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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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#195 · (Edited)
16 December 2016

Day 9 of the big rush.

We work all day quietly on the Volvo, Brett continues to bend the turbo heaat shield slowly. Customers come in the shop 7+ and all gravitate to the Volvo many questions etc

I work on the Water tank repair/fit - 6mm spacers are welded to the rear of the tank to cater for the unexpected BUMP.

Brett finishes the welding and leaves me the job of fitting the turbo shield. 2 hours later and a few unusual fixes to fit it and getting late in the day the turbo shield is bolted in.


Quickly we setup for the cabin move


15 minutes later we have mission success the weeks goal is achieved. But it will have to be lifted off Monday morning to fix up the harness sea belt mounts at the rear of the cabin. However everything else is all ok as we do the fit inspection.


She looks great better than I could have imagined. People ask when is the top coat going on. Thats it Ford Creamy White (or Desert storm base paint colour - hehe)






Had to have a pic with the grill in.


Dinner later and we drink a lot of beer lol.
 
#198 · (Edited)
17 December 2016

Day 10 of the big rush.

I'm a little slow. Waste 3 hours getting bolts as I got given 4 7/16 bolts not 3/8 like I asked for.

But ended up getting the harness seat belts fitted cleaned out threads etc and all the bolts cruised in. Inspection of the cabin shows it needs to come off as a few of the rollcage holes are a little out.


Take a nap in the boat hammock late in the day as it's stinking hot.

18 December 2016

Day 12 of the big rush. Another slow day

Worked on the water tank slotted the top bolt holes to make it easier to fit - hey presto it was much easier to install. Now need to do the filler taps and the outlet taps sometime next week.

Fitted the shunt for the Battery monitor.


Removed the cabin ready for tomorrows work marked all the holes to be trimmed. Removed the air cleaner as we are now attaching the air cleaner bracket and the supports for the harness seat belts together.

19 December 2016

Day 13 of the big rush.

Cleaned up the holes with the air tools.

Then we we mounted the cabin. Marked the position of the harness brackets and made up the tubes and welded them to the air cleaner bracket. Bolted down the 4 bolts of the cabin. 8 to go to the rollcage still it will be a long slow process to get everything to line up.

We redid the wiring to the injector pump to add a plug to it.

Mr Brown decided to watch everyone from the bow of the boat.



Then it was time for the reason for the big rush to occur. The 12 horse horse float turned up for its revamp and intimidated everything in the workshop with it's size.



Then suddenly it was hometime and this is the Volvo as I left it after 13 days of work on it.


I took the boat home ready for a trip sometime after the Volvo is finished.

Merry XMAS everyone.
 
#201 · (Edited)
29/30 December 2016

Day 1 and 2 of a 5 day rush.

5 days to work on the Volvo in a row.

I work on creating the nice entry of the 4 power steering hoses into the cabin LEFT, RIGHT, POWER and RETURN .

Day 1

Remove the brake and booster and the clutch cylinders . We cut and brace the dash.

Cut the hole for the hoses and start the plate from 4mm alloy.

Day 2 then assist with the wiring of the central locking putting the wiring internally in the door frame.




5.15pm we have glued down the rear cabin alloy valance. Day work is over no wait the horse float is out we can get to the front roll cage. Pick it up and install it slowly. The horse float is reversed back in as we finish. The truck is complete no more large parts remain to be bolted down.


The roll cage looks good in the new colours.


The 4 hole plate which is giving me grief


6.10pm leave the workshop. Then the trusty Isuzu DIES about 500meters from the workshop engine check light on. It runs enough with light off to get it back to the workshop, leave it and leg it the 2+k back to the hotel via a halfway meal and a cold beer to cure my sorrows. I think its fuel filter will check in morning.
 
#202 · (Edited)
1 January 2017

Does not start well a walk in the rain to breakfasst then picked up and taken to the workshop we decide to bolt down the front roll cage. Hmm it will not the top bolts do not line up I confirm with Brett I have to trim 7mm of the right side top and 1mm from the left side due to the welds stopping the tubes sliding in and we also need to clean up the joins they look awful and some scraps and water damage. It's decided off it comes.



