshop has reopened afer the owner was away for an operation, time to work on the Volvo. I have no idea what to do I make a list in the first hour.

1. Fit the intercooler and bolt it down
2. Fit the rear panel
3. Fit the rear tailight and bracket
4. Fit the fuel tank panel.
5. Flush the engine block

Oh no it's a public holiday nothing is open so cannot get anything from the part shops.

So first simple stuff

Fit the rear panel with finger tight stainless steel bolts


Fit the bottom rear taillights and bracket with RIVUTS


Pop the fuel tank cover onto a stand and put it in place


By evening with a few mods I have it ready to bolt in


And finally it's finished bolted in
 
#178 ·
30 October 2016

Remount the gas stuts they are all the wrong way round - oops

The cheap labour is working on the bolting in the intercooler and air cond condenser. Brackets are wire brushed and painted


Meantime I work on the air tank and wire brush it and undercoat it

Then the owner turns up and we connect up the compressors and amp test them. Hmmmm 46 amps drawn from each. Not good on 100 amp wires so 2 new wires are laid 100 amps each direct to the batteries.


Finally the intercooler is finished all I need is 1 new silicon hose and a few clamps
 
#179 ·
6 November 2016

Tow the boat up to the workshop the trailer needs surgery its flexing like mad the old boat weighed a mighty 70kg lol. This one is more like 700kg.


One day on the Volvo yesterday was attend a sultans birthday in KL so I worked on Volvo 2 instead.

Felt really sick so the owner and me work on the stuff underneath o the floor can be bolted in for final time.

We relayed the Winch cables into nice neat rows. Set batteries in new location an recrimped the ends and started on the T-Max winch cables. A new Cable holder was made (left bottom) and one more to be made.


Then I decided HOME. I was getting worse not better

The trailer left in the workshop for surgery
 
#181 ·
12 November 2016

First some pics of my boat holiday

A lone Elephant. My friends first time seeing a wild elephant he was stoked


A remote camp site early in the morning


Kayaking in the same cove


Saturday

Depart KL 6.30am its a cold 26c im shivering lol just floor it and sit on 150k arrive IPOH 8am im time to have a nice breakfast.

Arrive workshop 9am and everyone (hey wait a minute) is present working on the Volvo wow 4 people working on it. Battery box being changed to accommodate the 4 batteries in a line. 2 150 AMp and 2 DEEP CYCLE 150 amps for the 12V. Wiring is getting plugs attached.

First job join the 2 parts of the cabin together. Find the bolts damn 4 3/8th bolts missing we search the

shop and find 0. Why does Volvo mix imperial and metric bolts on the same part? I go to the bolt shop and get what we need and get 2 thread types to be sure. 1 hour later return - DAMN! they don't fit. Brett finds 3 and we are missing one. Finally we apply the glue and the sealant and lower the top to the base. Bolt it down. Yahoo done.

Lunchtime workers go home and then we start on getting everything under the floor ready so we can bolt down the floor.

First the lockers I have the wrong solenoids from ARB. Crap down to the hydraulic shop for new ones. Since I have to be back in KL to give a 6pm charity event I go to the hydraulic sop then head forr home however 1 hour in the hydraulix shop leaves me frusrated 2 sets pleas come out with etc . 50 feet of soft hose comes back with 6mm joints fark!!!!!!!!. Homeward bound yes of course it raains heavily turning the road to a ice skating rink. Arrive at the presentation 5 mins late give the presentation and I get participants joining up. Now I have 10 kids from the home to teach how to kayak and paddle for 8+ hours per day for 8 days.

13 November 016

Sunday

Up early no im not 1am I take cough medicine and its the sleepy one by mistake. 7.31am wake up fark!!!!! Floor the car even harder poor little Isuzu doesn't see the slow side of 160k much, arrive IPOH 9.08am.

First job run through the mods to the boat trailer.

Reinforced no longer the massive flex it had. he general view was it would have folded in half or snapped soon if it was not noticed. Discussion on batteries and fridge and hammock racks conttinues.


Then its onto the Volvo

I have the wrong solenoids after all that effort yesterday sigh!

Sweep up everything around the Volvo takes me an hour to cleanup.

Discussion on the 12V and wiring changes and the 12v battery management takes another hour by then its lunchtime.

So the afternoon is spent finishing the compressor take installation. Paint trim paint fit test fit fit ec. Then it's done just one little paint touch up to go later. It's not perfect but its practical and removeable.




Battery boxes realigned and more cable brackets have been installed. The 12v electric cart battery's are huge.


The 12v battery monitor is to be obtained next week


The cabin joined. Now I need to paint it again.


Since i'm at a cleanpoint I decide its home time I will go work on Volvo 2.

Next weeks tasks:
Lockers finish install
T-Max winch finish cables
Start clutch slave cylinder install
Finish PTO and 4x4 Vaccum and breather hose installation
Finish rear panel install and window install

Hell drive home pouring rain - I just cruise Bruce Springsteen then Blondie on the stereo

8pm i'm sitting in a little restaurant 500 metres from the KL workshop watching a motor bike accident happen

9pm i'm in the workshop working on Volvo 2.
 
#182 ·
13/14 November 2016

Evening shift. The workshop is only 8k from the office, beats the 190k to IPOH every weekend. No the wife still does not know.

However tonight i've come straight from Ipoh (190k+26k) to the workshop via dinner where I witnessed a stupid motor bike accident across the road from dinner when the motor bike ended under the night market stall afer a car turned right in front of it hilarious stuff.

9pm I'm in the workshop

Awesome 2 cuts and a big chunk of the rear comes off later I find it's a 35kg chunk lol.


