Enclosed we give you an overview of the most important maintenance work before the start of the season. Plus tips and hints on useful articles that will help you get your classic car back in shape.

Without electricity, nothing happens!

Some of us will find that checking the battery is an important issue. Anyone who has neglected to connect a charge maintenance device or forgot to disconnecting the battery has something to think about now.

If the vehicle battery is deeply discharged, it usually has to be replaced. If the battery at least still manages to turn the starter motor, slow charging of the battery is sufficient.

If the battery is not maintenance-free, check the fluid level and top up with distilled water if necessary. Never top up with battery acid.

Attention when working on the battery: Please observe the general safety regulations. Wear safety goggles, avoid open fire and sparks - please also do not smoke, danger of explosion!

Tip: Check the battery poles for corrosion, clean if necessary and seal with pole grease. The pole grease seals the seam between battery case and pole under the pole terminal. Do not apply in the area between pole terminal and pole, otherwise contact problems may occur.

Check the liquid levels

In this respect, particular attention should be paid:

• Brake fluid
• Antifreeze
• Engine oil
• Washer fluid

Even if there are no abnormalities here, you should check the garage floor for stains before the first start. Here it should be noted that vehicles with felt ring seals may have leaks after a long period of standing, which will disappear again after the first drive.

Stains in the area of the wheels require special attention, as they could be brake fluid. This should be investigated separately - the brake pressure should be stable and should not be "inflatable". If in doubt, have your car checked by a specialist. Do not drive off cluelessly - carefully carry out a few test braking manoeuvres at low speed.

The engine oil should also be specially checked. In addition to the oil level, also check the oil label: When was the last time the oil was changed? Depending on the mileage, but at least once a year, the engine oil and filter should be changed.

In summer as important as in winter: Check the radiator antifreeze! It also acts as corrosion protection in the engine and lubricates the water pump. The special requirements of your vehicle must be taken into account here.

Furthermore, the oil levels of the gearbox and differential should be checked once, especially, of course, if stains have appeared on the garage floor in the respective area. Of course, the vehicle must be lifted for this, and special tools are sometimes necessary. If a workshop has to be visited for this, it should be done very promptly. If leaks have occurred, they should be repaired immediately.
And if you can already look under the car, then take a close look at the age and condition of the fuel filter. This is often located under the car, especially in older injection engines, and is often forgotten!

A visual inspection of the engine compartment follows. Here we pay attention to the general condition of rubber parts, hoses and V-belts. There should be no cracks or leaks.

Now we can start the vehicle for the first time. Don't be surprised, the car can start badly, because the carburetors have to be filled with fresh gas first. Make sure that the oil pressure control lamp goes out.
If you are very careful, let the engine run without ignition before the first start until the oil pressure has built up. When the engine is running, we check in the engine compartment to see if there are any leaks while the engine is running.

Now you should check the light

If no abnormalities are found we can take care of the lighting. Find a helper and switch the lights on one after the other - e.g. high beam, low beam, turn signal and brake light (this is where the helper comes in, because nobody can run behind the car that fast).

Check the horn at the same time. The windscreen wipers and the windscreen washer system are not to be neglected even in fair weather cars, how often we were surprised by a rain shower on the first spring drive...

The tyres

Now let us turn our attention to black round wheels. Time flies and the tyres get older and older. It is recommended to check the age of the tires, because overaged tires become porous and also the grip decreases.

Tip: Find out more about the milage of your tyres and further maintenance hints
Continental - Tire care and maintenance

The tyre pressure is increased by cautious owners to prevent the tyre from flattening out during the winter. Do not forget to lower it again for driving. Also remember the spare wheel (As a rule, air must also be filled in here ;-).

Accessories complete?

If we already rummage in the trunk, we can check immediately whether the first aid kit, triangle, warning vests (best for all passengers) and tools are still complete and comply with the regulations.

If we are honest, we like to take something out and forget to put it back... veteran motorists always have a roll of wire with them, besides the usual tools and spare parts. A hand fire extinguisher is also a recommended accessory.

The final touch

If not already done before parking, the classic car will be happy about a thorough wash and paint care as well as the care of the rubber parts, chrome parts and the interior.

Now is also the right time to lubricate the door hinges and treat any stone chips.

Now you are well equipped with your classic car.
Below we have attached an overview of useful articles.

