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| Little Red Wagon; 1997 960 Wagon | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 25 2009, 06:47 PM (418 Views) | |
| vvpete | Nov 25 2009, 06:47 PM Post #1 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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OK, here's the new addition to Pete's Volvo stable. I just drove it home last night. I took this car in trade when I sold the V70 T, got the car, paid the note, and a few $k cash. Just think, two Volvo's and no payments. Yeah!! I've been looking for a great shape 960, preferably a sedan, but when I saw this wagon, I couldn't resist! This car is nearly in as great shape as my V70, considering the mileage, 160k, and 12 yrs old. The couple who bought my car took really good care of it, serviced at every step, there's a folder with a 1" stack of receipts, and they cared for it with pride. Now it's my turn.            Other than a wash I did today, this is the way I got the car. The drivers seat has a small tear in the leather, but they just put new front seat covers on only a week or so ago, Volvo seat covers ftw. There's a few clunks in the suspension, front control arm bushings and one in the rear multi-link control arms, and the sunroof needs attention, passenger seat has a bad drive, but all-in-all, solid, rides nice, recently done brakes, cooling, trans flush. You will see this car at the next gathering, for sure. |
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| 94850tx | Nov 26 2009, 11:53 AM Post #2 |
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SHHHHH!!!
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AWESOME! Love it. I looked at one like this with low miles that was traded in at a Honda dealer in fort worth a few months ago (red with tan interior...chrome wheels tho) and am still kicking myself for not buying it. Looks awesome Pete...good find! BTW Props for no payments. Same way here and it really makes life nice. Nick Edited by 94850tx, Nov 26 2009, 11:54 AM.
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 NOTHING happens until somebody SELLS something... '94 854T '00 V70 SE '05 Ranger Edge '00 V70R Laser Blue- m66 AWD, ohlins, jewels, IPD, etc | |
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| vvpete | Nov 28 2009, 08:18 PM Post #3 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Started into the suspension rebuild yesterday. I replaced the front control arm bushings and the sway bar links, which were pretty bad, made a world of difference in the way it drives.  The shocks & struts are original, if you can believe it, and still not too bad after 160k. I decided to order a set of shocks for it from Volvo, since there's really nothing else out there avail anyway, and I like that smooth 960 feel with Volvo shocks. There's not even a Bilstein offered for it for front struts. I found that the shocks, which are made by Sachs/Boge for Volvo, are not available through any other source. I called a number of places like Shox.com and they had to order them through Volvo. Price is not too bad from Tasca, $230 + shipping for the set. I also took a closer look at the sunroof and found I need both guides because of a cheap plastic track that is falling apart and jamming the roof from going backwards. I'd love to find a used set in good condition since Volvo wants over $100 each! |
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| rallydallas | Nov 30 2009, 02:29 PM Post #4 |
TX Board Vet
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Very nice catch Pete! 
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| bullitt210 | Dec 1 2009, 09:29 PM Post #5 |
Volvo. for life
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I like it!! I wold love to find something like that! It's great! BTW, I found that turn signal stalk for you, give me a call and I can send it to you if you want it... |
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| vvpete | Dec 2 2009, 10:44 AM Post #6 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Chris, thanks, but went to the p&p yesterday and got one. Don't know if it works yet, but will keep you in mind if it doesn't. If the lettering is in good shape, not smeared or worn off, I may take it anyway. There were 7 960's at the p&p, mostly cash for cars hulks and lots of good parts except the engines. Sadly, all but 2 of the 20 or more 240's are gone to the crusher. |
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| dmcgee | Dec 2 2009, 10:48 AM Post #7 |
Trackball Killah
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| ...something's coming... | |
