Project Wheel-Vo... The Build has Finally Started!

[Ian 2,417]

We all have a "must build" project in mind, and this is mine..

 

Over the years I have restored WH's

Built things that go on them such as a snowplow and harrow...

Added a couple of extra wheels - The 6x6..

And even made a fast fun machine - Project Why Not..

 

Wheel-Vo is the silly/stupid one

 

As you all know I paid The Showman a visit the other day and came back with a car load of WH..  A 312-8 although with no engine and trans it's more like a 300-0

 

 

 

Here it is back in the workshop thrown in a rather neat pile

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plan?

 

The title should of given you a clue, I'm on the look-out for a cheap Volvo that will give up a 2.3 turbo engine, gearbox, rear axle and maybe a few other parts, then sell on the rest to get a few £££'s back..

Of course a standard WH chassis won't be suitable so I'm going to have to build one..

A lot of work ahead but I can/am collect parts while I'm finishing Project MadTrax..

 

There won't be any real updates for a while but I can keep you updated as to how the parts collecting is going..

 

And of course... Video's

 

 

[nigel 1,876]

I always new you were bonckers 🧐

[Stormin 4,458]

 I guessed there was a new crazy, mad, crackers, stark raving mad creation on the cards, when you said you were paying Chris a visit. Will it be ready for August, for me to try on my annual jaunt darn sarf?

[HeadExam 1,783]

Glad to have another Ian project to watch

[Ian 2,417]

On 20/01/2018 at 6:54 PM, nigel said:

I always new you were bonckers 🧐

 

Thanks for noticing mate

 

 

On 20/01/2018 at 8:34 PM, Stormin said:

 I guessed there was a new crazy, mad, crackers, stark raving mad creation on the cards, when you said you were paying Chris a visit. Will it be ready for August, for me to try on my annual jaunt darn sarf?

 

Somehow I don't think Wheel-Vo will be ready by August mate, but please feel free to drop in the workshop when your down this way

 

 

On 21/01/2018 at 3:59 AM, HeadExam said:

Glad to have another Ian project to watch

 

Thanks dude, it's going to be a while until anything really starts on this project, but starting it certainly will do

[C-101plowerpower 548]

ooh sounds like a nice mad project, so, would a volvo 850 drivetrain do? i might be able to get one of those cheap

[Ian 2,417]

On 24/01/2018 at 10:16 PM, C-101plowerpower said:

ooh sounds like a nice mad project, so, would a volvo 850 drivetrain do? i might be able to get one of those cheap

 

Sorry for the late reply Koen..

 

The 850 engine I understand does bolt to a rear wheel drive gearbox, but the wiring would be a total nightmare!

[Ian 2,417]

Morning all, well Project Wheel-Vo has taken a big step forward this week as the new running gear has been found...

 

You might say it's been safely kept in this big metal box

 

 

 

A "can't quite get he's head around my thinking" Nigel gives the Volvo 940 2.3 SE Turbo a   

 

 

 

That's quite a big 4 pot!

A Volvo B230FK if your into engine numbers.

 

 

 

 

Here's the important bit... The turbo

 

 

 

Size wise a manual gearbox would be smaller, but an auto does make life easier... Also I kinda like the idea of being able to keep both hands on the steering wheel during launch as well

 

 

 

I dug out the WH 312-8 bonnet/hood to have a look size wise......

This pic makes me look totally nuts for even thinking of this project! 

 

 

 

However, lift the bonnet/hood up and plonk the said WH item on and suddenly the engine does not look that big..

A certain amount of errr... "Scaling up" is going to be needed on the WH panels but not as much as I had 1st thought as the actual auto box isn't as long as I had 1st thought.

Of course I have to fit a radiator and intercooler under the hood as well.

I will be using the Volvo rear axle, they are known to be strong and (quite handy for me) easy to narrow

 

 

 

As of yesterday here's where I have got to..

Just need to disconnect the shifter linkage, speedo cable (I think the speedo is driven from the 'box), unplug any electrical bits, unbolt the propshaft, unbolt the 'box crossmember and then the engine and trans can be removed as one..

Glad I have the use of a forklift

 

 

No idea why the forum software want to put this duplicate pic in at the end, but I can't seem to get rid of it!