• Spring check for your vehicle

You usually only find out about the existence of the series resistor between the switch and the blower motor when it has burnt out. It ensures that the blower motor can run at more than one speed. If it is defective, the motor usually only runs at the highest speed, only here there is no resistor connected upstream.

The blower switch allows the current for the motor to flow through a smaller resistor at each higher speed. This means that the voltage applied is always higher and the motor runs at a correspondingly higher speed.

Unfortunately, this resistor usually reaches the end of its life after fifteen to thirty years, which is why the vehicle manufacturer has long since sold them out.

Because the series resistors are also slowly becoming rare on the used parts market and are often in dubious condition, we have also had these produced by our long-standing supplier.

The series resistors fit perfectly and work reliably. They correspond to the original numbers 3522313, 9171002 and fit in all 740/940 without air conditioning. The series resistors can be found behind the glove compartment.

To ensure that the blower of your 740 or 940 reliably keeps the windows free of condensation at the correct level again, the series resistors are available from our store under the numbers 1005963 or 1005900.

Suitable for the following vehicles:

• Volvo 740 all models, 4-speed blower (1005963)
• Volvo 740 all models, 5-speed blower (1005900)
• Volvo 940 all models, 5-speed blower (1005900)

References:
3522313, 9171002

• News archive: Blower motor for vehicles without air conditioning Volvo 700/900

SKANDIX shows you what you should pay attention to:

Change tyres

Now that temperatures are rising permanently, you should put on summer tyres again. It is important to inspect the summer tyres for damage and check the tread depth before fitting. According to the law, the lower limit is 1.6mm, but the tyres lose grip even at a tread depth of less than 3mm.

If you have the tyres changed in a workshop, you should have the brakes and chassis checked at this opportunity. If you change the tyres yourself, please follow the instructions for changing wheels in the car's owner's manual, especially if the car is equipped with a tyre pressure control system.

Winter tyres should be cleaned and labelled (front right, rear left, etc.) and stored in a cool, dark and dry place (such places are usually in the cellar ;-) ). Complete wheels should be stored with increased air pressure, one above the other.

Check expiry date of tyre sealant

Spring is here, the vehicle is polished to a high gloss and ready for the cosy Easter excursion. Annoying if the journey has to be interrupted by a flat tire. Even more annoying, however, is when the tyre sealant then no longer performs as expected.
Therefore, please note our Tip on tyre sealant.

Clean up and check accessories

Free the car from all superfluous things - they cost storage space and quickly add up to a weight that unnecessarily increases fuel consumption. If we ever rummage in the trunk, we can immediately check whether the first aid kit, warning triangle, warning vests (best for all passengers) and tools are still complete and comply with the regulations. Since 2022, two medical masks must also be carried in the first-aid kit.

Clean the trunk and interior of the vehicle

Extensive ventilation and turning up the heating while driving will drive away a large part of the moisture, a thorough interior cleaning will do the rest. Take doormats out of the car to dry, many also change from rubber to textile mats in spring. Trunk mats prevent the clean floor from getting dirty again when you buy flowers. Don't forget to clean the windscreen from the inside, streaks can significantly reduce visibility.

Check exterior wash and paint

Visiting a car wash is comfortable and environmentally friendly. After the winter, we recommend a thorough pre-wash with a steam jet to remove road salt residue and stubborn dirt. Check the paintwork after washing. Smaller stone chips can be treated with a touch-up paint at a reasonable price.

Wiper Check

Wiper blades should always be cleaned and checked regularly. They should be replaced at the latest when the wiper blades become greasy or rubbed.

Caution: Defective or dirty wiper blades can scratch the windscreen!

Finally, check the washing water level.

Engine compartment

Check the engine oil and coolant levels with the help of the operating instructions. You should leave the cleaning of the engine compartment to a specialist, engine washing can seriously damage electronic components.

Now you are good prepared with your vehicle.

Below we have included an overview of useful articles and a checklist to download as a PDF document, which you can print out and check off:

• Make your classic car fit for the new season
• Check expiry date of tyre sealant

The original part has not been available for the Volvo 700 and 900 without air conditioning for some time, and there is now no longer a single part available in the aftermarket.

Also because we never really liked the last available aftermarket blowers, we started looking for a motor for the original housing. A few years ago there were still a few from Bosch, but they are long out of stock and there is no new edition in sight.

