New 740 owner!

[DWM]

Originally Posted by Laney760

If you want a new headlining there's a good condition one from a 940 local to us in Oxfordshire, pm if you want the details, also Crogthomas knows somebody in our neck of the woods who will fit you a good one from a 940 (which wont sag)

PM sent. Yes the headlining is truly awful (and I've seen a few bad ones!) so I had already steeled myself to address the problem, but if you know a source of a good one that would be wonderful!

[DWM]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

P.S he's a male - interesting!

It's odd - I don't know why - he just is. I looked at him and he was clearly a he. All my previous cars have been female.

[OldBlueVolvo]

The car looks amazing! I had one that exact same year, spec and colour, and of course the other one I still have is the same colour and a similar spec. Very very nice. I only said to stay away from those engines because of the cost of replacing the carb if that was ever a problem.

[DWM]

Originally Posted by stephend

So what's the story behind you acquiring Phoenix, then?

Thanks everyone for positive comments. It has been an exciting day .

I've been increasingly wanting and wanting a 700/900 for quite a while - partly for the load space for camping hols but partly also so that you can sit comfortably on the back with the tailgate open and eat sandwiches in the rain... which is just possible but a bit rubbish and uncomfortable in a V40 (sorry Genevieve), and ultimately longed for a (pre-facelift) 745 above all for those distinctive (Marmite) looks.

My problem has always been one of justifying the purchase - after all it's strictly unnecessary and a set of extra costs that I could well do without. But I thought I had been being quite good lately (and it was my birthday!) so I thought I might be allowed a cheap one, if I checked it carefully and it looked sound. Et voilà. My boys like it too, so with any luck all is well.

[stephend]

I think you'll find you won't regret it!

My 740 was an impulse buy. It was sat right at the back of my local garage, behind the workshop, looking like it needed a good home. So I bought it, and I've grown really fond of it. Moreover, it's proved invaluable. Following the illness and death of a relative in Scotland, we've been house-clearing, and The Tank has been up there and back umpteen times, often fully laden, as well as carting stuff to and from the care home, the recycling etc etc.

The same garage have been looking after it for nearly twenty years. They're quite fond of the old girl themselves, and take good care of her.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by stephend

I think you'll find you won't regret it!

My 740 was an impulse buy. It was sat right at the back of my local garage, behind the workshop, looking like it needed a good home. So I bought it, and I've grown really fond of it. Moreover, it's proved invaluable. Following the illness and death of a relative in Scotland, we've been house-clearing, and The Tank has been up there and back umpteen times, often fully laden, as well as carting stuff to and from the care home, the recycling etc etc.

The same garage have been looking after it for nearly twenty years. They're quite fond of the old girl themselves, and take good care of her.

Great to hear enthusiasm for the 700 and to welcome a new owner on the forum.

My garage has developed a soft spot for my 1986 745, they refer to it as rather special.

I hope for a good turnout at the BKV.

Prufrock.

[lovejoy633]

Originally Posted by DWM

PM sent. Yes the headlining is truly awful (and I've seen a few bad ones!) so I had already steeled myself to address the problem, but if you know a source of a good one that would be wonderful!

Well....firstly.....may I say....what a fine purchase !! The car looks in fantastic condition.

Now.....regarding "headlining" ......I may be of some help...

I to had a 7 series shooting break with a some what saggy headlinning and was given two bits of invalueable advice from ones chums !!!!

1. Buy a Top Hat - thus keeping said headlinning from obscuring ones view.

2. Use an every day common all garden stapler to pin the headlining back up whilst also giving that "button back chesterfield" feel to the roof.

Now whilst these two options are equally ingenius, it should be noted that option 1 of the top hat may incurr odd looks from the uneducated amongst us who may just think you are a bit of a prat !!!!

Option 2 of the stapler is, as yet, without flaw !!!!!

Best rgds

Lovejoy

[DWM]

Originally Posted by lovejoy633

Option 2 of the stapler is, as yet, without flaw !!!!!

Thank you very much. He seems to be behaving himself and we had a nice wafty drive today on some back roads, with other traffic leaping respectfully (and/or fearfully) out of the way as we approached. I was rather enjoying being the oldest thing on the roads till we came across a Hillman Imp.

The headlining tips seem good, but they ignore the fact that previous owners obviously poked at it and ripped it and then figured that black duct tape might help... (which it does, in that it at least stops the foam dust from raining down) so it is just unbelievably unsightly - it sags less than some I have seen but it looks so appalling that it would be insulting to Phoenix to post a picture of it.

I was considering the options with the boys today and somehow the idea came up that I should strip down the original board and fix something unusual - like some sort of deep black fur material, or a bright orange suede.... I'm not sure now...

[lovejoy633]

Originally Posted by DWM

I was considering the options with the boys today and somehow the idea came up that I should strip down the original board and fix something unusual - like some sort of deep black fur material, or a bright orange suede.... I'm not sure now...

Are you by any chance related to Peter Stringfellow ??????

[stephend]

Originally Posted by DWM

Thank you very much. He seems to be behaving himself and we had a nice wafty drive today on some back roads, with other traffic leaping repectfully (and/or fearfully) out of the way as we approached. I was rather enjoying being the oldest thing on the roads till we came across a Hillman Imp.

Ah, you've noticed the way things seem to get out of the way of a big Volvo bearing down on them: pedestrians... trucks... trees...

Have you also noticed the way gravity is locally distorted by the sheer mass?