1961 Volvo PV544 in Holland

[Army]

...continue and the inside of the doors get coated in epoxy primer and that blinking bonnet with the seeping crud gets coated in pantsercoating (ready for colour tomorrow with any luck) - I've started masking again!

I'm getting ready for the off chance the weather / workshop will be warm enough for a protective layer of Car System anti-scratch over the top of the Cellcover

(Too many product names? Go back and read again!)



You can see how I've painted round the windows from the inside to the outer edges that will be covered by window rubbers.

I did this for a bit of extra protection in the never ending fight against rust



(Thought I'd better show a masking in progress picture just in case folks feel I've left the glass in!)



Once the holes have been covered I'll be sanding with 600 / perhaps 800 grit paper so the next clearcoat will stick - it is also an opportunity to correct a few drips (!)

[adarvasi]

Army,
I spent most of the morning and all afternoon going trough your restoration. Fascinating, entertaining and very, very useful. Thank you very much for sharing.
Andres

[Army]

Originally Posted by adarvasi

Army,
I spent most of the morning and all afternoon going trough your restoration...

Well that's dedication!

I suspect I've got a way to go - they'll probably be more posts to come

[Army]

Still masking and sanding getting ready for the warmer weather that should be arriving tomorrow

Disaster struck =>

On removing some masking tape paint pulled away from the edge



Pain in the backside - means a fair amount of messing about - but I suppose it is better to have the problem now rather than later

Flipping bonnet is still giving me trouble - combined hoover and air line method seems to be producing mass (defying the laws of physics I'm sure)



Tomorrow I hope to have the outside of the cellcover sanded and ready - perhaps there'll be some bald PV pictures for you all...

[Army]

The underside of the bonnet has been painted as best as possible with base coat. Problem is the edges / shadows / sides on the stiffeners make it a very difficult piece to paint - tomorrow I need to get the paint brush out - tis the only way I'll get to all the parts...

...use of paint brushes is not illegal! Some might think you should spray everything but sometimes it is easiest or even best to break out the paint brush =>



^^^^^Here I've just sprayed some etch primer into an old aerosol cap

##########

In other news the body is now more or less ready for the promised warm day tomorrow so I spray on the anti-scratch layer



I'm hoping the dull finish shown in the picture above is close to how the body will finally look when I get the top layer of matt clear coat sprayed (with any luck that'll be Saturday)

[blueosprey90]

Does you body have a roughly 1" diameter hole in the sill area at the bottom of each B Pillar? If so, do you have any idea of the purpose of these holes. I have them on the 444 and they are a bit distorted outward.

[Army]

Originally Posted by blueosprey90

Does you body have a roughly 1" diameter hole in the sill area at the bottom of each B Pillar? If so, do you have any idea of the purpose of these holes. I have them on the 444 and they are a bit distorted outward.

I don't remember anything like that. I'm pretty sure there's nothing like that on my car.

I can check for you in a few days time - I've just masked the windows and doors so I can't get in until the outer spraying is done.

I'll get back to you.

[Army]

Originally Posted by blueosprey90

Does you body have a roughly 1" diameter hole in the sill area at the bottom of each B Pillar? If so, do you have any idea of the purpose of these holes. I have them on the 444 and they are a bit distorted outward.

Originally Posted by Army

I don't remember anything like that. I'm pretty sure there's nothing like that on my car.

I can check for you in a few days time - I've just masked the windows and doors so I can't get in until the outer spraying is done.

I'll get back to you.

Err actually if you look back to a post I made in June it looks like there is a hole in the sill like you describe

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...&postcount=242



Quite a way from the B pillar

I hope someone didn't use that as a seat belt mounting point - I don't think the inner sill / floor pan is strong enough for it there

I don't know why the hole is there either - it could just be intended as an access place for anti-rust goo.

[blueosprey90]

Thanks,

Mine look a little bigger and for some reason, both sides are distorted out. I thought maybe something to lift the body.

I want to try to fit inertia 3 point seat belts, and I need something with some meat in that area.

[Army]

Originally Posted by blueosprey90

Thanks,

Mine look a little bigger and for some reason, both sides are distorted out. I thought maybe something to lift the body.

I want to try to fit inertia 3 point seat belts, and I need something with some meat in that area.

I don't think they're intended as lifting points. Even with everything stripped out the weight of the body is a bit much for a non reinforced hole in 1mm thick steel sheet.

{I estimate the body weight to be under 150kg when everything has been removed but unfortunately I have no way of checking this}

As you know I have been following your thread - I am aware of your seat belt desire - but I'm not sure of the existing mounts you have in your PV. I assume my car had a factory three point fixing system fitted. I assume that when inertia reels were fitted to the lower part of the B pillar some one cut into the hollow box section under the rear seat so the rear seat passengers didn't have to trip over the reels.

You can see in the picture that I've added in little bits of bent steel to close off the box section and make it a bit more rigid.

I'm sure I've mentioned already that I'm not 100% happy with the way this has been done on my car - all I've done to the current set up is to try and tidy things up a bit.

I think I remember saying if there are no factory fixings on your car then I reckon you're better off getting advice from a classic car company that specialises in fitting seat belts. If not then you need to investigate the strength of rivnuts / nutserts and beefing up the structure to suit => As you can see from the holes in your sills thin metal can be bent easily - you have to fix things to strong things (!)