[All News - Oldest at Top]

 

Aug 2005

 I have found a great online community at Brickboard.com Volvo forums. Everyone that I've met there is so helpful and experienced. I have already learned so much about the car and the restoration project to come. If you are new to the PV, check out the Brickboard Volvo forum. If you like it, make sure you donate some cash. The site can be a little slow sometimes, but that's probably because it's so darned popular!!

Oct 2005

 I contacted the Florida DMV and discovered that it is possible to obtain the original title - which was lost at some point. So, I send off for the title, which will be sent to Mom in Florida and transferred to me thereafter. [Update: I discovered that the title was still with my Mom and she sent it to me. This will be much easier to transfer.]

Oct 2005

 I have been able to strip much of the engine compartment components off now. I'll need many replacement parts; hoses, wires, fuses, etc. Luckily I have found a parts supplier Olof who operates Vintage Imports (http://www.vintageimparts.com). This guy has everything! I'm currently trying to get original wheels and Olof is checking to see if he has five for me. I've asked if he can get them blasted and painted the original color - California White (# 42). [Update: I was able to obtain five original wheels from Olof - used but in great shape. These will be blased and painted the same color as the car - when the car is painted.]

Oct 2005

 I purchased five close-to-original 165R15 whitewall tires from Coker Tire. They are sweet looking tires with a 2-1/4" whitewall. Last, I purchased some new hubcaps from Scandcar.com. I think that's enough spending for one week!

Oct 2005

 I have discovered a local upholsterer here in Chesapeake called Mitchell's Complete Upholstery, Inc. They are located at 204 Great Bridge Blvd., Chesapeake, VA 23320. They have been in the area and in the business for over 40 years. They have estimated about $1,500 to re-cover the seats with matching vinyl, rebuild and refinish the door panels, and recreate a headliner. I signed the contract, paid half and started dropping off seats so they can get started.

Oct 2005

 Working on the speedometer face today. I found some nice silver paint and sprayed the inner part of the round face. It looks very nice. I also had to rebuild the needle since it cracked in the middle. I epoxyed it back together and repainted the white and red tip. It looks much, much better.

I also purchased original wheels today (used but in good shape) and lug nuts, plus front shocks, a master cylinder repair kit, driver's side floor pan. Purchased all from Olof with Vintage Imports.

Olof also told me "Your car, a California white, is a rare 444 car indeed. I've never seen one. There are very few left. They were better appointed than the regular 444 and have a special interior. You should keep it as original as possibly it will be worth more that way. The serial number tells me it was manufactured early May or June 1958. The last 444 came out end July 1958 serial nbr 196 004." I think that's pretty cool.

Nov 2005

 I have been working on the interior a lot lately. I am stripping the tar paper (sound proofing or dampening material) from the floors and inside panels. I am trying to get the car down to the metal so that whenever I find someone to do the bodywork, they will not have to do this. Olof of Vintage Imports gave me a great tip of using a heat gun so I purchased one and it does work wonders - although that 47-year-old tar is some pretty stinky stuff when it gets hot. Yuck. I have also started to "clean up" the front suspension - to see the shape of the rubber grommets. The metal is in great shape but it looks like the rubber might all need to be replaced. That should be fun. :-)

Nov 2005

 Henry Robinson of Robinson Tech Custom Auto Body in Chesapeake came out on Sunday to review the car as I requested. I was referred to them by two different people, one being a guy in my BMW club. They do restorations and painting and they are close to the house. So he looked it over for rust and other issues and said that it looked much better than he thought it was going to. (That's a good thing.) We spent a while talking - and I told him about the car's history and that it had been in the family for around 30 years and that it meant much more to me than any old car since it was my father's project. He told me their rates are $55/hour and that they would be happy to take on the project. They can take the car in early January. I verbally agreed to give them the project. Two months gives me enough time to complete stripping it down to the shell. I'm pretty excited.

