(oi-V-io) 1998 C70 Hard Top Restoration Progress (oi-V-io)

[Quip1337x]

Hello Volvo Speeders, My handle is Quip1337x on everything pretty much. I never drove much before 2020 except when i was around 19 years old I lived in my 1982 (I think) Honda civic 5 speed before it was towed. I Took my taxes this year and sought to buy a car to drive for the first time in about 10 years. I started my research on Youtube and google searches for reliable or fun cars, I went into craigslist hoping to find a Toyota or VW golf. After weeks of used car shopping online, I never found a car I liked. Then I saw a sapphire blue 1998 Volvo C70 2.3l 5T coupe  automatic. It was priced $500 over my limit but  bargained with the seller down to $1000. (I know its not worth $1000 I Don't care..) The car was garaged for most of its life and the inside is very clean so I weighed the pros and cons. There is some body damage I have yet to fix, The infamous seat spring issue, engine light, abs light, worn tires, sound dampener in the right front strut isn't doing its job so i squeak and creak on bumps, But i'm bit by bit paying or learning how to fix the problems. My ultimate goal is to restore the C70 to its former glory and then work on upgrading it to bring to my local track and race. I'm new to all of this but have learned a ton in the past few months. The article about upgrading the fwd turbo Volvos is helping but it feels like im learning from the middle of the text book. 

Here's my new old Volvo. had to buy new tires to use the stock rims.

 

100 degrees out is perfect for photos. Almost at 200k miles and got my engine lights turned off. Don't hesitate to Reach out and have a conversation with me, I'd love to make a Friend to talk cars with. its kind of my new obsession. 

Edit: more of my Volvo C70 Including body Damage pics in the show room thread I made.

[RobT5M]

Welcome to Volvospeed! 

I see you've listed some issues here but on your other post say youve fixed some stuff. 

 

What issues can we help you out with?    Most of us have or have had P80s so we can be of great help to you.

 

Luckily the 98 P80 platform is a great platform to start with so you picked a solid one for sure. 

[Quip1337x]

There seems to be a lot I don't know. I went into town yesterday looking for a customs shop to work on my Volvo when time comes. Seems the services he said he could do are most likely easy to install stuff that i could do myself with a video or guide.  From what i have read on VS, the engine light doesn't tell you everything. under carriage is dry, no rust.   Easy to forget whats wrong with it when i enjoy it so much. 

What was wrong when i got it

-Bald tires but came with extra set of new winter tires and winter rims along with stock rims.

-A/c didnt work. 

-seat spring issue

-needed oil change

-sound dampener in right front strut is not working so i need new struts eventually (read your post on struts)

-crunched in left front fender connected to front bumber with zip ties.

- engine light, abs light, service light, light light, 

-driver side window if rolled all the way down gets stuck. 

-seller said there was a super slow oil leak but after 5 months i dont see much of any dampness or wet spots under the car

- coolant leak from tank hose thingy. 

-stock CD player wont eject but speakers sound amazing. (dash speaker not working)

-some random not used much lights are burnt out so it trips the "light light"

 I think that was everything..

Post me owning the car

-Learned how to look over a used car to buy on Youtube and started there.

-Started with a minor detail to the outside just hitting rough spots neglected by the former owner. 

-Bought new tires so I could use the beautiful, but scratched stock aluminum wheels.

-Ran A Fuel injection/turbo cleaner through the gas tank

-rear light went out fixed it. 

-did research on why my A/C didnt work and summer was a week away. i took a broom handle and hit the front of the compressor clutch as the video stated and the ac started running just fine untill i sped up. that told me the system worked fine but the compressor went bad somewhere along the line. Found a compressor refurbished for $125 and paid to have it installed. (this was 2 months into ownership and i was not confident in my ability to fix it properly without damaging anything.) 

-did more research for "problems to look for with a used car." Checked serpentine belt it was fine and rather new, fuses, plugs,  Who ever had this car took decent care of it and from the former owners words "was garaged most of its life." 

-had to take a trip over to seattle so i wanted to check the engine light before I left on a 200 mile trip. 2 codes P0410 secondary air injection system, P0172 System too rich. Took it to my mechanic again to double check the codes. he said i was good to go. On my way back from seattle i was going about 80 mph over a steep hill engaging the turbo as needed for traffic. i would start to loose power and my engine light would yell at me blinking over and over. i think i yelled "i'm trying to break this F#####!". Immediately Took the C70 back to my mechanic. I had blown 4 (i think) injector cables, leaking vacuum kit, leaking coolant. all three fixed now. Decided while im there to get my 200k oil change. Sprang for the engine oil super flush.

