Say you could get a 242DL...

...cheap, it's an early model with the awesome single round head lights, manual transmission (assuming 4 speed M45) but has the ho-hum N/A B21 that according to the seller, "runs, but has low compression in 1 cylinder, his 'mechanic' claims it needs valve work," minimal rust, Southern car. Assuming you still had 1/2 your $2015 budget available after purchase how would you proceed?

I'll go ahead and get the LSX out of the way, I'd have to be one lucky SOB to fall into even an LR4 and trans and have it in and running for the remaining budget price, though I know a few stellar "horse traders," I might be able to enlist their skills.

I've always wanted a 200 Volvo with a White Block T5 or T6, but that'd be another tough one to budget.

Fix the B21 + turbo?
B230FT? (probably the cheapest/safest turbo option)
B230F + 16V head + ITBs?
B230F + 16V head + Turbo?
B234F + ITBs (probably cheaper to start with the B234 if I want a 16v)
B234F + Turbo?

I don't know Red Blocks as well as White Blocks, so I'm probably missing something. I got SWMBO's blessing if the guy sells for as cheap as I think he will, I'll need an education.

B230 16v turbo with a T5.

EvanB wrote: B230 16v turbo with a T5.

+1 http://www.volvo-forums.com/t6999-turbo-conversion.htm

or

a carbed 350 and auto tranny? Then turbo later??

Fat rod B230FT, Megasquirt and throw boost at it. You can make silly amounts of power without the 16V head and the rest of that stuff.

I'd get it today and sort it out after it was sitting in my driveway and I could hug it.

mazdeuce wrote: I'd get it today and sort it out after it was sitting in my driveway and I could hug it.

The most important part of any project is staring at the mess in front of you. Plans are useless but planning is essential.

Find a crashed 5.0 Mustang. They fit like they were made to go there- the 5 speed shifter hits the hole in the floor, it takes 10 minutes with a comealong to squeeze the headers a wee bit closer to the block so they fit, the Bosch fuel pump in the Volvo is the one that the Mustang guys use as a race piece, the weird double sump oil pan fits the Volvo crossmember, and there is a pretty cheap kit for motor mounts, which you can fab easily.

Small block Chev doesn't fit as easily. The Ford is the easy button.

There's a beautifully original white one that I've driven past a couple of times this week. I keep hoping to see a for sale sign on it.

I believe if you go Ford 5.0.. the valve covers from the Volvo Penta marine engines fit.. thus your 5.0 would have Volvo valve covers, just to really mess with people

mad_machine wrote: I believe if you go Ford 5.0.. the valve covers from the Volvo Penta marine engines fit.. thus your 5.0 would have Volvo valve covers, just to really mess with people

Then you put a Volvo head on your XR4Ti's engine and park the cars side by side for a double dose of Huh???

The problem with putting a 5.0l in a 240 is that you'd then have a Ford engine in your Volvo. Yuck!

There's quite a few turbo 940/740 engines on car-part that would work within the budget with ample room to spare.

I confirmed it is the 4 speed. How's that M45 hold up in the real world? Google search seems to make me think it's made of glass. The T-5 EvanB mentioned or M90 seem to be the transmissions to use with a breathed on Red Block.

Not to hijack, but does anyone have realistic numbers for what a volvo 200/700/900 v8 swap would cost assuming that a 5.0L is used, and that the car, engine and tranny are not incuded in the numbers? What about for the Chevy 350?

Sorry Lee, back to you now......

T5s are cheap and plentiful, Evan nailed what to do in the first response, only other thing would be to update/replace the wiring harness if that hasn't been done already.

bigdaddylee82 wrote: The problem with putting a 5.0l in a 240 is that you'd then have a Ford engine in your Volvo. Yuck!

I think you'll spend more to go slower with other engines.

dculberson wrote:

bigdaddylee82 wrote: The problem with putting a 5.0l in a 240 is that you'd then have a Ford engine in your Volvo. Yuck!

I think you'll spend more to go slower with other engines.

I think you could build a pretty healthy redblock for the price of a 5.0 swap. I would recommend a v8 swap in a wagon but 242s need turbo redblocks.

LeMons the SOB

In fact, one took the overall win in the race this past weekend....powered by a Ford 302...a wicked sounding and wicked fast one at that.

You should buy it and then buy my 740 wagon. Combine the two. Then go have turbo fun.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/il-1990-volvo-740-turbo-wagon-4spd-man-w-working-o/91503/page1/#post1636078

EvanB wrote:

dculberson wrote:

bigdaddylee82 wrote: The problem with putting a 5.0l in a 240 is that you'd then have a Ford engine in your Volvo. Yuck!

I think you'll spend more to go slower with other engines.

I think you could build a pretty healthy redblock for the price of a 5.0 swap. I would recommend a v8 swap in a wagon but 242s need turbo redblocks.

Sure, but a 5.0 swap can be done realllly cheaply with some legwork. The motors are going to be the same price, the difference is you'll spend money hopping up the redblock versus spending money swapping in the 5.0. Both feeding into a T5 so same cost on the tranny.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Find a crashed 5.0 Mustang. They fit like they were made to go there- the 5 speed shifter hits the hole in the floor, it takes 10 minutes with a comealong to squeeze the headers a wee bit closer to the block so they fit, the Bosch fuel pump in the Volvo is the one that the Mustang guys use as a race piece, the weird double sump oil pan fits the Volvo crossmember, and there is a pretty cheap kit for motor mounts, which you can fab easily. Small block Chev doesn't fit as easily. The Ford is the easy button.

I need one of these in my life...

or easier then finding a crashed mustang and for roughly the same price, a 5.0 explorer

Dude's wanting an answer/offer, what's it worth? Seller said to bring a trailer, not to risk driving it, only about 45 miles from home. Allegedly has brand new tires, but engine issues mentioned earlier, plus needs a starter (new one included in purchase), and rust is worse than I was originally lead to believe. Haven't seen under it, but I suspect there's more rust hiding. Asking price has plummeted every few days for the past week and a half with OBO, I'm confident I could drag it home for ~$1K but after seeing the rust I'm thinking of trying it for even less.

That looks very solid for a 242. If you can get it for even less than $1k it's a deal.

BTW the flathood and grill are probably worth close to $300 alone. Up here that isn't rust.

I might have a tach for that car. I would have to check my old parts stash.

That's a right pretty volvo, sir.

How attached is he to the car? Think that he would bite at $500-700?

if he doesn't let that one go cheap here's an 86 owned by an enthusiast with the right maintenance bits taken care of with some bits towards a 230f+t conversion http://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/4728794169.html