Tweet
One article about my car. Unfortunatelly its in estonian, but atleast some fresh pictures for u guys.
-
One article about my car. Unfortunatelly its in estonian, but atleast some fresh pictures for u guys. -
Alright I tried to translate it for you guys. Sorry for bad grammar but I hope its better than google translate.
Volvo 244 with homemade shoes
If during soviet time produced red bricks inspired anyone, they were Volvo engineers who designed such boxy car. But they arent only ones sympathised by this kind of brick, there are one guy in Lowlifer community who likes just that kind of bricks. For Olari it started 2011 when he decided to drag one blue brick to his yard. From that moment on, the car has been in continious building and looks completly different than back then.
Picture
Olari is good example from a guy who has clear vision and solid step. There isnt wrong or right way, but there are easier and harder ways. If shoes arent squeezing then consistency and perseeverance are leading to winning. If not in tehcnical inspection, then some carshow or hangout. I asked from Olari how he ended up with skyblue brick and whats the journey has been like.
Picture
Q: Tell something about yourself. Who you are, where you come from and what areyour biggest hobbies?
A: Im Olari. For friends Ollu or just Oll. Im from South-Estonia, at the moment Im living in Tallinn(capital of Estonia). Hobbies are Volvo and phoyography.
Picture
Q: How you found the way to the stance culture and to Lowlifer. Did you have any examples from Estonia or anywhere else?
A: At first when I got my dfiving license and started driving every day, little lowering was in for me. Also there was one friend who was really annoying and told constantly that I should slam it. At first I had different vision and wanted to keep it as original as possible but later on I realized that this car isnt so good for keeping it original. Talking about examples then there hasnt been any. Ofcourse from time to time I checked out Stanceworks and other stance-themed sites.
Picture
Q: How you ended up with this car? Where you got this kind of idea to take such odd car for project? Were there any alternatives to Volvo?
A: Well if we are talking about cars, then Im always been oldschool guy and I love old cars. At first my plan was to buy w123 MB. Then I remembered that one of my friend had Volvo 240 and I decided to check out how much they cost. I found one that was really cheap and in my hometown. So I bought it. At first I didnt buy it with idea of big stance project but just a decent first dailydriver for myself.
Picture
Q: Tell about your car. Mark, Model, year, whats biggest modifications?
A: Its Volvo 240 from 1983, originally came with carburettor engine. I changed it for injection and later on swapped it for B230FT, its 2,3l, 4 cylinder turbo with 121kw. Running in stock at the moment.
Picture
Picture
Suspension is custom coilovers in front with short struts and coilover springs in rear, there are also height adjusting option.
Picture
Interior is basically untouched. I have modernised audiosystem a little bit. Steerimg wheel is changed for Nardi Classic one. Seats are original but came from Us-Spec car and have nicer fabric on them than old ones.
Picture
Picture
Talking more about exterior, then front end is swapped for pretty rare GTX verios grille and headligths, its also can be reffered as Us-Spec front end.
Picture
Q: How long have you been building your car?
A: I have been working on it since the beginning, so basically five and half years.
Q: Did you have any vision at first that what it should look like in the future? Is there any disturbing details that you would do differently today?
A: Actually I didnt had any vision at all, I just started working on it small step at the time. If someone had shown me these same pictures back then and told me that this is your car in the future, then I wouldnt belive him. Disturbing factor is bodyworks I guess. It was my first time doing bodywork and welding and I rushed. Now I have more experience and I have learned to enjoy whole car building process.
Picture
Picture
Q: Any thoughts about quitting or selling it?
A: Ofcourse there have been ome thoughts about quitting but they are more like that Volvo has to think about her behavior and then we will look on. There hasnt been any serious selling thoughts.
Picture
Q: Lets talk about the most important. How you ended up with idea making yourself a custom set of wheels. What motivated you and where you got know how for it?
A: That idea came yeara ago when I found one Polish facebook page, where guys were making 3-piece wheel centers from random alloys. As I saw there that bolted lip gives so much more in design and how awsome the results were, I got a stupid dream, that one day I want to make 3 piece steelies. Of course I never thought back then that I really would build them, it was just a dream.
Picture
16 inch widened steelies got boring and I wanted 17 inch wheels for a while. At first I wanted to go easier way and make BMW Style 5 alloys suitable for Volvo, but that seemed too pointless work. Then I saw random set of 3-piece wheels for sale and thought what the hell, lot do it. I was motivated by the fact that in countries around Estonia there probably isnt any that kind of set of wheels and I was sure that they will look awsome under my car. There isnt nowhere to get know how from. I just thought about it and tried to approach logically and fournd some ways to make center from steelie for 3piece alloy.
Picture
Q: Could you discribe the process of building these wheels, which were the main checkpoints?
A: Whole process was actually pain in the ass. I didnt have much knowledge and finding the right people who can help me was hard. Basically it went like that: bought 3 piece donor wheels > bought steelies > bought extra material for centers > cuting and prepearing centers > machining extra hoop for center > welding them together > machined them over after welding > drilling holes > polishing and clearcoating > puting pieces together.
Picture
Picture
Q: We can say that you have accomplished pretty much alrady. Different prizes from some carshows and credit from Finland, Latvia and other countries. Do you still have motivation to go on from here or are you now just enjoying what you have been built?
A: I guess attention and credit is what keeps me goind. There are still aome unfinished business with Volvo to be tottaly happy with it.
Picture
Q: What are your plans for next season if it isnt a secret?
A: Well I want to squeez some power out of that engine and I bought 2 sport bucket seats. So its time to work on interior. I want to cover these and back seat also with new fabric. And I guess soon we will start building my girlfriends car. I havent thrown away idea of w123 Merc either, but thats still future.
Picture
Q: If you could change something in our stance culture then what would it be?
A: I would like more activity. More hangouta, more events where we can go together and etc. Its really quiet lately. Not that Im perfect lowlifer member myself, but still.
Q: If you would have a chance to change your car with someones car from our community, what car would it be?
A: Pretty hars question. There are alot of cars that are really awsome but I wouldnt be interested in owning them. As Im oldschool guy when we talk about cars, then I guess it would be Rainer's E24 or Toivo's E32
Picture
Picture
Specs
Prizes
Picture
Info about our upcoming event.
Info about the author of pictures and textComment
-
Looks like this under the hood atm. It starts and drives, but no proper road test done atm. We wanted to go for a road test but discovered that there isnt any boost, so coue.of hourse troubleshooting we discovered that hit side billet is destroyed. How it happened and why is a mystery, but im gonna look for new cartridge so, im gonna write again with more information when its properly running again.Comment
Comment