Few people (except Topi) seem to read the opinion board, so I will post my message here.

I have recently converted a 87 780 (solid rear axle) to a Chevy 350 (done by Group 6 in Payson AZ). Frank of Group 6 suggested that I get the suspension bushing replaced to handle the large increase in torque. My Volvo dealer totally fouled up the logistics of this repair, they did not have the right tools. So while they took three weeks to get this job done, they gave me a turbo V70 SW. I have now got my 780 back, but the swap gave me a chance to compare the two cars.

The 780 has the Chevy 350 set back almost to the fire wall and low. It has new Bilstein shocks, 25mm sway bars front and rear, 16 inch alloy wheels with Continental ZR rated 205-55 tires. The V70 was stock.

I at first thought the 780 had a heavy feel of the wheel (at least compared to my 69 911), but after driving the V70 for 2000 miles, the V70 has significantly more of a "no road " heavier feel. The V70 is deceptive at speed. It is easy to creep up to 90 mph and not even notice it. It seems rock solid. It is quite inspiring to drive this car fast. Though I was not about to abuse someone else's $45,000 car, I did notice that in standard freeway off ramps, the car had what I call front end plow, it feels like the nose is pulling you through the corner. In a wide open area, I pushed it untill it plowed and its seemed hard to do anything with but slow down and get the adhesion back.

The 780 on the other hand seems to pivot underneath you. It is not nimble like a sports car in a sharp corner, but it will hold a line in a constant radius corner quite well. I have now pushed it to the point of tire adhesion and its slowly drifts into oversteer, correctable with power. I, so far, have not gotten adverse effects from hitting brakes in the corner (a 911 does weird things here). I pushed the car hard in a parking lot after a rain, again the oversteer seemed mild compared to what the Porsche can do, but the 780 does not have the overall corning power of the 911. The 780 like the V70 holds the road at speed with confidence.

I must compliment the V70 power. It is quite smooth and though a little slow at low rpm, you can really feel that turbo come on. It has excellent response at 60 mph. The 780 is more of a frontal assualt. Low end torque will spin $200 of rubber off those Continentals. At passing, the Chevy transmission, downshifts too far resulting in excessive acceleration. I prefer to manually downshift, then build up the rpm.

I did not really test the brakes of the V70 (again it was not my car). I have slammed the brakes in the 780 hard from 70 mph. Fairly straight, all 4 wheel skid. I staid in the lane without any steering input, but I wouldn't take my hands off the wheel which I can do in the 911.

I liked the V70. It is very quiet and sophisticated, yet has excellent power and handling. The 780/Chevy 350 is more primal, a jaguar vs a bobcat. Personally, I prefer the 780, but this is probably a character flaw.

Tom McGuckin