 

[nigel 1,876]

Your barmy mate, as mad as a box of frogs, absolute nutter 🙄🧐

[pmackellow 2,738]

Madder than Mad Jack McMad, winner of last years Mr Mad competition!

 

We like mad, go for it Ian !

[Stormin 4,458]

21 minutes ago, nigel said:

Your barmy mate, as mad as a box of frogs, absolute nutter 🙄🧐

 

No! Just inventive. Loopy but inventive.

[Ian 2,417]

On 06/06/2018 at 10:16 AM, nigel said:

Your barmy mate, as mad as a box of frogs, absolute nutter 🙄🧐

 

Thanks mate, good of you to notice

 

 

On 06/06/2018 at 10:37 AM, pmackellow said:

Madder than Mad Jack McMad, winner of last years Mr Mad competition!

 

We like mad, go for it Ian !

 

Hi Paul, mad it certainy will be

 

 

On 06/06/2018 at 10:39 AM, Stormin said:

 

No! Just inventive. Loopy but inventive.

 

Loopy and inventive... Sounds like the perfect combo to me

 

 

It's been a very busy and heavy week, but when needs must..

 

The Volvo engine bay now looks like this..

 

 

 

Engine out..

A big thank you to Rob (far right) who has put a lot of time in over the past 7+ days to help me get this stage done.

A thank you to Matt (far left) who did the very careful forklift driving to pull the engine and trans out..

And a thank you to Nigel (middle) for offering advice, getting in the way sometimes, and for sitting on the forklift to make it look like he did the driving

 

 

 

Back in the workshop with a few parts plonked in place..

Only roughly plonked as the pallet is getting in the way and the engine is leaning to one side.... But you get the idea

 

 

 

 

 

 

To make the engine run a few wires are needed....

Quite a few as it happens.. I need the complete loom from the engine bay back to the front doors.. Which looked like this once the dash had come out..

 

 

 

 

The fuse and relay box!     I won't be needing all of them thankfully!.

 

 

 

Why so many wires?   Well, being a "modern"-ish car I need one of these brains to run the fuel injection system..

 

 

 

And one of these which is engine management..   I've not opened it up yet to check, I have a feeling it's one of the ECU's that can be "chipped" to get the engine producing the power it should be rather than the "tamed back" from the factory as it is now..

 

 

 

The loom out the car!   I won't need about 75% of this as I won't be running power window, rear screen heater, power sunroof or even the headlamp wash/wipers!

I think I'm going to need a very good wiring diagram

 

 

 

But I do plan to use as many of the guages as I can..

 

 

 

The Volvo now looks like this and is ready for the "metal monkeys" (as I call them) to come and collect.

 

 

 

Parts removed..

 

Engine, trans, wiring loom...

 

Propshaft.

 

 

 

Four wheels to smoke the tyres/tires off of

 

 

 

Rear axle..

 

 

 

And a new bit of wall decoration

 

[Cub Cadet 613]

This is going to be a crazy build! Looking forward to it  

[C-101plowerpower 548]

dont think those front wheels will be on the ground alot absolute madness, i love it

[Ian 2,417]

On 13/06/2018 at 9:21 PM, Cub Cadet said:

This is going to be a crazy build! Looking forward to it  

 

Thanks mate, yep crazy it certainly will be

 

 

On 13/06/2018 at 9:41 PM, C-101plowerpower said:

dont think those front wheels will be on the ground alot absolute madness, i love it

 

Hi Koen, it will be interesting to see what the front end does under power.. The brain says the front wheels should lift, but....   at least 75% of the weight will be at the front, so..... ???

 

 

Let's start this small update with a video shall we?

 

 

 

To keep Nigel happy, here's a pic of him actually driving the forklift as the engine was moved from a pallet to a four wheel'd trolly thingy.

 

 

 

Though I think the forklift fumes may of gone to his head a bit

 

 

 

With the pallet out the way we could plonk parts in more or less the right place..

For the comedy value the wheels were put where they would be on a standard WH... A bit narrow me thinks

 

 

 

 

 

I like this view, with the wonky wheels and panels it kinda looks like a wacky cartoon

 

 

 

I'm trying to be good and get MadTrax finished before I start on this build, but you just know I have to have a fiddle and make a start even if it's only getting everything in the right place so I can take some measurements..

A lot to work out first before I can even think about making a chassis!

