I am fortunate for a few reasons. First, I live in Arizona where rust is not a huge issue. I am currently restoring a 1975 164E and it is nearly complete. I have a fabulous new leather interior, have spent over $4500 on maintenance, ie, new injectors, new AC copmpressor, complete brake line rebuild, new shocks, new radiator, just to name a few. It is slated for a rebuilt auto tranny as soon as my mechanic finishes with the present work. Can't wait to try out the new AC. Presently I am working on making new door panels. I am very good at upholstery work and I have cut new boards and will be doing a matching leather door panel with the same leather that was used on the seats. My pet peeve are door panels cut up to accommodate speakers. I am installing some BOSE speakers behind the panels and will have a color coordinated mesh fabric over them so they are unseen. Like so many door panels, mine had some H20 damage and were rotting in some places and when you pushed the panel back on the door, the plastic tab would push through. No more rotten, water stained panels!
Now for the fog lights. I am also fortunate to have a very rare set of yellow fog lights. These are the originals that mount inside, not outside with a chrome trim sticking out like a sore thumb. It took me YEARS to find these and I finally discovered them in a junk yard in Australia several years ago and I paid more for them than what my plane ticket cost. I am having the car repainted and will install a new rubber seal on the outside of the fog lamps before they are installed. I have the fog lamp switch mounted in the dash so I am set to go. I have replaced the horns with some very loud ones I got from IPD and mounted them behind the grill. My next job is to convert the rear windows to power windows. It is beyond me why Volvo installed power windows on the front only so I have attached two more window down buttons on my center dash and will mount the buttons in the back either inset into the door pull or simply install the button on the door panel. I am hoping I can make it work on the door pull. I will have to fit the rear windows with regulators with motors but that will be the easy part.
As soon as I get my car back from the mechanic, I will post some pics for everyone.
This is the 5th 164E that I have owned and I truly love them. My first one was purchased in '82 when I was in high school. It was a 1974 with only 60K original miles. It was a fantastic first car and it took me through college. The one I am restoring now will be painted bright red and it is a keeper. My daily driver is a 2005 Audi A8L but I love the old brick so much more. Everyone comments on the old Volvo when I drive it.
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1975 Volvo 164E - 86,000 original miles!
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