-engine lights are off now so im feeling confident. Going to work on getting to stage 0. If all goes to plan ill make a youtube video of my race when time comes.

I'm trying not too ask too much. But i do have some odd things about the volvo you might know personally. after i got my new a/c compressor installed it blows cold air just fine. but when i turn the system off it whines like there is too much pressure built up and it kind of whistles for 10 seconds after the car is off. it reminds me of the Men in Black movie, when he turns the car off it has a futuristic powering down sound. makes me laugh.

right now im researching parts. i guess the busted fender can wait. looks like if manual swapped can handle around 350-400 hp 

If i buy a fender online will i get a paint/color option? 

I didnt say before but i love your cars

Edit: forgot to mention. Once my injector cables were fixed and the vacuum leak the Volvo Has more power and the turbo seems to kick in a bit better as well. Did i mention it sounds healthier?

[RobT5M]

1 hour ago, Quip1337x said:

There seems to be a lot I don't know. I went into town yesterday looking for a customs shop to work on my Volvo when time comes. Seems the services he said he could do are most likely easy to install stuff that i could do myself with a video or guide.  From what i have read on VS, the engine light doesn't tell you everything. under carriage is dry, no rust.   Easy to forget whats wrong with it when i enjoy it so much. 

What was wrong when i got it

-Bald tires but came with extra set of new winter tires and winter rims along with stock rims.

-A/c didnt work. 

-seat spring issue

Go with the HD upgrade if you havent already

-needed oil change

-sound dampener in right front strut is not working so i need new struts eventually (read your post on struts)

Struts are cheap, if you plan on keeping the car long term maybe look into upgrading to Koni yellow/orange or another higher tier brand.

-crunched in left front fender connected to front bumber with zip ties.

Saw that, Tasca Parts could be your friend on looking for replacement pieces under the bumper to get it back on correctly

- engine light, abs light, service light, light light, 

If you have the ABS and Tracs light on at same time it may be your ABS module, (MidwestABS), BUT since it was in an accident, it may also just be your driver wheel sensor.

-driver side window if rolled all the way down gets stuck. 

Ugh I hated the C70 windows when I had one, BUT there are a few guides on here that should help you out with adjusting it.

-seller said there was a super slow oil leak but after 5 months i dont see much of any dampness or wet spots under the car

- coolant leak from tank hose thingy. 

Just buy a new tank hose thingy, they're super cheap and easy to do on your own, just remember the tank is plastic so to many ugga duggas and its gonna break.

-stock CD player wont eject but speakers sound amazing. (dash speaker not working)

Sc901 or Sc900?  They're notorious for that btw

-some random not used much lights are burnt out so it trips the "light light"

 I think that was everything..

Post me owning the car

-Learned how to look over a used car to buy on Youtube and started there.

-Started with a minor detail to the outside just hitting rough spots neglected by the former owner. 

-Bought new tires so I could use the beautiful, but scratched stock aluminum wheels.

-Ran A Fuel injection/turbo cleaner through the gas tank

Nothing like just doing a new fuel filter though, and they're cheap / easy to do yourself.

-rear light went out fixed it. 

-did research on why my A/C didnt work and summer was a week away. i took a broom handle and hit the front of the compressor clutch as the video stated and the ac started running just fine untill i sped up. that told me the system worked fine but the compressor went bad somewhere along the line. Found a compressor refurbished for $125 and paid to have it installed. (this was 2 months into ownership and i was not confident in my ability to fix it properly without damaging anything.) 

-did more research for "problems to look for with a used car." Checked serpentine belt it was fine and rather new, fuses, plugs,  Who ever had this car took decent care of it and from the former owners words "was garaged most of its life." 

-had to take a trip over to seattle so i wanted to check the engine light before I left on a 200 mile trip. 2 codes P0410 secondary air injection system, P0172 System too rich. Took it to my mechanic again to double check the codes. he said i was good to go. On my way back from seattle i was going about 80 mph over a steep hill engaging the turbo as needed for traffic. i would start to loose power and my engine light would yell at me blinking over and over. i think i yelled "i'm trying to break this F#####!". Immediately Took the C70 back to my mechanic. I had blown 4 (i think) injector cables, leaking vacuum kit, leaking coolant. all three fixed now. Decided while im there to get my 200k oil change. Sprang for the engine oil super flush.

