Poor La Sancha

La Sancha is our 1983 Volvo 245 DL. She was given her name by the previous owner, which translates from Spanish to “Mistress” or “Other Woman”.  She obviously got her name at the same time he got a new wife (true story).  We promised to keep her name, which worked out perfectly because she just happens to be our La Sancha away from Splendid Isolation.

A summarized back story of how we acquired her and what has come to be: 

After sailing the Sea of Cortez and hauling out here in Guaymas, we were lucky enough to hitch a ride with our friend Ben (a fellow cruiser we met on Baja) up to Tucson, Arizona.  She was the first car we looked at after a couple of days on Craigslist. For $1000 we were driving back to Mexico, Swedish style.

Just like sailing, Claire and I had little to no experience driving a manual vehicle before diving right in.  After our 7 hour drive back down to Guaymas, inching our way across the Mexican border in traffic, I was feeling pretty confident in my stick shift abilities.  We cleaned and emptied our 47 year old sail boat, loaded up our 30 year old station wagon, and drove over 3000 miles to our home state of North Carolina.  The longest amount of time we have ever left our aquatic home behind, was for 7 months this past summer while we lived and worked in our home town.

La Sancha was our daily commuter in North Carolina, where you might have gotten lucky enough to see Claire cruising down the Beach Road. After our Summer of labor, we hit the highways once again. Back down to Florida, where we purchased a heavy duty tandem axle sail boat trailer.  Welded a 2-5/16” ball onto the back end, and dragged our giant trailer 3000 miles back to Guaymas, Mexico.

We had visitors last month and that is when we started noticing unpleasant noises from the passenger front end.  Unfortunately we needed our Volvo quite a bit while our friends were here.  

Once they departed, La Sancha was up on blocks.  While jacking up the passenger front end, we noticed that the car was going up, and the tire stayed put on the ground.  What we thought was just a bad caliper, worn brake pads, and a slightly worn rotor, was just the tip of the iceberg. The upper housing of the strut mount (the rod that compresses with the shocks) was completely disconnected from the vehicle.  “Hip bone connected to the thigh bone” kinda thing. Somewhere along the lines this had happened and we have been driving with our front passenger tire not connected to the vehicle!

I spent a few days, with the help and mentoring of George, diagnosing the problem.  We visited quite a few local junk yards, hunting for struts and other pieces we could use for the project, zero luck.  Because the strut was completely disconnected from the car, driving around wiggling and slamming, it led to a whole pile of issues. We removed the tire and old brake pads. Took the rotor to get freshly turned ($94pesos = $7.10US).  The stabilizer link (which is a pin-like piece connecting to the bottom of the strut) completely snapped, so we took that to get welded ($30pesos = $2.25US) The brake lines were a little bent up, thankfully no damage.  We knew the caliper was locking up from all this, so we ordered a new one with new brake pads.  The only piece we could not acquire down here in Mexico was the Strut Mount that broke.  Luckily, Claire and I have great Fathers.  With their powers combined we now have the piece we need, in transit from America!  

Once we get that piece next week, play mechanic for another afternoon, and then we will be mobile again. While the Volvo has been up on blocks, I’ve taken the opportunity to change the oil, oil filter, spark plugs, 2 belts, and tinkered with a few other things.  She should be running like a champion when I’m done with her. We have a couple of weeks to get a lot of work done down here before Marc and Colleen arrive with their truck.  Our mast is coming down and we are going onto our new trailer!  On to the next adventure, figuring out where in the world we’re going to relocate!

diagram of our strut. 

the top is what broke loose from the vehicle. 

the stabilizer link (#10) snapped as well.

the broken stabilizer link

my work area for now

Without proper Swedish tools, we were forced to improvise like the Mexicans.

Without a spring compressor, George was smart enough to use two threaded rods, washers, and nuts to bring the spring down.

our freshly turned rotor!

Another special tool we needed, a deep offset 24mm wrench.  

Instead we made it happen with the tiller off a circumnavigated sailboat, for leverage, and a 15/16" deep socket.

that hole is where the top of the strut should be snug-fit and bolted in. we were driving around with it broke loose, bouncing around in that metal mound.

bent brake lines

broken stabilizer link (left side top and bottom)

chewed rotor and destroyed brake pads, both of which were new this past August.

top of the strut mount. this is the piece we have coming in the mail from America. notice the huge chunks of rubber bit out from slamming.

not easy working on a Swedish car, especially in Mexico where none of the parts can be ordered, not to mention the language barrier. 

Luckily we found the deep offset wrench we need! Of course, after we got the bolt loose. What are the chances that another guy in the yard had one buried on his boat?!  At least putting it all back together is going to be very simple now.

preparing to leave North Carolina a few months ago.

how the seats were when we bought her

custom tailored saddle blanket seat covers by Seat Covers Unlimited.

new battery this Autumn

packed up, on the beach in Florida

original armrest 

Hand sewn center armrest :)

While here in Mexico, we had planned on giving her a new paint job.  Unfortunately, I left the box of paint at my Grandparent's in Florida.  That will have to wait.