My ongoing project-1980 242GT

[80'242GT]

Hi everyone, well for the last few years ive been creepin the turbobricks forums, posting every once in a while, but mainly just reading up! Im about to start the major part of my project car and thought id start posting some of my pics etc.

Basically the car started off as a major beater, didnt run wasnt painted, rust holes everywhere. I bought the car when i was 16 so about 4 years ago, and spent a year after that getting her into running condition.

This is what she looked like 4 years ago when i first brought her home.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/scan0001.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/scan0003.jpg

Once i got it running i had it painted and added the last few finishing touches, such as getting virgos repainted at a shop(alberta wheel) and adding the stereo(pioneer speakers alpine deck and a 12inch Kicker L5 powered by a 650RMS kenwood amp)


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/2087617_4_full.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/00720011.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/00720010.jpg


Lately nothing has been done to the car other then changing to clear corners, a euro license plate and tinted windows

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Cybershotpics162.jpg
(dont worry those are just the winter rims, i still have the virgos!!)


But this summer the fun begins, i have a rebuilt B21FT sitting in the garage with a bunch of goodies including:

- cbv
- audi intercooler(need to find a volvo one!!!)
- dale's adjustable cam gear
- a cam
- Megasquirt fuel management system!!!!!!



Sorry the thread isnt much so far but I will be updating this frequently in the next while as the project progresses and i finalize some more decisions!! next step is to have the head rebuilt and im attempting to fibre glass an a pillar gauge pod.

Thanks for taking a look!!!!


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Cybershotpics167.jpg

[Acid8000]

Beautiful, so beautiful...
Cant wait to see it finished!

[swedishiron.com]

Did you paint it yourself or did you pay someone to do it?

Does that car have the official VIN of a GT? I thought GTs got the "no butt-cheek" option...or was that '78 - '79 models only?

Looks good either way.

JD

[RedFridge]

Damn that is clean..beautiful choice with the black.

What a monster.

Bravo!

Take some engine pics for us.

[kyle242gt]

Blackness = hotness. EFI + turbo will make you a happy man. Leastways, it's made me happy.

[80'242GT]

Did you paint it yourself or did you pay someone to do it?

Does that car have the official VIN of a GT? I thought GTs got the "no butt-cheek" option...or was that '78 - '79 models only?

Looks good either way.

JD

i had a buddy of mine paint it as a school project for around $800 i have no skill in that area!! sorry i dont know what u mean by the "no butt-cheek" option lol or are u just messing with me:???: . When i went to get it registered i could find no records on the car anywhere in canada but i believe it is a true gt as when i started the project all the nuts etc looked like they hadnt been touched since the factory and the pin stripped interior was nicely worn.

[Forg]

sorry i dont know what u mean by the "no butt-cheek" option lol or are u just messing with me:???:
The first couple of years of 242GT's don't have those rounded panels that hang down behind the rear wheel-arches, which allow a full-sized spare; the panels are flattened-off in those places. As a result, they run a space-saver spare. The panels on your car are the same as for a 244, and the 242GT's sold in Australia got them from some time in the middle of 1979 (so probably the "1980 model-year" in the USA).

Do you know which car your headlight-bezels & grille came from? I'm interested to know, 'cos I've never been entirely sure. In Oz I think there was probably an option for foglights on some GL's & DL's, and I guess they replaced the grille when they fitted the lights ... but that's just guessing.

[80'242GT]

not to sure, i believe its all original to this car but who knows, the car was from the halifax factory if that helps, ill look into it more and see what i can stir up.

[Forg]

It wasn't originally one of those rare Canadian black cars is it? I believe they had black grille & headlight-surrounds.

[80'242GT]

It wasn't originally one of those rare Canadian black cars is it? I believe they had black grille & headlight-surrounds.


ya know what i think it is, ill take pics of the underside of the trunk, it still has the original warning on how to use the jack and the underside of the trunk is black, also some of the nooks and crannys where the previous owner had missed with the sand blaster were black with what felt like a factory finish on it and the door jams were also black.

[80'242GT]

k sorry about the quality of these pics:

Underside of trunk with volvo warning sticker:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Picture002.jpg


Black door jam with some serial number sticker on it:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Picture004.jpg

[cst805]

my GT had the "butt cheeks" very eenteresting. Very nice looking car, keep up the good work.

[BabyBlue242]

are you planning on wetsanding that anytime?

[80'242GT]

are you planning on wetsanding that anytime?


do u think it needs it? i dont really know much about body work, what would wetsanding do?

[Zeeall]

do u think it needs it? i dont really know much about body work, what would wetsanding do?

it would remove the "orange peel" look on the paint (look on the pic where you show the tbricks sticker)

[80'242GT]

ok cool yea i didnt know that, maybe ill try that out.

[Forg]

Doesn't it depend on "where" the orange-peel effect is? Don't 99.99% of panel-shops use a 2-pak paint, and if the unevenness is in the colour-coat (ie. under the clear-coat) then sanding it down will have zero effect?