-engine lights are off now so im feeling confident. Going to work on getting to stage 0. If all goes to plan ill make a youtube video of my race when time comes.

Stage 0 is a must, make sure to do the PCV system, its rather straight forward and something you can do yourself (swivel sockets will keep you from loosing your sanity)

I'm trying not too ask too much. But i do have some odd things about the volvo you might know personally. after i got my new a/c compressor installed it blows cold air just fine. but when i turn the system off it whines like there is too much pressure built up and it kind of whistles for 10 seconds after the car is off. it reminds me of the Men in Black movie, when he turns the car off it has a futuristic powering down sound. makes me laugh.

Weird, I would definitely take it back to the person you had install it.

right now im researching parts. i guess the busted fender can wait. looks like if manual swapped can handle around 350-400 hp 

It will handle more than on the automatic transmission, but I would look into an M66 swap as they are now easier and around the same price point to install. 
It's a decent undertaking if this is your only transportation and if you are doing it Solo.

If i buy a fender online will i get a paint/color option? 

Not likely, I say look at local Upull yards.   A 10mm and a pair of clippers will get the fender off the donor car (maybe a flat head too if you want to be quick about it).

I didnt say before but i love your cars

Edit: forgot to mention. Once my injector cables were fixed and the vacuum leak the Volvo Has more power and the turbo seems to kick in a bit better as well. Did i mention it sounds healthier?

Toss some Bosch Coppers in that old beast and you'll likely be enjoying it more (that was likely why your check engine light was flashing at you btw)

Bud you're amazing.  

I will gladly help you with what knowledge I have and im sure others here will as well so fire away any questions you have.

Throw the questions at us.

 

Oh and do not forget to look at Ebay and Amazon to compare prices when looking at Tasca, FCP, IPD.  
Youd be surprised that the prices vary so much.    Avoid the dealership unless they'll match Tasca's price which some will but some wont.

Wish you were local, could definitely help with a quick once over of the car for you.

[Quip1337x]

-struts-   Yeah i see that in your black Sedan (beautiful btw). Most parts look like they come blue online. I read Tunerforlife's Post on his and his wifes C70. His wife was right, If at all possible orange parts would be opposite the color spectrum and would make the colors pop more with my blue C70.

-Fender- Thanks im going to check it out. Dang i love the stock color and have yet to get the C70 a buff and wax (badly needed) My uncle used to have a customs paint shop. Maybe he knows where is good. I know enough about paint that if i do paint the fender only, it will not match well with the more faded stock paint job. Things to think about..

-ABS light- It only turns on at startup along with the "trac off" light. After a few mins they both turn off and stay off unless i turn off the trac control. ABS turns on even less after getting my engine lights off the other day.

-hose thingy-  would have been a good start for DIY but i had it done a few days ago with my Oil change. I'm going to try to do more hands on from now on. I don't like to just go into something pulling parts off and hoping. I'm more of the 'Read four steps ahead then do step one' kind of guy i'm learning about myself. "Ugga bugga" (lol) must mean Don't torque the clamp down too hard on the plastic reservoir.

-stereo-  SC-900, I have a feeling it does work but its just being lazy or a secret button I'm missing. but I went though the C70 Manuel and I pressed Cd1 like it says, nothing. 

-fuel filter-  never thought of that thanks.

-stage 0-  I Read the "upgrading Turbo fwd Volvos" thread 3 times last night just trying to make sense of it all. Its starting to come together the more i read here on VS. Also tunerforlifes thread on the C70 he's working on.  From the looks of things the stage 0 for my C70 should be a short one. Isn't the PCV system a part of the exhaust system? when you buy a new exhaust system does it come with pcv? i was planning on replacing it along with the exhaust system. As the thread i mentioned above states " PCV gets brittle and will break with age". so its something you want to replace before installing aftermarket parts is what i gathered.  I was recommended an elevate downpour down pipe by a random person online. Went around town to price exhaust yesterday but i found out the system recommended to me was not legal as it deletes the catallactic converter.  That's when i found out I knew So little and joined up here.

-manual swap- I'm still just brainstorming ideas. Transmission work sounds like top tier work when im in first tier knowledge right now. If automatic is better for where i am starting out and you can put more horses into it then thats what i'll most likely do. Yes its my every day car as well  but I'm open to buying a beater. Transmission seems strong in this one. I'll prob have a flush done.

