1981 244 GL High MPG - daughter's first car

[Jack]

Picked up this 1981 244 few years ago for a cheap. I saw it parked in Chico, left a note and got a call the next day, not really wanting another car. Woman said it had a charging issue, new alternator and battery just replaced. She was asking $800 but I talked her down to $550, she even got is Smoged (after I told her not to) and we drove it home. There I parked it with the intention of getting to it someday.


130k
automatic
Volvo's B21 high MPG car
repainted but someone did a pretty good job.

day we got it

Daughter needs a first car; she really wants a wagon but all the ones I have are Turbo or too valuable as first cars. I convinced her that once she learns on this car and still wants a 245 we can sell it and get one that she really likes. I also convinced her that automatic cars suck (more things to go wrong etc) and sold her and my exwife on making this a manual; one has to pay attention to driving

I knew the car needed a new harness, this is the "old where did shielding go" era. I got one from Swedish Iron (thank you)

Once I started to dig into this I quickly came to the conclusion that it's just going to be easier to replace all the worn components. (gaskets, belts, bushings, suspension etc etc)

Weather has been nice and longer days got me motivated.

started to pull it apart

dirtiest 240 I have ever worked on, It's up there with my 59 Land Rover

after few pressure washing cycles

pulled the engine last week

lots of cleaning for the aerosol rebuild. I didn't feel like I needed to pull the head. Car ran fine few months ago

Jimmy dismounted two tires for me and I got one of the wheels coated today
I'll be ordering some replacement stickers for the caps

I already coated a bunch of parts for this but this is stuff I did today, including the wheel. Everything got blasted and coated. It's just easier then cleaning

parts Im gathering for it

next on the list is the oil pan

That's about where I'm at now. I'll post here to keep me motivated to get this done ASAP before the heat comes. I'm about to order most poly suspension bushings from Dave.

Did these cars come with quad rounds or quad squares ? there are junk yard markings on these
I know there were Bosch distributors that would plug into the harness directly but can I just splice one in? idk if it would work or If I need to switch to a different ignition system

 

[James M]

Glad you censored your face, no one needs to see that shit.

Also glad your getting to the car, looked good parked in the hoard but should be even nicer going down the road.

I thought 81 was squares across the board?

 

[Khrrck]

Damn, and I thought the oil sludge on the outside of my '87 was bad.

All those powder coated parts look lovely. Exterior seems like it'll clean up pretty well too.

Is the paint on the oil filter sealing surface anything to worry about?

 

[brendon_ak]

Awesome project and that's a great color too!

 

[dl242gt]

Yes, 81 should be four rectangles. But the rounds look fine. while it's all apart. You can go for the Bosch breakerless ignition instead of chrysler box. Looks like a great first car. Good luck with it.

 

[Jack]

Damn, and I thought the oil sludge on the outside of my '87 was bad.
All those powder coated parts look lovely. Exterior seems like it'll clean up pretty well too.
Is the paint on the oil filter sealing surface anything to worry about?

thank you, I use the scrotch brite type wheels on a drill/air tool to clean all the gaskets surfaces prior to installing gaskets. I find it easier and quicker instead of spending loads of time with masking tape

Awesome project and that's a great color too!

thank you

Yes, 81 should be four rectangles. But the rounds look fine. while it's all apart. You can go for the Bosch breakerless ignition instead of chrysler box. Looks like a great first car. Good luck with it.

it does look good with the quad rounds but surrounds are pretty fuked and my replacements are long gone.
way cheaper to just go with the breakerless (I have many) but I wonder if I can just replace the connector and use the existing ICM/wiring

I got the oil pan, water pump heater hose and ac accessory bracket powdercated today. I looked thought my BOXES of NOS gaskets, hoses, mounts ect to find the oil pump gaskets and pcv drain hose so I can close up the bottom... Im almost certain I dont have them

I also cleaned all the engine nuts/bolts... It bugs me that I dont have the 240 hardware plated to use on this project, so far I have only got most of my 122/140 hardware done in clear zinc but the 240s use yellow zinc and different hardware

 

[Khrrck]

thank you, I use the scrotch brite type wheels on a drill/air tool to clean all the gaskets surfaces prior to installing gaskets. I find it easier and quicker instead of spending loads of time with masking tape

makes sense, definitely sounds faster than spending ages with masking tape and a razor to cut the edges.

it does look good with the quad rounds but surrounds are pretty fuked and my replacements are long gone.

hard to tell in the photo, is the chrome frame shot? the bucket looks bad but AFAIK it's supposed to just be matte/satin black which could be easily resprayed.