 

 

And to finish this update, have another video.. Wheel-Vo part 2.

 

 

[HeadExam 1,783]

Another science project from our mad scientist. Looking forward to seeing this one come to be.

[Ian 2,417]

On 20/06/2018 at 12:43 PM, HeadExam said:

Another science project from our mad scientist. Looking forward to seeing this one come to be.

 

Mad scientist eh??  Not the first time I've been called that

No more progress yet, but I do plan to get a bit more into it next week..

 

[Ian 2,417]

Morning all, no progress has been made on Wheel-Vo at all in quite a while, all the parts have been carefully stashed away until I get MadTrax finished, but some thinking has been happening..

 

The nice slot mags that came from a CX trike a long long time ago were dug out to see how they looked..

Me rather likes

 

 

 

 

To get the wheels to fit the Volvo axle I'm going to have to make a pair of wheel adaptors as the PCD on the wheels is a lot bigger than the Volvo PCD..

The trike the wheels came from was running (we think) an Escort rear axle using these adaptors to get the wheel to fit!!!

The thought of putting any power through these is scary to say the least!!

 

 

 

But as luck would have it I did make a start on a pair of wheel adaptors to fit these very wheels onto Project Why Not which saves some work although there is still plenty of lathe time needed to finish them..

 

 

 

When I start back on this project the first job is to tempoary widen/lengthen/make a bit taller all the panels until the "upscaling?" looks right and of course the engine and other bit's are covered by the bodywork..

Then I can start measuring for a chassis and try to work out how to get suspension under the thing..

 

No suspension (like Why Not) would be easier, but Why Not gave my body such a hammering that I don't think plonking a cushion on seat would be enough

 

 

[Ian 2,417]

Morning all, a long overdue update for you all...

 

I have been thinking about the suspension, but for a machine who's main roll in life will be to smoke the rear tyres/tires away, I'm not 100% sure it's going to be needed.
with the low height I need there also wouldn't be any real suspension travel, maybe 2-3 inches!

Also no suspension would make the build a tad easier!!

My current thinking is something I saw on a racing mower which I am told works very well and saves a lot of back pain!!

From the front it's hard to spot..

 

 

 

A bit of a give away at the back though

 

 

 

 

Anyway, I'm not quite at that point in the build yet, but not the far off..... Yes work has finally started on Project Wheel-Vo

I havn't quite finished my MadTrax quad build yet, but I had got to the point where I needed a few bits to finish it but no cash to buy them.. (Ordered this morning by the way)
But MadTrax had reached the point where it could come off the bench... And as the bench was empty of course I needed something to put on it

Engine, trans, a few wheels and the bonnet plonked in place..

 

 

 

 

Although the look is rather grin worthy, there are a few problems such as the bonnet is too short, too wide, and not long enough to not onlt fit over the engine but also cover the radiator, intercooler and tran oil cooler!
Sooo best add 12 inches to the length and 4 inches to the width..
 

 

 

At this point I am not sorting the bodywork out, I just need to stretch things a little until Wheel-Vo looks right hence all the random bit of tube and box holding the bonet together..

 

 

 

The fender pan got a bit of a stretch as well..

 

 

 

"Now with an added Nigel" to help you work out the scale..

 

 

 

This is a good point to drop in a video as it kinda covers all of the above.

 

 

 

What it doesn't cover is the fender pan getting lengthened a bit..

 

 

 

Seeing the fender pan just resting on the top of the tyres was bugging me, so to get it to stay in the right place and height it gained some legs..

 

 

 

Only one thing for it... Get the ladder out and climb aboard to see how it feels..
The view down the bigger bonnet from the seat is amazing.. You will see it in the next video..

Yes the seating postion looks a bit high, the middle of the fender pan will be chopped out and lowered to get the seat and my vast weight lower..

 

 

 

 

A couple more pic's without the fat bloke...

 

 

 

 

And that's as far as the build has got, the next job is to copy the fender pans lead and makes some legs/stands to hold the engine/trans in the right place and screw it down to the bench.
I still need to tweak the panels around a bit, but I'm not that far off of thinking about the chassis..

[Stormin 4,458]

  I like the low, mean look. Get the seat down low and it will really look the dogs whatsits.

[mattblack 76]

That's insane. Brilliant, but insane!

 

Surely it's got to be called the Wheelmoose?