Volvo P1800ES...kinda

The work continues. It is funny how long everything takes.

I finished trimming the side gussets. Made some filler pieces to close off some surplus openings in the Volvo B post. Cleaned up the b post and painted the back of the new gussets. The gussets are most certainly in to stay. Or I am FUBAR cause they ain't going to budge!

At this point the clip is ready to weld in permanently. How ever, I think I will settle for some good tacks until I get the front installed.

Interesting View when you compare the tunnel height and consider that both cars were RWD.

Some day I am going to look back and laugh at this state of the project.

As a side-note, I am curious if anyone reads these post?

I am reading. and being jealous of how big you balls are. I couldn't conceive doing what youre doing.

loving the fab work though. learning a lot from the pictures.

Of course I'm reading it!

The tunnel differences aren't really surprising. The Miata's tunnel would be larger since it's structure contributes quite a bit to the overall stiffness of the chassis, being a convertible and all. Plus, there has to be room for the brace that goes from the transmission back to the rear sub-frame/differential.

Absolutely reading. I'm building a bugeye, and a fan of the P series Volvos. I stay quiet on this forum mostly because as a child, I was taught to respect when the big folks were talking. I am enjoying your latest build thread to the the utmost.

wheelsmithy wrote: Absolutely reading. I'm building a bugeye, and a fan of the P series Volvos. I stay quiet on this forum mostly because as a child, I was taught to respect when the big folks were talking. I am enjoying your latest build thread to the the utmost.

Did you by chance run across the Bugeye rebuild that I did as a first project?
If you have questions about that project, let me know.

Never mind, just found your Bugeye in your profile. You dont need my advice with that project

You is most certainly in the "Grow-up league with that one. You need to move it to the build thread board. Seriously.

Amazing work! Just read this thread from start to finish and holy crap man for roughly the 379th time I am forced to say... Some incredibly talented people on this board!

Keep welding and writing - I'm still reading and drooling.

Are you kidding? I read every update and check on a daily basis.

Looks like you're going to pull this off. Nice work.

I though at first you were going to kill an 1800. I take that back, keep up the fine work!

NOHOME wrote: As a side-note, I am curious if anyone reads these post?

Here and "Banished from the Herd"

twentyover wrote:

NOHOME wrote: As a side-note, I am curious if anyone reads these post?

Here and "Banished from the Herd"

Funny you mention the post on the MG Experience: This is the official "Build thread", but because this Chimera thing is basically a V8 converted Miata in Volvo clothing, I have been pestering a host of boards for advice and information.

V8's and Volvo's mix nicely.

Keep posting ,Pete. We all avidly read this stuff, in my case so I learn for the time when I do something like this myself.

In reply to NOHOME:Aw shucks. I plan to put the sprite in build threads when I start making progress again. I mentioned bugeyes because l stand in awe of your resto . Cheers. Life, buying a house, building a garage, motorcycle, and now a starlet have conspired against my poor bugeye. All in time

wheelsmithy wrote: ...now a starlet have conspired against my poor bugeye. All in time

Yeah..I can certainly see how the starlet thing could be a distraction. Carry on.

OK, milestone day. while it is not "Finished Welded" in place, it is most certainly "Welded" in place to the point where I can say it ain't moving unless It has to for some reason I ma not yet aware of.

Most of the day was spent playing cats cradle.

The object of this game is to get everything located within .065" in an X-Y-Z plane and central to the Volvo mid-line. It took three tape measurometers and pretty much a full day to do this.

I mounted the wheel plates and while I am square on both sides, the wheel base is 1/8" shorter than I anticipated. Since it is the same on both sides, I am pretty much over it.

With the bolts caster bolts set to the neutral position, I seem to have 0.6 degrees negative camber.

I am going to move on to the front of the car now before I do all the final welding on the rear clip. To finish this end up would invite some reason to change the geometry and I do not want to tempt fate.

definitely reading every update. not jealous of ball size because i run and bike a lot, but wouldn't mind having some of your fab skillz.

Yes, reading.

Santa was early this year. A Miata V8 conversion subframe arrived in the mail. Just in time for me to move on to the front end of this thing.

Very nice piece. Pics coming

NOHOME wrote: As a side-note, I am curious if anyone reads these post?

not always the day they are posted... but I do try and keep up

Concerning your driveshaft tunnel... the Volvo solid diff hung under the car... while the Miata diff is more in the car....

Looking good!

Still plugging away as time permits. I am moving on to the front. Except for the extra width at the A post,which you can see I am starting to pick-away at, this is pretty much the structure that will slide up under the matching hole in the Volvo.

Going to be a big hole!

I need to whittle out a shape from the Miata carcass that will integrate elegantly with the Volvo structure. The Miata chunk needs to end up 3.5" shorter on each side. The good news is that there is such a point that is well defined matching point on both cars.

The corner gussets in the Miata are pretty much exactly the same distance apart as the side of the foot-wells in the Volvo.

The 4 bolts make it look like you could just unbolt the A-post from this convenient mounting point. Not quite.

The A pilar in a Miata is a serious piece of structure. (same was true of the B-post) and picking the spotwelds out is time consuming. It also killed my sawzall; actually went up in flames in my hands as I was tackling this. Might be a sign from god?

On a more fun note, I have the engine and gearbox in the hole. This particular K member will allow me to run off-shelf headers unlike the Monster Miata kit. I tried the stock Mustang manifolds (Ugly things) and even those look like they would fit.

NOHOME wrote: As a side-note, I am curious if anyone reads these post?

Yes! This is a fascinating project.

NOHOME wrote: With the bolts caster bolts set to the neutral position, I seem to have 0.6 degrees negative camber.

90-88.4 = 1.6 degrees rather than 0.6?

MichaelYount wrote:

NOHOME wrote: With the bolts caster bolts set to the neutral position, I seem to have 0.6 degrees negative camber.

90-88.4 = 1.6 degrees rather than 0.6?

Yup...but even more disconcerting than my math or typing abilities is the fact that the value was observed at the"neutral" position on the crash bolt setting. I can't actually get 0 camber much less positive values.

Could this be the original bushings wearing out?