1971 144S
B20B engine

Here are all the problems i know of with my car that i don't know how to fix:

-door switches for overhead light don't work
-suspension clunks in front when going over bumps...replaced bad idler arm bushing, but still there. i know one of the sway bar bushings is bad.
-underseat straps busted, where can i find new ones?
-fuel and temperature gauges do not work....not faulty temp. sender
-dash lights don't light up ever
-turn signals stopped working after i was done digging under the dash trying to fix fuel and temp gauge problems
-oil filler cap likes to "puke" oil sludge out onto the top of engine. ??
-brake booster kicks in after holding pedal for half a second, sometimes not at all
-left rear taillight seems to "suck" electricity away from other bulbs.
symptoms:-taillight doesn't light up when headlights are on
-when back-up lights are on, and brake is pressed, turn signal,
rear side marker, and brake light all light up very weakly
^i think the car has been in an accident before, because the right taillight is the older type where the taillight and brake light are seperate, and the left is the type where they are both in the one bulb.
^I replaced the bulbs on the left side, and problems still the same.


needed advice for upgrades or improvements:

-I need to replace my old style, sun rotted, white plastic rear view mirror. where can i find one that will last? should i use a 240 black one? are there metal ones avaliable?
-i want to replace the old, faulty radio i have in it now. it didn't come with a radio, just a mangled hole in the dash; i just put in one we had laying in the shop, but it is broken i think cause it doesn't work quite right. should i try to find an original older volvo radio, or have a car sterio place install a bracket of somekind and dress up the front and make it accept newer sterio sizes and stuff. should i go for originality, or function? i suppose i can fix it right when i have money and time to properly restore the car.

The Big Question:

-I want to find wire wheels to fit my car. idealy, i would like 45 or 60 spoke european-sportscar style wheels with two or three prong knock-off hubs. i have looked at triumph wheels and i think they might fit, but i'm not sure, i have no expertiese in that area. i've seen a picture on an IPD newsletter of a guy with a 540 that had wire wheels on it, so it can be done. any suggustions would be greatly apreciated.


thank you for your time, if you see any of these problems that catch your eye, and have any ideas or knowledge on the subject, i would be extremely grateful if you could help me out. i'm only 17 and wash dishes for a living (don't laugh), so my funds are limited, but, as they say, knowledge is wealth.

I am mechanicaly inclined and am pretty familiar with the innards of my car, so it shouldn't be hard at all to follow any advice anyone gives.

thanks alot,
Ben