Anyone Here Ever Owned A 780 Bertone?

The Polaris are ok and similar to, but a little better than what is on the car I'm looking at. I'm not in love with them, but they're not too bad.

Not so crazy about the Geminis as shown, but maybe if they were darkened a bit?

Since seeing the wheels in the first post, I'm kinda fixated on them. With as many RWD Volvos out there as there are, aftermarket wheels are really that scarce?

carzan wrote: The Polaris are ok and similar to, but a little better than what is on the car I'm looking at. I'm not in love with them, but they're not too bad. Not so crazy about the Geminis as shown, but maybe if they were darkened a bit? Since seeing the wheels in the first post, I'm kinda fixated on them. With as many RWD Volvos out there as there are, aftermarket wheels are really that scarce?

I forget, but I think is the bolt pattern the same as the first couple gens of ford Tarus?

Yup, Taurus. You're right.

Found a chart: http://www.roadkillcustoms.com/hot-rods-rat-rods/Wheel-Bolt-Pattern-Cross-Reference-Database.asp?Makes=VOLVO&Models=740#Matches

Seems to be quite a few with the right bolt pattern. Just might have to machine out the center on some and make sure the offsets are compatible.

Ferrari also used 5x108.

I worked on them a few years in a Volvo dealership as a line mechanic. The V6 engine was a French design, (that should be enough for most people) with a 90 degree V and ran like an early Buick V6 (Rough). They had a nasty habit of eating camshafts. The camshaft bearings were cast into the heads, with different size bearings, smallest in the front, largest in the rear of the head, and the camshaft had to be removed out the back of the head. Unfortunately, there is a firewall in the way. We used to offer our customers two ways to change a bad camshaft. The factory way, pull the heads and change the cams on the bench (expensive) or go under the dash and drill a 2 inch hole in the firewall, pull the offending cam out through the hole, replace the cam and put a 2 inch rubber plug in the hole. The passenger side was a lot easier to do than the driver’s side. This would save the customer about three hour of shop time and the cost of a head gasket set. Everyone went for it. The rest of the car was big, rock solid, very high build quality, slow and boring. A SB Chevy would make a great swap in this car. It might help the slow and boring thing, and when the Chevy eats its camshaft, and it will, it’s a lot cheaper to change. Also, it seemed to me like all the owners wore Grey tweed suits, carried brief cases and smoked pipes.

Welcome Mr. Greygears. Luckily, I won't have to deal with the V6 issues, but I won't rule out a Ford V8. It's ok that the former owners wore tweed etc., because they had the means to keep them preserved until my turn.

greygears wrote: I worked on them a few years in a Volvo dealership as a line mechanic. The V6 engine was a French design, (that should be enough for most people) with a 90 degree V and ran like an early Buick V6 (Rough). They had a nasty habit of eating camshafts. The camshaft bearings were cast into the heads, with different size bearings, smallest in the front, largest in the rear of the head, and the camshaft had to be removed out the back of the head. Unfortunately, there is a firewall in the way. We used to offer our customers two ways to change a bad camshaft. The factory way, pull the heads and change the cams on the bench (expensive) or go under the dash and drill a 2 inch hole in the firewall, pull the offending cam out through the hole, replace the cam and put a 2 inch rubber plug in the hole. The passenger side was a lot easier to do than the driver’s side. This would save the customer about three hour of shop time and the cost of a head gasket set. Everyone went for it. The rest of the car was big, rock solid, very high build quality, slow and boring. A SB Chevy would make a great swap in this car. It might help the slow and boring thing, and when the Chevy eats its camshaft, and it will, it’s a lot cheaper to change. Also, it seemed to me like all the owners wore Grey tweed suits, carried brief cases and smoked pipes.

A+

carzan wrote: With as many RWD Volvos out there as there are, aftermarket wheels are really that scarce?

Yes, but there are plenty of used wheels showing up on turbobricks all the time. You just need to be a bit creative when refinishing them.

I read this thread about 3 hours ago. Thirty minutes ago, I'm driving along and spot this:

This is a sure sign that anyone contemplating the purchase of a 780 should do it...

BTW, the owner must be a one-of-every-kind type of person: the first P1800 is a coupe; the second is a wagon.

Those black out headlight covers on that car are HILARIOUS.

I think there's 2 or 3 Bertones rolling around here. I see them on occasion, i'll try to snap a picture of them.