I was minding my own business, quietly reburbishing my '86 240: trailing arm bushings, heater fan, struts, etc. Just when I was starting to see the light of day, a mechanic friend of my son had to call about a Volvo his boss couldn't sell, that I might be interested in for a parts car.

Now I'm the owner of a '90 240. Hell, for $200 Canadian, how could I go wrong? The engine's a bit hard to start, but it runs, and it seems to drive OK. He needs it off his lot quickly, and admitted it'd need an alternator to drive it very far. I pointed out that it's likely just the voltage regulator/brush module, and found one for $30. (Heck, it's cheaper to fix the alternator and drive it away, than pay for a tow truck!) I called back, and he'd already ordered one! OK, so I'll likely have to pay another $50 dealer cost for the module, but I can't complain.

Problem is, I don't think I can bring myself to gutting this car for parts. I guess I've got a project car! Good news is, I actually almost know what I'm doing this time (thanks to Brickboard), plus I'll have the luxury of being able to take my time on any repair. It's a bitch when you're an amateur, trying to do a repair, and you know the car HAS to be back on the road by the end of the day.