Making the plug to seal the top tubes from a piece of 4*2 that the guard puppy chewed up,


Then fitting with sealant


Then fixing the welds and the grinding mistakes from removing a cross joint gone wrong.


Then we check the gear lever to see if it'ss working. It is but we discover 4 wires we had missed from the loom. Damn!!!!!!!!

Now we have the issue of the ugly hole from some beaver who called themselves a workshop from the previous owner to deal with also this will burn vauable time. The deadline is 5/March/2017 my birthday.



Home time I have the front roll cage sanded, filled and undercoated and repainted it looks smick and I cut the ends off correctly an verify with a vernier ruler. The roll cage fits as I fit it myself with the forklift and a bit of string. It bolts in 10 bolts of the 14. The last 4 well I missed thatss 6mm hole with a 8mm thread. Needs to be fixed also.

2 January 2017

Day is for pedals I find everything I neeed, then its lunchtime and then the heart plays up cos I forgot to take the tablets yesteray and this morning I have to rest for the rest of the arvo.

Hometime pic.


The 5 day visit ends sadly with a wasted 1/2 day.

Train home to Kuala Lumpur
 
#203 ·
7 January

Damn the Isuzu is not ready so ISUZU inform me leaving a lasst minute plan of taking the mighty Landcuiser up with its dead air conditioning of taxi train an taxi's I elect the Landcuiser.

so we (Joe fom the kids home) arrive 10.00am yes I'm late hot wet with sweat and the windows rolled down for 190k.

First time for Joe make 8 2" Square plates with a nut attached for the underneath of the seats so there is no chance of seat mount bolts pulling through in an emergency. So guillotine lessonss under strict adult supervision.


My job searching for nutz an bolts and missing wipers part. I fluke the end of the steering lock nut. One WF nut left that we that at the bolt shop by taking the whole steering assembly to the bolt shop.


Then its time for the pedal assemby it does not go well. The master cylinder bolt hole does not line up with the brake pedal.

End of the day what do we have pedal assembly not working. Seat bolt down points done without turning on the argon gas damn. Pedal assembly failed. Steering ready waiting for pedals to be installed.
 
#204 ·
8 January 2017

It's decided after measuring the pedal travel and position etc that the pedal needs to be 30mm lower to give 40mm of travel and match up to the lower position of the master cylinder.


The two part pedal is made.


Then I make the bottom of the pedal and the bushes from solid bar and drill them out. They will be welded up Monday as we do not have a long enough 14mm bolt in the workshop but it's now ready to go.


The new templates for the floor coverings are made




Home via a visit to my Ipoh Mum and the windows down the whole 205k drive home
 
#205 ·
29 January 2017

14/15 January was a charity trip into the jungle to deliver food to the Orang Asli after the monsoon rains

Then the factory was unavailable the next weekend.

So 29 January was second day of Chinese New year so I'm back on the Volvo. Ihave the mighty RED Landcruiser after fixing the aircond and a few other items to make life comfortable for the wife on our Journey to IPOH for Chinese New Year.

It's decided after measuring the pedal travel and position etc that the pedal axle needs to be 30mm lower to give 40mm of travel and match up to the lower position of the fulcrum needed.

We are working on the pedals when we hear a mewing noise a close investigation reveals 4 kittens in the guillotine and one angry mamma cat.

She runs leaving me to sort out a box and warmth for the kittens - they are cold and wet and Mr Brown is locked away he will kill the kittens.





We finish the brake pedal off and its mounted in the bracket. It all fits in the proper place. I make a bracket for the clutch arm. It does not fit well however there is a 20mm height difference. We need to remake the clutch cylinder bracket.


The clutch needs a spacer bush made its a bit loose.

That obstacle means I can work on the accelerator pedal.

30 January 2017

Work on the pedal continues and it's mounted in place it looks like it will work . I mount the steering column to make sure niothing is in the way.

