Greetings from Cleveland, where life, as we know it, is grand. The orange barrels are sprouting, the Tribe is fast on its way to the basement, and the Browns squandered their draft pick....but I digress. Just curious: Like the VolV8 for the 240 series, does anyone offer a really top notch engine conversion for the 120 series. Was at the local MG club meet the other day and saw a BEAUTIFUL V8 conversion in an MGB. 215 c.i. Olds/Buick aluminum engine, Rover/Triumph Stag 5-speed, plumbed up really nicely, and when all was said and done, replacing the 1.8 iron 4cylinder with the V8 took 70# off of the total weight of the 'B'. It got me to thinking....what about a bolt-in V8 similar to that, or, better yet how about a modern V6...like a 60 degree 3.8 or 4.0 litre from GM, or a similar Ford? Just wondering...anything out there? Not that I'd do it to the car I have, but if something else came along.....

Brad

I got into a message exchange last year with a questioner about rims for a '61 544, his first Volvo, and he said this:

"My Volvo is being built for reliability and fuel economy. I have swapped in
a 4 cylinder from a Chevy S10 with the 5 speed. I am going to replace the
differential with a Ford to match the stock bolt pattern and have it cut
down for proper width. This has been the easiest engine/trans swap I have
ever done." (The axle he used was '90 Ford Ranger pickup with two passenger-side shafts to give 3" narrower track than originally.)

An upright 4-inline offers fit advantages. There are 2.3-2.8L 4-cyl, 16-valve balance-shafted small truck/SUV engines now in Ford, Jeep, and (soon) GM lines, 140 net HP and up, with their own 5-spd trannys, using mostly aluminum castings. Japanese makes have them too.

a B21/23, 230 can be done, use a B20 oil pan, gasket and oil pump, could use a megasquirt with fuel injection, need to manufacture engine mounts, the only reason the engine is slanted in a 240 is to get a lower hood height, but lots of room up and down, the problem is between the upper a frames. and it would still be all volvo

I have noticed that some of the new V40 series are running a 1.8 liter turbo. Is it possible that a M40/M41 might be mated up. Makes for a real interesting idea... All Volvo and turbo to boot.

Oliver
1966 1800S

Oliver: I would suppose that the greatest hurdle that would need to be overcome is making sure that the computer and engine management systems are all plumbed correctly. Otherwise I can see some real drivability problems cropping up.

Brad

Article about V8 conversions and some other stuff like that.

Hi Brad,

British Leyland - or whatever they were called at that stage - bought an all alloy 3.5 litre V8 (forgive my ignorance of imperial measurements - I've no idea what that is in cubic inches) from Buick for the Rover Coupe and its successors. It ended up in the MG at a later stage and that's what makes it easy for MG owners to convert - assuming that you didn't see an original factory built car. It seems that everything, including bodyshells are available for the MG, so presumably it's easier to adapt. That engine was bored out to 3.9 litres for the Range Rover and various TVR models so it has possibilities but I've only seen discussions on Chevy blocks for the older Volvos.

The bottom line is - what exactly are you looking for? If you want the sound of a V8 then you're in for a lot of cutting and improvising, and when you have it all fitted and running then there are all sorts of implications regarding cooling and the balance of the car etc. If you just want power then there are many more options available and there's a wealth of information from other owners who have done some mild tuning or gone all out for ultimate power from the B20. My guess is that there's a lot of failed V8 conversions out there...
It might be worth trawling through the archives on this site and on the internet for more info on any V8 conversions that did succeed.

Aidan
--
1967 131

Hey, Aidan: Ya know, I'm just daydreaming. I wouldn't cut up the Old Swede ('63 California Special, 46K actual miles, no rust or rot) for love nor money. I've been around several very classy conversions, including the MGB that I mentioned (and by the bye, it's the Buick/Olds 215 aluminum V8 that the factory and today's tuners put into the B) that I just had to wonder what, if anything, the gearheads of the late '60's were doing. Remember, this was the era of Chevy engines put into the big Healy cars, ditto with Jaguar conversions, V8 MGBs, MG Midgets stuffed with RX7 engines for autocross (wickedly fast!), V8 Vegas, Sunbirds, and VWs! I also came across an old advert fr0om one of the now-defunct car magazines that advertised a complete Judson supercharger kit for the 122, MGB, and Renault Dauphine! So, I figured that there had to be something out there. I guess not, though there is some guy adding a modern turbo to the B18. Hmmmmmm.

Brad

The Buick Olds and Rover V8 are the same engine. BL bought the design from GM and proceeded to put them in darn near everything for a while. I think the direct descendant just ceased production - it was in last year's Land Rover Discovery.

You should be able to fit John Parker's supercharger kit in without chopping anything up.

http://www.v-performance.com

Like others, I've never heard of a 'bolt in.' I've never seen (in person) a V8 122 - I've seen pics, but never the real deal. There are a couple 122s with 2.8l V6's running around Portland (and a couple V8 1800s, and a couple V8 240s). Lots of work to get the V6 stuffed into a 122 and less than 1/2" between the exhaust manifolds and the upper A-arms. Melts bushings quickly.

Best,

Cameron
Rose City

Due to the inclined nature of the engines in 240s, more transplants are feasible. My vague memories are of Ford inline 6 cylinders from base Mustangs installed in 544s and 122s. The right 250 six with a four speed is feasible, I think, but maybe no one else alive can remember how. There were a bunch done somewhere in Montreal in 68-72 or so. I knew a couple of rich kids from Montreal who had 120+ mph Volvo conversions, but that was back in the dark ages. The drive trains were from Mustangs. Check the junk yards and the nursing homes for parts and experience.

MittenHed: That's precisely my problem...I'm too lazy to go about looking and measuring, then fabricating and hoping that I didn't bollix up the whole mess to the point of no return. Preliminarily, at least, I had thought that a narrow GM 6, a straight 6 from a Ford, as you suggest, or perhaps even a vintage 2.8 V6 from an old Capri (which was very successfully tuned for racing) might fit the bill. But again, I'd rather consider the project if it was done correctly by someone else. I'm not that adventurous to think I can successfully fabricate what's needed to do it right.

Brad

I have read a couple of articles over the years of a 240 conversion. I think they put in a Chevy 283 or 350. I think more people should consider doing engine swaps. Makes for a very interesting car. My friend just put a newer BMW M motor in an old BWW 2002. Now thats a cool car.

GM 60 deg's came in 2.8, 3.1, and 3.4 l displacements only not 3.8 or 4.0.

No known swap kits.

Sorry, dog! Got my 60s and 90s mixed up. Though I can't believe that NOBODY out there offers some type of kit.

Brad

Why ruin a perfectly good car, the 122 is the antithesis of the 60's american iron, I drive a Dakota 4x4 all winter, I couldn't wait and insured the 122 a month early, it has the skinniest tires, and exhaust pipe, unlike the dakota with 10.50x30x15's or its stock 2.5 inch exhaust. (now has Bilstiens)

My son has a 242gt with a big turbo(Turbo's are after my time)I have considered a b21ft, Imagine a 1000 lbs lighter and that much power the 242 pull in overdrive....

I live a 100km from the grocery store, with one of the best drives around even on those foggy snowy days in february

maybe the v6 from a chrysler 300M

Hardly larger than the B20, possible no heavier either. Gobs of power and torque stock, much more easily available. Sits upright with bottom motor mounts (not top torqu rods like on other FWD engines) -Possibly- bolts right up to a diesel 240 manual tranny and bellhousing...