-parts-  there are no Volvos in my area in scrap yards. they told me they only get them in every other year or so. and when they do get them in they get picked out quickly.

Questions

I saw how clean and polished your sedan is in the engine bay. My bay is dusty and dry like an old attic (better than wet). What would you suggest to start cleaning it up? There isnt much grease at all its mostly dust and dirt. Engine degreaser to start? soap and water? Car wash? lol. Wanted to wipe it down last night but like i said. learn 4 steps forward then do step 1.  (i read the polishing thread) 

Oh yeah What kind of jack do you use? where should i buy a reliable jack? how much should i spend? Am i gonna get crushed? Will i Dream?

You saw the body damage.. does it look like something i would be better off trying to take to a body shop to have banged out or reshaped? 

Thanks again by the way. Ill be floating here in VS most likely

Edit: you were right the ABS and trac lights come on together while driving then go away sometimes.

[Quip1337x]

Update

Found a front DH driver hand side (I'm pretty sure thats what it means.) Fender assembly and blinker cover at an auto wrecking yard about 3 hours away. The parts are from a 2000 Volvo C70 and im pretty sure will fit like a glove.  Found out I can match paint codes to VIN#'s if I call a Volvo dealer. The paint is a 417 pacific blue pearl paint code (same as mine) and the man running the phone said it's in great condition. Going to make the 6 hour or so round trip to pick them up tomorrow.  I'm hoping the connectors From the front bumper cover to the fender are still good. I also hear they break easy so ill have to find that out. OH yeah the whole fender assembly and blinker cover are together for $113. 

I can't wait to see how my car drives on another trip over that steep Pass since repairing some of the issues and an oil super flush. I think today im going to learn how to clean up my engine bay. It's like a dusty attic in there. Don't worry i'll do my research first. I have to cover some things up before spraying stuff under the hood I herd.

[RobT5M]

22 hours ago, Quip1337x said:

-struts-   Yeah i see that in your black Sedan (beautiful btw). Most parts look like they come blue online. I read Tunerforlife's Post on his and his wifes C70. His wife was right, If at all possible orange parts would be opposite the color spectrum and would make the colors pop more with my blue C70.

It's ultimately going to come down to your personal preference.  Some Autozone struts will be fine if you don't plan on doing to much, but since you do want to eventually race the car you may want to look into coilovers.  If you're doing straight line and no form of turns like autox youd be fine with some cheaper struts and lowering springs.

-Fender- Thanks im going to check it out. Dang i love the stock color and have yet to get the C70 a buff and wax (badly needed) My uncle used to have a customs paint shop. Maybe he knows where is good. I know enough about paint that if i do paint the fender only, it will not match well with the more faded stock paint job. Things to think about..

Weigh your costs here.  You may get lucky by posting a few wanted threads around the various volvo forums.  Even if its not in the same color, see how much it would cost for a shop to strip and repaint the fender to match your color vs a primed aftermarket fender.

-ABS light- It only turns on at startup along with the "trac off" light. After a few mins they both turn off and stay off unless i turn off the trac control. ABS turns on even less after getting my engine lights off the other day.

-hose thingy-  would have been a good start for DIY but i had it done a few days ago with my Oil change. I'm going to try to do more hands on from now on. I don't like to just go into something pulling parts off and hoping. I'm more of the 'Read four steps ahead then do step one' kind of guy i'm learning about myself. "Ugga bugga" (lol) must mean Don't torque the clamp down too hard on the plastic reservoir.

-stereo-  SC-900, I have a feeling it does work but its just being lazy or a secret button I'm missing. but I went though the C70 Manuel and I pressed Cd1 like it says, nothing. 

They're just finicky honestly.   I wish I still had an SC901 kicking around id just mail it to you. Remember if you pull it you're going to need your radio code to put it back in, any Volvo dealership can give it to you, some might not because of "security" and worried about theft, just hang up and call the next one.  They only really need the radio ID and part number on the top of it.

-fuel filter-  never thought of that thanks.

-stage 0-  I Read the "upgrading Turbo fwd Volvos" thread 3 times last night just trying to make sense of it all. Its starting to come together the more i read here on VS. Also tunerforlifes thread on the C70 he's working on.  From the looks of things the stage 0 for my C70 should be a short one. Isn't the PCV system a part of the exhaust system? when you buy a new exhaust system does it come with pcv? i was planning on replacing it along with the exhaust system. As the thread i mentioned above states " PCV gets brittle and will break with age". so its something you want to replace before installing aftermarket parts is what i gathered.  I was recommended an elevate downpour down pipe by a random person online. Went around town to price exhaust yesterday but i found out the system recommended to me was not legal as it deletes the catallactic converter.  That's when i found out I knew So little and joined up here.

