Tossed a different set of wheels on the 240 today...
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Could I get a quick scoop on what the interest is behind volvos? I know they last forever and that's all I know. Like for instance, what cheap Volvo would you buy for some decent gas mileage, moderate mods, and not a wagon. Haha. Perferably old. Like the old 240 cars I have seen.
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Rowleym said:
Could I get a quick scoop on what the interest is behind volvos? I know they last forever and that's all I know. Like for instance, what cheap Volvo would you buy for some decent gas mileage, moderate mods, and not a wagon. Haha. Perferably old. Like the old 240 cars I have seen.
They can be found very cheaply, and are RWD. Parts are very inexpensive and the cars are stupid reliable. They built more or less the same engine for 25 years, it's rock solid. Also, a lot of them came turbocharged, so it is VERY easy to add a turbo setup to any of them using all factory parts that are almost entirely bolt-on.
It's easy to make power, and when you blow it up, it's easy to get new parts, engines, etc cheap.
I love 240s, but a 740 or 940 will have pretty much the exact same drivetrain. A 93-95 940 turbo will be the best out of the box. It has the latest revisions of everything (piston oil squirters, thicker rods, better intercooler, strong trans, best factory EMS, locking diff, etc...) That said, if it were me I would get a 90-93 240 and turbo it.
Also, the idea of these old Volvo's being really good on gas, is an absolute farce. For some reason, everyone thinks that's true. A STOCK 240 with a manual trans and no turbo will manage 30-32mpg tops on the freeway, and in town... maybe 25. Even those figures are optimistic, and trust me... a stock NA 4 cyl Volvo is very, very slow. The turbocharged cars will do 27-28 tops on the freeway if you are really babying it, and more like 18 in town.
They are NOT fuel efficient cars, but they are very cheap to own. That and the fact that it's just something different is a lot of the appeal. Many people who are into Volvos are into them because it's a family tradition almost...
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Brian said:
Dude, the wagon's are were it's at. The sedans look cheesy.
Yea I asked the girlfriend about a wagon... Lets just say it was a no hahah. And I like sedans anyway. Why would you get a 240 and turbo it? And these things can be found in junkyards right? I just want a cheap daily. And I really like factory turbo. Haha
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I like 240s more in just about every way. 940s are perfectly good cars, I just don't like them as much.
Yes, there are plenty in junkyards.
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cheap factory turbo 240. it's an old one so it's kjet and a low compression turbo motor... like 7.5:1 CR
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Start with a major tune up. You'll regret it if you don't. Don't modify it until you do that.
o, and you'll need an angle grinder and a cut off wheel to cut the springs. that's not a joke.
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the windows are probably just dirty switches or a fuse.
the blower motor is a pain to replace.
speedometer is mechanical. it's cable driven from a plastic gear in the back of the transmission.
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Sorry, just now saw your post. 91-95 940 turbos will have LSD. That LSD unit can be put in pretty much any 240 or 740 easily and cheaply. $200 or less. For people making big power and abusing the rear end a lot, the stock unit is not strong enough, and they will often go to a TrueTrac diff, which is ~$500.
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Random update of some things I've done recently.
I made short strut coilovers for the car, and also converted to Mazda RX-7 brakes up front. Also opened up my strut towers to make room for more adjustment on my camber plates.




I have a set of CSL reps that I will be test-fitting soon. The width and offset should be pretty great for what I want. Here's a quick photoshop mockup.

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that looks so wrong, but I love it!
idk what it is about the wagon, but that thing is sweet!
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Thanks guys, I appreciate it!
It's a fun project, a whole lot of research, planning, and figuring things out yourself. Followed by making things yourself. And then remaking them better.
Maybe I'll see some of you guys out at autocross this upcoming season.
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Looks like it has more room than a van, pretty sweet.
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