The proud owner of a Volvo 242...

So, uh, now what?

$250 snagged me a running, decent shape (read surface rust here and there on the body, but overall awesome shape for a 30 year old car) 1982 Volvo 242 GLT with teh 4speed + electric overdrive. B23E motor (the 140hp model).

Unibody seems to be in excellent shape, rides well. The only issue is a broken drivers side front strut top (the actual rubber itself). Tranny shifts good, lots of clutch.

I just got off the phone having an hour long chat with my buddy. We've got bad ideas of vortec headed small blocks and 4 speeds being stuck in it. Stay tuned for more details, this Volvo maybe coming to a GRM Challenge near you!

Do we have a "nice score" icon???

Pictures and updates, of course...

You know that JVAB makes a Volvo-to-T5 conversion bellhousing?

HiTempguy wrote: So, uh, now what?

Drive it to my house. I'll even pay for your plane ride back

Seriously, find a rusted/wrecked turbo and do a swap. Info. to be found here.

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

HiTempguy wrote: So, uh, now what?

Drive it to my house. I'll even pay for your plane ride back Seriously, find a rusted/wrecked turbo and do a swap. Info. to be found here.

Seriously, don't. The Canada-spec B23E puts out almost as much HP and more torque than the B21FT turbo. No lag and extra plumbing, either. Just feel free to rev the whee out of it. Above 3000 rpm is where the action is on this motor.

Find an 81 cam. That'll make it even revvier.

Pics or it didn't happen.

What to do with it?

This

Kia_racer wrote: Pics or it didn't happen.

Teaser pic just to get you all a little excited:

So, we currently have a 305 with flat tops that might get vortec heads bolted onto it (obviously a good homebrew port and polish job) coupled with a MASSIVE cam from comp cams. I believe that would come out to just over $500 ($250 for the rebuilt vortecs, $250 for the 305 longblock he purchased off of someone in a disassembled state). That puts us at ~$750. We just picked up a book on swapping V8's into 242's. The rearend should be fine (we'd like a LSD if possible), and we are thinking about getting a beat 3rd gen camaro with a T5 in it to swap everything including the hydraulic clutch in.

I'd get it dirty.

bludroptop wrote: I'd get it dirty.

I'm not cool enough to rally a Volvo, only Subaru's (thats what I've been doing the past 3 years btw). If the V8 swap doesn't pan out, we'll be rally-x'ing and doing TSD's with this 242.

HiTempguy wrote:

Kia_racer wrote: Pics or it didn't happen.

Teaser pic just to get you all a little excited: So, we currently have a 305 with flat tops that might get vortec heads bolted onto it (obviously a good homebrew port and polish job) coupled with a MASSIVE cam from comp cams. I believe that would come out to just over $500 ($250 for the rebuilt vortecs, $250 for the 305 longblock he purchased off of someone in a disassembled state). That puts us at ~$750. We just picked up a book on swapping V8's into 242's. The rearend should be fine (we'd like a LSD if possible), and we are thinking about getting a beat 3rd gen camaro with a T5 in it to swap everything including the hydraulic clutch in.

Who is totally jealous?

<<<----This guy

^^^

and

<<<----THIS GUY.

I've been eyeing a co-workers 242 for 2 years now in the employee lot...

^^^^

and

<<<<<<<<<------- THIS GUY.

I want badly. How come I can never find a screaming deal like that?

Marty! wrote: I want badly. How come I can never find a screaming deal like that?

First of all, please see my thread about understanding office working life. I've had a LOT of time on my hands these past two weeks!

Second, I literally opened craigslist one day (randomly, as we Canuckians have a buy/sell site called Kijiji which is much more popular here than Craigslist), looked under cars and trucks in Calgary, and it was the first car listed, simply said "Volvo 242 $250". Its miled out at 330,000kms but you'd never be able to tell!

So, as an update, after further discussions we are now looking at a complete 1989 mushtang 5.0L 5 speed (mass air flow versus speed density biatches!) that is fine but has a E36 M3ty body. $1k, and I think I can jew him down to $600. After that, I've noticed superchargers on ebay can go for under a grand strokes goatee

So, the plan might be to buy the mushtang, take the drivetrain, part it out (so net $0 spent on the v8 + 5 speed), and essentially have a v8 swapped 242 for around $500 (the book is really, really cool BTW). From there, we get used springs, run suburban shocks in the rear with something up front, get some sticky cheap 15's, and cross fingers that we find a super-dee-duper charger. If not, we bolt exploder heads on with a MASSIVE cam, and go from there. Supposedly I can get 350hp at the crank in a 2600 pound car to run close to low 12's...

Marty! wrote: How come I can never find a screaming deal like that?

You just need to be zealous and relentless in your search. Karma would indicate that you are due... after all, I still think I got that sort of deal when I bought your car!

Like many of us on the board here, I have a knack for finding wicked awesome three-figure cars. I'll find you a Volvo!

What book did you get? I was thinking about the JTR Chevy swap book. I am kind of half-looking for an LT1 Roadmaster parts car to give me some things I need for my LT1 Roadmaster real car, and with a drivetrain left over...

Off topic, but what's an electric overdrive? Tried google, didn't find anything.

HiTempguy wrote: So, we currently have a 305 with flat tops that might get vortec heads bolted onto it (obviously a good homebrew port and polish job) coupled with a MASSIVE cam from comp cams.

settle down, beavis. you will probably decrease vortec flow with any port and polish work. those heads are pretty friggin' stellar right out of the junkyard. As the last hurrah for Gen 1 SBCs, GM engineering spent a lot of time and money getting them right. i have read that they don't like traditional SBC port/polish jobs because they're not "traditional" SBC heads. and they don't like a lot of lift. flow gains above .450" are very small. those heads want duration, not lift.

the chambers burn very efficiently, so they don't like a ton of timing, either.

ErinS wrote: Off topic, but what's an electric overdrive? Tried google, didn't find anything.

Shifts into overdrive via a switch on top of the shift knob,

In reply to AngryCorvair:

Yeah, what this guy said, right here. It's too bad there wasn't a factory aluminum version for cheap just hanging out in junkyards waiting.

AngryCorvair wrote: settle down, beavis.

I guess I deserve that Currently everything is in the planning stage. Gather information, hash it out, rinse and repeat. Thats some good info you provided, thanks!

It's too bad there wasn't a factory aluminum version for cheap just hanging out in junkyards waiting.

Isn't that what the new L92 head is essentially? Its supposed to be the bees knees from what I've heard.

It looks like the L92 is for LS type V8's and the Vortecs aren't so you're mixing families here and that won't do.

The closest thing I know of to an aluminum Vortec is the Edelbrock E-Tec 200.

carzan wrote: Shifts into overdrive via a switch on top of the shift knob,

So it's a three speed until you push the button, and that's the only way it goes into fourth?

I think it's a fourspeed with electric fifth. I too would love to know what book you got, and where did you buy it?