Home time - wifey decides its CNY we have dinner with Mum before leaving. 9.30pm we leave Ipoh for the 200k drive home. Yup you guessed it CNY traffix was so bad atfer 2 hours I had travelled 9k on the highway. 6.5 hours later at 4am in the morning I arrive home exhausted. I keep the wife awake the whole way as punishment for making us leave late lol.
 
#206 ·
2 February 2017

Public holiday in KL train up arrive IPOH 1.00am - Tired I collect the trusty Isuzu from the workshop 8.30am

Back to KL in the evening

4 February 2017

I'm starting to hate this drive I just sit on 150K for the 190k just keep outta my way.

First job finish the accelerator pedal off a few mods it will be finished. Like heck, I decide to add a clamp to stop the cable top moving and causing issues a few more hours are lost making sure itsLate in the arvo down to the bolt shop - hey it's open I get 4 imperial UNC 1/4 inch bolts. They don't fit damn.

The go faster pedal is slowly getting completed.


5 February 2017

Mr. Brown smells cat and eventually finds mama cat upstairs and a 2 hour watch and wait game. Mama cat proves she is cunning and eventually slinks away unscathed.


First job finish the accelerator pedal off a few mods it will be finished. Like heck I decide to add a clamp to stop the cable top moving and causing issues.

It's all ready in the arvo and finally looks better. Then the 4 bolts for the door stop will not screw in.

Late in the arvo down to the bolt shop - hey its open I get 4 imperial 1/4 inch bolts. They don't fit damn.

The go faster pedal is slowly getting completed.


7 February 2017

Another holiday - take joe from the home with me. We work on brackets for the seat bottoms etc.
 
#207 ·
9 February 2017

Another Public holiday the drive to IPOH is easy less than 90 minutes still on 150k.

First job finish the accelerator pedal off a few mods it will be finished. Like heck I decide to add a clamp to stop the cable top moving and causing issues.

We take the clutch pedal miles away to a engineering shop they are also open. They specialize in GEAR cutting. More on this later as they can make PORTAL gears hmmmmmmmmmmm.They will have the nylon bush ready

Saturday. The day cruises by working slowly to finish the bracket.

The go faster pedal is slowly getting completed.


10 February 2017

Bolt shop take a pic of the thread with me. Crossed thread and a UNC tap and I run around all 4 bolts on the right door then the left door and all the bolts now fit. Now the bracket bolts in and the go faster pedal all works. The inspector gives it the thumbs up. Then it's painted.

Mr Brown excited to see me as usual.


The completed go faster pedal.


Then only thing left commence the brake line fitting. We prepare the Volvo to move across the workshop. By 4.30pm it's across the shop and on the hoist with a lot of effort its sitting on wooden planks on the hoist.

6pm hometime.
 
#208 ·
11 February 2017

Strip the volvo brake lines out then down to the parts shop for Toyota and Volvo hoses and the hydarulic shop for new pipe and fittings. $550rm is emptied from my wallet.

3pm back in the workshop after 4 hours/away I get the Rear brake lines done but I have to go steel pipe brake to brake as the flexible hoses are not the right length so we will get more monday and fix up the issue. Meantime I finish the piping to the master cylinder for the rear brakes and will sort out a longer flexi hose next week.


12 February 2017 - Sunday

Fit the clutch slave cylinder and lay the piping out till I run out of pipe as I cannot find the 2 spare 5 foot lengths I saw in the workshop Friday.

Cut the panel under the passenger seat in the wheel well to give access to the injector pump etc.

Fit the drivers floor.


Cut out the 2 sidelights fill panels as the new sidelights from Volvo are much bigger and need new mounting

points created.


 
#209 ·
16 February 2017

Work on the steering disassemble and reassemble the steering column parts so the worm screw works properly.

Rebolt it all in and the brahe booster yet again.. Chasing parts etc and the day is gone.

17 February 2017

Work on the steering again bolt in the top half of the steering and it all fits nicely.
 
#210 ·
3 March 2017

Drop into friends workshop to get the alloy watertank remade into stainless steel. There is his immactulately finished PINZ. In the shop is my friends PINZ all the light grey panels are new and designed in-house. They look so factory that he has more pinz's lined up after to have the same operation done.




