Zena went for a 100 mile ride today after sitting in the garage for a month waiting for 'new' shocks. I rotated the prop shaft 180 degrees and fixed the wobble. All of the windlass has been installed, no more looking at air through the top of the windows. And all 4 of the window guides have been installed.

Most of the 'suspension' noise is now gone! I guess it was the rear windows banging on the bare guides when going over bumpy roads :>) Just a little creak on the driver's side rear.

The first 60 miles was all two lane highway, ears atuned to anything new and seat fealing for vibrations. Well, the wheels need balancing. It gets a little bit vibrating above 50 mph. The master clyinder could use new seals, the pedal drops when light braking to a stop.

The 'new' Bilsteins work great! Now I need to work on the body lean? Next winter.

I used Interstate for the leg home. At a sustained 80mph, the engine warmed a little to the right small white mark on the gauge instead of verticle. The propshaft was quiet. The wheels bounced a tiny amount on all 4 corners. The Weber carb acted like it was supposed to. The tach was around 4,000 and my soup can exhaust held its own :)

There were just 2 problems. Getting off the highway is a very long right hander with a slightly decreasing radius at the merge point. When I gave it gas at the merge, OD still on and speed at around 50mph, something felt mushy. I instantly thought the new rubber mount for the center bearing was hot and the shaft was moving. Or the clutch was slipping, or the OD was hot, or who knows...

The other is the steering. Not noticable at low speeds, there is a good 1 inch gap at dead center. No big deal, except when the wind blows a little from one side or the other.

I had a very good time with Zena and I am sure she appreciated also :>)

Klaus
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Why are Volvos so endearing? Its just a car.