Anyway, I received five new wheels/rims and lug nuts today from Olof (Vintage Import Parts) - original rims of course (pn 89991). They will need to be sand blasted and painted, but that will take place when the car is painted. I also received the master cylinder rebuild kit and was able to clean and rebuild the master cylinder. New hubcaps should be coming soon from Sweden and will look nice with the new red "Volvo" decals purchased from Olof. I also have the front and rear left side floor panels coming from Olof as well as a new steering wheel horn "D" ring. Moving right along!

Nov 2005

 Tonight I worked on the front suspension and steering gear. I have removed the steering column/shaft and steering gear housing. Thanks goes to Joe - my Father-in-law, for the tools to remove the ball joints (forks?). I left the Pitman arm attached to the gear housing for the time being although I am sure I will need to remove it since the gear housing seems to be leaking somewhat. I was unable to remove the steering rod/ball joints from the steering knuckle arms - even with the proper tools. I'll have to work on that some more at another time.

I was also able to remove the forward engine pan with it's 1/4 inch of dirt. I am confused, however, about the proper color of the cross member. I have heard it is supposed to be the same color as the car, but when I wire-brush it, the final color I see is black. Anyone know? [Update: After talking to a few people, reviewing pictures of others 444's and sanding off the top layer of paint on the cross member, I see that the proper, original color is black. That's good because since I'm keeping the cross member, I will be able to paint it myself.]

Nov 2005

 I removed the engine tonight. Thanks to Steve Patchen with the local Alfa Romeo club for the engine lift/crane and father-in-law Joe for picking up the lift and bringing it over to the house and offer first time lift training and guidance. To begin, besides everything else that was previously removed and disconnected from the engine, I removed the intake (with carbs) and exhaust manifold then the clutch linkage, disconnected the forward driveshaft (aka propeller shaft) from the transmission, removed the gear selector lever (stick), removed the rear transmission mount, speedometer cable from transmission, and unbolted two forward engine mounts. I removed the valve cover and used the two studs from the valve cover plus one stud from the intake manifold to attach the lifting chain. Maybe not the best points to lift from but they worked well - it was balanced properly. I then lifted it out and set it down on a few car ramps. I did find one intake/exhaust manifold stud bolt broken off in the engine block. Father-in-law will be helping me to remove this when the time comes. Another milestone passed. I have a few more minor things to remove such as front suspension (but will need to rig some casters first), rear brake line, fuel line & tank, then it will be off to the bodyshop!

Dec 2005

 Front suspension and cross member have been removed and set aside. I did so without un-assembling the springs or control arms and the brake drums are still attached. This was easier than I thought it would be. There are basically eight bolts holding the front suspension and cross member to the car. I put a jack under the cross member (axle) removed the bolts and lowered. I then lifted up (by hand) and out of the way. It wasn't too heavy. Since I'll be keeping these parts with me, I'll dismantle, clean (wire brush, wire wheel, etc.), add new seals, grease and repaint when the time is right. All I have to remove now is the exhaust (which is partially removed already), fuel line, rear brake line, emergency brake cable and linkage, gas tank (already disconnected and unbolted), door hinges, bumper brackets, left rear fender, a few sound deadening sheets and some undercoating. I also need to take the two doors completely apart. Oh, and I still need to come up with some type of caster-mount for the front so I can transport the car to the bodyshop and he can wheel it around (see my design plans here). All this before January - yikes! Wish me luck!

Dec 16, 2005

 The hubcaps with red stickers from Sjef Spijkers of Scandcar have arrived! See the "My Pictures" section to check them out. Visit their website at www.scandcar.com. I have also stopped by the upholsterer today to see the progress and WOW the seats are starting to come together. They are going to look beautiful! Next time I'm there I'll take some photos.

Dec 22, 2005

 Well, I managed to remove the rest of the muffler last night. Pretty simple. After looking at the parts catalog, it seems that the "forward exhaust pipe" (pn 660514) is one piece, extending from the engine to near the rear wheel. However, my car came with a short pipe connected to the exhaust manifold - so if this is the case and the "forward exhaust pipe" is not two parts, then I guess I will need the entire thing. I'm also now on the hunt for a radio, original preferred. [Update: Non-functional radio was obtained by Cam Price for cost of shipping. See more recent posts and my pictures area.]

