The thing that keeps me sane from building guitars

Well if it makes you feel better, this is probably the only thing that'll happen for a month. Seems like I average 1 weekend out of every 8 to work on it LOL
I know the feeling. Since we did the engine bay the only thing I've done to my truck is jump the battery every couple of weeks :facepalm:
 
I have always respected people that can do car restoration work. First, because it take expertise to restore a car, and second, because it takes a level of patience that I have not yet mastered. Good for you Doug. :thu:
 
I have always respected people that can do car restoration work. First, because it take expertise to restore a car, and second, because it takes a level of patience that I have not yet mastered. Good for you Doug. :thu:

Thanks! Much appreciated.

Now that the Open House is over, I should be getting back to work soon. :grin:
 
Progress!!

I'll play a little catch up here. So for those of you who don't know volvo's (most I'm sure), 240's came with an iron 2.3 (or 2.1) 4 cylinder motor, SOHC aluminum head ranging from 90-150bhp. I've built pretty hot versions of these in the past but I wanted to build another 2.3L 5 cylinder from the newer FWD Volvo's. It's a 2.3L, all aluminum, DOHC motor that's about 50 years newer in development (ok, only 20 but the old iron motors were basically tractor motors). These motors stock range from 240-300bhp.

The upside, the last one of these I built dyno'd 453hp at the wheels. The downside, they never came in RWD format. The upside, the 6 cylinder version DID (the 960) and the motors were designed to be modular. So we start by taking off some of the stuff I don't need for now (or ever), including the FWD oil pan.

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The FWD pan is a giant, rectangle. Won't fit in RWD
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Then you take the 6 cylinder pan, chop a 100mm out of the center and weld it back together. A buddy of mine did this years ago for me, been sitting on it waiting for the right time.

The next issue is a transmission. We never got a manual that fit this motor in RWD form in the US. There is one in europe but very expensive and very rare. Instead I decided to use a WC T5 from a 5.0 Mustang. Easy to get, easy to rebuild, easy to adapt. Another perk, the 960 automatic bellhousing is removable from the transmission. So you grab the auto bellhousing and rock out.
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I designed the adapter and a buddy machined it.
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Bolting it up!
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BOOM, In the car!
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The Trans is about an inch to inch and a half forward of the ideal spot but who cares, just cut the hole forward.
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View from underneath
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Going to have plenty of clearance on the exhaust side of the turbo and should be fine for the compressor housing.

So excited! OK, now to start working on the rear end, core support, intercooler and exhaust. Basically anything that'll require welding in, to, against the car.
 
Nice work!
You know, if you and Mark's son got together, you might be able to build a rocket that was powered by tube amplifiers.
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Nice work!
You know, if you and Mark's son got together, you might be able to build a rocket that was powered by tube amplifiers.
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It certainly would explode on the ground if I was involved LOL. A good car buddy of mine is literally doing just that, he's an engineer over at spacex. That place is mind blowing!
 
Those WC T5s are great trannies. My brother and I have beat the crap out of them in our Mustangs and they keep asking for more. Other parts give up before them.
 
Those WC T5s are great trannies. My brother and I have beat the crap out of them in our Mustangs and they keep asking for more. Other parts give up before them.

I agree. For what they are especially they are hard to beat. None of the Volvo transmissions are great, I was the first one to work out adapting a T5 to the redblock (original iron) motor in my old 242.

I'll rebuild it with the 2.95-.83 gear set and build it for the 400 ft/lbs rating. That'll be a bit low of what I expect this motor to do but with turbo cars you never quite shock a trans with full torque instantly. I was never able to blow up the T5 in my old 242 (350'ish whp so about 400ft/lbs at the crank) and that was never rebuilt.
 
Went to get sheetmetal, came home with this instead

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Couldn't be more thrilled. EXACTLY the front and rear seats I wanted. The back is going to take a little work but looks more than do able. The S40/V50 rear seat is just a smidge wider well to well than the 245 is. I may need to have an upholstery shop open them up for me so I can trim up the internal sheet metal a bit. Power on both front seats too :grin:
 
Was just too dang nice this weekend to be stuck in the shop working on guitars... so I did some car work instead. Considering I haven't touched it since May of last year... it's probably well over due.

Grabbed the motor/subframe I picked up from a friend off the storage rack and took it outside to pressure wash it
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After that was done, I stole the scissor lift we normally use for lifting units of materials to saw height and stuck the entire subframe on that
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I broke the trans and subframe away from the motor there then brought the motor home.
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Now I snagged this for a couple reasons. One, I wanted the accessories and for the price I paid, it was worth it. But I also wanted the bottom end as I wanted a 2.3L early block since that's what my rods and pistons are for. I'll have to add the crankcase windows in but my shop did that on the last 3 motors I built so they know what to do. The mockup motor in the 245 is a 2.4l but I AM using the RN head.

So last night and today I tore it down
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There we go. I left the crank in since my machine shop will need all the bolts for the bottom girdle when they bore the block so figured it was just easier to transport it as one unit.

I was a little worried because this motor looked pretty neglected. PCV is badly filled with crude, water looked suspect but in the end, the cylinder walls actually look pretty good. Reasonably good crosshatch and no real ridge. SO hopefully it'll clean up at the right size for these pistons. Nothing ventured nothing gained after all.
 
Nice. I have owned 3 240's over the years. They are plentiful here, since the hippies switched over to them from vw's a couple decades ago.
 
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