4 March 2017

Day Trip to the Volvo I was going to drive quietly since the Isuzu'as rear tires started sliding out during the week in the rain. However, it's dry so I sit on 140k instead. Work continues on brake lines they are getting so close to being finished. We order the new hydraulic cylinder for the power assist steering. 2 weeks and can collect. Then it's an emergency run down to the tire shop for 2 new rear tires for the trusty ISUZU.





Back to Kuala Lumpur in the evening as tomorrow it's my birthday and I have 4x4 driver training to run. It's a much safer 190k run back home with the new Michellin sneakers on it.

Mr Brown throws a sad when I leave.
 
#211 ·
10 March 2017

Get to Ipoh and realise no Fone however, the workshop is opened for me. Work on the brakes and clutch piping all finished except I miss getting the last pipe correctd as they have moved the mounting brackets 30mm and there is no more strech left as the hydraulic shop closed 5 minutes ago sob.

11 March 2017

The workshop is locked cannot get in. Damn the wrong message was conveyed to the workers and I cannot ring them. So I head home to KL a days work lost.
 
#212 ·
18 March 2017

My last full weekend on the Volvo until after June as I have 14 kids from the orphanage to teach kayaking on Sundays until their 5 days kayaking adventure with me in June.

Inspection shows

Front mudflaps mounting points bolted on.


Steering arm has been shorted 40mm resulting in reduction of steering turns from 2.25 to 1.5 making it nicer to drive.


Rear electrics panel is almost completed.




I finish the rear piping and all the way to the front and sheath the piping under the dash.


I grind down the front holding nuts 3mm to make the joining nut on the pipe to flexi hose tighten up and the front brakes are then completed and make the firewall to the master cylinder piping up.


Right rear mudflap mount


and left


Power steering assist cylinder collected. Before you ask yes its equal pressure both ways even though it looks single action. It will be mounted to the DIFF next week.


The hydraulic shops beginnings was for the tin mining industry in IPOH.


The brake and clutch pipin
 
#213 ·
The brake and clutch piping all protected, holding brackets will be made next weekend


I finish the rear piping and all the way to the front and sheath the piping under the dash.

Clutch pipe is relayed as one piece from slave cylinder to firewall

Wahoo they are all finished and tightened down.

Knock off time

19 March 2017

9:10am damn the gates been locked I cannot get in. I give up and go home at 10.00am. Another day lost.
 
#218 · (Edited)
22 May 2017

Well it's been 8 weeks at least since I last saw the Volvo. After being off work sick for 6 weeks with a stomach virus from something I ate and now training the orphanage kids for the August Kayak adventure I took a day off work to visit it for progress.

Meantime in the 7 weeks I have obtained new front windows cutoms made and cut for the wonderful price of 40USD a pair for 9.7mm laminated autoglass oh and I left it at home damn curses. I have new LED headlights. The new stainless steel water tank is still being made.

So whats been done.
- Powersteering is almost completed
- Rear 12v power panel is completed no pics as the Volvo is way up on the hoist.

They collected the power steering parts from the engineering shop and I fitted then to the power steering cylinder. Went down to the hydraulic shop cut the hoses to length and got new ends fitted. Then connected the power steering hoses to the new cylinder. New holding brackets for the left and right hoses made and mounted. Could not fit the top power steering hoses as the Volvo is way up on the hoist. But next visit I will have it done.

Mr Brown was so happy to see me he decided to help me on the workbench while I chopped 10mm off the mounting bolts.


Finally it was all bolted down. We may have to change the design of this does not work.


Discussion on the switch rollcall we have 5 to buy to have them able to complete the front switch panel.
Then it was time to test out the new LED headlights. Ooooh they are cool. Bonus they have sidelights and indicators built into them.


So now we can weld in the inserts I made and touch them up with paint etc.




A few things left to do:
- Air conditioning
- Assemble doors
- Build new Drivers dash panel
- Wipers build and fit
- Connect remaining switch panel wires
- PTO find switchs and refit
- Test everything
 
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