Dec 23, 2005

 I removed the fuel gauge sender (pn 89244) and although I tried to clean it, it seems like there are simply too many things wrong with it to revive; the little spring on the shaft is broken, old fuel has gummed up the gears, the final whole gear at the bottom has come loose from the rivet which holds it to the shaft and the little plastic tank has a hole in it - to mention a few issues. [Update: I was able to find a new sender from Mats Skön, Strictly-Swedish.]

Also, I found the large, Phillips-type screws that hold the seat belt straps to the inside of the car in with my spare screw collection, but cannot find the seat belt or hand straps to go in this area. I believe the hand straps are part number 99390 (black).

Last, a pair of sun visors will also be needed. Part number 99388 (black). I am not sure if I need the "anchorage" (pn 94413) as I do not have a picture of this part in the catalogue. And I'm sure I have the screws in my spare parts collection. Oh, and I'll need a rear-view mirror.

FYI, for a quick update, today I tested the generator and starter [actually had a local auto electric shop, Ad-Victor Auto Electric, test them both out for me] and they are both in perfect working condition. Yeah! I had the guys keep both components to disassemble, clean, paint and etc. as well as make sure that the inner parts were also in good condition. Also, I dropped off the radiator and heater core radiator at Great Bridge Radiator & A/C Service for testing and repair. The heater core radiator had a crack and one of the pipes was disconnected on the inside. I also cut some new instrument cluster windows (two plastic ones with oil, temp, etc.) out of clear acrylic of the same thickness as the original. I dropped these off at a local graphics company, American Awards & Graphics to etch and paint on the lettering. Last, I will be dropping the car off at the body shop in January.

Dec 27, 2005

 I hope everyone had a great Christmas.

I am on vacation this week (until Friday) so I have a little time to spend with the car. I have been removing the inner linkage components of the doors the past few days. I have two driver's side (left) doors and one right so I've been trying to determine which left door will work best. They are both pretty good and each has pros and cons so I'll probably just give both to the bodywork folks to decide.

I also received word from Olof (parts supplier) that he does not have the 6V fuel tank sender (pn 89244), two hand straps (pn 99390, black) or two sun visors with anchorage (pn 99388, pn 94413, black). So, I am on the hunt for these parts. If anyone has or knows someone who might have them, please let me know. [Update: I was able to find the sender but not the straps, visors or seat belts yet.]I have also put out the request to Swedish Treasures, VLV World, Strictly Swedish, Scandcar, VP Autoparts and a few others. Hopefully I'll be able to find these parts.

Anyhow, I've also been cleaning up the front steering rods and they are really coming out nice. I've been using the wire wheel brush and once cleaned, they look like stainless steel. It's really amazing the quality of the steel on these cars. Check out the latest pictures, (group 5) to see the contrast between the old and newly-cleaned steering rod parts. There is also a shot of the hand-cleaned master brake cylinder, however, I might have to touch that up with the wire wheel brush before painting. (I cleaned it by hand before I purchased the wire wheel brush for the bench grinder.)

One last thing… Can anyone identify these parts? They were in the parts box which came with the car. I have a feeling what some are for but not 100% certain. Thanks. [Update: Mats helped me determine what most of these items were - and most are not for my car.]

Dec 29, 2005

 Been looking for a vintage/antique radio repair shop and have had some luck obtaining pricing and information. This will be needed to repair the new, non-functioning Motorola AM radio I acquired from Cameron Price for next to nothing (thanks again Cam!) So far I have received info back from Dave Froehlich of Dave's Antique Radio and TV Restorations in Syracuse, NY as well as Scott Phillips with For Your Listening Pleasure, located in Binghamton, NY. Last but not least, I have received repair info from Daniel Steele, owner of Bob's Radio & Television Service in Oceano, CA. More info on this venture to come soon![Update: I will be shipping off the radio to Dave's Antique Radio and TV Restorations in Syracuse, NY this week for repair and extreme cleaning.]