After a long search and a lot of experimenting, we have now found a motor that is almost a 1:1 match for the old original part. It fits exactly into the original housing of the fan motor, has the right threads for the screw connections and the correct shaft diameter for the fan wheel. The fan wheel, housing and original connecting cable must still be used. The latter must be fitted with two flat connectors.

The motor corresponds to the original part in terms of noise development and service life.

The fan motor is now available in our store under the number 1012639.

suitable for:

• Volvo 700, all models without air conditioning
• Volvo 900, all models without air conditioning

Reference:
3537058

• News archive: Resistor Interior blower for Volvo 740

The Youabian Puma is the ultimate challenge for any design critic.

With its extraordinary design, which can best be described as "bold", the Youabian Puma is at the center of controversy over aberrations of taste. But don't be fooled, because beneath that extravagantly sculpted exterior lies an amazing story.

The vehicle, designed by US plastic surgeon Dr. Youabian, is largely based on a Volvo C70. Despite the seven-liter Corvette engine and 505 to 650 hp, it is not particularly sporty - the Youabian Puma is far too bulky for that with its dimensions and weight, 44-inch wheels and the aerodynamics of a monster truck.

The vehicle was presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show 10 years ago and built in small series. The price of 580,000 to 780,000 euros at the time was also more than extravagant. So it's no wonder that the manufacturer's website has since disappeared into the eternal hunting grounds of the internet.

However, the reports about the vehicle itself are still circulating online years later and never cease to amaze. Not only on April 1st...

• Youtube: Youabian Puma Automobiles Promo Video
• autoblog: Riding in the $1.1-million Youabian Puma
• TopGear: Fail of the century #29: Youabian Puma
• Slash Gear: One Of The Ugliest Supercars Ever Made: The Youabian Puma
• On sale at Driving your dream: Youabian Puma specs and price

The fuel tank sensor suffers with age, especially with modern fuel, which promotes corrosion with its ethanol content, and of course also with condensation. Occasionally, the resistor wire inside also gives up the ghost, so that a display is no longer possible.

The sensor for the carburetor engines also contains the suction pipe of the mechanical fuel pump. If it is heavily corroded, rust gets into the lines and the filter and clogs them. This inevitably leads to misfiring and stalling at some point.

In the worst case, the intake manifold will be corroded, causing the fuel pump to suck in air from the hole in the pipe. If you break down with a half-full tank, this could be the reason.

Reasons enough for us to have suitable sensors produced for the Saab 900, as new original parts have not been available for several years.

The tank sensors are manufactured in a modified version, with a float on a lever which actuates a potentiometer. The original solution had a float in the surging tube, which slides along a resistance wire. Depending on the vehicle and model year, only the plug on the vehicle wiring harness needs to be changed; suitable crimp connectors and shrink tubing are included with the tank sensors.

The original contact for the warning light is present on the sensor.

The new tank sensors for the classic Saab 900 are now available in the store under the numbers 1020398 (injection engines from 1983) and 1088492 (carburetor engines from 1983).

suitable for:

• Saab 900 (-93)

The team, consisting of Silvio Mollitor and Steffen Sitz, has been working hard on the preparations. The parts supplied by SKANDIX were used to make the vehicle fit for the track. Reinforced by service manager Richard and chef de cuisine Helge, the team feels well prepared for the weekend and the rest of the 2024 season.

The team is competing with the clear goal of defending last year's title and is also aiming for the trophy this year. Despite the high ambitions, the fun factor comes first - "... and that's only possible with a Volvo".

True to the motto "Let's go riding gravel waves!"

We are keeping our fingers crossed for Team Molitor and will report on the results of the race.

• 59. ADMV-Rallye Lutherstadt Wittenberg
• MSC Lutherstadt Wittenberg e.V.

The solenoid for the Aisin-Warner automatic transmission in the Volvo 200, 700 and 900 series has not been available for some time. The transmission manufacturer has no interest in reissuing it, even though there are still thousands of these vehicles in existence.

This solenoid valve or solenoid released the oil pressure channel for engaging the overdrive; it could be locked with a button so that the gearboxes could no longer shift into long 4th gear.

Now the solenoid valve was not the only thing that caused annoyance here, the operating relay also caused occasional trouble with age. Naturally, with a minimum age of 25 years, the wiring harness for the gearbox can sometimes no longer do things that it should.

In fact, hardly any of the drivers have ever really used it, at most to protect the gearbox when towing a trailer.

So why not simply let the transmission shift automatically without intervention and thus eliminate several sources of error at the same time?

