99T's '67 Camaro, '77 C10, '78 99 Turbo, Volvo V8 & Focus ST
Discussion
This thread combines and continues my individual vehicle ones, after my previous image host decided to cease trading and took all of the uploaded images with them. Whilst I do have backups of the original images, almost all were cropped and edited before upload and I'm not doing that all over again!
So a quick refresher on my vehicles and how they currently stand, oldest to newest.
1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS
Owned for a long time, I took this on as a fully stripped shell plus boxes of bits, in order to save it from going for scrap, at a time when I had neither the funds or skills to really do much with it.
Fast forward a couple of decades and funds have been earned and (some) skills acquired, so this is now in progress, the LS1 and T56 six-speed transmission from my scrapped Monaro will be going in it.
Latest work has been to rebuild the steering column, hopefully it is obvious that these are the "before" pics...?
1977 Chevrolet C10 350 (Big 10)
Owned since 2018, this simply gets used as a truck. Building materials, tip trips, car boots, a bed full of wood chip, whatever is needed. A very original and solid California example so it still possesses certain things that most Square Bodies don't - e.g. lower cab corners and sills!
Has been remarkably reliable so far, so other than basic servicing, I tend to run it on the "if it ain't broke..." basis.
1978 Saab 99 Turbo Combi
Another long term owned project, this may well turn out to be my retirement build, since I am committed to getting the Camaro done first. It is rather frilly in places but also remarkably pristine in other areas where these usually go. Very restorable, especially as it has only covered a touch over 50k miles and the condition of the mechanicals and interior reflect that.
1983 Saab 900 Turbo
Purchased in 2022 from a Saab nut in Scotland who pulled it from a barn after 30 years and carried out a substantial rebuild and obtained an MOT.
My intention was to continue his work, however I've come to the conclusion that it was a project too far for me. There have been teething problems since putting it back on the road, some of which are understandable - the heater valve didn't like being asked to work and the alternator decided to pack in. Also a CV joint has become noisy.
Less acceptable was finding out that half of the front suspension was only done up finger tight (after a brake calliper bolt fell out whilst driving...) and the newly rebuilt engine has sprung a not insignificant oil leak. A shame because much of his work was to a cracking standard.
The final nail in the coffin is lack of storage. The barn I use is being redeveloped this year, and searching around it seems that all of the farmers around here are doing similar with their outbuildings. So this will be going very soon once I've done the CV joint and had a go at resolving the oil leak.
2002 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible
Purchased in 2016, this has seen relatively limited use as a holiday car. It excels in this role - having a decent boot even with the roof down, enough for two week+ sized bags. Sufficient performance combined with the super comfy Aero seats (finished in uber-rare Sand leather) make this a great tourer in good weather. Currently perched on axle stands whilst I rebuild the front struts, it will be back on the road soon, but sadly like the 900, space requirements will see it sold shortly and sadly. Maybe just one last holiday first?
2010 Volvo XC90 V8
The latest addition and a bit of a brave pill purchase. I'm viewing this as kind of a spiritual successor to the Hemi V8 Grand Cherokee I had a few years ago, hopefully with some additional build quality thrown in. However I fully accept that it could easily turn out to be a total money pit, only time will tell...
A Japanese import in 2022, mileage is (just) sub-100k, FSH in Japan to approx. 75k and the road tax substantially cheaper than a UK model, which is a big bonus.
Being an R Design means quad exhaust tips (amongst other styling touches), which feel slightly less incongruous with a V8 up front than they might with the more typical oil burner
Bravely / stupidly purchased without viewing (delete as appropriate), it arrived screaming at the delivery driver (in Japanese to be fair) to STOP as it was two litres low on oil. Fortunately they hold nearly seven litres and the oil pressure light wasn't on, so hopefully no harm done to the Yamaha-built 4.4 V8. It sounds sweet enough. However, it does place a worrying question mark over the caring nature of the previous UK owner...
Google translate pointed me in roughly the right direction!
Needless to say, it will be getting a thorough service (all fluids including transmission, haldex and diff) and a good general going over.
First impressions are positive however, it sounds good, goes well enough for what it is, feels like it would benefit from the odd bush underneath but drives pretty tight even so. No stored codes or warning lights now the oil and washer fluid are topped up. It is tidy enough to polish up nicely, but not so tidy as to make me paranoid about parking it anywhere. Basically just the right amount of scruffy!
Both the wife and elderly mother both prefer it for comfort to the Focus below, which is primarily why it was bought, so on that basis alone, it is already a winner!!
2015 Ford Focus ST
My daily. Owned since 2019, 39k miles. I bought this to commute 60 miles a day, however post-covid I happily remain 100% WFH, and I seriously considered selling this due to lack of use when I got the 1983 900 Turbo, which theoretically would have made a perfect non-depreciating daily for the majority of journeys I do.
Rose tinted testicles and all that - in my middle-age, it turns out I much prefer air conditioning, a little bit of tech and the extra shove of the Focus to the nostalgia and depreciation free ownership of the Saab. So as long as it continues to behave, the Focus is is staying put.
Completely standard, and a bit of a minter to be honest, it gets regular servicing and that is all it has needed, apart from coding out the tyre sensors for the last MOT when the sensor batteries started to fail. I'll replace all four sensors when I get new tyres later this year and then code them back in.