I also recently learned that WD-40 might not be a good choice for putting on metal parts that will be ultimately finished with primer and paint as it might be difficult to remove. After some quick communication with the WD-40 customer service folks I have learned that WD-40 is easily removed with mineral spirits, acetone and/or methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) Lucky for me all of these should be easily to acquire down at the nearby Lowe's hardware store. I also think I have some mineral spirits in the garage. :)

Jan 1, 2006

 I have been working on a database for my restoration project so I can have a little more flexibility than a simple spreadsheet. I offer it to you, as you might also have the need for something like this. It is very rough at this point but will grow in features. I am no Access programmer but have some experience. You can get the DB here. There is one sample record which you can delete as necessary. If you want to see a new feature, let me know.

Jan 6, 2006

 Today I received the restored generator and starter as well as the tested radiator and repaired heater core radiator. The starter and generator were stripped, internal parts cleaned, checked, greased, reassembled and painted. The radiator was tested and painted and the heater core was repaired (two cracked areas) tested and painted. I also dropped off the gas tank today at the radiator shop for a complete cleaning, testing and restoration.

I received the Motorola (model 8M) radio from Cameron, minus the vibrator tube (which is coming soon) and with one of the tubes (6BE6) busted in transit. I've since purchased a new 6BE6 tube on eBay for $3.25 + shipping. I have forwarded detailed images (available on the site) to Dave Froehlich of Dave's Antique Radio and TV Restorations in Syracuse, NY who I believe will be performing the radio repair and restoration for me.

Next Friday, Henry Robinson of Robinson Tech Custom Auto Body and Repair (Chesapeake, VA) will be out for a second and last visit to review the car which is ready for bodywork and give me a final estimate of hours to fix the metal and paint. :)

Jan 9, 2006

 The wife received word today that the seats, headliner, door panels and rear armrests are complete and ready to be picked up from Mitchell's Upholstery! So, I'll be heading there on Friday (my day off) to pick that up with a check for the balance ($750). Hooray!

Tonight I removed the last items from the car [that will be coming off before going to the bodyshop] to include the driveshaft and the rear brake and fuel line and clips. I will be leaving the rear-end/axle and rear wheels. I am not reattaching the front suspension as I have built a rig with caster so that the body shop can roll the car around while in the shop. (I'll try to take some pictures of my rig before the car leaves.)

Jan 10, 2006

 Bad news: I received a call today from the radiator shop. They told me that the gas tank that I dropped off for testing is no good. They performed a water test and it leaked a lot due to many holes. The good news is they said they would not charge me for testing and to come pick it up.

So… I am in need of a fuel tank for my '58 444; new or used [in good condition]. I have put out some feelers to the regular parts suppliers (Olof, Cameron, Mats, Joe, Sjef, Mike, Patrik, etc.)

I was told that a 544 tank might also work, however, the breather setup would need to be modified. If this is true, I am interested to know of the details of the differences and what would need to be done.

If anyone knows where I might be able to acquire a tank, please let me know.

If I cannot find one I suppose I will need to have one built!

Jan 13, 2006

 The upholstery is complete! Picked it up today. Total for refinishing all seats, creating new door and rear side panels, rear armrests and new headliner came to $1,500. For pictures, check out the latest (group 8) under the My Pictures section.

Jan 15, 2006

 Henry Robinson [of Robinson Tech Custom Auto Body & Paint] came out today to take another look at the car and give me a rough estimate for body work and painting. After completely reviewing the car, he estimated $6K to $8K [give or take] for both body work and painting. I told him again that it does not need to be "showroom finished" and he said that it will not be much less as that is simply the quality of his work. We agreed on the project and he will have a flatbed tow truck pick up the car and bring it to his shop on Friday, January 27th. There are a few minor things I need to do before then such as remove some more sound proofing material and load up the car with the parts that will be going with it - fenders and other odds and ends. Fyi, Robinson Tech is at 1915 English Avenue, Chesapeake, VA 23320 phone (757) 361-5848.

