Girlfriends new 240GLE (56k... hmmm... go and have a coffee)

[ashvolvo]

We finally managed to convince my girlfriend that it was a good idea to get rid of her slowly dying Ford Festiva and replace it with a 240.

She bought an '85 240GLE.
B230E engine with K-jet, auto, completely stock with electric windows and a sunroof.
207,000kms. Its pretty tidy, but has the usual number of scratches and a couple of small dints, to be expected with a 20 year old car.

Heres some pics

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/misc/jae1.jpg

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/misc/jae2.jpg

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/misc/jaeash1.jpg

Hers on the left, mine on the right

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/misc/jaeash2.jpg

And from the back. Mine on the left.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/misc/jaeash3.jpg

Notice the difference in noses. Jae's (silver car) has the euro/australian '83 - '85 bonnet and grille and mine has the '86 onwards bonnet and grille setup. (Mine is a '90)

We've spent about three weekends working on it since she bought it.
* new front disks
* new distributor cap, rotor button, leads, plugs
* new harmonic balancer
* new pads all around
* new DVS sumpguard
* new timing belt
* DVS reconditioned torque rods
* replaced the rear seat
* fitted the Pioneer CD player from her old car
* DVS aluminium sumpguard

Theres been a few minor issues with it, but they're mostly maintenance items and we dont know a huge amount about the history of the vehicle, so as any remaining little issues are dealt with, everything will be fine.

Its quite nice to drive, doesnt handle as well or have the punch that my 240 track car has, but it doesnt have the rattles and little noises either. ;-)

[ashvolvo]

One more thing...
I suggested Anthracite wheels but she just says shes happy with silver :-(

[girlwithblack245]

Nice looking GLE! Very clean too!

Anthracite on those Virgos would look uber nice.... much more attractive than the silver!

[ashvolvo]

Nice looking GLE! Very clean too!

Anthracite on those Virgos would look uber nice.... much more attractive than the silver!

I know, but I dont think she can be persuaded.

[ashvolvo]

Nice looking GLE! Very clean too!

Anthracite on those Virgos would look uber nice.... much more attractive than the silver!

I know, but I dont think she can be persuaded. :-(

[yorkbrick]

Great looken 240's....you guys down under have the most unusual 240 models, 240GLE?

Sump guard? what is ?

[Volvo Dan]

MAN That is a GREAT looking car! I wish that I could get a good solid 240 locally like that! You can tell that it has been well cared for, that is cool, congrats!

[BoxDriver2]

Great looken 240's....you guys down under have the most unusual 240 models, 240GLE?

Sump guard? what is ?

Assuming he is referring to a splash shield/baffle for the oil in the pan and crank...not to run the motor dry, i.e. autocross.

[stylngle2003]

ash, show her Brickster151's pictures of his car when he had anthracite virgos on it, at least i think it was Pat's car. anyways, same color and everything, and it looked great! nice pics, looks like a very nice car

[spongemonster]

I vote for anthracite or gunmetal or whatever you want to call it as well. Car looks nice.
James

[WeezilUSA]

Can you put a flathood on her car then with the earlier syle hood? That would be sweet! Great looking car!

[dl242gt]

Very good looking GLE! Now you both are styling in your Volvos.

Enjoy the road,

[Slonik]

We saw the car, now, pics of girlfriend!

[Forg]

Sorry, but I'm with her on the silver wheels. The "brake dust" look has been done ... :)

Good nick 240, too! Very hard to find a good GLE, 'cos they're mostly metallic paint ... and most resprays are done badly. Excepting the verandah bonnet, looks like mine ... oh, if you ignore the peeling paint & the cobwebs & the spot where the pole jumped out & dented the passenger's side guard ... :)

I'd forgotten they ran K-Jet, I'd gotten all confused with the 740 & thought they were EFI (although it explains why I couldn't remember if it was Motronic or L/H-Jet).


Can you put a flathood on her car then with the earlier syle hood?
All they'd have to do is use the "hood" from any 240 up to '82, and the grille from an '81-'82. However, hers is in such good nick; it's hard to find a good '81-'82 GLE grille, if you paint them it doesn't stick all that well, and attempting to paint-match silver (ie. you'd almost certainly need to respray a silver "hood") is near futile.

[Geoff240Ti]

I was going for the gunmetal look.. but the paint I used turned out more black :-(.. Not sure If i would go the same route again, but for winter wheels it suits me all right.

Maybe pat will post a picture of his car, his looked better with the gunmetal virgo's in my opinion.

http://i.snapandshare.com/23/4784793/49232119.jpg

Great looking GLE! I hope your g/f is liking it more then her fiesta!

[benboy]

I always get jealous of old Volvos that don't have ANY RUST. You warm climate people are so lucky!!!

[greenteagod]

Hers looks better.

[nothing but turbo]

that's one ugly GLE :-P

[jpbturbo]

We saw the car, now, pics of girlfriend!
http://bellsouthpwp.net/i/n/invidiosulus/library/gf.jpg
I bet that's her in the background.

Nice looking 240's you've got there.

[grebnut]

very nice car(s)! thats awesome that youve got a gf thats cool with volvos too. all my previous girls have made fun of mine to no end. lol. :) its all good. later,

ben

[mikep]

Sweet GLE.

