Thanks Tony

i'm still not 100% sure about my choice - may be it'll end up as it left the factory in the end. We'll see. Some days I think I'm a genius - cos it does look good naked - but then I think shiny ain't so bad after all...

Thanks for the offer of pictures - add them to this thread if you want - more the merrier!

I had another go at the trim today - no dice. Despite the advice I think I might try it the other way...

Rear windscreen trim
 

OK, so hopefully there are three photos attached which show the cable (I used cable about a quarter of an inch in diameter) that has to be wedged into the rubber trim channel of the windscreen seal to lift up the lip. The bright trim is then placed on top of this, pushing it into the lip and pulling out the cable at the same time. This is quite easy if it is the original bright trim that is going back into the original rubber surround. However some time needs to be spent straightening the trim out and the gap that the rubber lip fits into to get the shape perfectly symmetrical with the windscreen rubber. I noticed in the photo that your trim was bent out of shape, so you are going to have to straighten that out first, or it just won't fit. Regards Tony.

New windscreen trim from VP Autoparts
 

The guy I bought my PV from had obviously tried to fit the bright trim into the rear window rubber with a hammer and block of wood. It was too far gone to salvage so whilst driving the car back from Sweden we popped into VP Autoparts and bought a new bright trim (about £100). I didn't buy the windscreen rubber because it looked new.
When we got home i realised the bright trim didn't follow the contours of the rubber seal. I spent a good half a day trying to bend it to shape, but as you can see from the photo it would be difficult to get the right shape without buckling it. At that time we still had our old PV so I held the trim up against the back window of that car, and it was a perfect shape. So I can only assume it is best to buy the bright trim and rubber surround from the same place at the same time, to avoid any mismatch.
The other thing I noticed is that you cleaned your bright strip with metal polish? They should all be anodised.
Anyway hope this all makes sense and is of some use.
One other thing - I noticed you had Amazon seats in the car and you were asking about the comfort of the original PV seats. I find them very comfortable (at least from 1962 onwards). I think the problem is that people put new seat covers on a 50 year old coil spring base with flattened horsehair stuffing, and expect it to be comfortable. i can post photos of how I restored the spring bases and backs of my seats if you are interested. Regards Tony

Thanks for the pictures and the warning about the trim being bent out of shape - I'll invest some time correcting it.

As for the seats - I don't have an original set so I can't compare. I've only heard that the amazon ones are more comfortable. (I think it is a trend on a few Dutch sites) Seeing as I've got what I've got I'm just planning to redo those ones but fudge them to look like the original interior. As you say I'm sure I'll have to replace a lot more than just the fabric. (Again pictures are always welcome though to be fair it'll be some time before I get to do that part of the interior)

Middle dashboard trim
 

Question:-

Has anyone ever found the middle bit of trim to be too loose? I tried to get some new clips =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544024303

I was probably having a moment but I couldn't find the number in the parts book for these little chaps - the other spring clips I could find but these twist and go jobbers...

...problem is with the old ones (that I dare not over tighten) the trim is way too loose on the dashboard - assuming the sound deading I'm gonna fit works this silly thing is gonna be rattling and irritating.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544024304

Before I start cutting up adhesive pads to help hold the thing in place I was wondering if others have come up with different solutions

Blue tack.It worked for me.

Aren't they the same as used on the Amazon? 663973? Amazon ones look different to those shown. As these are of the spring type, they may be better.

I might have to resort to that too

I found the part number (eventually!) - 659440

Not easy to track down, mainly due to the dreadful picture in the parts book and that it is described in the list as only having a quantity of two. These are the same clips that hold the trim on the glove box door in place.

I've already bought and used the larger clips but these ones are needed on the middle trim part because there are only slots instead of drilled holes =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544074296

(I hope that's clear enough to see - no larger hole comparison I'm afraid - just the slots)

Quick floow up with the middle trim on the dashboard
 

In Holland you get given free wooden stirrers when you buy paint. Usually made from decent wood - they've come in handy for many a thing before and were useful for the middle trim too

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544363655

Cut to size - stuck in there with double sided tape

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544363655

We'll see how long this fix lasts

Still flopping about not getting very far...
 

...today I wasted ages trying to get the trim fitted to the front windscreen seal before fitting it to the car.

Waste of time - the seal I have is far too flexible and keeps on popping off the windscreen when the trim gets stuffed into its groove.

So the front screen is partially fitted to the car - just to give me the idea of progress. I'm going to have to get someone to help me fit the trims on both of these windscreens - perhaps - (oh the shame) I'll even have to pay someone to fit it for me!

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544456722

#######

In other news - I have spent ages trying to find the steering box bearings and have not been lucky at all.

So I decided to change the bearings themselves with in the race.

Having tried to do this before (and potentially learned a lesson) I thought it was best to use some positive fixing aid so I cut a hole in a scrap bit of plywood...

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544456722

...I had visions of using a thin parallel pin punch to distort the crimped parts of the cage but ended up having to use a flat bladed screwdriver ("not the right tool for the job" was ringing in my ears) because I needed to get access under the ball bearings - right in there - to distort the cage.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544456722

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1544456722

Now the bearings are out of their cages I've been able to measure them and have found - surprise surprise - they are imperial sized balls in an otherwise metric steering box.

(Not uncommon but nevertheless a bit irritating)

I'm 99% sure these ball bearings are 5/16"