Progress and updates may be slow initially - I am currently recovering from a rather nasty fall from height (slightly broken back and some minor nerve damage) but all things considered, I am very lucky to be able to look forward to continuing maintaining and restoring my cars in a few weeks time. No heavy lifting for a while though!!
So a quick refresher on my vehicles and how they currently stand, oldest to newest.
1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS
Owned for a long time, I took this on as a fully stripped shell plus boxes of bits, in order to save it from going for scrap, at a time when I had neither the funds or skills to really do much with it.
Fast forward a couple of decades and funds have been earned and (some) skills acquired, so this is now in progress, the LS1 and T56 six-speed transmission from my scrapped Monaro will be going in it.
Latest work has been to rebuild the steering column, hopefully it is obvious that these are the "before" pics...?
1977 Chevrolet C10 350 (Big 10)
Owned since 2018, this simply gets used as a truck. Building materials, tip trips, car boots, a bed full of wood chip, whatever is needed. A very original and solid California example so it still possesses certain things that most Square Bodies don't - e.g. lower cab corners and sills!
Has been remarkably reliable so far, so other than basic servicing, I tend to run it on the "if it ain't broke..." basis.
1978 Saab 99 Turbo Combi
Another long term owned project, this may well turn out to be my retirement build, since I am committed to getting the Camaro done first. It is rather frilly in places but also remarkably pristine in other areas where these usually go. Very restorable, especially as it has only covered a touch over 50k miles and the condition of the mechanicals and interior reflect that.
1983 Saab 900 Turbo
Purchased in 2022 from a Saab nut in Scotland who pulled it from a barn after 30 years and carried out a substantial rebuild and obtained an MOT.
My intention was to continue his work, however I've come to the conclusion that it was a project too far for me. There have been teething problems since putting it back on the road, some of which are understandable - the heater valve didn't like being asked to work and the alternator decided to pack in. Also a CV joint has become noisy.
Less acceptable was finding out that half of the front suspension was only done up finger tight (after a brake calliper bolt fell out whilst driving...) and the newly rebuilt engine has sprung a not insignificant oil leak. A shame because much of his work was to a cracking standard.
The final nail in the coffin is lack of storage. The barn I use is being redeveloped this year, and searching around it seems that all of the farmers around here are doing similar with their outbuildings. So this will be going very soon once I've done the CV joint and had a go at resolving the oil leak.
2002 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible
Purchased in 2016, this has seen relatively limited use as a holiday car. It excels in this role - having a decent boot even with the roof down, enough for two week+ sized bags. Sufficient performance combined with the super comfy Aero seats (finished in uber-rare Sand leather) make this a great tourer in good weather. Currently perched on axle stands whilst I rebuild the front struts, it will be back on the road soon, but sadly like the 900, space requirements will see it sold shortly and sadly. Maybe just one last holiday first?
2010 Volvo XC90 V8
The latest addition and a bit of a brave pill purchase. I'm viewing this as kind of a spiritual successor to the Hemi V8 Grand Cherokee I had a few years ago, hopefully with some additional build quality thrown in. However I fully accept that it could easily turn out to be a total money pit, only time will tell...
A Japanese import in 2022, mileage is (just) sub-100k, FSH in Japan to approx. 75k and the road tax substantially cheaper than a UK model, which is a big bonus.
Being an R Design means quad exhaust tips (amongst other styling touches), which feel slightly less incongruous with a V8 up front than they might with the more typical oil burner
Bravely / stupidly purchased without viewing (delete as appropriate), it arrived screaming at the delivery driver (in Japanese to be fair) to STOP as it was two litres low on oil. Fortunately they hold nearly seven litres and the oil pressure light wasn't on, so hopefully no harm done to the Yamaha-built 4.4 V8. It sounds sweet enough. However, it does place a worrying question mark over the caring nature of the previous UK owner...
Google translate pointed me in roughly the right direction!
Needless to say, it will be getting a thorough service (all fluids including transmission, haldex and diff) and a good general going over.
First impressions are positive however, it sounds good, goes well enough for what it is, feels like it would benefit from the odd bush underneath but drives pretty tight even so. No stored codes or warning lights now the oil and washer fluid are topped up. It is tidy enough to polish up nicely, but not so tidy as to make me paranoid about parking it anywhere. Basically just the right amount of scruffy!
Both the wife and elderly mother both prefer it for comfort to the Focus below, which is primarily why it was bought, so on that basis alone, it is already a winner!!
2015 Ford Focus ST
My daily. Owned since 2019, 39k miles. I bought this to commute 60 miles a day, however post-covid I happily remain 100% WFH, and I seriously considered selling this due to lack of use when I got the 1983 900 Turbo, which theoretically would have made a perfect non-depreciating daily for the majority of journeys I do.
Rose tinted testicles and all that - in my middle-age, it turns out I much prefer air conditioning, a little bit of tech and the extra shove of the Focus to the nostalgia and depreciation free ownership of the Saab. So as long as it continues to behave, the Focus is is staying put.
Completely standard, and a bit of a minter to be honest, it gets regular servicing and that is all it has needed, apart from coding out the tyre sensors for the last MOT when the sensor batteries started to fail. I'll replace all four sensors when I get new tyres later this year and then code them back in.
Progress and updates may be slow initially - I am currently recovering from a rather nasty fall from height (slightly broken back and some minor nerve damage) but all things considered, I am very lucky to be able to look forward to continuing maintaining and restoring my cars in a few weeks time. No heavy lifting for a while though!!
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