You're PCV system is actually behind your intake manifold, a stage 0 in general shouldnt really take very long.  
I would avoid flushing the trans depending on the mileage, usually higher up it removes all the gunk keeping stuff together haha.
Deleting your cat is a nono if your state requires emission testing, check to see your state laws regarding this AS WELL AS exemptions based on age of the vehicle   Most exaust shops wont delete the cat for you, but there are plenty of welding shops that will    I'm in FL so its free game since we have no emissions testing.

-manual swap- I'm still just brainstorming ideas. Transmission work sounds like top tier work when im in first tier knowledge right now. If automatic is better for where i am starting out and you can put more horses into it then thats what i'll most likely do. Yes its my every day car as well  but I'm open to buying a beater. Transmission seems strong in this one. I'll prob have a flush done.

-parts-  there are no Volvos in my area in scrap yards. they told me they only get them in every other year or so. and when they do get them in they get picked out quickly.

Thats sad.

Questions

I saw how clean and polished your sedan is in the engine bay. My bay is dusty and dry like an old attic (better than wet). What would you suggest to start cleaning it up? There isnt much grease at all its mostly dust and dirt. Engine degreaser to start? soap and water? Car wash? lol. Wanted to wipe it down last night but like i said. learn 4 steps forward then do step 1.  (i read the polishing thread)

Cleaning the engine bay is pretty straight forwards.  You're better to look up online honestly as ive seen people just pressure wash them.   I've had my engine out a couple times so I typically clean it then in spots I couldnt reach otherwise lol. 

Oh yeah What kind of jack do you use? where should i buy a reliable jack? how much should i spend? Am i gonna get crushed? Will i Dream?

I just have a 2ton floor jack from harbor freight, id avoid using the stock jack unless you're on the side of the road.

You saw the body damage.. does it look like something i would be better off trying to take to a body shop to have banged out or reshaped? 

Grab a 10mm wrench and go to town, its literally all 10mm bolts there lol, headlight bolts, fender bolts.

Thanks again by the way. Ill be floating here in VS most likely

Edit: you were right the ABS and trac lights come on together while driving then go away sometimes.

Yeah you need an ABS module then, hit up Matty at MidWestABS.com Tell him Volvospeed sent you and maybe he will pop back up on the forums lol.

 

3 minutes ago, Quip1337x said:

Update

Found a front DH driver hand side (I'm pretty sure thats what it means.) Fender assembly and blinker cover at an auto wrecking yard about 3 hours away. The parts are from a 2000 Volvo C70 and im pretty sure will fit like a glove.  Found out I can match paint codes to VIN#'s if I call a Volvo dealer. The paint is a 417 pacific blue pearl paint code (same as mine) and the man running the phone said it's in great condition. Going to make the 6 hour or so round trip to pick them up tomorrow.  I'm hoping the connectors From the front bumper cover to the fender are still good. I also hear they break easy so ill have to find that out. OH yeah the whole fender assembly and blinker cover are together for $113. 

I can't wait to see how my car drives on another trip over that steep Pass since repairing some of the issues and an oil super flush. I think today im going to learn how to clean up my engine bay. It's like a dusty attic in there. Don't worry i'll do my research first. I have to cover some things up before spraying stuff under the hood I herd.

You're turn signal should be rather cheap on ebay.   Maybe 20ish. 

Keep us posted with photos once you get into it!   $113 doesnt seem out of the realm of average, especially from a full service yard.

[Quip1337x]

I ran out of memory for attachments. i tried html code but no luck. I see people post tons of pic on here and there is no way they had a memory limit. There is no option for deleting older attachments in the "manage attachments" section. The only thing i can think is to delete my old posts and start fresh with lower kb files. 

I think most of my anxiety comes from not knowing something or reaching a roadblock in what i want to do in life. 

Yeah i looked at the connecting points to the fender and looks super do-able for me. they even left space for the socket wrench I see. This will be my 1st DIY cant wait.  the only other tool i can think of that ill need is an extender for the bolt behind the open door.

[Quip1337x]

Got it!

But i popped the same 2 codes as before, "Secondary injection system" and "running too rich" on my trip over to get the fender. Took it back to my mechanic and he recommended me to another shop.

