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I welcome all ideas how to transplant sm. block CHEVROLET into 200 or 700 series[ALL/1998] posted by Dave McPartlin on
Saturday, 15 November 1997, at 12:16 p.m.
I finally might drive a Volvo, as a direct result of pressure from the relatives, who have a small Volvo repair business. I will do this under my own terms, which means that I crave 8 cylinders. This is something that I have to do. To date, I have not purchased a Volvo body, have no Volvo parts on the shelf, and know next to nil about the fine points of a Volvo chassis. Any ideas or experience you might share would be much appreciated. Also any cool links on the subject would be more than helpful. Please help!
Feel free to email!
davemcp@prairie.lakes.com
Re: I welcome all ideas how to transplant sm. block CHEVROLET into 200 or 700 series[ALL/1998] posted by Craig Murphy on
Saturday, 15 November 1997, at 12:25 p.m.
Dave, I've never done the transplant, but there is a book called "Chevy V-8 Conversion for 200 Series" by Mike Knell that you might check out. It is $40.00 at IPD (www.ipdusa.com) (1-800-444-6473) Good luck, Craig
Re: I welcome all ideas how to transplant sm. block CHEVROLET into 200 or 700 series[ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 9:43 a.m.
IF you have to do it, use a Diesel. It will be faster only at the quarter mile. On twisty road any Turbo will pass you. Ford V8 is easier to install, too. But for Chevy you can buy a "Volvo" valve covers, V8 Volvo Penta boat motors are Chevys! You may find a V8 Volvo very cheap, too. I've seen some for $ 1500 here in the West. Resale value goes down, specially for mickey-mouse convertions. I've seen some very nice installations, too. You may want to testdrive one before spending $ 5-7000 for a nice convertion, which is worth half of that after you're finnished...And think about new rearend, driveshaft, gas milage and so on. I'd build a Turbo with up-graded turbo, boost and fuel enrichment for $ 2000. Gives you some 30+ HP and you don't ruin your car. That's plenty fast for everyday car; 0-60 7.8 sec, 1/4 mile under 15 sec. Compares well with Mustang and Camaro ! It also turns and stops, which you V8 tank will not! Keep us posted on your project and how it turned out.
Re: Try Buick/Rover aluminum V8, too ![ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 10:06 a.m.
Take look at Rover aluminum V8, too. I've done couple of these long time ago. (Mainly because Buick V8 was the only one approved to license in Sweden and I exported there. I put them on 122 & P1800s). I used a Buick but Rover is more modern and it has a beautifull intake ! EIGHT polished velocity stacks (!) sticking out of the intake. You may find a Triumph TR8 with stickshift,too. This is about the same weight as Volvo 4-cylinder if you use tubular headers. Edelbrock makes again 4bbl Holley manifolds, too. This motor is 215 cu" but you can punch it out to 300+ cu" by using '64 Buick 300" crank. Fits into 215" with minor mods. So - as you see, I'm NOT anti V8. I've just became more practical with old age. I even installed a Corvette 327 & 2-speed race Torqflite into a '57 PV444. Did 110 MPH on FIRST gear ! Never found out how much on the second... Stock tiny drum brakes didn't built enough confidense...
Re: Try Buick/Rover aluminum V8, too ![ALL/1998] posted by Adam Carson on
Wednesday, 19 November 1997, at 8:29 p.m.
I have done a Ford conversion and helped with a couple others, and i also have seen an excellent Chevy conversion. If you arent real familiar with working on cars and what it takes to do a job right, where to find parts, etc, then dont do the conversion. However if you are skilled, knowledgable and do your homework thoroughly before you begin, i would recommend the conversion highly if you are a V8 fan. The Chevy conversion would be easier to the beginner because of the availability of the Mike Knell book, but if you are a real Ford fan and can get advice from a someone with the experience, do the Ford conversion. As a rookie i would go with the chevy solely because of the instruction book, which is not available for the ford conversion. Email me if you want to know more about the Ford conversion.
V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Peter on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 12:02 p.m.
