1973 1800ES project

[pat244ti]

So back in April 08', I sold my old/andysbeta's old orange B230FT powered 76' 244DL for a reasonably measly sum of money. Not one who fails to burn a hole in their pocket, I heard through a friend/Volvospeed member that is neighbor in nearby Saratoga had a single owner 1800ES that had been sitting in their yard for many years. I always wanted an ES because of how cool looking they were, but also my mom was in love with them back in the day [my grandfather was going to buy her one, but he passed away - this was 10+ years before I was even born]

So I went and checked it out and for having sat for so long it seemed like it might be a chore to get it going. Sure enough though I threw the battery from my truck in it and it fired off. Would not go into gear though. Also, the body was pretty good sans a few small spots of rust around the rear window glass and right next to the wheel well on the rear driver's side 1/4. I offered the 95-year old lady who owned it [it was her deceased husband's car] $2000 and she took it.

Came back a week later with a new battery, some cleaning supplies and a jack. Washed it, threw the battery in, fired it up, threw the back end in the air with the jack, put it in gear, lowered the jack and unfroze the clutch disc. She was moving! Drove it around the block a few times and called it good to go 40 miles back home.



Although I really should have bled the brakes nothing catastrophic happened and I made it home. So I did some further cleaning [clay, polish & wax, lots of interior undusting] and she came out looking even nicer






Than the DJet map sensor died. It sat for a bit, than Redwood Chair came to the rescue with a drilled map he had laying around. So I got it fired up, did some more maintenance, got some new front rubber for the original wheels [the black sirius ended up on the flathood 242], painted the centers black and started daily driving it.




Winter 08' came around, and I decided to retire it for a while. A wiper arm broke off and I did not have enough money at the time to fix that and all the rubber seals the car was in dire need of [sitting all of those years really dried them out] so rather than risk allowing rust to further step it's ugly ass in I tossed my car cover and an extra tarp over it.

I recently left my job of the past 4+ years [was sick of it] and while continuing temporary work on the side and searching for a new job I figured it's time to get focused on the ES again.

So while I let my mind figure out what I want to do with the drivetrain on the car [it has a rebuilt b20f with about 20k in it which could be the base for many things, and also I might have the b230ft/holset/lh 2.4 from my red 244 to play with...] the only solid plan is to get the shell as straight as possible. I've stocked up on POR-15 products to attack the rust and also I plan on getting a welder. Although a car such as an ES is probably not the ideal platform to learn how to do bodywork, that is what I want to do and I want to do it right. I've also ordered just about every seal that the car will need.

Pretty much the only goals I have for the car is to get it straight, rust free, handling good, peppier [stock b20 is too slow for me] and more stylish.

The covers come off the car tomorrow. I will document all of the bodywork I will be attacking complete with pics

[Redwood Chair]

Let me know if you need a hand with it.

[SLOTh_244]

I know that they are not cheap but maybe look at the V-performance.com supercharger... it may be a good way to "pep" up the b20, especially since it is fresh off a rebuild.... Just a thought...

[JcFernandez]

Classy Car!

[Sir Psycho]

Nice car, I may need to get in touch if I have problems arise. Feel free to do the same.

[aStrauss]

perfect.

im really diggin the roof rack.

[GabAlmighty]

Nice shades

[drturbo]

Did you get any spare parts with the car? I have a laundry list to send you if you did. You can also send me yours.

I am restoring a '73 ES that belonged to Ken Pruett (from IPD) for 25 years. It was he and his wife's daily driver the entire time.

Fortunately, it's in pretty good shape. However there are some rust spots I'm attending to. I had to replace the entire bottom lip the tailgate glass door seals against and I still have to tackle a couple of other spots. I even welded in larger diameter drain holes (plus one extra for a total of three) to try and prevent the lip from rusting out again.

Good luck with the project and let me know if I can help.

[EB240]

OMG, they are indeed very rare, don't ever sell it, you got it so cheap!

Have fun with it!

[Karl Buchka]

It's too bad the 244 has to go, but I'm sure this ES will end up looking great. It wants, no, it needs the B230ft/holset with a manual trans.

[SLOTh_244]

Originally Posted by Karl Buchka

It's too bad the 244 has to go, but I'm sure this ES will end up looking great. It wants, no, it needs the B230ft/holset with a manual trans.

wouldn't that take one hell of a shoehorning to fit in?

[pat244ti]

Originally Posted by Redwood Chair

Let me know if you need a hand with it.

Most definitely will

Originally Posted by SLOTh_244

I know that they are not cheap but maybe look at the V-performance.com supercharger... it may be a good way to "pep" up the b20, especially since it is fresh off a rebuild.... Just a thought...

I've actually rode in one with the VP kit and while it was pretty damn fun I can't shell out that kind of scrilla [$4k] when I can do something I prefer more [turblow] way cheaper.

Originally Posted by aStrauss

perfect.

im really diggin the roof rack.

When I start the bodywork I am probably going to take it off and fill the holes....it looks cool but it's too trashed to use again.