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| vvpete | Dec 7 2009, 03:46 PM Post #8 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Got the shocks & struts in today.  The rears are already installed, and the orig shocks were in pretty poor shape. So there's another clunk eliminated! I checked out the rear multi-link and see two bushings in need of replacement, the front & rear upper control arm bushings. Looks like the front is easy, just pull the arm and press out. Now the rear looks like the sub-frame needs to come out?!? And now for the can of worms.............any advice on doing these bushings? I bet there's all sorts of special tools needed. Any multi-link experts out there? Never tackled a multi-link rear suspension yet.  I guess I need another green book. So the car and it's bugs are getting worked out. Got the Green book on the interior and was able to replace the $9 light bulbs in the shifter and center console, and tried to figure out the problems with the sunroof, and found one track completely jammed from pieces of plastic in the track. I'll have to pull the whole frame assembly and if I can't get it un-stuck, replace the whole sunroof. That's another day at the P&P.  Also, the engine runs very smooth at idle, but lacked the 'roller coaster' jolt from the high compression IL6 that it should have, still smooth, but when you stomp on it it didn't have that nice whine and rev to redline that I know the 960 should be like. I had some concerns about the work done on this car from an independent shop (which will remain nameless, in Richardson TX, and badged as a 'Christian' run shop), and saw in the many receipts that the PO had and found several things listed on the receipts that were never replaced on the car and the customer was charged for it. That crook did the same things to another friend who took his car there a few years ago, charged him $427 for a Volvo header pipe (dealer list is $360) for his 740 and put in an aftermarket $100 cheapo pipe, and put it in without the brackets and the pipe fell off. What a crook. So I began to check the work he supposedly did on my 960, and since the PO complained about poor mileage, about 16 mpg, and I knew it didn't run as well as it could, I checked the tune-up he did at 152k miles. I thought he may have put in aftermarket plugs, not Volvo plugs, and found that ALL SIX PLUGS were loose, not torqued, not even more than finger tight, and crush washers weren't even crushed. There was soot all over the coil packs from lost compression and exhaust going through the threads. The PO complained about smelling fuel, so she got billed for a new fuel rail, and injector seals, still didn't fix it. With six new Volvo plugs the car runs great! Like it should. Gets about 22-23 mpg now, and rolls like a roller-coaster.
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| k-jerktronic | Dec 9 2009, 07:02 PM Post #9 |
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TX Fledgling
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that guy is a dick. he quoted me $800 for a.c. repair saying the expansion valve was bad and it would be $800 to replace it, the receiver dryer, some o rings and add freon. I bought all the o rings for the entire system from volvo, the expansion valve and receiver driyer from FCP, and used freeze 12. Total cost: under $150...total time in labor: maybe 1.5 hrs? Also, the expansion valve and surrounding pipes were not even unwrapped so theres no way he could have checked it. Congrats on the car, Pete! Very nice score. |
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| vvpete | Dec 14 2009, 02:39 PM Post #10 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Finished putting the front struts and tie rod ends on the 960 on Sat, and I gotta say that after working with the other RWD redblock front struts all these years, that the late 960 is soooo much easier!!! The one-piece strut and cartridge assembly is bolt-on like the FWD cars. I did the job in under 4 hrs including a long lunch break, and took my time. Got a 4-wheel alignment today at Volvo of Dallas and it rides like new. I did a tape measure alignment on Sat after I put everything in and came really close, they only had to bring the toe in on one side, everything else was near perfect. I like when things work out that way.  I also had the dealer check out everything in the rear multi-link and they concluded that all was OK for now, and I'd replaced everything that needed to be replaced. I'll wait for another 40k miles or so to tackle the rear multi-link bushings, which I'm going to need to start making tools for.......! 