1/16/06

 I've established a register for PV owners. Yes, I know it might be somewhat redundant, but as I've been told, there cannot be too much PV information. Check it out at http://www.pvregister.com and add your PV today! This register will get better over time and have many cool features added. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or things you might want added or changed.

1/20/06

 I have found and purchased a used 444 gas tank for $200 plus shipping from Joe Lazenby. As per Joe, "it is reconditioned in that it has been cooked out internally, coated with gas tank sealer internally, pressure tested, painted externally." Check out the pics, group 9. Thanks again Joe.

1/27/2006

 Today is the day that the PV goes to the bodyshop! I'm calling now to schedule the pickup. The flat bed toe truck came around noon to pick up the car and bring to the shop. See latest pictures (group 10) for shots of the day.

2/09/06

 Today I picked up a few parts which I had dropped off last week at the local auto mechanic to be bead-blasted (sand blasted). These included the heater core casing (front and rear), air intake tube, forward engine protector plate, forward bumper support arms (left and right), the four-blade engine fan and the steering wheel collar. I am completely amazed at the results! All parts turned out the same - a dull silver but smooth, right down to the bare metal. I immediately took them home and primed them with Rustoleum high-performance gray and will be painting them gloss black Friday/Saturday. I will be on a business trip (San Jose, CA) next week so will not get to drop off any more parts until I return next weekend.

022106

 Today I finished restoring the heater core including motor, core radiator and casing. See pictures section, group 12. Yesterday I dropped off some more parts to the local auto garage for bead-blasting.

5/13/06

 I have been working on cleaning up and restoring various parts to include the heater internal components, front suspension control arms, etc. I have also been buying a ton of various items from eBay and Olof that were needed such as lights, mud flaps, etc. I am also still looking around for a re-plater (re-chromer) for the bumpers and other misc. components. I have found someone to restore the front/rear bumpers for $700 total - a company called Richmond Bumper, aka Tidewater Bumper. I'm supposed to be meeting up with one of their drivers soon since they are out of the area, to give them the bumpers to restore.

I spoke with Henry Robinson of Robinson Tech last week and he is supposed to be getting a timeslot at the bead blaster, but is having a difficult time. He says he might just bead blast/sand blast the car body himself. I need to follow-up with him this week to see his progress.

Since I have a broken stud bolt in the engine cylinder head, I decided to remove the engine cylinder head today so I can give it to the garage down the street (where I have been getting all my parts bead-blasted) so they can repair. After looking at the cylinders, I'm starting to think that this engine was not rebuilt. I have new pictures in the picture section (group 15) so you can see for yourself.

7/31/06

 We have finally settled down after our move from Chesapeake, VA to Virginia Beach, VA. What a fun experience. I hope we never have to do that again.

Anyway, I stopped by Robinson Tech to check on the status of the PV - bodywork/painting. He has the car sand blasted now and the first gray prime has been done! Exciting stuff. He will be working on bodywork and painting over the next few weeks and Henry hopes to have the car done by September/October. Yeah. I also have some parts left at the garage being blasted and the cylinder head is being repaired (broken stud removed).

9/3/06

 I recently purchased a 1958 PV444 (44408) from Sean Dennis in Charleston, SC. (Thanks Sean!) I drove down to pick it up this past Saturday. The car is in excellent condition and will be used as a "donor" to complete my restoration and for others to complete theirs. Here are some pictures and I will post more soon.

9/4/06

 I have setup a Volvo PV forum, obviously specifically for PVs. If interested, please check it out and register for an account. If you do register, all registration info (such as email addresses) will be kept away from spam-bots and other email address hijackers. The link to the forum is here: http://www.pvregister.com/forum/.

I will be posting parts from the new 1958 PV444 donor car in the classifieds section of the forum.

9/18/06

 I just returned from the VCOA East Coast Meet in Lake Placid, NY. What an awesome event and what great people! Luckily, I was able to find some original seat belts and an ignition coil at the swap meet. Here is a link to the images I took: http://www.scarolas.com/58VolvoPV444/images/LakePlacid2006/. Enjoy!

