Lisa the Swedish shlutz
Posted on the volvo forums too but this one was my first :)
Disclaimer:
This is not a "resto" thread nor is it "showroom" material. Viewer discretion is advised...
The goal: sub 6k daily/thrasher/track/drift hog/music hauler/chick magnet
BackgroundThis was my old beast some of you knew as the BEAMSSS

T'was truly a drivers car, I haven't driven too many cars in this short life time but few cars come close in terms of driving feel from a factory stock form at an affordable price. Long story short, not so smart decisions led to bad financial circumstances making me poor again but I also needed a change after 3 years of fruitful ownership. But the end of a journey marks a new beginning...
A new chapter...Having no sense of what had happened, I stood there dumbfounded as the owner handed me the keys to his car. There I was, 967.568 kms away from home in the Festival State with a used up one way plane ticket in my left pocket and $1200 less rich. At 35 degrees celsius and a humidity above 60%, it was going to be a very, very enjoyable drive home. HUGEEE shout out to Mike (carmikey) for checking out the car before flying down. Can't thank you enough mate!
Approx 1-2am. 10 hour trip because I couldn't power nap so kept taking little breaks
WP_20141224_001 Superb fuel leak apparently quite common between aux tank and main. Leaks after filling to 47L from empty
WP_20141227_001 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Since 2013 I have attended the MR2 Track day event at Wakefield Park but since I sold the BEAMS in late December and bought Lisa, I took her instead.
volvo5 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Met up with the super-friendly and helpful member from the volvo forum who lived within 5 mins away from me :D. Helped me out with a couple things in preparation for RWC. Rear LHS floor pan was rusting inside out and front crossmember has 2 hairline cracks about 2 cm each plus the windscreen was lifting up from the lower RHS corner.
Time to get cracking. He sings worse than he dances...
WP_20150211_004 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Swap. Hmm nice and clean
WP_20150211_009 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Bit of weight loss.
WP_20150213_004 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
WP_20150218_002 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
One of the meets earlier this year. Yeah.....
WP_20150213_006 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
This doesn't look so bad...
WP_20150218_003 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
hmmm
WP_20150219_007Welded up by friend of a friend who turns out to be someone I used to work with!
WP_20150305_003 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
That's what I'm talking about! 20 years later the only piece of the car left haha
WP_20150306_001 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Because "Planet Earth" by David Attenborough. Saw this at the airport
WP_20150214_006 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Just watch this 3 min video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8Sorry I get distracted easily...
Cleaned the seat track rails on the passenger side because it was sooo dirty. Now slides in and out perfectly. I used WD40's Dry PTFE. I am testing it against graphite powder which I have used on the driver side seat but I think there's something else wrong with driver rails.
WP_20150311_001 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
Couldn't set the timing due to slipping crank pulley so got timing belt, seals, tensioner and pulley. Only took about 4-5 days due to my incompetence and sloth. 70% work done by me and 30% my old man helping me out. Initially he was not keen on it but he wanted the garage space back eventually hehe.
WP_20150415_008 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
If I was to do it again, would probably take 1/3 of the time. The intermediate seal was a BITCH!!! ****ed one of them up so had to get a new one.
WP_20150415_001 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
WP_20150415_005 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
This little guy helped get the seals out
WP_20150415_009 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
The crank pulley remover tool is godsend for dumb kents like me.
WP_20150418_001 by
tribeard@yahoo.com.au, on Flickr
The PLANSBesides stage 0, me wantee:
- T5 borg warner tranny
- intake/exhaust
- Mitsu TD04 15G turbo (850R)
- Weld diff
- Straight E85 + injectors
- Coilovers BC or custom
- Hankook RS3 or Fed RSR - Very keen to compare against "faster" cars
- Moar weight loss
- Swap battery with 12v capacitor setup. Save 20 kg+
Optional (after 6k mark)
- Megasquirt 2
- Complete re-wiring race car style with switches n shiet
- LSD
- Aero, just for fun
- 2016 MTC 1st place domination of competition. Steve, stuka and Glenn have NO chance
So far I have spent 2500 including car so I think I'm doing quite good :D
Till next update, T5 tranny swap
lego2