Need advice on a new project [Volvo 240]

[PATR8]

My son, inspite of me practically begging him to get a Rover SD1, has settled on a Rover 240. The problem is (or solution is) that there are two located locally. One is currently a runner and looks pretty sweet minus the rocker panel hole and rocker panel rust spots and what I saw as the major problem, the 240 has a front suspension mount that is bolted on that is to the rear of the front wheels that holds the lower "A" arm (Correct name?). This is rusted to the point it has a hole in it but still seems solid. The seller has significantly lowered her asking price for that and the fact the driver side rear quarter is actually on 3/4 of a quarter panel due to the rust on the back lip.

The parts car we found has sat for two years after the owner hit the passanger side front fender and door but is rust free. The dash is even free of cracks.

The interior of both cars are pretty sweet minus car 1's cracked dash.

The question becomes, after I swap out the parts and panels needed, what spare parts should I keep realizing I can not keep the entire car. I am asumming I will keep the engine, the tranny, the radiator... what other parts should I keep?

Any one aware of any thing I need to look more closely at on the 240? Thanks

 

[Silverghost]

By my way of thinking, keep the obvious stuff and also keep ALL the little stuff, the clips, the brackets, the switches, the windshield squirter nozzles, etc. The small things that you will probably need one day and not be able to find. Take pictures when you remove the parts and LABEL the parts! Put them in little envelopes with a description. This will be EXTREMELY useful 6 months, heck 6 days from now when you scratch your head and ask what IS this?? LoL

Big stuff is generally easy to find. Brake shoe retaining springs (as an example) not necessarily so.

 

[jessebogan]

Keep all the little plastic interior bits. Volvo plastic ..errr... is not so good, and having the little stuff saves bucks later. Are the cars close in age? Some 240s have CIS injection, some have LH. Airflow meters go bad alot (compare bosch part numbers for compatibility), as do wiper motors. If it has the "regina" ignition (Black box w/ vacuum hose in rt ft corner of engine compartment), keep that too. Keep ALL the relays. The "main" relay and fuel pump relay are notorious for failing. Later cars have what they call the "radio suppression relay", that most of the circuits that actually run the car are powered up by. These fail a lot, and will cause the car to just stop. They are cheap enough to replace new, but a spare in the car is a good thing. Last, the door panel storage boxes break. If you wind up with 2 sets, that is also good. The best exhaust systems come from Volvo, and are not much more than aftermarket ones, and volvos' actually fit Don't forget to change the timing belt and tensioner, and you might as well do the water pump too. Again, OEM parts are the best here too. As you might guess, I work on a bunch of these. I personally fail to see the attraction, but people seem to like them plenty. I much prefer the older pushrod engined cars, but the 240s are rolling up the same kind of mileages. I have one in here now that was given to a kid for his first car. 220K on it, and it needed only a very few items to be good to go.

 

[DrEntropy]

If you find you need a MAF sensor I have a near-new one here, Major. Bosch #0 280 212 007... less than 100 hours on it.

The rest of the thing went off to the bone yard.

 

[PATR8]

The runner is a 1987 and the parts car is a 1991. The parts car has a much nicer body than the 1987 other than the front fender and front door but the owner confessed before he parked it it had a wire he had to occasionally jiggle if it would not start. The interior on the parts car is spotless and even the dash is crack free. Both engines are relatively clean. I guess I was being niave assuming that the 240's all had the same engine (other than the obvious turbo version). What are the differences?

I am going to have to look up performance numbers, I have no idea but it seems obvious they are not record setters

I do beleive both car door pockets are broken . I am assuming we will swap interiors. Looks like I will have to better organize my TR8 parts to make some room for the 240 parts

 

[DrEntropy]

This was an '85. Earlier four-bangers had SU's fitted... I have the SU manifold but sent th' SU's to BCF members for fitting onto later MGB's to replace Zed-S lumps.

The "jiggly" wire may be for the lift pump in the gas tank. A notorious failing in the beasts. The "sock" filter at the intake of the submerged pump can also be an issue... 'specially since the advent of Ethanol "enriched" fuel blends.

...just a "heads-up".

 

[kennypinkerton]

Thanks again for the SU Doc. I'm actually attempting to build my own intake for the thing (even though it'll fit my current one). Something a little more efficient and lightweight and sans EGR valve, so's I can add a header.

 

[DrEntropy]

My pleasure, Kenny. If ya come up with a useful design, spread it around here! :laugh:

 

[silky]

Other resources you might explore are:

https://forums.swedespeed.com/

https://www.brickboard.com/

 

[PATR8]

I had spent some time looking for a Volvo forum and found a few in Swedish (I assume) but none looked promising. The Flying Brick, how appropiate

 

[PATR8]

Well. I have found a parts car. just need to find a decent running car. I may have found one but I amtrying real hard to talk my son into a new model. He hated the Rover SD1 I tried so hard to talk him into, Please some suggestions remembering he is 16...

Possibly a SAAB?

 

[DrEntropy]

Oh rats.

Major, you're in "deep serious" here.

I've NO imediate suggestions but DO have some "brick" friends.


...I'll report back.

 

[JPSmit]

there's a few kids driving around in 3 series BMW's - not real expensive and a little more cachet than a brick. How about Japanese (he ducks at this point) safe, more reliable than even European these days and there is the opportunity for cool mods like much more powerful engines from Japan.

 

[Steve]

SAAB is good, I have a particular soft spot (in my head) for those, they are also great in the snow, FWIW....... The three-door hatch can haul an enormous amout of stuff, as well.

 

[PATR8]

I really like the Volvo 240s but there are 7 I have looked at, the 1st has an excellent interior but the rear lip of the fender is full of putty and missing many trim peices, and has 178,000. The next has 100,000 with excellent exterior but the interior is a rat mess, dash falling apart, seats ratty but the owner owes the paint shop $3000 but the car has not moved except the day my son and I drove it. the third is listed as a parts car but is a fender and door away from being a driver with a mysterious ignition problem. the nicest overall car has 280,000 miles but is sweet interior and outside.I would love to find him a nice one but may be a bridge too far.

The Saabs seem to list at two prices, all the POS's are listed at $600 and the rest at $5000.

Japanese does not interest him because he wants something different and he hates the way VW's look and the insurance company does not like how the BMW and teens mix.

 

[JPSmit]

sounds like a road trip to me -

https://orlando.craigslist.org/car/715021097.html

go south young man! - get a rust free version - I have a friend with a Volvo Shop if you need a lead

 

[PATR8]

JP,
I would love a few tips. I beleive I have driven every 240 for sale in the PGH area and have not found one I particularly was fond of

 

[DrEntropy]

I sent a 240DL wagon away to th' crusher last month. Body was fine, new MAF sensor (I cobbed that off the thing), Trans had a new torque converter, fuel pump had less than 100 hours on it... I just couldn't waste any more time on fidlin' with it. It died and I have too many OTHER cars needing attention.

 

[philman]

I like Saabs more than Volvos, daughter likes Volvos better and she has owned both. I guess your choice depends on if you like RWD or FWD.

 

[JPSmit]

Dan Stewart

https://www.maitlandimports.com/home.html

is in the classic MG club in Orlando - drives a very bright yellow MGB with a volvo engine - imagine - an LBC that is quick, quiet and reliable :wink:

anyway, give him a call - use my name (John-Peter Smit) if you want - won't get you anything but might make a connection and see what he has.

this guy too - seems reliable - I've chatted with him but never bought from him - he will not have fixer uppers but usually has cool stock

https://thecarbar.com/SearchByMostRecent.asp