Startup!

Last year when I was still driving the 140 around all stock I noticed that the back section of the factory exhaust system was rattling like crazy, so I chopped it off. It still had one muffler so it wasn't too loud. Then, when we had it up in the air I was tired how it was getting in the way so I chopped even more off. All there was left was a rusty ass straight pipe. Until today. I welded up a Kragen special cherry bomb. Now it sound like our

Lemons car. Better than nothing and I won't wake up the poor neighbors when I take it out for a spin tomorrow after I finally bleed the brakes.

low low

Work to date on the suspension:

-All poly bushings throughout

-Bilstein HD shocks

-2" drop variable-rate springs in front

-1.5" drop lowering springs in rear

-New upper and lower ball joints

-New steering endlinks.

-All moving suspension parts were sandblasted, etched, primed and repainted.

Here's my brother demonstrating how low it actually is. The springs haven't settled yet, but should be about 2" in the front and 1.5 in the rear. I've got new motor and tranny mounts, the battery is all charged up, I've hooked up the brake lines, we've torqued everything down.

Tomorrow I'll bleed the brakes, change the oil ... and hopefully take it for a spin!

front assembly

I haven't see it on the ground in months, mainly because we've been pretty busy with our house remodel. My bother came over and put the shocks on last night while I was building some stairs. I tend to take on new projects every other day, so to see one of them near completion... it's pretty exciting. This next weekend is the last free weekend I have until november so time to get 'er done!

Rear Install

Now there's always more you can do. When I look at this top photo, I only see the beat-up calipers and the worn disks, not the new poly bushings, new springs, cleaned up rear end and trailing arms... I do have a red epoxy brake caliper paint somewhere. Might bust it out.

The last time I drove this car, the suspension felt like it was a combination of loose springs duct taped to a couple 2x4s. It leaned hard, and made all sorts of crazy clunks and bangs.

Volvo 140 historical video