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| vvpete | Dec 18 2009, 07:36 PM Post #11 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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I have wheels:   Thanks, Gabe! See ya'll tomorrow! |
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| Echo | Dec 18 2009, 08:32 PM Post #12 |
Forum DJ
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ohhh sexi i likes |
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If you see me flying past ya, it's just because I'm fasta 97GLT5-R >>16T--SpeedTuning 17PSI.. S10 BLAZER 4.3 VORTEC >>>the neglected DD 
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| vvpete | Jun 28 2010, 03:38 PM Post #13 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Ahhh! The nasty head of the crooked mo' fo' Volvo mechanic rears it's ugly face again. After replacing nearly every front end part to rid the car of a nasty wobble when braking, I found that the 'new brakes' this car had done to it just before I bought it, and done by the crooked dis-honest Dallas based mechanic, did a piss-poor job, used s&**ty aftermarket parts, and was the result of all the wobble. I pulled the calipers apart and found they were never lubed, the pins were dry and binding, pads were cheapo's, no shims, and the rotors were made in China garbage. So the reciept says......$135 ea for Volvo rotors......$78 Volvo for pads, $12.95 for 'special brake lube.....ect. What a crook. He even charged $15 to apply the 'special' lube that never got applied. I got a feeling this isn't the last thing I'll find. I spoke to a friend this morning who has had a lot of problems with his '93 850, and same thing happened to his car after a brake job. I told him about the crooked mechanic, and he asked "was it the guy at..........? I said yes, unfortunately that's him. I'm going to help him un-fix his brakes thie weekend. Anyway, I took the rotors to get turned and they had a buldge in the orig surface which was causing the discs to act like they were warpped, but could not see any warpage. A few skin cuts and $20 solved that problem, and some syl-glide lube on the pins fixed the brake chatter and wobble. Done and works great now. So this brings me to my next modification to this car: 12" brakes up front. Since the rotors are not up to my standards, they'll have to go sooner than later, and the calipers have 166k on them, so by looking at the pin wear, will probably need calipers & brackes soon. Instead of putting in the stock 11" replacements, I thought I'd go with the 12" disc's and adapter bracket from the 850/S/V70. I think the '95-up sedan w/16" wheels had 12" brakes, but my wagon came with 11" Need a trip to the P&P |
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| SS 07C70 | Jun 28 2010, 06:15 PM Post #14 |
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TX Fledgling
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Sorry to hear bout your break issues, BUT I'm sure you'll get it all fixed up and in better show form for the next meet! Good luck from this point forward...NO MORE ISSUES. Be positive! |
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| swiftjustice44 | Jul 1 2010, 11:54 AM Post #15 |
Mojo Master
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It's getting tougher and tougher to find non-Chinese rotors. When we have to use 'em here at the shop, we turn them straight out of the box...they're that bad! We've been receiving the occasional Bosch item...also labeled "Made in China". |
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| vvpete | Jul 1 2010, 02:51 PM Post #16 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Garbage from those Chinamen. I found O'Reilys can order Wagner made in Germany rotors for $38.95 ea, and Tasca has 'em for $52 I spent yesterday crawling around the P&P on loop 12 looking for 12" brakes, and 12 850/S/V70's (yes there are a lot more Volvo's there now) not one had the bigger brake set-up. I may be better off buying the brackets & discs new and getting some good used 850 calipers. I did find myself a sunroof for the 960. PITA getting it out of a sedan, but was a low miles car, so the tracks & guides are in good condition, and because it's from a '96, it doesn't have the horrible design of selector guide that's plastic coated, which was the failure of my sunroof.   It was a whopping $38.90 I also found what looks like an ambient temp gage. The car is pre-wired for the gage, but don't know if I need to go back and snag the temp sensor. Anybody know if it's already there? Where is it on the 960?  
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| swiftjustice44 | Jul 1 2010, 09:42 PM Post #17 |
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Mojo Master
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Wow! The Holy Grail! That's a very rare Volvo accessory...a Great Pyrenees Slobberometer! They don't usually last long! Oz will love it! |
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| vvpete | Jul 2 2010, 10:42 AM Post #18 |
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Doing What I Want for a Long Time, AND nothing better to do
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Well, OZ won't see the inside of this car unless there's a total breakdown of the 245. The gage from what I found could not fit the later 960's. White vs balck connector, early one is black like this one, not compatible. Do you know what fails? if it's the sensor, I know they aren't that expensive, Tasca has them for $23, might get a new one, but still need to pull the cluster to find out if this one will work. If not it goes in the F/S section. Headliner removal this weekend to put in the new sunroof!
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| 94850tx | Jul 2 2010, 02:31 PM Post #19 |
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SHHHHH!!!
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I think you are going to need to buy the bigger brackets, those are hard to find even for us FWD guys. Looking good! Nick |
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NOTHING happens until somebody SELLS something... '94 854T '00 V70 SE '05 Ranger Edge '00 V70R Laser Blue- m66 AWD, ohlins, jewels, IPD, etc | |
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| swiftjustice44 | Jul 3 2010, 03:32 PM Post #20 |
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Mojo Master
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Uhh...Pete? Do you keep a close eye on Oz? Because I'm pretty sure I saw him in the 960 last night at Keller's on NW Highway. He was slobbering drunk! |
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