10/06/06

 Finished restoring the steering gear box and master cylinder (again - it rusted because I didn't paint it the first time). See picture section, group 17 for latest. All else is going well. I should be getting the body back soon (next month).

10/09/06

 I stopped by Robinson Tech today (body shop) to check on the status. Henry says all of the metalwork should be complete by Friday. See pictures from the visit in group 19. Also, I received the two new SU air filters today from Dave at SU Filters (see http://su-filters.com/.) Pictures of the new filters, temporarily mounted to the donor car's SU carbs, are in group 19.

10/15/06

Yesterday and today I finished stripping down the engine and began to paint it. After cleaning off the remaining grease I scuffed up the original paint, cleaned it again and taped. I then lightly primed any bare metal areas, let that dry and put on the first coat of red. I have also now finished the second and last coat and removed the tape. See the pictures page, group 20.

11/18/06

 I now have most of the engine reassembled (exterior components) and I have completed the front end suspension rebuild. See My Pictures section for images. I still need to clean up the intake manifold and carbs, as well as replace the seal on the oil sump pan.

Also, Robinson Tech has about two or three weeks remaining before the painting can be started. That's good because I'm in no rush to pay the remaining balance! :)

06/03/07

 Wow, I really haven't updated my site in quite some time! Many apologies. The good news is that the car is being painted now (finally) and I should have some of the parts (fenders, etc.) if not the whole car by Friday. There really isn't any bad news except that I have no idea how long it will take me to reassemble the car once I have it back. :) See picture section, group 22 for latest pictures. Thanks for checking out the site and stay tuned for the next update. Also, check out the pictures from Carlisle 2007 here.

06/12/07

 My Old Lady (444) finally returned home today from the body shop! 1.5 years later. Now the fun can really begin!

June, 2007

 My sister Toni visited this month from Florida. She saw the Volvo for the first time in many years during her visit. She was surprised at the outcome so far. She jokingly reminded me that the car was promised to her, and I reminded her that it was also promised to me and our other two sisters. I told her I’d give her a drive when it’s finished.

6/22/07

 My best friend Beau Smith and I reinstalled the engine tonight! Looking good! And we managed to do so without breaking any toes.

7/20/07

 I cleaned up the original wiring harness and re-soldered the ends. The wiring is in really good shape and I’m thankful because I don’t have to re-make it. I’ve wrapped all of it in black 3M friction tape and reinstalled into the car. I’ve also started to reconnect the clutch linkage, throttle linkage, wiper motor/arms, dipper switch and other odds and ends. I’ve reinstalled the fuel tank.
Rebuilding is so much more fun than dismantling although extremely time consuming.
I had to get my starter switch (which came from a P210 I believe) bracket reworked and soldered so that it would fit properly in my 444. Henry did the work and it’s fitting very well.
I discovered that the carbs were overhauled in 1991 by Joe Curto in NY according to the receipts. I found Joe and sent him this note:

“Dear Joe,
You overhauled a set of SU H4 carbs for my father (Anthony Scarola, St. Petersburg, FL) back in 1991 through a retailer. I still have the receipt for this work which totaled $248.00. This was for a 1958 Volvo 444. The car wasn’t driven or started anytime after that. I am currently rebuilding the car – to finish my father’s dream. Unfortunately he didn’t get a chance to do it before he passed in 1994. Anyway, I’m wondering if I need to have these carbs rebuilt or if I should be okay with just a good cleaning? I am not sure if any fuel was run through the carbs after 1991.
Tony"
Joe responded with the following:
“Tony I would try the carbs, I use a cork rubber jet seal which may be OK 15 years later, unless they were stored in a damp place I do not think they would need anymore parts.”

