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So I'm negotiating on an '88 Volvo 240. It's a unique car, it's a wagon, it's got the M47 5-speed... And it's a GL with manual windows no a/c... Oh and a choke on the dash. It's a euro spec from Germany with a single carb.
Needs a heater core but the exhaust is all new... And it's generally in pretty good knick. Needs the hatch repainted (spot rust) and a little jagged dent on the front fender repaired, so a little body work. Maybe $600 total. Needs left rear door trim too I can get that locally. It's a cool car but I'm not sure it's priced right. It seems like an awesome project (I would be doing everything but the paint) to keep me busy and then I'll aircare it and sell it. Might drive it through the winter.
Its 191,000 km, has the service book stamped to 190k service and has the euro headlamps. Hasn't been driven much in 6 years but was started and driven around the block so everything functions like brakes, no sticky gas varnish, etc... Needs a carb tune BAD. SUPER rich running.
So picking some brains... What would YOU pay? By the time I'm done with it it'll be as close to immaculate as it can be... I'll probably sell it at the end of winter. Or even during winter. I always get bored when these projects are done. :P
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Vin no. YV1245813G1691409
Had title problems since the car has no check digit.
Car is registered as an '86 but has no seatbelt clips in the centre console. Motor IS a B230A... Has the correct later black top dash too. And the owners manuals are from 1988 as well as the service book but everything from TDS says Feb. '88 and corresponds to this car, so...????
Very odd. Phone is almost dead though so I'll look into it tomorrow. Could it have been a company use car, like an employee perk, and then sold as a demo in early 1988??
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Well side windows are stamped '86.
Guess that's that
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Well, my offer was accepted!
I'll see about getting it tomorrow.
edit: 1:48 am. just finished reading about replacing the blower motor and heater core.
FML, haha. Although I'll try the hole saw method for both...
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Don't leave us hanging. What'd ya give for it? (I would normally consider this a rude question, but since that was the original thrust of the thread....)
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Let's just say I consider any running and smogged car worth about $500. I just paid a little
more for something that is neither. ;)
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Congrats with the buy!
As you mentioned that this is a non-a/c car, please note that the blower motor is quite different than those in the a/c equipped cars. Here is a pictorial of using a chainsaw method on a non-a/c heater:
http://www.volvoturbo.net/Garagebilder%2037.html
Have you confirmed that this is a true 1988 model with the original engine?
This is the engine bay of my original 1987, note the plastic "bowl" over the carb that reveals that the engine is a B230K:
Erling.
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My 240 Page
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I'll get photos. But that strikes me as similar but not the same...
As well, the car is no ac, but has the premium style heater controls? It IS a
GL I suppose.
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Check the VIN to confirm correct model year and engine type. The 6th and 7th digits identify the engine. The 10th digit is a letter which tells you the model year. A 1988 model would have a J in that spot. A 1987 would be H, a 1986 = G, and so on. ("I" is not used because it looks like a number...same with "O")
Check those and report back, and you may be able to get more specific help from the carb guys here.
--
Bob: son's 81-GL, dtr's '94-940, my 83-DL, 89-745(V8) and 98-S90. Also 77-MGB and some old motorcycles.
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I like carbed engines for their simplicity. I get 10 to 11 kms per liter without the headaches and expense of computerized FI systems. See if you can replace the carb with an SU or even a Mikuni from a bike. Rhys, a brickboarder, (http://www.sucarburetors.com/index.html) out your way, may be able to help.
But if you are just going to buy it to fix it up to resell, you may not get a good return. If you don't expect a good profit, then buy it, else leave it to someone who actually wants it.
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.
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Good point. I have been wanting to
learn more about tuning carbs and this may be an excellent opportunity to
cut my teeth. Someone has been fiddling with that single carb already and made a mess of it. Luckily I have a mechanic friend that's been workingnon cars since ~1974 and has the patience of a saint so we can get it through emissions together. :)
On paper it looks like a decent motor. A little
more tq & 4 less hp than an equivalent FI car, but it makes said power at 400 rpm less. Manipulate the M47 the right way and it may even be a little fun!
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A carb'ed Euro-spec'ed '88 - it has a B230K engine, right? Look for the '631' cylinder head to check. Be aware that this is a high compression interference design engine. The high compression together with the T-cam makes it great in city stop-and-go traffic (great pulling power from low revs), but you'd better not forget to change the timing belt when it's due.
The B230K is an okay engine when everything works. It can be hell when it is acting up - and this one is, apparently. If it has the original Solex Cisac twin-barrel 34/34 carb, this is a very complicated, last-generation carb - just look at all those suspicios-looking, multi-colored vacuum lines that goes in and out of it. Only Mr. Solex in his heaven(?) knows what they are for. Some of the parts can be hard to find, people who knows how to serve it even harder.
On the bright side, the original intake will fit down-draught Webers with only minor modificartions. Or you could install the intake from a B23(0)A engine for a much simpler Stromberger etc. carb. -Or you could swap the entire engine for an F-engine.
I have no idea what the car might be worth in your neck of the woods.
Erling, Norway.
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Great response elring! thank you!
It actually is a B230A. Sounds like that's a good thing! Haha. It's unusual, but with 4 hp less and 6 lb ft. More at 400 rpm less than a B230F on paper it sounds like a pretty decent little motor. Just need to tune the carbs to pass emissions (yuck!)
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It would be great if you are able to establish if the B230A is the original engine. For the Scandinavian markets, 1986 was the last year of the B230A. In 1987-88 the carb'ed 240s were equipped with the B230K. (From 1989 and onwards all cars had to have cats and carbs were history.) Other markets could be different, and I'd really like to know if the B230A was used up to 1988 elsewhere.
Thanks,
Erling.
--
My 240 Page
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So it has two carb's?
most had single carb as mentioned, a Stromberg
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It's a single carb. It was advertised as an '87 but it has the '88 owners manual in English with the choke mentioned in it. The tag on the front of the motor says 'B230A'. It has a new exhaust system with a cat, no idea if that's original or not. The car was a TDS car and has all the supporting documents. So whether it's German spec, or it's a left hand drive model with a British engine or something I don't know.
The car is almost an hour from home so I won't be able to check this unless I'm runnin out there with money. I have an offer pending.
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