A couple of comments:
A Ford drivetrain is smaller and lighter than a Chevy. It is more expensive to get the equivalent amount of HP, however. Having said that, I do have a friend that installed a Chevy into his 240 and it worked fine. He says it handles well, and since he has spent a fair amount of time racing cars, I trust his judgement.
Rover V-8s are light, but are also famous for blowing up (three of my friends have ventilated theirs), are tough to get power out of and might be tough to smog.
BTW, 300HP out of a turbo motor is likely not the same as 300HP out of large displacement V-8. HP is great, but torque is what provides acceleration out of corners.
The V-8 Volvo WILL be heavier than a stock turbo Volvo. I don't believe the weight distribution should be that onerous; certainly no worse than a stock Mustang. A Mustang can be made to handle decently given the limitation of its Fox chassis and I would expect the Volvo to handle better than the Mustang; it's go the same basic suspension with a stiffer chassis.
I'm just starting my project ('93 940 wagon) and will corner weight the car in its before and after state and will post the results.
Topi, when I'm done, you bring your turbo out to Sears Point. We'll get you on track (the road course, not the drag strip) and we'll see whose car is quickest! ;)
Dave, please feel free to e-mail with any questions.
Peter
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 6:20 p.m.
Sounds like FUN ! So - you're dropping a bone stock Chevy into a 940 wagon and exept to beat me at the road cource ? Sorry, but won't happen... My old stock '89 760 Turbo wagon still has steam to LAP you in a 10 lap race... At least you're sensible to do it close to your home to save on towing....Let me know when you've stuffed that boat anchor into your 940. (An other fine car "back-dated" 30 years...Ford , finally, got cams were they belong. Chevy's still using those damn chopstix. They should do like Japanise did long time ago: Start eating SUSHI with them !)
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Peter on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 7:24 p.m.
Topi,
I'm actually putting a Ford in mine, but the effect should be the same. So that this doesn't degenerate into an online pissing contest, I suggest the following:
Instead of telling me how fast your car is, why don't you show me how fast it is? Most tracks have marque club schools and would let a couple of Volvo wagons on track. I'm not suggesting we go wheel to wheel, but that we both cut our fastest laps and then compare.
I propose that we run on DOT rubber and that we make sure our tires are equal; in other words I won't run on Goodyear GS-CS tires if you're on something harder. I also propose that we post our times on the BrickBoard for all to see.
I live in Northern California and am within a day's drive of all of the west coast tracks. I do a fair amount of business travel and wouldn't mind driving instead of flying. There are a bunch of tracks on the "I've always wanted to drive there" list and this might be a good excuse. My car should be done by mid-February. If you're game, I will find us a track day now and reserve a couple of spots. Do you have a SCCA or marque club license? Where do you live? PacBell is in the western US, right?
Your softly sprung turbo wagon should have it all over my overly stiff low-tech car so I know you'll be game for this. If you're not, let's just end the discussion.
Peter
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Dave McPartlin on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 8:28 p.m.
Gentlemen!
Back to neutral corners!
I have aqnother question - A 300 horse Volvo vs. a 300 horse bowtie - The Chevy is obviously going to have a ton more torque, depending of course, on cam grind, what small block stroke is actually in use, etc. Is a Volvo rearend going to take it? Or should I plan on sticking a Ford 9" (that's about 228.6 mm for you metri-heads) right off the bat. Is there any such an animal as a Volvo limited slip?
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Monday, 17 November 1997, at 11:21 p.m.