I also cleaned all the engine nuts/bolts... It bugs me that I dont have the 240 hardware plated to use on this project, so far I have only got most of my 122/140 hardware done in clear zinc but the 240s use yellow zinc and different hardware

I respect the perfectionism. stuff like that bugs me too (at least when I'm in "do it right" mode instead of "just get it to work")

 

[Jack]

hard to tell in the photo, is the chrome frame shot? the bucket looks bad but AFAIK it's supposed to just be matte/satin black which could be easily resprayed.

pretty fucked, it's all fixable but would just take time

I got one of the sides coated
before

after

how my gasket surface looks prior to installation, I also apply aircraft gasket maker

It's been raining here last two days, Gf came over and we got some things done anyway
I put her in charge of a sponge and squirt bottle (notice the main wiring)

she didn't disappoint MUCH

started to put the engine back together. Im waiting for a PCV drain hose to arrive to install the oil pan

fram is there for the oil system flush once the car is running,

I still got to figure out the color for valve cover

 

[Jack]

more cleaning and getting ready for front suspension

I already had a refinished crossmember

removed the old one

we cleaned up the frame rails
passenger front

driver front needs more cleaning

installed

 

[James M]

You are making it too nice for a first car, I thought she was getting a rusted out 122 so you'd have one less in the backyard?

 

[philski o'flood]

You are making it too nice for a first car

yep

 

[Jack]

You are making it too nice for a first car, I thought she was getting a rusted out 122 so you'd have one less in the backyard?

yep

I think 122 isn’t a good first car for her

It's hard to believe that someone on TB wants to fix things the right way, My extensive research shows this hasn't been done since the last zip tie shortage. I could have just removed the gas cap and taped over the amp light but then I remembered my hair isnt red

powdercoating parts is easer then cleaning them, she's moving away for college and I want her to have a reliable car ... or at least one that shops won't turn away for being a piece of shit (I can’t afford to pay a mechanic)

if it gets fucked I can transfer parts
if she hates it, I'll sell it for actual profit

 

[white855T]

You can currently get the right side headlight bezel. https://vp-autoparts.com/en/artikla...K6GCgi66St24kjYTweYNERY0rB-Mp7e4aAr0yEALw_wcB

Occasionally the left side will be available too.

 

[Jack]

You can currently get the right size headlight bezel. https://vp-autoparts.com/en/artikla...K6GCgi66St24kjYTweYNERY0rB-Mp7e4aAr0yEALw_wcB

Occasionally the left side will be available too.

Oh jeez I even looked few days ago and couldn’t find it
Thanks

 

[Pietercc]

If you happen to want a quad square setup let me know, if got a set I'll give you, and Jimmy can transport it. Comes with 2 sets of bezels, chrome and the rare rattle can black.

 

[Jack]

If you happen to want a quad square setup let me know, if got a set I'll give you, and Jimmy can transport it. Comes with 2 sets of bezels, chrome and the rare rattle can black.

I’ll take the #rare bezels so I can use them to fix these
Throw in some parts for me to coat as exchange (don’t tell me if 7/9 parts, I’ll gag once I know what they are)

 

[philski o'flood]

she's moving away for college and I want her to have a reliable car ...

ah ha, that makes sense... keep up the good work!

 

[Jack]

ah ha, that makes sense... keep up the good work!

Thank you, it's nice to work on a platform Im very familiar with, even enjoyable.

today I took the struts apart

I had these tokico shocks on the shelf for years now, anyone have experience with these?

the 2001? Boge were completely shot

got my polygamy package from Dave
and I I got a reminder of how much I dislike removing 240 bushings

one front ca rear bush. The sleeve stays. I'll be burning them out tomorrow at work

 

[ryanfay]

You’re the best dad

 

[Jack]

You’re the best dad

oof