Drove 900 miles in 1 day and all I got was these stupid pics

[tjts1]

In my first excursion north of the Bay Area by car, we drove 900 north to Orcas Island Washington. We had a really nice vacation on the island hiking, kayaking and playing Monopoly when it rained.
Now for the rant: I pity the fool who lives in Oregon. What the hell is wrong with you people? Why does everybody drive so flippin slow? Damn it takes forever to cross that stupid state.

Before the trip I got a little creative for a piece of indoor plastic floor mat, some screws, zip ties and a drill. All hell broke loose but when the dust settled this was the result. I need black zip ties and I also want to cut off the ends of the screws.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/volvo/29553009.jpg

Yes, I drilled holes through the spare tire well but I primered and added silicone to seal all the holes.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/volvo/fa085e49.jpg

I added this piece to the grill to protect the ghetto intake from bugs and rain. It worked.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/volvo/476687ee.jpg

On the way up to Washington we managed 25mpg over 3 fill ups with AC at 70-80mph with 2 people and about 300lb worth of stuff. On the way back to California we did 27mph. I don't think we used the AC as much. All on 87 gas. That about 3mpg better than any of my trips between the Bay Area and LA in college.
Was it worth it? Probably not but I had fun doing it. The next project will be fabricating a solid panel for the front.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/volvo/a54a4348.jpg

And Orcas Island rocks my world. I can't wait to go back... by private plane.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/walitin/Orcas%20Island%20June%2005/Picture035.jpg

On an unrelated note, the neighbors bought a Blackwood while I was gone. Ford only made about 3000 of these before they killed it. Who was the idiot that thought "BLACKWOOD" was a good name?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/volvo/Picture183.jpg
I bet that things doesn't get 27mpg.

[grebnut]

orcas island rocks. and well done on your "mods" that looks cool... nice pics.

ben

[tjts1]

I also installed a 24mm front sway bar from a 92 960 sedan. 1mm more might not sound like much but on the road it makes a big difference over the 23mm stock bar. Current setup is 24mm front, 19mm rear with non nivomat suspension.
24mm on the left 23mm on the right. Check out the bushings.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/2cca4df3.jpg

The 24mm body mount (left) is a much more solid piece with long bolts and welded together rather than stamped sheet metal. Eat your heart out IPD.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/98a63b6b.jpg

[cicatrizdare]

BOO for Blackwood! :(

It sure as HELL does not get 27mpg.

Nice work there.

[volvorod85]

BlackWOOOOD in the hizzy!!!!
Mark

[medfurd]

Hope you had fun, the San Juans are awesome! I used to go there a bunch when we lived in Seattle, and my parents got married in Roche Harbor, it's by Friday Harbor on one of the islands. Did you have fun on the ferry? :D

[acbarnett]

don't be hatin' on the blackwood, it had easily the pimpingest rear bed of all time. How much did the JY charge for the 24 mm sway, I am working on stripping a 960, and if it's a 92, I'll add that on to my list of things to pick up(to hold me over for IPD sways).

[BoxDriver2]

Nice trip.

Only 3000 Blackwoods? Really? I see quite a few here.

[horse]

Who was the idiot that thought "BLACKWOOD" was a good name?

some white lady in a suit . . .

[JE Jr]

Nice! I've also been thinking about flettening the bottom of my 740 to improve mpg.


I took a trip with a friend to look at a 142 some 220km away, and my white car in sign was so nice so it gave about 30MPG and that with the old K-jet mechanical injection!! I was really impressed...

I have some small mods though; removed intake air heating system (only installed on winter), first muffler removed (that one installed where the cat is installed on cat-vehicles) and stright exhaust tip instead of the s-shaped thing. (if you havent removed it, you should!!)

Before the exhaust mods my best MPG was 29.

[b4_ford]

: I pity the fool who lives in Oregon. What the hell is wrong with you people? Why does everybody drive so flippin slow?.

Because we drive Volvos! :rofl:

Then you go on to brag about your measly fuel economy. Basic rule #1: The faster you drive the lower your fuel economy will be. That's the problem with you Californians, ya'll drive to f'n fast!

[240 JAH]

Because we drive Volvos! :rofl:

Then you go on to brag about your measly fuel economy. Basic rule #1: The faster you drive the lower your fuel economy will be. That's the problem with you Californians, ya'll drive to f'n fast!


when I drove in SD on the freeways i thought it was amazing, so much easier to drive there than up north and there are more people then half the cities up north. to bad I was stuck with a rental jeep that was an auto 4 cyl. hahaha it was pimp to have no top but slow as hell on the freeway, but i kept up, once it got to speed it was all good. I would love driving in SD. I hate getting stuck behind moms that drive there brand new BMW suv's slow as hell on a 2 lane road. when i ride my bike its not a problem, just punch it and pass them. now in the volvo its not so easy, im stuck!

[lizadactyl]

Did you have fun on the ferry? :D


oh, you mean this ferry?
<img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/walitin/Orcas%20Island%20June%2005/Picture082.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

the one the driver had to re-park into the dock FOUR TIMES because he was new and retarded? (btw, are all washington state ferry employees mildly affected in the head?) the one with hundreds of screaming camp orkila kids? yeah, ferries blow. i used to like them as a kid, going out on the upper deck, but that's before i had developed the nerve endings to sense temperature and now i'm just bitter and cold.


but it was still a great trip. :D

<img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/walitin/Orcas%20Island%20June%2005/Picture052.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

(saw this one at the ferry terminal:)
<img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/walitin/Orcas%20Island%20June%2005/Picture045.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

[adrianpike]

I used to live on Orcas.
Where'd you stay?

The deal with the local ferry drivers, is that they have to deal with the insane local currents. We've clocked eight to ten knots in our boat, by comparing speed through the water to speed over land. The speed of the current is one problem, but the direction can be an even bigger one. Because of the shapes of the islands, they create some really really strong back-eddies that run closer to shore, and some serious transition areas. We've been spun a few times moving between current flows, and our boat's not exactly tiny (45-foot Lapworth).
You probably got somebody who's not used to the San Juan run, usually they're pretty decent.

I'm pretty sure I know the girl who's blue 245 that is, too. If it's the right one, she's hot. :-D

[tjts1]

I used to live on Orcas.
Where'd you stay?




some of liz's family lives on and runs an inn on the north shore of orcas. she goes up every summer. our trip is the reason we missed the vcoa davis meet last weekend :( but it was worth it.

[Acid8000]

Gorgous shots! (And nice work on the mods) Road trips are always fun fun :-D

[Boosted2003]

Not to bad of gas milage. I drove from Yorktown, Virginia to Orlando, Florida on 1 fill up. Woot woot 21 gallon tank.