Driving our C303 Volvo across the West Coast & Death Valley!

[@stainlessdmc5954]

What an awesome adventure! I love the C303!

[@ModulaRacks]

Glad you enjoyed it! We too love our C303 :)

[@_Diggler]

The process of acquiring a C303, or like vehicle, in the US is daunting. But I’m up for it. Being handy is clearly a bonus when having a rig like this. Look forward to posting some videos of my own in a couple years... keep motering on fellas!

[@ModulaRacks]

Thanks, handyness is certainly key. Most shops won't even consider working on these and there are a lot of quirks and special maintenance procedures... WORTH IT!

[@RadioactiveSaddam]

Import one from Europe. They are not cheap or common but they are out there.

[@OlympicOverland]

Great trip! I recognized Port Townsend in the beginning. We are in Port Angeles just west on the Olympic Peninsula. Cheers! 👍

[@ModulaRacks]

Thanks! The Olympic Peninsula is such an awesome area

[@eamonnprice9628]

WOW!!! Reminds me of my Month Long trek through Utah and death valley in my C303!!! Love it guys, thanks for documenting this for us! I had some of the same little issues, but I was always able to repair it. Many great times on trips, or just wheeling to see what I could make it through. I daily drove mine for years. Hit me up sometime, I am in the midst of a big swap I started. An Early MBZ Diesel motor, and everything except axles are getting swapped. I'm a Fabricator for the Movie Industry & more. Mine will be a FrankenVolvo by the time I'm done. I am in LA Cali. Send me a message sometime. Cheers, E P

[@ModulaRacks]

Glad we brought you some fond memories :) Funnily enough, our Volvo was just shot in a music video... stay tuned!

[@petter5721]

Volvo for Life 👍🏻

[@ModulaRacks]

Always !!! :)

[@RadioactiveSaddam]

Nice Volvo. Nice strech of roads.

[@ModulaRacks]

Thanks!

[@obstinatejack]

awesome vehicle, would love to drive this up into the mountains and camp out during a storm

[@ModulaRacks]

Yeah for sure! Just have to patient on the long hills ;)

[@obstinatejack]

@@ModulaRacks so, are you saying this thing's got enough torque, but not much horsepower?

[@rynorack2001]

@@obstinatejack She's around 120 hp and 150 lb/tq when it was new. Mated to a 4spd transmission in a 6000lb vehicle makes for a speed that allows you to take in all the scenery! If you let her sing she'll generally hold about 50 or 60 kph on the really steep hills.

[@obstinatejack]

@@rynorack2001 sounds awesome, not where where and how i am gonna get my hands on one here in colorado, but this seem like a gem

[@ModulaRacks]

@@obstinatejack Ask to join the Volvo C303 Facebook group. Lots of good info, people and possibly leads to trucks in here

[@laplander303]

Nice trip!

[@ModulaRacks]

Thanks, good times!

[@davidsteinhour5562]

I live an hour from Zion in Cedar City and I'm cracking up at your interaction with our tunnel. Super cool video though, and an awesome rig!

[@TJackSurvival]

This things so cool!!!

[@svenerikhansen]

Nice truck, i got one C303 my self. How is the portal hubs holding up on long stretches of highway ? On my truck the hubs tend to get a little hot in higher speeds..

[@ModulaRacks]

Thanks! The portals do seem to get warm, however in our experience this is often from a drum brake dragging slightly creating heat. We change our portal hub gear oil quite regularly and it usually is always looks to be in great condition at each change. Our truck has always had some driveline drone, so we hope to take things apart in the near future and really get an idea how bearings and gears are looking. Enjoy your C303!

[@AllMightyLee]

Guys. Guys. Guys. When will you remove the fuel tank and have it derusted, cleaned, and recoated internally? ;-) BTW Our family used to have a C303 back in 1973 in Québec. Purchased from Hydro-Quebec at an auction after only one year of testing by them. Ours had a propeller in the back.

[@LucaGoesOffroad]

what was the maximum outside temperature you could drive it during the day, without overheating? I bought one, importing it to Dubai, and now I'm scared.....!

[@ModulaRacks]

The original direct drive no clutch fan kept things in check, however it made a TON of noise especially because the B30 motor is generally turning a a decent RPM. We switched it out to an electric fan and that caused the C303 to get hot quick as it moved WAY less air. We quickly had a custom 3 core rad built and this helped, however when working it hard climbing hills anything over 25 celsius and it will still get cranky after a while. I bring a garden sprayer to get out and spray at the radiator when things get real hot. I thought of rigging up something automatically to take care of this without stopped, but first we'll see if we can get a higher CFM fan.

[@asa_design]

Nice to meet you. I speak from Japan. very good design. I want! Is there a way to buy it in Japan?