9/21/07

 I picked up a few miscellaneous items from Mitchell’s Upholstery to include the inner firewall covering and door handles. Unfortunately Pop wasn’t able to reupholster the door handles or sun visors so I’ll have to look elsewhere to get that done.
I’ve reinstalled the heater components and I’ve purchased red heater hose from a local auto center (yea) and now have that installed. I’ve installed the engine fan, nose section, radiator, distributor with new points, cap & rotor, new spark plugs and wires. I’ve put the instrument panel back in and connected all the wires & water temperature sensor. I put the heater controls back in as well.
I brought the new ignition switch lock down to the local locksmith to get keys made. It’s amazing to watch a locksmith work. While fine-tuning the keys, he kept putting the tumbler up to his ear and listening for anything catching inside while he turned the key. What skill!
I’ve started installing the tar-paper soundproofing/flooring material. Much thanks to Cameron Price for an awesome write-up on the flooring project (see http://www.cvolvo.com/VCOA/Sound-Proof/ for details.)
I picked up a new 6V Napa battery and quick disconnect mechanism from a local auto parts store, and installed. After charging the battery, I’m now able to turn the car over with the key! Another milestone passed.

9/29/07

 The family and I went to the local Volvo Tidewater chapter event at Phillips Volvo on Virginia Beach Blvd. My friend Boyd Swartz and Bill Arey were present along with their cars.

10/13/07

 I tried starting the Old Lady today after many years and a rebuild. No luck. I had some sputtering and a few backfires out of the intake but no start. Fuel seems to be fine as does spark. I’m guessing it has something to do with the spark plug wiring or distributor position.

11/23/07

 Installed the new Coker Classic whitewall tires onto the rims. Looking good!

1/5/08

 Installed the horn relay after a bit of re-work & cleaning, and hooked up the horns once I figured out the proper wiring connections.
Tonight I compared the distributor that came on my dad’s Volvo with the one currently on the 444 (which came from the donor car) and I realized that the current one is 90 degrees off (clockwise). So I moved the ignition wires 90 degrees counter-clockwise and guess what? I now have combustion out of the exhaust instead of backfiring from the intake! It didn’t fire although it really sounds like it wants to! I’m going to get some more gas tomorrow morning and charge up the battery real good. Hopefully it will start soon! Wish me luck!!
The firing order is 1-3-4-2. When the proper distributor (the one that came with the car) would be pointing to cylinder one, the incorrect distributor would be pointing to cylinder two (90 degrees counter-clockwise.) With the ignition cables connected the same on both distributors I was getting a lot of backfires through the intake and no ignition. Now that I have moved the cables 90 degrees back (counter-clockwise), so that cylinder one fires when it should, I am getting some ignition sounds (pops and burps) from the exhaust.

1/6/08

 Well folks... After many, MANY years and a rebuild, WE HAVE IGNITION! Turns out the distributor wires were 180 degrees off! Go figure. It's a little rough at first (backfiring out of the forward intake) but it is running very smoothly after she warms up. Thanks [Brickboarders] for everyone's help bringing the Old Lady back to life!!! Hopefully by spring she'll be back on the road.

2/2/08

 I’ve had the carburetors from the donor car bead-blasted, and I purchased rebuild kits for them from Joe Curto in NY and reassembled. I also had the intake manifold bead-blasted and everything is now mounted back onto my 444.

2/10/08

 Last night I had a dream about my 444 Volvo. I had entered it into a show, but it wasn't finished - fenders missing, other parts. (Worse shape than it is in now.) I wanted it to be judged anyway. As you can imagine, it didn't turn out too good. :) This is the first dream I've had about my Volvo. Am I going crazy or what? :)

2/19/08

 Hello all. Just a quick note to update you on the status of my '58 444 restoration. The engine compartment is complete and the hood is on. The chrome is at the plating shop (Royal Silver in Norfolk) and I have been working on the flooring. I now have all the window seals [purchased from Olof and VP] ready to be installed. I hope to be finished with the car by late spring/early summer, all ready for the VCOA National Meet at Eurofest '08 in SC. Wish me luck!

