I'm also eagerly awaiting the photo contest results. I had intended to submit something, but I didn't get around to doing it in time. Oh well, next year.

I don't know if there is an actual kit for a short throw shifter, but it can be done. At needforspeed.co.uk, there is a "quickshift kit" listed for the 240, but I don't know anything about it. My links page has a direct link to the Volvo 240 section of the site. You can also have a section welded into the shift lever BELOW the ball, which shortens the throw length for the shift even though it actually makes the shifter longer (it won't stick up any higher). Here's the site that you may have seen before about the M46 shifter:

Short shifter for M46

Here's a page from the archives about short shifters:

http://brickboard.com/ARCHIVES/1997DEC/6382.shtml

(I already had these pages bookmarked because I want to do this sometime too. Right now I'm struggling to get a Momo knob on my M47 shifter)

I can't help much with what snow tires to use, but since you already have a spare set of 14" wheels, use those. I would suggest 185/70/14, once you decide on which ones to get. I'll be using my stock 14" steel wheels for winter to save my turbo wheels w/summer tires, and I'll most likely use 185/70/14 since it's the stock size and it's narrow.

Good luck.

Eric,

The photo contest results are in the September/October issue, which will be in the mail next week.

Best,

Cameron

Vintage Tech Support

ipd

I don't know anything about the other stuff, but I'll give you my opinion on the snow tire question. I'm assuming that you want to have your snow tires mounted on a separate set of rims, right? If not, then I'd recommend it. It's a whole lot easier to swap entire wheels than to have tires mounted and unmounted twice a year. (Also better for your rims.) In any event, it's really not the diameter of the tire that matters. It's the width of the tread. A narrower tire will sink down farther into snow/slush and have a better chance at biting into whatever is down there. If you have a spare set of 15" rims ready to go, you may as well go ahead and use them unless they're in such good condition that you don't want to thrash them with sand/salt. Otherwuse I'd just get a set of plain steel wheels to mount the snow tires on. FWIW, my stock alloy rims are actually 14" with my 185/70 series rain tires on them. A few years ago I bought a set of steel wheels/snow tires that my mechanic had lying around. These are 15" rims with 185/65 series Gislaved snows on them. And those tires are great in the New England/Upstate NY winters that I drive around in. They have also worn acceptably IMO. Just my two cents.

Tim