[@ModulaRacks]

Hi there, the best advice we can give is keeping an eye on vehicle auctions! They're European, so you'll have to take a look at importing one into Japan if no one has done so already

[@hemanR-one]

jealous !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ModulaRacks]

There are some good days at work around here ;-)

[@sushikahusukai5008]

It s wonderful ! I m hesitating to buy one My only question is if it use a lot fuel ?

[@ModulaRacks]

Yeah, she is pretty thirsty. Usually about 18 to 20 liters per 100kms.

[@mycle4856]

yes but you can put a lpg engine on it its easy to cool and use less feul and feull is cheap and better for the milleu

[@KimKim-oo2up]

I want one!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome adventure guys!!!! But seriously, I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-(

[@Kujo999]

How exactly do 2-3 guys sleep in this? I think in your other video when you first got it you had 3 guys so one on the back seat, one in the floor, and one driving? Also, would a different thermostat not help driving in the heat?

[@ModulaRacks]

Sleeping arrangements were 2 in the roof top tent and one in the cot suspended from the roof inside the truck. While driving long distance one would sleep on the rear bench while the other two would pilot the truck. The thermostat is wide open, but the radiators are very small in these trucks. Cooling them in hot temperatures is tough. We've added the largest radiator we can fit but still now need a more efficient electric fan that is capable of moving more air.

[@Coordinator61]

What came out as average fuel consumption on this trip? Great off-roader these Vovo's.

[@ModulaRacks]

Yeah , we love our Volvo! The average mileage was around 12 MPG. Sometimes would get a bit worse than than depending on the driving.

[@Coordinator61]

@@ModulaRacks 12 mpg, wow. That will be very expensive in the Netherlands where is live. But so cool these Volvo's. Keep up sending video's.

[@mycle4856]

@@Coordinator61 i have this car and i live in limburg we have it running on lpg and its cheaper and consumes less feul also its a oldtimer so no wegenbelasting and lpg is better voor het milleu want het is een rest product

[@Coordinator61]

@@mycle4856 On lpg every car uses more feul then on petrol. And in a 303 you need some big tanks to get a range. LPG is not everywhere for sale.

[@ramonesparza340]

so i have a c304 are you still running the b30 motor im working on a Mercedes diesel swap

[@ModulaRacks]

We are running the B30. Be careful of swapping in a low RPM motor as the stock drive line is setup to really get spun up quick with most of your reduction happening at the wheels. If you can't spin those drive shafts at speed, it's going to be a slow haul. Mercedes Diesel is an interesting idea! Are you thinking of an OM617?

[@ramonesparza340]

@@ModulaRacks no im currently swapping a mo606. its almost complete. I'm running the stock gear box. i was able to fit a nice ac compressor and i plan doing electric power steering. im swapping all gear going to 5.35 and 37" tires. some guys do om605 and the 7 you can also get a adapting kit for a 1.9 tdi. many guys have done the diesel swap.

[@ModulaRacks]

@@ramonesparza340 We would love to see your project!

[@douro20]

Ever thought about putting a Volkswagen D24T turbo diesel in it?

[@ModulaRacks]

Only when it breaks down... and on hills... At least the B30 is fairly easy to work on and parts are available. :-)

[@oljefri]

@@ModulaRacks A Mercedes om603 or 606 turbo would be a better choice

[@rynorack2001]

@@oljefri The want is so very high :)

[@pelayorico]

one of , or maybe the worst engine ever on a VOLVO

[@Madman9mm]

Where does someone acquire a 303?

[@ModulaRacks]

We spent over a year trying to hunt one of these down. Most of them live in and around Europe. However we ended up finding this one from a collector here in Canada. The Canadian Military had purchased it from Sweden back in the 90s and put it into service in Quebec for 10 years. It then sold at auction and the last private owner never got the time to work on it as he planned. So he put it up for sale and we jumped on it. We bought it eight unseen, flew to Quebec and drove it across Canada back to British Columbia in the dead of winter. Check out that video also on our channel! Let us know if you have any other questions :)

[@Madman9mm]

I think seen the other video too! But I'll watch it again! What an adventure! Do you have to get any special fluids for shipped in (coolant, lubricant, etc.)? That's always my concern with projects like that.

[@ModulaRacks]

@@Madman9mm we shipped a bunch of stuff to Quebec and did a full service before setting off. However we did have a number of surprises. One of which was trying to find GL1 gear oil because the transmission has brass fittings in it. That took an entire day driving around Drummonville Quebec! The next was having to modify fuel filters because we couldn't find a replacement and the fuel tank was full of sludge 🤪

[@lassepistol908]

In Sweden you can find some. They are rare now A days! But many have been sold to Germany, and some to U.S....

[@lassepistol908]

@@ModulaRacks Sludge is there sometimes. Fueltank is coated inside to prevent rust, and thats paint is sometimes being sludge, when you put in additives! Be careful with that!

[@joseeudesbarrospinto7878]

This Music sheet! 🤔🙄😵‍💫