Geoff, I like that color, too.

[roversweed]

that is a very nice looking car. lower it about 1.5 inch or so and it would look perfect.

[SwedishBrick242...]

Nice! Thats a helluva upgrade from a Ford Festiva.

[ashvolvo]

Great looken 240's....you guys down under have the most unusual 240 models, 240GLE?

Sump guard? what is ?

Thanks! a 240GLE is I think very similar in specification to the 240 GLTs and 240 Turbos you guys in the US got, except no turbo :-(
Comes with Virgos, blacked out trim, velour or leather interior, metallic paint (although I have seen a couple of white ones) and auto only.

Sumpguard, certainly a lot better than the stock plastic ones which fall off all the time

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/sg1.gif

Cheers,
Ash

[ashvolvo]

MAN That is a GREAT looking car! I wish that I could get a good solid 240 locally like that! You can tell that it has been well cared for, that is cool, congrats!

It was basically in decent condition. Just filthy and needed tidying up.
we put a new front bumper on it (which was sitting in my stockpile of spares) and replaced a couple of the bumper trims and then detailed it.

[ashvolvo]

ash, show her Brickster151's pictures of his car when he had anthracite virgos on it, at least i think it was Pat's car. anyways, same color and everything, and it looked great! nice pics, looks like a very nice car

I did, and thats why I thought it would look awesome. But, she keeps saying she likes the silver. I think this is one I just cant win. :-P

[ashvolvo]

Can you put a flathood on her car then with the earlier syle hood? That would be sweet! Great looking car!
Easy to do, theres plenty of them around. would just need to swap over to an early model grille at the same time. not a problem though.

We saw the car, now, pics of girlfriend!
he he. :rofl:
here's one taken early in the year at the British and Euro display day. She's on the left.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ashdavies/dvs/misc/jaejil.jpg

Hers looks better.
You think? I certainly like the silver better than the red. I like hers because its nice and original, but I do like mine more - probably just had more time to get attached to it.

very nice car(s)! thats awesome that youve got a gf thats cool with volvos too. all my previous girls have made fun of mine to no end. lol. its all good. later,

ben
I am pretty lucky, she helps out a lot with our business, comes to Volvo meets and track days.

I bet that's her in the background.
Sure is, sporting the 'Sunday morning, and I just got out of bed' look, possibly combined with the 'Why the hell are taking more pictures of volvos' look.

Nice! Thats a helluva upgrade from a Ford Festiva.
Amen, it was a 1994 model, she'd had it for four years. basically it had done a lot of kms, but it lasted well and it was getting a bit tired.


Anyway, thanks to everyone for your thoughts and comments.
Cheers,
Ash

[Forg]

Thanks! a 240GLE is I think very similar in specification to the 240 GLTs and 240 Turbos you guys in the US got, except no turbo :-(
Comes with Virgos, blacked out trim, velour or leather interior, metallic paint (although I have seen a couple of white ones) and auto only.
I think they may've got non-turbo 240GLT's over there; the GLE is most-likely identical (one or more early batches of '81 GLE's actually had GLT badges ... I've seen a few for sale, albeit not recently). Oh, the big difference to a n/a GLT would probably be the K-cam B23E (although did Canada get them in GLT's?).
Don't forget red, there are red GLE's as well as white ones! :)

[ashvolvo]

I think they may've got non-turbo 240GLT's over there; the GLE is most-likely identical (one or more early batches of '81 GLE's actually had GLT badges ... I've seen a few for sale, albeit not recently). Oh, the big difference to a n/a GLT would probably be the K-cam B23E (although did Canada get them in GLT's?).
Don't forget red, there are red GLE's as well as white ones! :)

Good point, a guy in the Volvo club of Vic has an immaculate red one.
The 1985 MY is actually a volvo rarity, the only year with the B230E.
There are a few little odd tell tale signs, a very odd and large large rotor button to name one I only found out about a couple of weekends ago.

[L to the D]

Loving it! Mad chick too if she digs to V's.

[ashvolvo]

Yup, Im pretty lucky.
Aside from the wheels what else have you done to your 240?

[945TurboDon]

Gaahhh! The steering wheel is on the wrong side!!!

[ashvolvo]

Gaahhh! The steering wheel is on the wrong side!!!

he he.
and hence no factory RHD 240s

EDIT: no factory turbo RHD 240s.

[Forg]

Well, not turbo ones anyway. There do seem to be a few n/a ones around ... :)

[Besides, it's a lame excuse ... steering clearance in mine was nothing near being a problem]

[ashvolvo]

Well, not turbo ones anyway. There do seem to be a few n/a ones around ... :)

[Besides, it's a lame excuse ... steering clearance in mine was nothing near being a problem]

As long as you use a very high temp grease in the steering knuckles and shield things as much as possible. Its certainly tighter than on the LHD cars, but very doable.

[AJS]

All the girls I've had in my car (better rephrase that). All the girls that have been in my car love it. Keep it clean and put some good music on and they really seem to enjoy it. Some of them even pester me to take them for drives in it. Got to get the car back on the road.....

[UBSLOW]

nice car man