3/1/08

 I was able to install the right rear fender onto the Old Lady this week. I also temporarily installed the rear seat and front driver's. This weekend and week I will be installing the front fenders and floor insulation.
My 444 heater control valve blew up today. :( I had pulled the Old Lady out of the garage and the engine had been running for about five minutes (very loud, no muffler installed yet.) My four-year-old son was in the driver's seat. He kept yelling "OIL LEAK" and I couldn't hear him - told him to "HUSH" a few times. When I finally came around to the driver's side and saw the antifreeze all over the floor I shut down the engine and apologized profusely for not listening! That will teach me. Now I need to take off the sound-deadening paper to dry underneath, then re-do. At least I didn't have any other flooring on yet.
I took apart the old heater control valve yesterday and I found the two-cent rubber seal that went bad. There only seems to be the one rubber seal in the entire unit and the design around the seal is very poor. The seal is rubber with a fine layer of cloth sandwiched in between. I had to grind down the four metal tabs holding the copper/brass pipe to the outer shield just to get to the seal. And the seal itself isn't just a flat piece of rubber, but it has a sort of recessed funnel so it can't be easily duplicated. I really can't believe that such a nice unit would be designed in such a fashion. Everything but the rubber would obviously last for 100+ years.

3/2/08

 I installed the front fenders today. They went on very easily. I must say, it looks pretty awesome especially with the black rubber welting installed. What a contrast! Now I'm getting anxious to get the chrome back from the chrome shop.

4/19/08

 Sold the ’58 PV444 parts car for $500 to a Volvo truck engineer from North Carolina.

5/20/08

 Towed the Old Lady to the local garage (NAPA Kempsville), where they will work on welding in the missing muffler section, brakes, proper timing, differential oil change and propeller shaft install. Once I get her back from the shop, she should be drivable! Also, I received a call from chrome shop today – parts (bumpers and other odds and ends) are ready for pickup. I am WAY WAY WAY over budget! Donations are welcome. :)

5/31/08

 Found a source for Lucas 488 lights (complete units and parts) – Moss Motors. I purchased one rubber base and one light bulb holder. See http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=28936 for details. Now I just need a source for the license plate light assembly. [Update: Olof had one tag light assembly and is sending it to me.]

6/2/08

 I've been working on installing the new outer door seals for the Old Lady. I'm starting to think that I might have them on backwards. I can't seem to find any good pictures or diagrams for proper installation. I'm particularly interested in the outer seals - the inner one at the bottom and the one that surrounds the entire door. After checking with some of the guys on the Brickboard forum, I found the answer. It seems that the outer seal (which wraps the door, closest to the outside) should be installed with the smaller lip of the “Y” towards the outside and the larger lip of the “Y” towards the inside. For the inner seal, it should be installed so that the rubber is facing down.

6/3/08

 The restoration is coming along nicely. Still some significant work remains. Overall it’s been a lot more work and money than I originally anticipated, but it’s still worth every minute and dollar. I think Dad would have been proud. The Old Lady is currently in good hands down at the local Napa auto garage on the corner where Mike is wrapping up the brakes, exhaust, carb tuning and etc. Recently at home I’ve been tackling door seals and other odds and ends. I picked up more than ¾ of the chrome from Royal Silver in Norfolk a few weeks back – and I must say, it’s looking SWEET.
I’m currently in need of the rear vent window seals. If you happen to know of a source for such, please let me know. Like a dummy I tossed my old ones so might have a difficult time reproducing these if need be.

6/5/08

 I had bi-lateral hernia surgery yesterday and at home “resting” for the next few days. As soon as I can start walking around a little faster, I’ll be in the garage working on installing more door seals. :)

6/23/08

 Received the Old Lady back on the 20th. Drove her home actually - about 1/4 mile. Was pretty exhilirating. I couldn't get her started after I got home and realized I had a leaky fuel pump. I've found a source for a rebuild kit and have placed it on order now. See here for details.
I've been doing a lot of work on her this weekend; such as put on the driver's side door, rear window and other odds and ends. Overall, the Old Lady is looking pretty good. I'll add some pictures soon.