 

I was freaking out inside because i knew i was in too deep to turn back now. 

Bought a jack and jack stands after watching a video on safety when lifting and working under a car. This is not where i wanted to go cheep. I bought a Pittsburgh 3 ton low profile jack So i have an extra ton to use if i need it later. I'm glad i got the low profile jack as my C70 is pretty low at stock.

Always use jack stands.  The jack can and will fail No wooden blocks no cement blocks. only jack stands are truly safe when used in pairs. 2 Duralast 6 ton jack stands. not expensive. like $60.

After looking up the jacking points i started to jack the car up on stable solid ground. I was being dumb and jacked the car on what i thought was a good place. The jack immediately slipped off the jack point (due to oil and the wrong jack point) at full height. My 3500 lb car just dropped on top of the jack With a loud thud. I turned to my new neighbor that heard the car drop and  I started rapidly swearing. My heart was in the floor as my thought of all the money and fun and hope i have poured into this car so far may just be gone in a blink. I got back in, breathed a few times and started him up. It started just fine as usual. i drove around the block parked it back in the spot and gave it another shot. The mounting point was behind the front wheel its a triangle very thick piece of steel and you can't miss it and ill never make that mistake again. I had the car up and mounted on the jack stands ready to go. Looked under and no damage I can see from the fall but a bit of oil i see.  Watched a quick video and went to town on the fender. It was even easier than the video because mines a 98' somehow. every bolt accessible didn't even have to take the front bumper cover off. Just angle the socket wrench up a bit and work it slow. I tightened all the bolts finger tight like the video stated then aligned it then torqued all the bolts a quarter turn. these bolts are not to be tighten to the max.

 

The alignment

 

 

iM going to try getting the paint marker off with magic eraser or a few other tricks i looked up tomorrow . I haven't put the emblem on yet. ill look it up unless you enjoy answering questions =D

 

No more ugly yellow light. Where did they even find that?

 

I decided to Clean up my engine Bay as so many of you have such beautiful engine bays. I took a bucket of hot water and bit dawn dish soap mixed in and just kept at it.

Before

 

After

 

I never knew why my air conditioning smelled so bad. Now i know.. Smells amazing now. Remember those codes i popped again after getting the hoses re checked at my mechanic? i was so proud of my engine light being off. but check this out. After cleaning the crap out of the engine bay i stumbled across this tube here completely off and with nothing to secure it on. Where the zip tie is, is what tube was completely off.

 

That tube is right next to the battery and connected to the front of the car. its wide like an oval. I zip tied it at both ends making sure the tube was secure enough to my liking. 

Im Pretty sure that's what my car was trying to tell me with the codes and i dont know how my mechanic missed it completely. I'm going tomorrow to get my engine light reset again. then ride the crap out of it to see if it pops another code. I happily called the new mechanic and said ill troubleshoot it and get back to them =D

Having a blast here on VS and i found out there is another member here in my town. i have an eye out for his or her car. Im going to look into getting my little brother (more like my son) set up with a 70 series Volvo for him as well. im teaching him to drive which he has been scared to death. Today when he was learning with my c70 he had the biggest smile on his face i have seen in a long time. He's now interested in a 70 series and im researching one up for him here on VS. It will work out well because if i can learn it on my car i can also work on his.

I'll update Edit: I was inspired to give My c70 the nickname "Old Beast" The color is that of beast from X-men and the name just fits.

 

 

[Quip1337x]

How to remove Marker/junk yard paint From car paint job.

This tread Is the one i will be posting to from now on for my progress. If someone feels like moving this to the showroom I don't mind. 

I Spent some time researching for tricks to get this dealer/ scrap yard paint off my newly installed fender. Some people said use magic erasers(wouldn't recommend). I tried a test spot on my paint and The effect of the magic erasers Just clouded the paint so that did not work. I found a video and it worked great. If you have the same problem just try this method as it worked for me. this is an inexpensive solution. 

 

What you will need for the job: Bucket of water, Shop towel or wash cloth, Straight Acetone($4), new empty spray bottle , a Mask to keep fumes away( you should have a mask now lol) 

 

Quit Staring at my Acetone..

I'm going to just type this out because the video did not cover any safety or techniques. 

