93 Volvo 240 Pickup Build

I agree, this is nice!

Medchin said:

This is a beautiful creation Evan. Have any of you seen the render somebody made of a V70 Ute? I'll save you the 4 seconds of googling:

If the SAAB ever gets finished, and maybe before the 242 project really goes full swing I want to try to make it real. Granted as far as I can tell the front clip in this render isnt off a V70, i own a welder... This thread and all the Volvo utes of the internet make me hopeful that its doable.

The nose looks like the extended R nose, the headlights look like V50, the fog light pockets look like V70 but about 50-70% enlarged.  The wheel base is "all jacked up" as the youths say, the rear axle centerline looks about 5" too far back.  The taillights are S60 witn the tops cut off. There is also apparently zero suspension travel, given that those appear to be 22" wheels. And the doors are very obviously tweaked, real 4 door doors are squared off at the back.

This looks like a more realistic outcome. They did a much better job on the bodywork than I did. 

In reply to EvanB :

Ever since a GRMer said that a Euro style hitch "looked really happy to see you", I can't unsee that.

Knurled. said:

In reply to EvanB :

Ever since a GRMer said that a Euro style hitch "looked really happy to see you", I can't unsee that.

yeah, that's haunted me for years too.

In reply to Knurled. :

Oh for sure. Its I think a render in the "what-if" category versus someone starting with a correct v70 model and modifying it digitally. The real outcome Evan posted still I think looks pretty cool. Ignoring the whole "are you here to buy my trailer or are you just happy to see me" elements.

I mean if we could legally get Holden Utes here and/or it wasn't as expensive to cut up a perfectly good SS thatd be what I'd go for. The 08+ V70s with the more aggressive styling are starting to hit that age where they're not so expensive to be out of my price range. That's a dangerous proposition. 

Now with more windshield:

I also picked up a piece of Lexan (Macralon actually) today to make the rear cab windows. 

On the way to the hardware store tonight we saw a minty 84 El Camino.

But your Volvo is hotr!

In reply to EvanB :

Crap.  Since apparently people don't want to buy the RX-3, I might be stuck with it, and I was hoping to have the windshield guy remove its windshield so that maybe it doesn't get broken in the process.

In reply to Knurled. :

I got his number, he says he will pull windshields for $15.

In reply to EvanB :

That is way cheaper than I was hoping.  I should probably bribe you with lathe parts or something given that you've been storing that car for so long.

I installed bonded glass at work a couple weeks ago, and it was surprisingly not all that hard, the hard part was removing what was left of the old glass.  (Boss's Ridgeline, somehow the rear glass wound up getting broken, and he got a used rear window via LKQ instead of new, and handed me the keys and said "Put this in.")

Thinking of options for the bumpers, the rear one in particular needs some help. 

This is the stock bumper. We shaved the brackets for the sides of the cover which may have not been a great idea. I would like to tuck this bumper and somehow cut the sides down so they are not as long. 

Next up we have a Commando bumper drug up from the basement. It isn't in great shape and has some corrosion. 

Not really a fan of that. How about trying it without the rubber trim...

Well that isn't going to work. I figured it was corroded where they all have issues where the steel mounting hardware contacts the aluminum. This one was worse than I thought. 

Back to the original plan unless I think of something else like making a steel tube bumper.

On the AMC challenge car we used the front bumper on the back after doing some minor trimming and making brackets. Was narrower and more svelte looking.

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

I do have some spare front bumpers. I'll give one a test fit and see how it looks. 

How thin do you want to go? I have a 67 camaro rear bumper in the garage

In reply to Patrick :

Not sure yet, the initial plan is to cut down the plastic cover.

How do you like that air compressor? I was about to buy that one but didn’t think it’d be powerful enough. Likely going to hold out for a 60 gallon unit. 

It works pretty well. I would like a 60 gallon one but I am not going to have 220v in my garage anytime soon. My old craftsman oilless compressor died so I picked this one up. It seems sufficient for what I do. It seemed like a better option than the Harbor Freight one in the same price range as it has 5 more gallons and higher CFM. 

It is very loud but I have it in the back room so it is tolerable. If it is in the same room that you are working I'm not sure I would recommend it, better to go with something belt driven. 

Get a nurf bar style bumper from a ranger or s10 pickup?

I think the black plastic will look good cut down to the body crease under it.

74 Camaro rear bumper.

We added some bedliner and I decided to just tuck the stock rear bumper and replace the side support brackets. 

Now I need to find some wood for the bed and figure out the tailgate mounting. 

whats the plan for those open side panels in the bed?

Also, just a thought - instead of wood, perhaps get some thick HDPE sheeting (textured)....stronger than wood and weatherproof. 

There are some pieces of sheet metal that were also bedlined that go over them and screw in along the top. 

HDPE sheet would probably last longer, same with composite decking, but I am going with wood mainly for looks. 

Windows are done, more RTV to be applied later to smooth out the seals. 

Other things were done today but no pictures, mainly making lights work and finishing the tailgate mounting. I didn't have enough wood for the bed so I will go buy some tomorrow and get that finished.