Single handing the big beast

[cheshire~rose]

Well done you

 

So where was someone with a video recorder to capture that perfect turn when you want one?

 

I have a photo of a forum member getting that junction wrong. I would never dream of publishing it or mentioning who it was but sods law predicts it is only when you get it wrong someone captures it on camera!

[carlt]

Knew you were a man of taste and discernment.

They turn on a sixpence too (not so sure about the V70, bit modern for me)

 

I was amazed at how little room they needed to turn in, especially after the Rover which had the turning circle of an oil tanker.

 

The V70 was a bargain LPG car that will take advantage of the OH's work travel allowance (completely swallowed up by the 3 litre beast under the 960s bonnet) and it still has a leather 3 piece suite crammed into it.

[Guest]

I was amazed at how little room they needed to turn in, especially after the Rover which had the turning circle of an oil tanker.

 

I guess the 960 benefits in that dept. from being RWD as opposed to the Rover which would be FWD, often cars which are RWD have good turning circles and FWD not so good in comparison - I think the best one I ever drove was a Triumph Herald.

[Hairy-Neil]

Volvos have indicators?

 

They also have those infuriating side lights that can't be switched off....

[Guest]

They also have those infuriating side lights that can't be switched off....

 

DRL's (Daylight running lights) Coming to all cars shortly I believe -

 

Our little FIAT has them but you can turn them off.

[cheshire~rose]

DRL's (Daylight running lights) Coming to all cars shortly I believe -

 

Our little FIAT has them but you can turn them off.

 

...........and sod the motorcyclists who will become even harder to spot when this happens.

 

Going back to when they first introduced the "S" "V" and "C" model Volvo's I was involved in a market research study on the brand. I always wondered what the S, V & C stood for. S was most likely to be Saloon with C very obviously Coupe but why V for an estate car? I was told it stood for "Very big boot"

[carlt]

but why V for an estate car? I was told it stood for "Very big boot"

"Voluminous"??

[luctor et emergo]

"Voluptuous?"

[Chertsey]

Voracious?

[Guest]

Guess what the Swedish word for wagon begins with......

[luctor et emergo]

Guess what the Swedish word for wagon begins with......

 

 

 

D?

[carlt]

"P"?

[bizzard]

Not all Volvo's are built in Sweden, they have a plant in Utrecht Holland too. This plant was built in the late 1970's to produce the 340's initially. The 240 and 340 1400 ohv .were without doubt the most reliable of the lot. The 340 never had the permanently on side lights. I'm not sure what models are built where now though, some in China i expect.

[Guest]

Not all Volvo's are built in Sweden, they have a plant in Utrecht Holland too. This plant was built in the late 1970's to produce the 340's initially. The 240 and 340 1400 ohv .were without doubt the most reliable of the lot. The 340 never had the permanently on side lights. I'm not sure what models are built where now though, some in China i expect.

 

Pretty much the norm these days though - they are (were?) a Swedish company. FIAT is (was?) an Italian company but our little 500 was built in Poland on the same line that FIAT build the Ka for Ford, who are (were?) an American company.

 

 

 

..

Edited August 10, 2012 by The Dog House

[Albion]

Not all Volvo's are built in Sweden, they have a plant in Utrecht Holland too. This plant was built in the late 1970's to produce the 340's initially. The 240 and 340 1400 ohv .were without doubt the most reliable of the lot. The 340 never had the permanently on side lights. I'm not sure what models are built where now though, some in China i expect.

I may be wrong but I thought they acquired the Dutch plant when they took over/bought out Daf. The early 340s had the same rubber band Variomatic (?) lovely transmission

Roger

[simon&jan]

I may be wrong but I thought they acquired the Dutch plant when they took over/bought out Daf. The early 340s had the same rubber band Variomatic (?) lovely transmission

Roger

 

Twas great , reving them up in park burnt out the clutch , they whent as fast backward as they went forward !! System still in use today on most scooters from 50cc to 600 cc , not much goes wrong really , apart from the belt:)

[bargemast]

Twas great , reving them up in park burnt out the clutch , they whent as fast backward as they went forward !! System still in use today on most scooters from 50cc to 600 cc , not much goes wrong really , apart from the belt:)

 

 

DAF's system was a bit more complicated than todays scooters, as it wasn't just a pulley that changed diameter through centrifugal force, there was a second one that changed diameter because of the vacuum change when accelerating.

 

In a normal car (without a self-blocking differential) if one wheel spins (like in snow) you loose track on the other wheel, with DAF they were driven independently, and had each their own belt.

 

Peter.

[luctor et emergo]

Twas great , reving them up in park burnt out the clutch , they whent as fast backward as they went forward !! System still in use today on most scooters from 50cc to 600 cc , not much goes wrong really , apart from the belt:)

 

Very popular in The Netherlands, in banger racing, on account that if you where shunted around (by 180 degrees), a simple flick of the lever allowed to carry on, at the same speed, in reverse....

[bizzard]

I may be wrong but I thought they acquired the Dutch plant when they took over/bought out Daf. The early 340s had the same rubber band Variomatic (?) lovely transmission

Roger

That maybe so, the little''The DAF Daffodil''. I acquired as a bad debt a 1986 340 not Variomatic, 4 speed and with it apart from its handbook was a Volvo history book explaining how the 340 was built in a special new plant in Holland. But maybe your right. I mothballed the thing, using other vehicles at my garage, recommissioned it a number of years ago and still using it. Apart from minor niggling Bosch electrical faults its been reliable, only cost me £62 for a new exhaust and £22 for a Renix ignition sensor. I Still have my motor trade contacts and can still get my max trade discount on spare parts.

And indeed Variomatic reversing races were held. If you saw anyone walking about stuck looking permanently looking over their shoulder you new they were a Variomatic reversing racer.

Edited August 12, 2012 by bizzard

[luctor et emergo]

Is there anything, or anywhere, that Bizzard is not familiar with?.

 

I don't think he is human.. even though he posts among us...

[Timleech]

I may be wrong but I thought they acquired the Dutch plant when they took over/bought out Daf. The early 340s had the same rubber band Variomatic (?) lovely transmission

Roger

 

My understanding at the time was that the main reason Volvo bought the Daf car business was to get the Variomatic patents, at that time they thought it had a future?

 

Tim

[luctor et emergo]

Ok, Carlt made me do it...

 

 

I regularly single hand the big beast.

Edited August 12, 2012 by luctor et emergo

[Chertsey]

Ok, Carlt made me do it...

 

 

I regularly single hand the big beast.

Wonderful! I've invented a new euphemism.

[carlt]

Wonderful! I've invented a new euphemism.

You can't improve on the original though.

Edited August 12, 2012 by carlt

[bargemast]

That maybe so, the little''The DAF Daffodil''. I acquired as a bad debt a 1986 340 not Variomatic, 4 speed and with it apart from its handbook was a Volvo history book explaining how the 340 was built in a special new plant in Holland. But maybe your right. I mothballed the thing, using other vehicles at my garage, recommissioned it a number of years ago and still using it. Apart from minor niggling Bosch electrical faults its been reliable, only cost me £62 for a new exhaust and £22 for a Renix ignition sensor. I Still have my motor trade contacts and can still get my max trade discount on spare parts.

And indeed Variomatic reversing races were held. If you saw anyone walking about stuck looking permanently looking over their shoulder you new they were a Variomatic reversing racer.

 

 

The Daffodil, Daf 33 and Daf 44, were Daf cars with Daf twin cilinder air-cooled engines, the Daf 55 and Daf 66 models and the later Volvo versions used Renault engines.

 

Peter.