First Put on the mask, then label your spray bottle "Acetone" for safety if accidently swallowed. Next pour your straight acetone into your new spray bottle. Put the spray bottle on full mist setting as the hard spray setting will spray too hard and cloud your clear coat. Test spray the bottle a few times to assure you're on full mist setting.  Next wet the surface of the marker paint area liberally with your fully wet towel. The wetter the better =D . The water acts as a deterrent from the pure acetone.(less likely to cloud clear coat)  The technique is to Wet the marker paint.  Spray the marker paint area quickly (but not hard) with acetone spray a couple inches away from the surface. you will see the marker paint start to bleed downward quickly. You need to wipe All acetone and marker paint bleeding downward away immediately (be fast). You only have about 2 seconds to get that acetone off your car.  So be aware of where you're spraying and where the acetone is going to drip to. Again within a few seconds you need to: 

1: wipe with wet towel

2: Spray with Acetone full mist setting, (dont spray too hard either as the mist can hit the marker paint and leave little over spray dots in the color of the marker paint.) 

3: Wipe away all excess acetone and bleeding marker paint with wet towel as quickly as possible. If the acetone sits on your paint it will eat your paint job away quickly.

4:  repeat Steps 1, 2, and 3, 

Tips: you may want to use multiple washcloths. when you wipe away the marker paint it sticks to the washcloth or towel and hardens quickly. I had to switch towels a few times to keep the towel from spreading the dried marker paint back to the car paint. Always try a test spot before going all out. Test a small part of the paint to get a feel for the techniques. Edit: Do not just spray the whole area and wipe away. Try removing the paint in small increments at a time to help with the speedy removal and control of the excess acetone.

I learned these techniques through trial and error. My mess up is your gain.  

Here is where I sprayed the acetone too hard because my marker paint was thick so it needed more sprays to come off completely. I'm almost positive this mess up can be fixed by a buff and wax. here's a pic of my mess up.

And this one. 

Here is the After picture in full. Haven't buffed or waxed the car yet because i still need to work on cosmetics.

 

 

[Quip1337x]

How to Restore Faded/Oxidized Plastics, Rubber seals(molding). How to restore dirty/ lightly stained leather interior. (dash, doors, interior non glossy plastics.)

When cleaning my engine bay I remembered My time with my uncle, he taught me how to detail the inside/outside of a car and old plastics Cheep, easy, and without chemicals, oils,  or fear of damaging their car cosmetics. 

What you will need: Mr. clean magic erasers 4X stronger with Durafoam (not generic off brands) , Bucket of water, washcloth (microfiber suggested)   These are the ones we used because they last longer and don't crumble away as easy.

 

This one is super straight forward. Just wet the magic eraser fully and squeeze most of the water out. The magic eraser when wet acts as a super super fine grit sand paper. Just start sanding the affected area lightly but with a bit of hand pressure(not full arm weight). Wipe away dust with cloth and check the results. (always start with a test area) Keep re wetting/squeezing water out and reusing the magic eraser when dirty until it gets flat and starts to crumble away. You will notice the results getting less effective when the magic eraser gets used more and more. I went through 4 packs of magic erasers so far at $4 a two pack but the results you achieve are priceless as your car cosmetics are now new like factory again. Here are the before and after pictures =D.

Before detail:

 

After detail:

 

Before:

------Before

 

After detail: 

After---

 

After--

After--

20 year old car.

---- =D

Maybe this is all common knowledge to everyone here I don't know. I learned this 15 years ago and thought i'd share. Happy Restoring 😃

[Quip1337x]

Got more work done today on the Old Beast.

I was getting turned away from a tire shop about my struts but he recommended me to a guy in town, he says lives and breathes Volvos. Im going to go meet this guy so he can give my car  a once over. I walked back to my car and..

That's my lock stuck under the inner paneling of my driver side door. Luckily I was still in the same parking lot as the tire place because a delicious taco truck Parks in the same lot. They let me use a coat hanger to get the lock knob it in place so I could unlock it with my key. I got home and gave the door a closer look. The whole interior door paneling was offset by a quarter of an inch making the lock rub against the sides of the knobs hole.

 

I looked underneath the bottom of the door to find all the rivets have broken away. 

 

 

 

When this car was in its accident It must have offset the interior paneling. My guess is the door paneling will never sit %100  correctly. I went to the hardware store to look for this little red thing that the rivets go into.

 

I never did find them so the clerk and I brainstormed for a minute and we thought of using Threading Bolts. I went to the hardware store over and over until I found one size bolt larger than the rivet hole. Bought a Powerful Drill =D 

 

 

 The idea worked perfectly. Better than I expected, looks better than I thought it would as well. 

