Zee Volvo, She Drives!

The Old Volvo

Uniberp has got his latest Volvo project out and running around.

I got it on the road, including even a new modern passenger retractable shoulder belt in time to drive with Sheila to her extended family reunion, who are a bunch of independent farmers. Nobody noticed the car. Even so it was gratifying to get it running on the road. And it gave no problems over the 50 miles other that a few pops and pings from the reassembled bodywork and suspension as we bounced over the two track to and from the back 40 "glen" where the picnic shelter was.

But the car has me a bit confused. It has a strong rebuilt engine evidenced by the double valve springs and purple anodized valve retainers and the kinda obvious whine of steel timing gears. It runs very strong.

It also has a rear sway bar, which is something only racer boys put in their cars, and which a lot of street drivers on the Facebook group say makes the car handle worse. 

They cut out the normal cantilevered seat mounts from the body, evidently with the intention of of putting in more modern seats which I did (Volvo v50).   

I'm going to post this picture on that group and ask them if they think it has been lowered springs, which is another performance thing people do to make their cars corner better.

My question is: if they were building a race car, why did they put such money into the body work and paint which was obviously expensive. Granted, it's kinda cool, but it's no dragstrip hot rod, and it's got new tires, skinny original size 185-SR15 street tires, on color matching rims. 

I'll drive it a bit more (to get tacos and such) and I'll get it further put together. but so far it's not as relaxed as my 122 Wagon.

Previous posts here and here.