This is exactly what this bypass does, which is screwed onto the transmission instead of the solenoid valve.

In our opinion, this is a sensible and inexpensive repair solution for a defective solenoid or relay.

The bypass is now available in our store under the number 1090726 so that your automatic transmission can also find 4th gear again.

Fits the following vehicles with AW70/71 transmission:

It has two different M11 threads. Now M11 as a standard thread is already an extremely rare thing, as a fine thread it is almost never found as a standard part or vehicle part, there are small exceptions e.g. with two-wheel stub axles or cylinder head bolts.

As a stud bolt with different pitches it is impossible to get.

Last year, during the restoration of a B16B drivetrain, we had to wonder about the fact that the starter fastener has a different thread size than the bell fastener on the engine block. As a result, we decided without further ado to have the stud bolt turned in small series.
After all, not everyone is lucky enough to get it out of the gearbox bell in one piece, and it might even break off.

So that your hump or Amazon may also be on the road with the correct threads, this stud bolt for the starter mounting is now available in our shop under the number 1085245.

Fits the following vehicles:

• Volvo PV up to 1961, engines B16- and B4B
• Volvo 121 until 1961, engines B16-

The screw of the filter retaining clip does not want to be turned, instead the sheet metal of the clip, where the internal thread is cut into it, twists. In most cases, the relatively thin clamp is so brittle due to road salt and environmental influences that it tears or breaks off completely. Recognized early on, this fact has often led to an extra hour of tinkering with separating, drilling and thread cutting.

As the keen hobby mechanic generally carries out maintenance on Saturday afternoons, this is a must if the car is needed again on Monday morning. You can't get parts anywhere on Saturday at 15:00 h anyway.

This, in turn, has often led to disagreements with your better half, because you actually wanted to invite her to dinner at an Italian restaurant at 18:00 h....

To prevent this from happening again, it's definitely a good idea to replace the clamp at the same time as changing the fuel filter.

The clamp has not been available from the vehicle manufacturer for some time. However, as old Volvo drivers, we have been aware of the problem for a long time, so we took care of supplies at an early stage.

The newly reproduced clamp is now made of stainless steel and is now available in our store under the number 1074113.

Fits the following vehicles:

• Volvo 240: from 1979, engine B21F, B23F
• Volvo 240: from 1985, engine B230F, B230FD, B230FX
• Volvo 740, 760, 780: from 1985, engine B204- / B234-
• Volvo 740, 760, 780: from 1985, engine B200- / B230-
• Volvo 740, 760, 780: from 1985, engine B280-
• Volvo 940: all petrol engines
• Volvo 960: until 1994, all petrol engines

Reference:
3517129

The reason for this is that it was usually missing when the car was purchased second-hand. Just like the hinge of the fuel filler flap, the fuel filler cap holder suffers from operating errors when refueling. A fixed fuel nozzle swings during the refueling process. If the nozzle rests against the attached fuel filler cap, the hinge and fuel filler cap holder are subjected to excessive stress and eventually break. If, on the other hand, the fuel nozzle is carefully hooked in, the fuel filler cap holder and the fuel filler flap hinge will last forever.

The fuel filler cap holder in the picture is still the first one from 1994.

However, unlike the hinge, the fuel filler cap holder doesn't flaunt its absence so openly, so its replacement is often forgotten.

However, it is extremely practical and ensures that the fuel filler cap is screwed back in and does not remain on the fuel pump when it is used.

The fuel filler cap holder was discontinued by the vehicle manufacturer a few years ago without replacement. We had it reproduced from the original sample.

The fuel filler cap holder including retaining spring is now available in our store under the number 1020756.

Fits the following vehicles:

References:
1316435, 1316323

This is particularly the case with the 700 and 900 Volvo with their two hood latches behind the headlights, because it is almost impossible to open the hood if the hood cable is broken. For the same reason, an improvised solution is also difficult to implement, as both locks are opened simultaneously by a rather special Bowden cable. The distance between the end of the cable on the right-hand lock and the pressed-on or soldered seat for the left-hand lock must be just a few millimetres, otherwise it will not be possible to open the lock without any problems.

The hood locks and associated pins only allow minimal adjustment. Only the length of the cover can be adjusted a little more on the inside of the opening lever.

Now this hood pull has been discontinued by the vehicle manufacturer without replacement and is not available as an accessory. We reacted quickly and immediately ordered a reproduction based on the original sample.

