So my dad's had this car since 1975. Really fun, 2700 pounds, just a neat car. However the original B20 engine with the first gen fuel injection just isn't cutting it anymore. Parts are too hard to get for the electronic shit. Well found a company in NY that builds vintage volvo engines into racing engines. Here's the engine we're getting We're going with some new quad (yes 4) mikuni carb's. Our set up should be right at 240HP. If it's not enough it can be supercharged later pretty easily to 300+HP as mentioned. However we're building this to be a very streetable daily driver fun car so 240HP in a 2600pound (hopefully) car should be plenty! Coming hooked onto a dual disc clutch, cant remeber but I think we went kevlar discs. Tranny will be a HD T5Z with cluster gear reinforcing plate and stronger than stock .80 5th gear ( stock 5th gear ratio is .063 ) . Withbillet Pro 5 quick shift shifter. As the car sat The undercarriage is in great condition. My dad had it spray coated 20 some odd years ago and it's held up great! Suspension is already pretty good on the car, bilsteins all around with some new IPD swaybars to go in soon. Possibly going to some new springs as well. front rear Pre-tear down ready to come out! so out she goes The lil B20 that could, just not well enough crackup: Heartless..... After more teardown the awesome front end gutted interior Just a few more things to take off and then the car is off to the bodyshop/paint. Not sure yet on color. Looking at a few modern volvo colors, especially the C30's colors as it's the modern version based off of this car. The complete original wiring harness is being removed and will be replaced with a universal Painless hotrod harness. Gives a great modern fusebox and more circuits than we could need. Gauges might be switching to some extra Dakota Digital we have sitting around. Not sure about the interior yet. The stock interior sucked hard core. As you can see by the door panels it was an ugly blue. Tons of panels, not fun to replace. Pretty sure the back seat will not be going back in and will be replaced with a speaker box of some sort. Thinking the interior once stripped down will be painted the same color as the outside of the car. Unsure how much will be visible once what ever interior goes in is installed but should look sharp. Well thats it for now, will update as stuff gets done. We probably won't get the motor for at least another month as the company building it is out racing in europe.
as a mainly photographic build update thread that will be updated with pictures as the build progresses I think the picture forum is just fine. :nana
I love the stable of cars that your dad owns. The P1800ES is such a cool car. Keep us updated on the restoration!
A bat wing wagon...I ALWAYS WANTED ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SALUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FREE and clean, Ripp'n
A bat wing wagon...I ALWAYS WANTED ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SALUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FREE and clean, Ripp'n
Update 6/30/09 Deconstruction is just about complete. Got all the bumpers, rear lights, and gas tank out. The rear left is a little worse than I had thought. Looks like it was braze repaired a long time ago. Looks repairable and shouldn't need to be fully cut out. Nothing sand blasting and pour15 can't handle. the holes are for the lights, supposed to be there and for a little shop porn. As Vin Diesel once said "if you can't find the right tool in this shop, you don't deserve to be working on cars" Costco tool chests from a while back
Cool car and build. Gold color looks kewl. I almost like the way it looks without the bumpers intact. Pretty nice setup your dad has including the lift. Keep us updated.
Awesome project! Say, did I spy something in that shop with a Windjammer and a tailbag? An "Old Wing," perhaps? Just curious.
Yes indeed. It's an old GL1100 with Vetter Teraplane sidecar. Seen on the right here. The bike itself without the sidecar is flawless. A museum piece at under 10,000 miles I think.
figured I'd update this. Car got 100% stripped and went off to paint and body a few weeks ago. Lucky for us this winter has been mild and the body shop has nothing else to do. They've had 2 guys working full time on just this car. It's fully stripped of paint now. Only major body work needed is the rear left quarter panel. Luckily found one with a crushed front and perfect rear in the seattle area that's just happy to get rid of part of it so it's pretty cheap to get the transplant. Engine is done and will be dyno tuned just after christmas. We should get it, the transmission, rear diff and new springs somewhere mid january. Car should be done and painted by early february. We decided to go the same color we had the body shop (flash's automotive) paint one of our '71 Jaguars. teardown this color here's the damage
yes indeed! Super fun car, light, agile...now it'll have 240HP on tap with a modern clutch, LSD and 5 speed tremec. Can't wait!
Sexy! We thought about trying to drop in a moden volvo engine but there just isn't room. Plus staying with a B20 block is pretty cool. I'm hoping to send the full build report to IPD and some other euro/volo tuning magazines and see what happens. I know IPD would cover it in their magazine as it has some IPD parts and they love stuff like this.
