1961 Volvo PV544 in Holland

[arcturus]

I don't quite understand what your problem id with clutch fork. This is mine, a simple socket is all that's needed on outside of bell housing

[Army]

Originally Posted by arcturus

I don't quite understand what your problem id with clutch fork. This is mine, a simple socket is all that's needed on outside of bell housing

That would be strange but perhaps I do need to remove the bell housing...

...what a pain just for a clutch release bearing

I must say that's rather "un-Volvo" from my experiences with it thus far - it has been so well thought out.

Bell housing will be whipped off tomorrow and I'll see if that does the trick - thanks

[arcturus]

The bearing can be fitted with the fork in situ' at least with mine. Will post pic' later
Easy peasy, honest!. Just slide it through gearbox aperture and into fork.

[Army]

Originally Posted by arcturus

The bearing can be fitted with the fork in situ' at least with mine. Will post pic' later
Easy peasy, honest!. Just slide it through gearbox aperture and into fork.

Your earlier gearbox (we have learned in one of your threads) is different. Your gearbox needs to be removed from the bell housing to get it off the car. Mine is more "modern / conventional" in the way that the gearbox and bell housing in one piece needs to be removed from the engine.

Your problem of not having a long enough clutch centering tool wouldn't be a problem for my situation as I don't have a bell housing in the way. The downside to my system seems to be that you need to remove the bell housing in order to get the clutch release bearing free...

...I'm about to pop down to my workshop and see if this is correct

[Army]

The bell housing does need to be removed to reach the fork and the clutch release bearing



The screw for the bobble is on the mating side of the bell housing : gearbox interface much like the earlier gearbox. Strange thing is that this later gearbox doesn't have the cut out for replacing the clutch like the earlier one so you need to remove the bell housing from the engine - but to make things more complicated you also have to split the bell housing from the gearbox too to reach the clutch release bearing.

Bit of a strange combination of systems

Oh well at least I could get to the pivot point for the fork and clean it up and treat it to a bit of axle grease

[Army]

...the paint stripping of the upper body has begun

Some parts are coming off just as you'd hope they would =>



Whilst other parts have so so much filler even the paint stripper stumbles

Evidence of the original colour is under the sedimentary layers of goodness knows what



I've got a long way to go with the body - let alone the doors the bonnet the boot lid the wings...



(Flipping heck wouldn't an acid bath be great?)

[Derek UK]

Knowing that modern paint strippers, by reputation, are pretty wimpy now days, that looks to be pretty ferocious. What are you using?

[Army]

Originally Posted by Derek UK

Knowing that modern paint strippers, by reputation, are pretty wimpy now days, that looks to be pretty ferocious. What are you using?

It is POR-strip - from the POR15 range.

It is very expensive.

I rate it as being almost as good as 1980s Nitromors but not quite

But as you say the rest of the stuff really should be reported to trading standards.

[Ideally those responsible for selling it should be dragged by their pubic hair kicking and screaming to the local market square where they get a weekly horse whipping for selling stuff that doesn't work (just saying - that punishment seems to me to be a perfectly reasonable response to the troubles I've had and money wasted finding something that almost works)]

In the UK there are better options available. The series 2 club Land Rover forum (that I'm a member of) was going on about certain brands that I can't get in Holland. I'll ask about for you if you need a good tip.

[Army]

The filler on the lower side of this panel is / was ridiculously thick

I've found that the designer crease that runs under the rear window and helps form the hump goes a lot further back than I thought (!)



Evidence of e-coat under the original paint in certain places (no longer intact so there's no point in trying to preserve it). I'm used to finding e-coat on 1980s cars but didn't realise Volvo was using that technology in the 1960s. I could be wrong - it might not be e-coat - but it look suspiciously like it to me



Here's the thickness of the filler on the lower side of the rear quarter - just in front of the wheel arch.

Daft.



After loads of sanding with Festool Granite (for paint) sanding discs I eroded away most of the filler (the paint stripper isn't man enough to get through thick filler like that). The sanding discs are better than say an angle grinder and wire brush attachment because they produce less air bourne dust. Slower - but safer.



The reason for so much filler is a dent at bumper height - car park damage I guess



It isn't such a bad dent. I reckon I can push it back out a bit. It is in a slightly difficult place as it is all compound curve (like a bowl or a bicycle mud guard). The body filler fanatic decided to make the whole bottom end flat instead of trying to replicate the more complicated curve (hence the addition of 4kg of filler). I'm not sure why he then decided to splurge the filler all the up and over the top of the wheel arch though...

...I'll guess I'll see why when I start to sand the body smooth.

Downside to finding so much filler on this side of the car is that I now need to tackle the other side so I can make sure what ever solution I make, I make sure the car is symmetrical.

[arcturus]

Hi, a long shot but worth trying. I need a replacement choke pull lever with choke cable with inner wire. Mine broke whilst trying to replace inner after fire. Was wondering if you could put me in touch with the Dutch PV group. i already have feelers out with Swedish group. No scrap yards near where I live. Only need the pull with inner cable, not outer or bezel.