1984 760 TD restoration

[v8volvo]

I bought this '84 760 three years ago, non-running due to a leaking injection pump shaft seal. As happens sometimes, life got in the way of starting to work on it for quite a while, so it sat in storage until last November.

On Thanksgiving weekend, with a couple days of free time, I opened the hood and got started on it. The car had 57,000 miles and had spent much of the last decade sitting. The tabs had expired in 2009. The original owner had it until sometime in 2013; the guy I bought it from had purchased it from that owner's estate. It was garaged and in beautiful shape.

I was in contact with a former Volvo dealer employee who had access to a NOS brand new D24T injection pump that I bought and sent to a fuel shop to be checked out. It got fresh seals, compatible with the ULSD fuel that was introduced long after the pump had been built, and tested healthy. I installed the new pump on the engine, changed some dead glow plugs, changed the long-sitting oil, and removed the injectors to add some fresh oil to each cylinder prior to attempting to start it.

With minimal effort, the engine lit right off and ran great! Under its own power, it drove right out of the garage where it had been sitting since 2014. The rest of the car proved to be as solid as it looked too. I have owned around a dozen 700 or 900 series cars, but was still impressed by how different this one was to drive, in terms of silence and refinement. Closest I have seen to what they presumably were like when they were new, expensive top-of-the-line rigs.

Gave it new timing belts and various other service shortly after getting it on the road, and it has been a smooth and comfortable daily driver. Currently still straightening out a few small faults around the car but I hope to bring it to the XXX show next month.














Short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWAN...ature=youtu.be

[NJTy180]

beautiful car, awesome find. going to check out the videos now.

[S&W 629]

Very nice. My '85 740 only has 57,000 miles as well but it sat out in the New Mexico desert for about 20 years so the interior is quite rough. Had to go through a lot under the hood too but it runs like a champ now and I'm happy to be getting about 25.5 miles per gallon city driving. It is my daily driver.

[ngoma]

It's like you keep hiding cards up your sleeve! Where do you keep finding these???

Are those original wheels?

What is the condition of the underhood wiring?

Where was the car first sold? My first 744/D24T was originally sold to Jim Neigbors (Gomer Pyle!) in Palm Springs.

What is the car behind it in the first photo?

[anders]

Oh boy, that's a daily driver right there! D24T/ZF is my favorite combo, and it's silver with black interior.. I'm really jealous. Does it have the extra range tank too?

[RedArrow]

That car is treasure. How can it be a daily driver!?
Here`s more questions:
Is the Volvo upper radiator hose still available?! How about the hose that runs across the valve cover?
Did it get a new waterpump? Where can it be bought?
I love that injection pump. May I ask who performed the refurb on it? $?
Thank you. Congrats on the new td!

[v8volvo]

This one came from around here originally. Looks like it was originally sold by a dealer in Gladstone, OR. Owner lived in Edmonds and Shoreline according to the records in the glove box. Museum of Flight membership stickers in the windows.

The Sirius wheels are original to the car, this style seems to have come standard on the 760s through part of '84. The late '84s and '85 on seem to be more common with the big dinner plate wheels, the Rigels. The ones on this car are losing their clearcoat on a couple wheels, but they still look pretty good. Seems like the engine harness is in fine shape. Not enough heat and time to kill the insulation -- yet...

It does have the extended range fuel tank. It's pretty cushy as a daily driver, the TD and automatic are relaxed and quick. No cracks in the dash!

Don't know about the availability of the hoses. Have not had any problem finding them or waterpumps though. This did get a new one.

[R.Mojica]

That is a beautiful car. I'm glad someone got it that could give it all the needed attention it needed.

[anders]

Well George was kind enough to sell me this beautiful 760. I'm going to continue with this thread with the build/additions to this car. I have a hard time keeping anything stock, but it's also hard to change anything on such a low mile survivor, but cars are meant to be driven, especially these 764's with the D24T/ZF combo!

So when I alter or modify the car I'm going to make sure everything can be reversed easily to be changed back to stock. I will be setting any of the stock parts that I remove aside for safe keeping.

My plans include:
Wheels, 17" or 18"
Performance springs
Sway bars
Window tinting
Volvo fitted floor mats (plastic ones)
Taillight decor panel (hard to find?)
Factory Volvo spoiler (might be hard to find one)
ARP head studs
Intercooling
NA intake
3" exhaust
Factory boost gauge and volt gauges added to cluster.
Turbo upgrade, Turbonetics.. more boost!
I'm not sure what else..

[R.Mojica]

I had one of those rear spoilers a couple years ago. sold it for about $100. the rear décor panel showed up a couple months ago in a junk yard. ill keep my eye our for you..