Volvo 745 Pickup + 4.8l V8 conversion

[lookforjoe]

Got M14 & M16 to -6AN 90º elbow fittings - should make it easier to modify the lines for the V8 install

 

[lookforjoe]

All the cam install parts are required tools are now here. I've fixed the space heater in the garage, and made a little more space by sectioning a bench that was much deeper than needed to give me a little more work space without getting too close to the X!/9.. Hopefully I can move forward with the motor work while the weather is too nasty to be outside.

 

[lookforjoe]

Still chipping away at garage reorganization - have to figure out how to make this all fit so I can more readily move the V8 drivetrain around.
I'm not even going to bother looking for 80gal compressor again until I have space cleared out.

I moved some supplies up above, but that is getting tight upon there too.

 

[lookforjoe]

Got a friend to assist in moving a Volvo T5 shortblock & M66 transaxle from the garage to the basement. They are now tucked under the shelving at the left. Now I can work on reducing some of the benches & shelving I made, to open up some space in the area that is below the attic space shown above, (opposite end of the garage from the doors)

 

[lookforjoe]

Going to go back to the original headlamp setup. I found a complete set with the frames, my originals were toast, and the lenses were yellowed. The problem with the Depot Ecodes is that the adjusters are crap - I haven't been able to get the the low beams or fogs properly set since I put them in.
I do prefer the way they look, but I need good lighting for all the early morning & night driving.

 

[lookforjoe]

Finally got around to this - made the brackets needed to refit the single lamp units, using some suitable gauge leftover SS sheet

Test fit grille & grille brackets, which attach to the same headlamp mount brackets

Back to the base model nose job

With the fitment done, I moved on to rewiring the bulb sockets (back to original configuration)

Made a new adapter harness for the dual filament bulb holder, to replace the two singles. Also went with a later model socket that does not use those older bullet type connectors

 

[lookforjoe]

NOS foglamp kit

Cut opening using provided templates


Anchored harness just case bracket gets hit

 

[lookforjoe]

Fiat is now gone, making space for the pickup alongside the Z
I've actually never seen the car rolling before, since I'm the only one that ever drove it . Looks great, he knows he got a great deal on it to, he told me his specialty shop would have charged around 40k to convert his Widebody X1/9 to K2x.

 

[86X]

Bitter sweet

 

[lookforjoe]

Had to get several things squared away on the truck - it's annual state inspection is due. Main thing was the tail lamp connections - since I drove it for a year with no covers over the back of the tail lights, the sockets had all got crud on them, and sometimes the indicators would come on through the brake light circuit and so forth. All indications of bad grounds. I have several new bulb sockets, so I dug those out and cleaned up the connections on the tail light circuit boards. Besides that it was just odds and ends that they would look at as part of the safety check. I got it inspected this evening, no problems there thankfully.

Since I didn't have a lot of time, I focused on making a rack to store the wood that I had outside - the tarp I was using seen better days, and wasn't keeping the water off the wood. So I had to clean and dry them all . Figured it would be safe it to store them indoors.
I used pieces of tubing from the canopy I had used to cover the X1/9 when I painted it back in 2018, and set those in the angle iron with six of the longer Fiat head bolts (welded in place)