Ok. So I bought a one owner garage kept '93 850 to keep the spousal unit happy.

Now I have a very faded, almost rust free 79 242 automatic that is no longer her grocery car to deal with. It is a basic DL with an SU carburetor and 208,000 kms.

Any suggestions as to what to do to perk this puppy up, or should I flog it to the first parental unit wanting a safe car for their daughter?

It has good compression, recent struts, shocks and brakes.

Are there any relatively cheap mods to give this thing enough power to get out of the way of it's own shadow and turn a corner without rolling over and testing the rollcage?

Since it is faded chocolate brown, it could make the ultimate sleeper?

HELL YES!!!!

I say all of the above!!! IPD sway bars (www.ipdusa.com) will fix the rolling issue, combined with a set of (usually) cheaply obtained 15" Volvo wheels. A good tune is what's probably in order to perk it up a little. Volvo did their best at the time to give them as much spunk as possible. Your brick already has a fairly agressive cam.

You are obviously in the great north... let me know how I can be of assitance in pointing you in the right direction for toys.

Richard

87 245 DL 351,000 km
82 242 GLT 121,000 km

http://members.cardomain.com,richink

"Any suggestions as to what to do to perk this puppy up, or should I flog it to the first parental unit wanting a safe car for their daughter?"

I guess it depends on whether you need a spare car. As it has an SU carb, I presume you are in Canada. Carbed engines are a lot less problematc and easier to fix. Also, because of its age you wouldn't need emission checks done in Ont.

If it's not rusted out and has low kms, I'd keep it. Though I prefer standard wagons.

Rollcage? The first month that I had my '80 245, I replaced every rubber suspension bushing on the car. I replaced the 14" wheels with the 15" steel wheels from a 740 and put Michelin Pilots on them. Next was the Bilstein (sp?) struts and shocks and the IPD sway bars. My wagon weighs 1660 lbs. on the front axle and 1700 lbs. on the rear axle. I can fine tune the weight with a bag of potatoes. It is certainly no dragster but will comfortably cruise at 90mph all day and surprises quite a few in the corners.