Volvo Sugga Restoration underway

[bbftx]

The restoration of my TP21 Volvo Sugga is underway. We have a donor truck (Ford F250) that will supply a 7.3L Powerstroke diesel to replace the 90 hp inline 6 that the Sugga was originally built with. Here are a few photos from the disassembly phase for the sugga.
BBF TX
Www.volvosugga.org

 

[B3.3T]

What a cool project! Keep us posted.

 

[M813rc]

Very cool.
Looking forward to seeing it in person!

Cheers

 

[srodocker]

Wow going from a 90hp engine to the 7.3...cant wait to see the difference hehehe

 

[XanRa]

put wider wheels on it too!!!

 

[Karl kostman]

bbftx you have a very neat project going here I know nothing about the sugga except that I ahve seen many videos of them in action and they look mighty capable Keep posting pics please this is going to be a really neat resto!
KK

 

[bbftx]

Here's a pic of my Sugga restoration --- this is a test fit of the Sugga body on a shortened F250 frame. She rides a little higher. We're still playing with rim choices. We are trying to find a custom rim that would mimic the look of an M37 wheel and pull the wider tires in a bit.

 

[bbftx]

Military-Style Gauges

As part of my Volvo Sugga mods, I need to change the gauge panel. The original Suggas used a deco-style speedo and gauge cluster from the 1940's Volvo taxis!
That old speedo looks great, but I have never thought it was appropriate for a military vehicle.
I also needed electronic gauges to mate up with my 7.3L Powerstroke diesel, so I ended up getting a set of custom gauges that use lettering from military specifications common in the 1940's and 50's. The gauges have domed glass and I added aircraft style bezels to complete the look. Attached are pics of the original deco speedo and some of the new gauges.

 

[doinworkinvans]

I love seeing more MV projects other than Duece and CUCV...keep up the good work and keep the pics coming!

 

[bbftx]

More Photos - Work in Process

Here are a few more photos as my Sugga project proceeds.

I'll be painting her FS 24052 Semi-Gloss Marine Corps Forest Green

 

[bbftx]

Shaping Up

Engine Hood and grill complete. Doors hung on the new hinges.
Still need to figure out the final bumper and spare tire setup.

 

[bbftx]

Progress continues on my Sugga modification project. Got new bumpers fabbed, front and rear, along with a new tire carrier arrangement.

 

[m880 unimog]

i like different-cant be too many suggas in the us.? that will be fun when done thanks for sharing the build.

 

[bbftx]

i like different-cant be too many suggas in the us.?

I like different too; the whole genesis of this project was to have a very unique daily driver.
There are at least two dozen Volvo TP-21 Suggas in the US. They range in condition from some rotting away to dust in junkyards, to a couple in more or less original condition, to highly modified versions like the Red Bull mobile DJ vehicles used to market the energy drink.

 

[Ryden]

Have you decided about the colour scheme yet, what's it to be?

 

[bbftx]

Have you decided about the colour scheme yet, what's it to be?

Hi Ryden,
The current plan is OD green. Specifically FS 24052, which is a semi gloss dark forest green, over black primer. I'm still tempted to use the 4-color M90 scheme. The green I'm using is close enough to pass for the dark grön in the M90 pattern, so I'll still have an M90 scheme as an option later on.
MVH,

 

[harleyhouse]

Did you figure out wheels yet or are you keeping the black models on it?
Solid green will look good! will there be a rear roll pan to fill in and cover the rear shackles?

Yours is much nicer than the Red bull!

 

[bbftx]

Yes, I'm keeping the black wheels for the time being --- might get some different custom wheels fabbed up at a later date that are closer to what I really want.
The rear shackles are being covered with a body panel, (although part of me actually likes having that stuff out in the open).

I will certainly like my machine more than the many different Red Bull Suggas --- there are at LEAST 6 different Red Bull machines out there (they drove up the price of Suggas several years back when they snatched up so many). I've identified at least 6 different ones -- there are 2 in Canada, at least 2 in Europe, 2 here I think.... I put together a little gallery of the different versions I've found:
How many red bull suggas ?
Some of them are really bad.

 

[DieselBob]

bbftx, your project is looking good. It's a shame what some company's will do. There are a couple of the deadbull's i would be embarrassed to admit I paid someone to do.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

March 9th, 2012.

Pity the dead bull people had to molest so many Suggas. They have a certain elegance for a military vehicle, and the art deco guage cluster was like many of the civillian based truck parts that a lot of USN,USAAF and USA trucks ad early in WWII..