The hood pull is now available in our store under the number 1051652.

Suitable for the following vehicles:

• Volvo 740: model from 1991
• Volvo 940: all models

Reference:
3536635

Especially in summer, this sometimes leads to massive warm start problems because the fuel in the carburetor evaporates when stationary and evaporates through the float chamber ventilation. The empty float chambers then cause a lot of trouble during hot starts, especially with a mechanical fuel pump.

The carburetor seals also suffer more, as do plastic parts.

This is also the case with the powerful Weber 45 DCOE, which is often used on classically tuned Volvos with B18, B20 and B30.

Like other engines from the 50-80s, the Volvo OHV also has a counterflow head and the manifold really heats up the carburetors.

We already have such a heat protection plate (1053062) in our range for the original SU HS6 twin carburetors. We also offer complete tuning packages with the Weber DCOE (1084803) for the PV, Amazon, P1800, 140 and 164.

So there was nothing more obvious than to offer a heat protection plate for these models too.

The heat protection plate for the 45 DCOE is designed for one carburetor at a time and is simply attached using the screws on the lower cover. Due to the material thickness, it is very solid and can bring a significant improvement.

In conjunction with some fan manifolds, it has to be shortened slightly on the manifold side of the B30; in our case, this was only the case with the rear carburetor.

The heat protection plate is now available in our store under the number 1091336 and is an excellent addition to the R-Sport carburetor kit.

Suitable for the following vehicles:

• Volvo 120, 130, 220: Model from 1962, engine B18- and B20-
• Volvo 140: all models
• Volvo 164: all models
• Volvo P1800, P1800ES: all models
• Volvo PV544, P210 Duett: model from 1962, engine B18-

• News archive: Heat shield for intake manifold carburettor SU HS-6 and Stromberg CD 175

With its special design, this bolt is absolutely essential for fastening the rear axle stabilizer. Unfortunately, it has not been available from the vehicle manufacturer for some time and cannot be replaced by a standard screw.

Many Volvo 200 and 700s did not have a stabilizer bar on the rear axle ex works.

In the 240, the stabilizers on the rear axle were unfortunately only available as standard with the more powerful engines such as GLT or Turbo. Drivers of the D24 or B230F were allowed to "rock", which earned some Volvo models the not really justified nickname "Wanker" in the USA.

The stabilizer bar on the rear axle significantly reduces lateral tilt when cornering. Retrofitting it means that the four-legged friend in the luggage compartment doesn't get seasick so quickly, and the passengers don't slide off their leather seats in every bend and tear the grab handles from the roof lining. Overall, the driving experience is more precise and pleasant, without the chassis feeling harder or bumpier.

For the Volvo 240, for example, three different stabilizers are currently still available from the vehicle manufacturer as original new parts. They differ in diameter: They are available in 19 mm (item no. 1089478), in 21 mm (item no. 1089482) and in 23 mm diameter (item no. 1089483).

Whether it was a screw that had been torn off during a repair or a stabilizer bar retrofit, a reproduction of the screw was needed and was quickly ordered.

The screws are now available in our store under the number 1037311.

Suitable for the following vehicles:

• Volvo 240, 260, 262: all models
• Volvo 740: all models
• Volvo 760: 4-door: model up to 1987; 5-door: all
• Volvo 780: model up to 1987
• Volvo 940: all models
• Volvo 960: 5-door, model until 1994

Reference:
947292

• Installation picture: Rear axle suspension Volvo 200
• Installation picture: Rear axle suspension Volvo 700, 900

In fact, this is almost a classic in the history of self-supporting car bodies. It's almost sad that it still happens again and again today. We know of dozens of vehicle models from the last fifty years that have suffered from this problem with above-average frequency.

The P26 or V70 ll is not the first Volvo in which this problem can occur, but the original seals from the vehicle manufacturer have unfortunately been sold out for this model for some time. As nobody really likes water in their luggage compartment, we had the seals reproduced promptly.

Incidentally, the best seal is only as good as its installation: make sure that the sealing surfaces are clean, dry, smooth and rust-free. Dirt or rust under the seal would quickly give the water free rein.

The seals are now available in our store under the numbers 1091105 (lower) and 1026725 (upper).

Suitable for the following vehicles:

• Volvo V70 P26, XC70 (2001-2007): Model from 2005

Reference numbers:
30674782, 30674784