 

 

It would be cool to do all the rivets with those bolts. I like the look and they're much stronger. Should be easy to remove if i need to later. I was careful not to crank the drill too fast because the leather is delicate. But you still need a good amount of steady power to thread the new holes into the metal of the door. My door still is off set but the lock should be ok for now. 

 

I read Some ones thread asking about how best to reattach Emblems. 3m adhesive double sided sticky tape and an exacto knife or razor blade to cut the excess tape away. then stick for 60 seconds and done.

 

the emblem

 

The look of the car is really starting to come together. I can't wait till I get further into it. This is after my gasoline wash today.

 

-------------------------

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The gasoline not only got rid of the years baked on duct tape residue from the now fixed fender but it also Cleans up rough spots on the paint like behind the wheels on the back bumper cover or side skirt graphics.

I just can't stop.. Which is good because I'm transitioning to a new home that's better for my head in general. Diving into this car head first has helped me out a ton and has been a lot of fun. I'm learning about myself.  Any info you guys feed me is greatly appreciated and I will put it into practice. Thanks again for all the help VS i'm going to go back to gas washing ma car. 

What should i do next? Tinted windows? Struts? - the sqeeking is driving me nuts sometimes.. I'm also thinking about getting a paint touch up pen to touch up paint. Then prob a buff and wax. it would be cool to do myself with my sweet new drill.

[Quip1337x]

 

I found the old listing for the 1998 C70 ad. Thought it would be fun to share what it looked like when i got the car.

 

 

When Beast Found his forever owner.

 

 

Don't worry ol' beast I'll learn what ever I have to to keep you healthy.  I'm going to keep him forever, I hope I don't get hit. Almost been hit by people not paying attention once a month since driving him. I went to my insurance place and added uninsured motorists to my plan.

 

 

I got so much done in the past couple of weeks to the old beast. I was sore and broken requiring A bath every night to continue the fun. I'm still working on it But I need to plan first. This is what I have been doing lately. 

 

When i bought the C70 The previous owner said there was a super slow oil leak But when i went under the car I saw it was a bit more oil than "super slow".  I saw a drip of oil on my Front Passenger side wheel that lead me to this spot here.

 

 

That is under the wheel well on the right hand side front wheel. Its has been about 6 months that I have owned this car and i do see spots on the dirt where oil had dripped over the months but not a whole lot. I just keep checking the oil levels every so often now. I have added the oil leak to the list of things i need to fix ASAP along with the secondary injection system leak. 

 

Bought a car cover because its dusty as hell over here. When Its not covered I just Wipe the ol' beast down with a dry microfibre cloth. It's already turning heads in its current state. I even noticed people checking out my car like its for sale or something.  I just smile at them to let them know the opposite.  Made a  small  Landing for to get in and out of the beast without dirtying the inside after my detail.

 

 

These are my new driving shoes on the way now.

 

I don't like things rattling around at all while driving so I did this. I didn't own one tool other than for electronics before the Beast. Now I have need for a tool box.

--------------------

I haven't been back to the mechanic yet. I really need to but some work stuff has popped up. I went into my work with the intention to give them an ultimatum after a verbal fight with my boss. I said, "if I can't do what makes me happy then I'll find somewhere I can be happy."  I'm now on track for management and will have to most likely move across the state to where I'm needed when time comes in bout a year. That's assuming Going out to a sit down meal Is even a thing in the future. I'm going to take the chance. 

----------------------

I decided it's time to grow up. Let go of all the BS weighing me down, holding back my potential.  The grief of past events, The drugs, the hurt. They all weigh me down and effect those around me. I still smoke a bit of the 'good good' but I have cut back heavily and no drinking either.  Once I figure out my schedule I'm going to the mechanic. I have the money, just need the time.

-secondary air injection leak 

-oil leak

-ABS

these are my top priority's right now. for the beast.

[tighe]

Looks like you and this C70 are healing each other. Glad to see it, good luck with the journey. These are great cars to learn on - well built for the most part, pretty straightforward to work on, and as you've found out, there are lots and lots of resources online. In my experience this combination has made for a rewarding and satisfying ownership, filled with the feeling of accomplishment, and respect for a well designed machine. Except for all the god damned plastic Volvo decided to use.  

[Quip1337x]

Yeah, I guess we are. Thank you for the good fortune. I already know more about cars than I ever thought I would. This whole process has literally Been the best positive in my life in a long time. 

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It's woodgrain plastics from only the finest of plastic trees. Faded plastics guide above. ^^^