Sat, 23 Aug 1997
From: OCDesign@aol.com
Glenn,
Just got my car back last week. I was very excited to see it again since the mechanic (Clayton) took it for about 5 days (including a weekend). You were right about the steering components. Clayton said most of the tie-rods, shocks, and other parts needed replacement. He said the components were loose and dried-up. I was glad I had not taken it on the freeway yet. Anyway, I just got the front end aligned yesterday morning and actually took it to work afterwards. Everyone at work just loves the looks of the car. The steering appears to be in great working order. However, I have one question for you. On the freeway, when I go over an undulating (bumpy) part of the road, the car seems to swerve (to the right or left) very slightly. Since I have never driven vehicles from the early 70's, I am not sure if this kind of behavior is common.
Another topic I want to throw at you is about the air coming thru the vents. My wife is a little nervous about bacteria/germs that might be flowing out from the air vents when we have the fan on. First of all, is this pretty ridiculous or is there some kind of replaceable filter for the interior air? I have always thought the the engine air filter takes care of that.
My last question is about maintaining the attributes of a classic...my car still has the original radio in the dash, is it big "no-no" to replace it with a more modern radio (most likely cutting is necessary)? If you can shed some light on this topic that would be great. Thanks for your help.
Oliver
Oliver -
I recently replaced the lower balljoints on my car because they were very stiff. After I finished aligning the front end, it took days to get used to the steering. It felt completely different. Once again I was reminded that a car with manual steering transmits much more information through the steering column to the driver's hands than a car with power steering. I had been missing that feel. The balljoints were so stiff, they prevented the normal movement of the steering wheel that accompanies bumps and undulations in the road. Most likely, the slight swerving sensation you are feeling under these conditions is normal, and you will become accustomed to it.
I wouldn't worry about bacteria coming through the vents of the car. The vent system is made of steel and is normally quite dry - not hospitable to bacteria. You probably pick up more germs shaking hands. I'd be more worried about the air conditioning systems in modern cars, which sometimes collect enough moisture to make the air smell sour - a sure sign of bacteria.
To be sure your vent system stays dry, check the hoses that drain rainwater from the fresh air vent in front of the windshield. You can inspect these hoses by opening the hood and looking for them on the firewall. If they are blocked, crimped, flattened or missing, you can replace them easily with hose from the local auto supply.
The engine air filter only filters air for the engine. The only car I've ever heard of that had an air filter for the cabin was a Lexus. Don't know how much it cost, but I'm sure it wasn't worth it. Cars are much too drafty for a cabin filter to do any good.
Regarding your last question, hey, Oliver, it's your car! No one can say "no-no" to you. If you expect to sell the car someday as a collector's investment, you should keep it as original as possible. Right now, though, the 1800 has little collector interest or value, and there is no reason to expect that it will. And if you have any collision damage (and you will if you drive it), your collector value plummets.
What it boils down to is this: If you want an investment, keep the car in a heated, air-conditioned garage, make sure every part of it is original, and never, never drive it. If you want to listen to music while you drive your classic car, install the stereo of your choice, fire that baby up, and cruise. And sell the original radio to a collector.
O.K., there is a middle ground. Build yourself a console out of plywood that will fit under the dash and install your new radio there. If by some miracle of fate, the Volvo becomes the collector rage of the new millenium, you'll still have the original radio with no ugly holes in the dash. If you're lucky enough to have avoided rust or damage and you can actually let go of the car, you'll make a killing.
-Glenn.