Midnite cutoff time and wait the 30 mins to see if any fires etc are starting and look at progress


Yeah it look pretty good


One more night of cutting and I can take it all to the scrap shop.

Still I cannot remove the wheel nuts fom the flat tire. I snap a breaker bar using a 6 foot pipe to assist me. The air rattle gun will not move the nuts either. I need a bigger compressor damn.
 
#185 ·
19 November 2016

Got the locker mechanisms changed so now they are installed correctly.


Couple of bolts missing from the rear panel and it's all ready.


20 November 2016

Sunday time for the t-max to be wired up. Have to start from stripping the solenoid to see how to connect the winch wiring up. Took all day to get it finished and have nice lengthed cables. Only the remotes to wire in now.


The drive home is horrendous it pours most of the way home and it a 3 hour journey sigh
 
#186 ·
26 November 2016

Wake up late then have to go collect the trusty Isuzu from the workshop using the spare keys after it's had the gearbox out to replace a main seal and yet another oil change I believe no. 8 for the year so 40,000k has whizzed past.

Floor it for the 190k to Ipoh and arrive at 9:06 and wow all hands on deck again working on the battery box expansion and wiring up the rear tail lights and startin to plug up the front wiring so it can be removed if we lift the cabin off.

24v batteries connected


27 November 2016

Spent the morning putting the front prop shaft in.
My lunch view every weekend out over the limestone temples and hills.


Made a bracket to hold the accelerator cable a quick tidy up needed next weekend and it's ready.


The front prop shaft in. Apparently it's the wrong way round sigh.


The trip home again is horrendous 3 hours 45 mins. I'm really starting to hate the Sunday nite home drive
 
#187 ·
5 December 2016

One week on the Volvo coming first we move the cabin ready for a trial fit sometime this week. The whole

crew is available to work on the Volvo all week. So I'm calling it the big rush week.



All hands on deck to install the ceiling.


Poor Yap trying to figue out how to do the front ceiling.


Mr Brown jumps up to assist and supervise


End of Day 1 of thhe big rush we have the roof done


Evening I end up 90k away at the closing ceremony of the 2016 RFC with 2 other friends who decided in a drinking session in Chang Mai in Thailand on Saturday night to fly to Malaysia lol and several other friends also came a last minute.
 
#188 · (Edited)
6 December 2016

Picked up the kiwi video crew from their RFC 2016 hotel took them to see the Volvo in IPOH did a video interview for OFFOAD EXPRESS NZ and then back to Kuala Lumpur and out for dinner with the others.

7 December 2016

Slow morning after the long 190k drive backup to IPOH I managed to fly up early in the morning rather quickly lol

By the middle of the afernoon all the top removeable panels are completed except one which is being remade in the morning


I work on the front cabin panels getting them all to be removeable correctly for easy access.
 
#190 · (Edited)
9 December 2016

The end result of last nights gluing session is shade awesome, but oh and we need new gas stuts damn the 400M one's are not strong enough I need 600N the doors start to drop down a little.


So a 45 square foot jungle workshop is what it looks like now.


We retest the reverse camera after laying the new wires and yup it fails again so afer much stuffing around it finally works and the Battery Monitor turns up from the UK. Fit next week.

Next is the windows I fit the 2 side windows and give them a clean they come out smick.




Now the locks. Yap starts to modify the locks to accommodate the central locking while I clean out the holes for the locks to fit in.


Next week this will be ready to install and test out wow a 36 year old truck with Cental locking lol. The welded up keyhole is getting something special made up to hide the welded up hole.


We wanted to finish the roof by gluing down the top but alas we run out of time. It will be done first thing Monday morning.

So the end of the week we have thrown some 268 hours at it but missed the big goal of putting the cabin on.

10 December 2016 (Saturday)

Worked on the front panels went out to get some dome bolts for the ceiling as the roofing screws are going to cut my head and they look ugly.

Came back and had one panel almost finished and then the guillotine chopped to much off trying to trim 1mm off SOB. Down tools and we go to lunch and then I head back to Kuala Lumpur for a couple of days.
 
#191 ·
12 December 2016 (Monday)

Charity Day took People from Light up Borneo and potential donors to the scheme to a remote Orang Ali village to do a Mini Hydro recce. 11 4x4's and 37 people. Took my mighty Red truck for a stroll in the Jungle.

The girls from the group looked after the village kids while the other went to do the hydro meauring. Me I just relaxed for once.


However I want one of these little jungle dogs a Telemonian climbs steps loyal, kills snakes, hunts squirrels.




The mighty Red on its new Trepadors which I found to be quite harsh.


Arrive home 11pm exhausted.
 
#192 · (Edited)
13 December 2016

Day 6 of the big rush and im in Kuala Lumpur sorting out collecting my new passport then into thhe office to sort out the paperwork for the work permit.


14 December 2016

Day 7 of the big rush and I'm picking up parts for the Volvo from the laser cutters. I have to wait for one part to be cut out as they do not wanna bend it. It's ok we will bend it you just cut it. I wait 1 hour.

Then sorting out my work permit yet again. Eventually I arrive at Ipoh 1.30pm.

The door locks are now fited


Cental locking also ready for wiring.


The exhaust heat shield and the urbo sheild waiting to be installed.


Mr Brown getting a Subway cookie.
 
#193 ·
15 December 2016

Day 8 of the big rush.

The exhaust shield is installed by 2 of us.


I started on the watertank install and had a few issues which have taken a day to sort out.


Brett started bending up the turbo heat shield.


Only the turbo heat shield is needed to allow the cabin to be put on tomorrow.
 
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