Project '82 Volvo 242

[lilcraigford]

Glad to see this back on track! The design work going into the front suspension is incredible!

[Skullcandy]

Design and engineering in this build it top notch.

[xtreme]

any updates on this?

[Karl Buchka]

Originally Posted by xtreme

any updates on this?

Gant,

Thanks for the bump. Unfortunately there has been no real progress. Other projects have taken up a lot of time. Both my brother and I have also been trying to focus on school, and being 3000 miles away from the car for most of the year doesn't help either. Alex has actually done quite a bit of cad work on the car, but we want to get in to manufacturing before posting any pics of that.

I've picked up a lot more electronics stuff. A few months ago I developed an add-on board that will convert almost any Volvo from the 1980s to distributorless ignition. It also adds launch control and shift cut (for full throttle shifting).

Here's a picture of it mounted and wired inside the ECU:


The first production run:


Alex and I have also dumped quite a bit of time in to this project. It's a 73 VW beetle rallycross car. It was purchased as a rolling chassis (stripped, cage, 911 suspension and brakes, slicks, etc).


We dropped in a 170hp 2.5l Volvo 20v 5 cylinder mated to a 4 speed vanagon transmission. Added a programmable EMS, coil on plug, individual throttle bodies, all new wiring, new fuel system, etc.


Here's a start-up video with the old intake manifold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjY_-ioMMsw

So yeah, work on the 242 has been slow, but we've got tons of **** keeping us busy. Sorry for the lack of updates.

Karl

[xtreme]

Awesome cant wait to see some stuff!

[Karl Buchka]

Gant,

Thanks for the pity bump.

As usual, we haven't had any time for real progress. We've been doing a bunch of CAD work and the redesigned front uprights are coming along.

We've also got a new powerplant with the "correct" number of cylinders for most guys around here.



It's a 4.4 liter (268ci) DOHC V8 out of a Volvo XC90. It's stock rated at 315hp/315ftlbs. I talked to a good friend that works at the engine development lab at Volvo and said that if you remove the four cats from the stock exhaust it'll put out closer to 350hp.

[muggz]

Awesome project (coming from a fellow ovlov nut!)! Also mixed emotions going from 5 to the 8 pot motor! but looks like you will pull this project off without no problems

[daemon2]

Was that b8444s hard to find?

[Karl Buchka]

Originally Posted by muggz

Awesome project (coming from a fellow ovlov nut!)! Also mixed emotions going from 5 to the 8 pot motor! but looks like you will pull this project off without no problems

Thank you very much for the kind words. The project has really been dead for a while, but both my brother and I are looking forward to re-animating it shortly.

Originally Posted by daemon2

Was that b8444s hard to find?

We were pretty set on the straight six for a long time, but when a local guy posted on Turbobricks that he was selling this motor, we decided it was stupid not to buy it. The price was so low I'm still in disbelief. So no, it wasn't hard to find at all.

If you're in the market, a friend of mine has one that he's looking to move.

[krptonite]

any progress?? also, are there any aftermarket harnesses for that v8? or would it be easy to make it run with original harness? i would love this motor in a p1800!