2turbotoys
Salaminizer
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2007
- Location
- Reading pa
So I decided I should start a project thread to have everything in one place..
EDIT: I decided to use a different car than the one shown here, page 9 has the pics of the new one. '78 242
The car:
1979 242, came with 4 speed and B21 running Megasquirt 1.whatever on the fuel only, PO installed this when the CIS pooped the bed. Brown hand stenciled graphics and pinstriping apparently done in the early 80's. Interior is in great shape. It had rwd 960 wheels and I drove it home for $2500. I have to find the first pics but this is what it looks like now.
Why this car:
Skip this if you don't care about anything except the mechanical stuff haha. My first Volvo was a 1978 242 in this exact color combo, but automatic (21 years ago or so). It was full of empty cigarette cartons and mineral samples. I drove it for a year or so and absolutely loved it. It started to have a minor transmission problem and I didn't know much about cars at the time, a friend of mine approached me saying a mutual friend needed a car, would I sell? Turns out it was my high school girlfriend (we weren't together for a few years at this point) who needed it. Sold it to her, it was her first car. The reason for this long winded story is that so many years later we reconnected and are now engaged, so this car is sentimental to both of us. As some of you may know, this can also help when you spend a bunch of time and money on a project haha.
Project goals:
Originally was 500 hp from a B230FT out of my old 740T. After some thought, planning, and blackberry brandy, I decided a V8 is a better, easier way to get to that goal. Research lead me to the all aluminum Chevy L33 truck motor. The descent into madness begins... I found an L33 on LSX4U.com, and they gave me a great price from a 2015 Silverado 1500, $1800 delivered. They dyno test before shipping, and found low oil pressure due to worn cam bearings, the engine had 175K on it! They offered new bearings, or a cam upgrade for $1250. I said go for the cam. After some thought I asked how much to build it to withstand boost, I was going to do that anyway, they gave me a # well under $3000. I said go for it, I can't do better than that. The final result was an engine that dynoed at 450 hp N/A, and they say it will make a solid 800 to 900 hp @ 15 psi. I told them it would be a single 67mm turbo, but probably twin 60mm turbos depending on the room I have left.
Another part of the goal is to do things once, and do them right. I plan on keeping this car forever
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q1Vn7-Rffpw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Untuned dyno test with new cam
Cam specs
Engine stuff:
Engine Tech H beam rods, dished pistons
Texas Speed VCM custom cam with upgraded springs and supporting mods + tune
42 lb injectors
ARP head studs
Melling high performance oil pump
I have already done R brakes, except the master cylinder which is sitting in my parts pile.
Transmission is a Tremec TKO 600 with carbon fiber synchros, waiting to mock it in for other upgrades, from Hanlon Motorsports, I can't recommend Bob Hanlon highly enough, I should have got all the transmission stuff from him, instead I did it the hard way and ended up buying the following:
Some of the goodies I bought as a kit from Pace Performance. Kit part # GMP-TK635828
Transmission is here!
Rear is going to be a Ford 9" which Moser will build with 3.73 or 3.89 ratio and Wavetrac
Edit: Got a 9" rear set up for a 240 but it needs tweaking to fit the R brakes, all new 3rd member, and after reading more about the Wavetrac it sounds like a turd, so will be doing something else
Suspension will hopefully be mostly Kaplhenke Racing, Ben has been patiently answering my questions..
JRZpro front and rear coilovers: Waiting on the rears still, got fronts
Adjustable trailing arms: Ben, I need these!
Adjustable front strut mounts: Got em
Strut brace: Got it in all its brown awesomeness
Master cylinder reinforcement: here
Hybrid torque arms: got em, look sweet
Spherical axle bearings: here
Adjustable swaybar end links: here
Maybe adjustable panhard bar: got it
To figure out still:
Electric waterpump, the only accessory I will be using is an alternator, got relocation kit to get rid of all that serpentine belt nonsense, alternator will be mounted on bottom of the block on the drivers side.
Edit: Our friendly neighborhood LSx guys convinced me this is a bad idea, so I got a Corvette Z06 pump instead. Bonus of this is it's only $100
Fuel delivery, have Aeromotive 340 fuel pump, but think the sending unit should be modified for AN-6 lines
Edit: This got much more complicated, will get into it in a future post but will be using a surge tank with 2 pumps being fed by the Aeromotive pump.
Need to find a body shop near me to pull the fender or tub, 245/40-17 isnt enough. remove rust and repaint in the same color, undecided on replacing some kind of brown 70's graphics..Keep them (done better) or no? It will get the brown pinstripes back.
My garage help, her name's B
Thanks again Turbobricks for all the help throughout the years, I've been here since the 90's and this place and its members have helped me do some really fun stuff! Updates coming soon..
