Help My Brother Choose a New Engine. ('72 1800ES)

So My brother got his car running with megasquirt ahwile back, but the 4cyl isn't really putting down enough power.. i guess.. in his opinion. So he came to me asking about what kind of engine he should swap in. I made the usual LS type suggestions but he would rather keep the car in the Volvo family. Something like the new Volvo V8 thats apparently narrow (said the price wouldnt be a big issue ), since megasquirt does coil packs he could probably use that for management, but I couldn't really help him out past that. Its a really really nice looking car (no rust ) so cutting the firewall or doing super crazy stuff like that is probably out of the question. Here is a link to the turbobricks post What do you guys think?

so, keep it a volvo engine, and no cutting?

I could probably win the cutting argument with enough prodding, but he doesn't want to do anything south of the firewall (in terms of cut n weld). He has a C70 turbo and was saying that the engine could go in the 1800 but really wants to go v8.

oh and he may also cave on a ford motor.

Volvo == ford. Can an SVT Focus motor hook to a RWD trans?

Flip that intake manifold around backwards and turbo it.

I would just build a Volvo B20. Maybe toss a turbo on it. No need to get all stupid with swaps when something "easy" exists.

I say turbo the current engine with a smalish turbo. Aim for 100 more hp and be thrilled!

walterj wrote: Volvo == ford. Can an SVT Focus motor hook to a RWD trans?

No problem. Take your choice.

Zetec RWD bellhousings

There's not much room under the P1800 hood. As far as I know, most V8 conversions have ended in tears. It's just not easy, even with a small V8. Turbo Volvo 4, all the way. They're so overbuilt you can make stupid power, it's still in the family, and it'll be WAY easier than any V8 swap.

I see what you guys mean, with a turbo app theres some fun options for running the intercooler up in front of the radiator, Ill have to see what he wants to do.

It's plenty cheap to put a B230FT in there. Keep it in the family!

Nice car...

Another vote for a 4-cyl. Volvo engine. Seems like a bunch of guys are running 16V heads on their Turbo applications, too...

plus another on the turbo... build a nice little log manifold and hang a t25 off of it, put in a small eclipse intercooler, and you're golden... fuel management is covered by the megasquirt... i'm in md and have a wideband for tuning...

there's something missing from the engine compartment:

a turbo!

S80 T6 engine?

Redblock 2.3ti with T5 adapter.

3.0 sho v6 with an aerostar bellhousing, and t5 trans from a ranger. volvo farmed out a couple v8s to yamaha so why not. (engines can be had for cheap, intake manifold can be reversed 180 degrees(opposite from pictured below).

ps only slightly biased about the engine lol.

IF a SBF won't fit (and it won't) I don't think the SHO V6 will either.

Yeah I read the title before I looked at the engine bay, I don't think it'd fit either now that I look at it.

might need a bigger shoe horn.

Straight six

Miata

Supercharged B20? I know theres an adapter to put the Redblock in the early cars but it escapes me. Check over at turbobricks.com for the power those guys are making.

http://v-performance.com/about.html

They have performance kits for the old red blocks