I like this! Good argument helps blood circulation... Peter! Don't overestimate me, I sure as hell won't spend a dime on "special" tires, performance mods and anything else. I'm happy to drive my old, tired Brick, 129 000 miles on it, shod with 50K Michelin 195-60-15s. I don't even need to go to the track, I enjoy your company to the local twisty bit in the morning hours. See - those sunrises are sooo nice. And a little bit of serious driving won't hurt, either! Win or loose, I like driving now and then. No, I don't have any license but so what? (Volvo attorneys are hiding under the table and thinking "How can we stop this! Our product is beeing used for reckless demonstration..") Buy the way: Why don't you put in a FourCammer? It's a nice motor? Only 4.6 but kicks butt and is HiTech, and it sounds good, too. Be modern, man! Chevy Guy: No, Volvo rearend will not take the torque. New Ford Mustang has the same bolt pattern (I think), use it. Yes, you can get a LSD to Volvo rearend. It's an American Dana 30. Ford 9" will be overkill and surely kill the last remaining handling. Your car will follow the 9 inch.. The nice Chevy would be LT1 Corvette engine. LowTech but very nicely packaged accessories and geardrive water pump. Smart! If you use a Diesel core you don't need to worry about smog test. Keep us posted!
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Dirk Mooibroek on
Tuesday, 18 November 1997, at 7:21 a.m.
Hey Topi, I know for fact that you can get a Dana 30/ a stock rear end to hold.
I have a retired drag car 244 turbo with a 386 hp dyno-ed roller 302 none of this 300 hp b.s. I put a 150-250 hp kit of nitrous on the car and hells bells. I beat the crap out of the stock diff and finally it blew. I replaced it with a Dana Power Locker diff same housing and unfortunately it was defective so they sent me another one and I know for a fact I have over 100 passes with it and it is still together and just fine to give you an idea I made two drag strip passes, the rest were street passes where the car has much better traction, and my best run was a smoky 13.22 at 117mph. I was the only car of the night that left a solid quarter mile worth of rubber. This is in no way any exageration or lie I have the vehicle on video. I also would like you to know that I had approx $8,000 in motor, trans, exhaust etc...
I agree I perfer Ford's over chev's I have two working on a third with fords.
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Tuesday, 18 November 1997, at 10:06 a.m.
Well, we braking them all the time on rally and roadrace cars...If we use 4.56/4.88 and 5.4 ration, they brake ones a season. You may get lucky if you're using 4.11 & up ratios. The problem is the pinnion gear has too few teeth to hold on higher number gears. Also, at the Strip you're loading both axles equally. We snap axles, X pins and burn clutches on rally cars. And we have "only" 200 - 250 HP....V8 convertion guys are using Diesel ratio which's something like 3.01. They may hold better.
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Dirk Mooibroek on
Tuesday, 18 November 1997, at 12:29 p.m.
I have never seen a dana 30 axle break or clutches go bad, but I must trust you on this one. Both of the units I had I have sheered all the planetary gears off. I have yet to burn clutches or axles, maybe this is much easier to do in a rally. I know I have loaded my axles tremdously with 5th gear on-ramp nitrous launches and luckily no problems.. I have heard that the older 240 rear ends were somewhat stronger but I have yet to test this..
Just to let you know I said retired ex-drag car because I kept wanting more power and got the car to a point that it was hardly streetable because I could not keep my foot out of it. The motor and trans were sold to Travis Emerson Of Speed Freaks in Cincinnati who currently runs high 10's in an 88' notch back Mustang.
Any way why rally a volvo? Especially a newer one?
Mine from now on are going to be strictly street cars.
I have a second conversion also a 1980 flat hood Bertone with a fuel injected 302 and love it dearly. I did not do this conversion myself due to time constraints.
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Mikael Nylander on
Tuesday, 18 November 1997, at 2:38 a.m.
When installing a heavier engine in a 240 it's a good idea to get hold of a front end of a Volvo Ambulance. The front wheelsuspension of a volvo ambulance is build to handle heavier weight.
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Tuesday, 18 November 1997, at 10:10 a.m.
....and if you race against Turbo, get hold of the WHOLE AMBULANCE !
Re: V-8 stuff[ALL/1998] posted by Mikael Nylander on
Wednesday, 19 November 1997, at 12:56 a.m.
Why? Don't turbo-owners know how to drive? ;-)
To be honest, I prefer the torque that a V8 delivers over that lack of power
in the lower register that turboengines have.
OTOH I've never tried a car equipped with two turbos with one smaller and one bigger turbo wich would, in theory, give me what I want.