Hey Y'all!
It has been a loooongg while since I have been on the TB forums! But I am so glad to be back!
I started browsing these forums almost a decade ago, I was looking to purchase my first project car and a Turbo Volvo really itched the right scratch for me. I was 16 and wanted something to daily but also tinker with on the weekends and so I dove into reading all the collective knowledge y'all have poured into this forum! With all the knowledge I had gained and waiting for the right car to pop-up for sale, I finally found what I was looking for.
A 1981 Yellow 244! Aptly named Betty Sue (The BTY in the license plate)
After trailering her home we realized the K-Jet system was a bit complicated and very flogged. So my dad and I decided we wanted to engine swap her with something fuel injected and turbo charged. (Yeah the daily driver thought went out the window quick) So we began digging around our local Pick and Pulls on weekends. We came across an absolute grail!
A 23FT from a 7 series.
She was greasy and grimy, but fairly low mileage (150k, I think?). It was definitely scrapped for some electrical issue, it had a brand new alternator, starter, distributor, and plug wires.
We were very excited to have such an incredible swap lined-up so we did as much work as possible to make this thing run like new!
-Sent the head to be hot dipped and get new valves and springs
-IDP Turbo Cam and Adjustable Cam Gear
-Every gasket was refreshed
-Rebuilt the turbo charger
-Painted the block back to its bright red glory
-Painted Valve Cover
-Larger turbo drain
-YoshiFab Catch Can
-YoshiFab CAS Adapter
-LS Coils
-Probably more, who remembers at this point
We painted the engine bay and got the new engine into her new home!
Things were looking great. We ordered an insane amount of parts and refreshed most of the car.
-IDP Lowering Springs
-Brand New Shocks & Struts
-New Ball Joints
-New Mishimoto Intercooler
-New 5 Panels From the Forums! (shout out to @jfry )
-RX7 Brake Upgrade
-A Getrag Adapted Trans from a fellow T-Bricker in Pheonix
-Many Other Odds and Ends
All the while my dad and I became obsessed with these nuggets. We found a very clean 1985 245 with a manual in California that my dad was going to make into his project car! But, it ended up being the car I drove through highschool.
And then I graduated highschool and these two cars sat. For years they sat in my parents garage waiting to be given new life...
And that's where my very ambitious plan begins. I have some time this upcoming Nov/Dec to fly home to Vegas and get one of these cars running to then drive back to the DMV. It is going to be a tight turn around, but I love a challenge. My parents have moved out of their home leaving my brother and other family to rent it out. Every Volvo related thing I own needs to be dealt with before the new year.
So the plan?
-Take the refreshed 23FT from the 244 and put it in the 245, along with all the other upgraded goodies.
-Sell off the yellow shell
-Clean out and sell all of my misc. Volvo parts
-Drive the 245 back home to DC
This is a massive undertaking, but has to get done very soon. I will be enlisting my friends to help with this build but.... none of them are huge car people. So I want to get this thread started now to see if any fellow T-Brickers are interested in helping out with this challenge. The cars are located in the suburbs of Las Vegas. I will have room for folks to crash on couches and air mattresses. I will supply the beers. And will let you take first pick of the mountain of parts that are taking up space in that garage.
Excited to be back on the forum! I will be asking questions and refreshing my knowledge prior to heading home. I will do my best to keep this thread updated prior to heading home and while the build takes place!
TL;DR: I started a project Volvo in highschool, now it needs to be finished in just a matter of a few weeks.
It has been a loooongg while since I have been on the TB forums! But I am so glad to be back!
I started browsing these forums almost a decade ago, I was looking to purchase my first project car and a Turbo Volvo really itched the right scratch for me. I was 16 and wanted something to daily but also tinker with on the weekends and so I dove into reading all the collective knowledge y'all have poured into this forum! With all the knowledge I had gained and waiting for the right car to pop-up for sale, I finally found what I was looking for.
A 1981 Yellow 244! Aptly named Betty Sue (The BTY in the license plate)



After trailering her home we realized the K-Jet system was a bit complicated and very flogged. So my dad and I decided we wanted to engine swap her with something fuel injected and turbo charged. (Yeah the daily driver thought went out the window quick) So we began digging around our local Pick and Pulls on weekends. We came across an absolute grail!
A 23FT from a 7 series.

She was greasy and grimy, but fairly low mileage (150k, I think?). It was definitely scrapped for some electrical issue, it had a brand new alternator, starter, distributor, and plug wires.
We were very excited to have such an incredible swap lined-up so we did as much work as possible to make this thing run like new!
-Sent the head to be hot dipped and get new valves and springs
-IDP Turbo Cam and Adjustable Cam Gear
-Every gasket was refreshed
-Rebuilt the turbo charger
-Painted the block back to its bright red glory
-Painted Valve Cover
-Larger turbo drain
-YoshiFab Catch Can
-YoshiFab CAS Adapter
-LS Coils
-Probably more, who remembers at this point





We painted the engine bay and got the new engine into her new home!

Things were looking great. We ordered an insane amount of parts and refreshed most of the car.
-IDP Lowering Springs
-Brand New Shocks & Struts
-New Ball Joints
-New Mishimoto Intercooler
-New 5 Panels From the Forums! (shout out to @jfry )
-RX7 Brake Upgrade
-A Getrag Adapted Trans from a fellow T-Bricker in Pheonix
-Many Other Odds and Ends



All the while my dad and I became obsessed with these nuggets. We found a very clean 1985 245 with a manual in California that my dad was going to make into his project car! But, it ended up being the car I drove through highschool.


And then I graduated highschool and these two cars sat. For years they sat in my parents garage waiting to be given new life...
And that's where my very ambitious plan begins. I have some time this upcoming Nov/Dec to fly home to Vegas and get one of these cars running to then drive back to the DMV. It is going to be a tight turn around, but I love a challenge. My parents have moved out of their home leaving my brother and other family to rent it out. Every Volvo related thing I own needs to be dealt with before the new year.
So the plan?
-Take the refreshed 23FT from the 244 and put it in the 245, along with all the other upgraded goodies.
-Sell off the yellow shell
-Clean out and sell all of my misc. Volvo parts
-Drive the 245 back home to DC
This is a massive undertaking, but has to get done very soon. I will be enlisting my friends to help with this build but.... none of them are huge car people. So I want to get this thread started now to see if any fellow T-Brickers are interested in helping out with this challenge. The cars are located in the suburbs of Las Vegas. I will have room for folks to crash on couches and air mattresses. I will supply the beers. And will let you take first pick of the mountain of parts that are taking up space in that garage.
Excited to be back on the forum! I will be asking questions and refreshing my knowledge prior to heading home. I will do my best to keep this thread updated prior to heading home and while the build takes place!
TL;DR: I started a project Volvo in highschool, now it needs to be finished in just a matter of a few weeks.