Originally Posted by drturbo

Did you get any spare parts with the car? I have a laundry list to send you if you did. You can also send me yours.

I am restoring a '73 ES that belonged to Ken Pruett (from IPD) for 25 years. It was he and his wife's daily driver the entire time.

Fortunately, it's in pretty good shape, however there are some rust spots I'm attending to. I had to replace the entire bottom lip the tailgate glass door seals against and I still have to tackle a couple of other spots. I even welded in larger diameter drain holes (plus one extra for a total of three) to try and prevent the lip from rusting out again.

Good luck with the project and let me know if I can help.

Thanks!

I did not get many spares with the car unfortunately, just a couple of belts. I'll have a lot of spares though since I won't be re-using a lot of the stock parts.

Mine has the same problem with the bottom lip on the hatch - the seal was toast and water got back there and did it's work. One section goes outside the lip onto the body of the car but everything is fixable. I was planning on making a better drain setup as well so it won't happen again.

Originally Posted by SLOTh_244

wouldn't that take one hell of a shoehorning to fit in?

It does take some shoehorning but nothing crazy. Plan right now if I go b230 is to mount it upright [bob foltz's mounts,b20 pan, oil pickup tube] nix the brake booster and figure out a intake manifold solution [IIRC making an angled spacer of sorts for the throttle body will make a B230 intake work, seen that on another 1800/b230ft swap....or could always come up with something custom...].

Since it's a 73 the trans tunnel is larger and a T5 will fit good. With the b230 mounted upright IIRC a B20 bellhousing will bolt up, and V-Performance has a T5 adapter that will work without machining that bellhousing.

As far as room goes running a stock 90+ manifold with a smaller turbo would work good but with the Holset it would either not fit or be super tight [also I don't know if I'd want that much heat that close the upper-A arm bushings, speaking of those I also want to lower the mounting points for more camber]. I'd probably want a header to move it up which I'd rather run anyways with an external gate.

[pat244ti]

Uncovered!

Still looks pretty clean

But these pictures tell the rest of the story, and they will be the first things I attack


Under the rear glass on the back


The dreaded lower rear glass lip....after looking at this I think I might need to find a way to put a whole new lip in there....

At some point it got hit in the back, gotta pull this dent out

Where the rear 1/4 meets the back panel

There are reminders like this everywhere on the car that it was gold in a former life....

And reminders that the person who painted it did a failtastic prep job

Below the drivers door

Rear 1/4 right behind the wheel well

Ewww ugly falling apart hoodliner!

That's how most of the body seals look....

Some rust behind the battery tray

The dash. Plan now is to strip the upper and lower vinyl/padded sections down to metal, repad them and rewrap them in suede. Gauges need to be rebuilt [moisture getting inside of them....] and I'll ditch the wood behind the dash for some CF.

Probably going to tear into the car this weekend or sometime next week. Start taking out the interior, taking apart stuff in the engine bay [no manifolds/wiring/etc], taking off all the trim/glass/etc too.

[s_r_c]

"...and I'll ditch the wood behind the dash for some CF."

Nooo!

I know it's tempting to play around; but don't underestimate the appeal of a time-warp throwback classic.

Wouldn't turn you away from suspension and engine modifications though.

That lip could go either way. Most DS roofs look like that, we just have to deal with it. Grind, ospho, form with JB weld is what I's suggest in the meantime.

Sweet. Car.

[Sir Psycho]

If you do decide to get tear apart the dash PM me there may be some things I need.

[SLOTh_244]

I think brushed or polished metal would look better than CF in this classic.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Sir Psycho

If you do decide to get tear apart the dash PM me there may be some things I need.

i have a whole dash if you need things.

[Eargasm]

Originally Posted by Brickster151

Where is this taken at? I'm trying to place it, but can't.

[swedishK]

noooooooo cf!!!!!!

[notyourspoon]

Originally Posted by Eargasm

Where is this taken at? I'm trying to place it, but can't.

Highway 1, I think

[pat244ti]

Originally Posted by notyourspoon

Highway 1, I think

Yep, I'd say about 20 miles or so past Davenport?

Also about the CF part, I'm just thinking about having it as the dash inlay. I might do aluminum. I don't know. I'm not too concerned at this point, especially with keeping everything on the car 100% classic. The interior should be a good mix of old/new [still going with wrapping the upper and lower dash pieces in ultrasuede, also going to recover some Recaro's in ultrasuede with royal stewart plaid inserts [headliner will be done in royal stewart as well].

Also as far as paint goes I'm up in the air. I was thinking navy blue, british racing green or john deere blitz black.

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by Eargasm

Where is this taken at? I'm trying to place it, but can't.

Originally Posted by notyourspoon

Highway 1, I think

Originally Posted by Brickster151

Yep, I'd say about 20 miles or so past Davenport?

Tunias creek beach with pigeon point in the background.

[notyourspoon]

Dropping some knowledge, Ken!

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by notyourspoon

Dropping some knowledge, Ken!

Surf the coast for 20 years and you will know it too.

[doucheNozzle]

Looks good Pat. As always with your projects, I look forward to seeing the results.