After scrapping the idea of using one side of a door hinge, I went to get a big flat washer as someone suggested. Filed the hole a little bigger and smoother and stuck the cable and grommet on through. Now I'm trying to imagine what kinds of problems I've set myself up for.

If I got the picture set up right, you can see sacrificial 13mm wrench #2 peeking through the hole there. The first little thin one actually broke in two from the pressure of the cable. (the wrench fits just about perfectly between those two bolts tightened down on it) The black panel was bending down from the top, so I had to brace something on this side of it.

I made a mark around where the washer should stay so the cable doesn't rub on the original hole. Drove it a few miles, and it shifted a little, but the cable still isn't rubbing. Maybe I don't really need to start drilling holes and things to fix it in place, maybe it will stay in place well enough ... ...

Well, your unconventional fix certainly shows ingenuity. If you value this car and its reliability, would it be unreasonable to have a welder tack a new metal plate in place? I can't imagine it costing a great deal.

Anyway, if you are concerned about the washer moving, but do not want to rivet, screw or weld it into place, can I suggest Devcon 2-ton epoxy between it and the firewall? Epoxy putty might work better, because it will not run or squeeze out of the joint.

I think you are crafting a temporary fix here, but I wish you luck.

The washer looks a lot better than a door hinge -- though the hinge would've gotten a laugh every time someone opened the hood :-)

Don't take this the wrong way.

But if the firewall on you car is so weak from rust that it won't hold the clutch cable....then what about the the rest of the car's structural ability to withstand a crash...to safely "crumple" as designed and disbuse the energy away from your legs, arms, head.... and save you from a major injury or death....as per Volvo's engineer's intent.

Only works on structurally Un-rusted uncompromised Volvo bodies.

It's not rust. This is just about the only design flaw on these otherwise-almost-perfect cars.

Bye the way

Green is the only color that looks good on older 240...Code 110 and Code 142.

my 80 has the original paint...and still shines with a polish

good luck to you. be safe

Cheers

Yes! This is the perfect color on the perfect model of the perfect car! :-)

Too bad mine came with a bunch of little pockmarks and a key scratch and a twisted front bumper...

twisted front bumper...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Just sayin' but

perhaps that is why the fire wall is torn.

been hit already?

Be safe

????

I have a 75 that I had to stop driving because the rails underneath the car rusted to the point where the trans cross member lost the bost holes.

I have an 80...that I got in 88

and 87 I got in 97

all manual trans ....never had what you show in your pix or describe as a "design flaw"
occur.

got the 75 in 1983--RIP 1997... so I'be been driving them 240's for a bit-o-years and never had the Firewall problem???

You're lucky, I guess. Or maybe everybody who drove yours never let the cables get old or the clutch get really worn ?? Lots of other people have this problem. This car came to me with the firewall already torn.

Interesting about the firewall tear

this is the second time I've seen something posted about that.

I've been on and off this board since it started (10+years) and have never seen that condition posted until recently.

curious.