EDIT: I decided to use a different car than the one shown here, page 9 has the pics of the new one. '78 242
The car:
1979 242, came with 4 speed and B21 running Megasquirt 1.whatever on the fuel only, PO installed this when the CIS pooped the bed. Brown hand stenciled graphics and pinstriping apparently done in the early 80's. Interior is in great shape. It had rwd 960 wheels and I drove it home for $2500. I have to find the first pics but this is what it looks like now.
Why this car:
Skip this if you don't care about anything except the mechanical stuff haha. My first Volvo was a 1978 242 in this exact color combo, but automatic (21 years ago or so). It was full of empty cigarette cartons and mineral samples. I drove it for a year or so and absolutely loved it. It started to have a minor transmission problem and I didn't know much about cars at the time, a friend of mine approached me saying a mutual friend needed a car, would I sell? Turns out it was my high school girlfriend (we weren't together for a few years at this point) who needed it. Sold it to her, it was her first car. The reason for this long winded story is that so many years later we reconnected and are now engaged, so this car is sentimental to both of us. As some of you may know, this can also help when you spend a bunch of time and money on a project haha.
Project goals:
Originally was 500 hp from a B230FT out of my old 740T. After some thought, planning, and blackberry brandy, I decided a V8 is a better, easier way to get to that goal. Research lead me to the all aluminum Chevy L33 truck motor. The descent into madness begins... I found an L33 on LSX4U.com, and they gave me a great price from a 2015 Silverado 1500, $1800 delivered. They dyno test before shipping, and found low oil pressure due to worn cam bearings, the engine had 175K on it! They offered new bearings, or a cam upgrade for $1250. I said go for the cam. After some thought I asked how much to build it to withstand boost, I was going to do that anyway, they gave me a # well under $3000. I said go for it, I can't do better than that. The final result was an engine that dynoed at 450 hp N/A, and they say it will make a solid 800 to 900 hp @ 15 psi. I told them it would be a single 67mm turbo, but probably twin 60mm turbos depending on the room I have left.
Another part of the goal is to do things once, and do them right. I plan on keeping this car forever
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q1Vn7-Rffpw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Untuned dyno test with new cam
Cam specs
Engine stuff:
Engine Tech H beam rods, dished pistons
Texas Speed VCM custom cam with upgraded springs and supporting mods + tune
42 lb injectors
ARP head studs
Melling high performance oil pump
I have already done R brakes, except the master cylinder which is sitting in my parts pile.
Transmission is a Tremec TKO 600 with carbon fiber synchros, waiting to mock it in for other upgrades, from Hanlon Motorsports, I can't recommend Bob Hanlon highly enough, I should have got all the transmission stuff from him, instead I did it the hard way and ended up buying the following:
Some of the goodies I bought as a kit from Pace Performance. Kit part # GMP-TK635828
Transmission is here!
Rear is going to be a Ford 9" which Moser will build with 3.73 or 3.89 ratio and Wavetrac
Edit: Got a 9" rear set up for a 240 but it needs tweaking to fit the R brakes, all new 3rd member, and after reading more about the Wavetrac it sounds like a turd, so will be doing something else
Suspension will hopefully be mostly Kaplhenke Racing, Ben has been patiently answering my questions..
JRZpro front and rear coilovers: Waiting on the rears still, got fronts
Adjustable trailing arms: Ben, I need these!
Adjustable front strut mounts: Got em
Strut brace: Got it in all its brown awesomeness
Master cylinder reinforcement: here
Hybrid torque arms: got em, look sweet
Spherical axle bearings: here
Adjustable swaybar end links: here
Maybe adjustable panhard bar: got it
To figure out still:
Electric waterpump, the only accessory I will be using is an alternator, got relocation kit to get rid of all that serpentine belt nonsense, alternator will be mounted on bottom of the block on the drivers side.
Edit: Our friendly neighborhood LSx guys convinced me this is a bad idea, so I got a Corvette Z06 pump instead. Bonus of this is it's only $100
Fuel delivery, have Aeromotive 340 fuel pump, but think the sending unit should be modified for AN-6 lines
Edit: This got much more complicated, will get into it in a future post but will be using a surge tank with 2 pumps being fed by the Aeromotive pump.
Need to find a body shop near me to pull the fender or tub, 245/40-17 isnt enough. remove rust and repaint in the same color, undecided on replacing some kind of brown 70's graphics..Keep them (done better) or no? It will get the brown pinstripes back.
My garage help, her name's B
Thanks again Turbobricks for all the help throughout the years, I've been here since the 90's and this place and its members have helped me do some really fun stuff! Updates coming soon..
Last edited:
It will look good lowered too. What wheels are those? Spacers/Adapters? 