[80'242GT]

These are a couple photos of the block (b21FT) that i will be putting into the car. The shortblock was rebuilt last summer, crank turned, 1st overbore mahle pistons(thank you dale!) were fitted and the rotating assembly was balanced. I decided to stick with the stock compression of 7.5:1(i believe) and make up for it by running higher boost. Due to funds though i will have to wait till i can afford something other then the garrett t3 i have sitting in the garage.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/camping107.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/newblock.jpg


I am currently planning on mateing the block with just a basic rebuilt 398 head, I will also be using this B230F intake manifold to accomidate the EFI system. Im also trying to go for looks on this install so im cleaning everything up to brand new condition.

Before:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Picture013.jpg


after:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Picture065.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Picsofblockstuff023.jpg

Garrett T3 i will be running for the first while:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/Turbo.jpg

[BabyBlue242]

orange peel is generally in the clear as it has a bit higher viscosity than base coat. wetsand it with 1000, then go to 1200, then finish with 1500. after that go over it with a wool buffer with 3m perfect-it II extra cut compound, then foam pad it with 3m perfect-it II machine glaze and finish with a soft pad hand glaze. it will make a world of difference. (i just did this entire process to a hood that i stripped to bare metal with aircraft stripper and turned it back to looking new.)

[80'242GT]

so the past week i havent really done much on the project, i did however finally get the block mounted on the stand and put on a couple misc. things, such as the drivers side motor mount, and the rear timing belt cover. Does anyone have any tips for me for getting the crank pulley and intermediate shaft pull on while i dont have it connected to the car. In all the books i read they say put the car in first with the park brake on or something to that effect which i dont really have the option to do. Note: i do not have a flywheel at this time to put on it, but i have a flex plate(disk?) from an auto b21ft.

here are some pics of the engine up on the stand ready to go.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/March3-mountingengine003.jpg

I know that no one is going to see them but detail counts IMO hehe:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/March5-mountingengine005.jpg

As u can see on the left there i also pulled the 398 head off of my parts b21ft and will hopefully send it in this week for cleaning up and a basic rebuild:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/March5-mountingengine010.jpg

[80'242GT]

hey everyone, just updating this thread a bit, not much work has been going on with the project lately as ive been busy wrapping up the school year. But in the odd opening of free time i have i managed to throw on the water pump and coolant lines as well as the pulleys and a couple other things. here are some pics as she sits:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/march2706001.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/march2706002.jpg


here is a pic of the adjustable timing gear i bought off of Dale:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/march2706.jpg

other then that i just ordered the Innovate LM-1 wideband kit for tuning the MS beast once i get her in the car at the end of the month.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/WBo2-LM1-BasicKit.jpg

The head was sent out this morning to a local machine shop with an A cam and the timing gear, so as soon as i get it back i will start the real part of the project and update this thread frequently!

[245GT-Turbo]

Nice project. Any updates? Anyway, if you want the rear bumper trim, I'll be parting out my black '82 (the car at the bottom of my post) while I transfer everything into my '81 242 body, and could send it to ya...

-J

[TURBO_Volvo_Dan!!]

thats will be so awesome, i want a 242 so bad!!!

[80'242GT]

Wow, its been a long time since i updated this thread, I will do my best to pick up where i left off.


When i last posted the b21ft head was just sent off to Precise Engine rebuilders of Calgary, within a week I learned of the next snag, the 398 head i had sent in had a crack on the number one(i think) combustion chamber between the valve and the spark plug. After a few more weeks of searching i was not able to track down a decent b21ft head. I ended up finding a 398 head from a b21a in excellent condition and had the machinist modify it to work with my setup. I had him plug the small holes underneath the exhaust ports and plug the two coolant passages that are used to cool the b21a manifold as i was advised by another t-brick member, as well as updating it to turbo valves.

A couple weeks later i got the finished head back and mounted it on the block:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306005.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306001.jpg

Then from there the rest of the engine was assembled with the garrett t3 turbo(hopefully soon to be upgraded)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306009.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306013.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306023.jpg


I also was able to mount the GM coolant sensor required for the megasquirt conversion. Im not sure what this hole is used for on the b21a engine but all i know is that it was the perfect thread!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306015.jpg


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/july306016.jpg



By the time i had the engine complete it was around august so at the beginning of august out came the b21F

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/august6001.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/august6030.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/august6031.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/august6046.jpg

SO empty....


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/august6049.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/august6050.jpg


Getting the new engine in was quite the task, i first attempted to lower it in with the tranny in the car but after a ton of shaking and cursing i couldnt get it to line up properly, so i ended up dropping the tranny from the car, mating them on the ground where i could maneuver the two better and dropped the whole unit in. In the process i also changed out the engine and tranny mounts which were pretty worn.

One of the other volvo guys in calgary ended up blowning up his turbo 240 that he had added an intercooler to, so i was able to score a 740 IC for relatively cheap, here are some pictures of the install. sorry about the mess of wires!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/IMG_0137.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/IMG_0138.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/IMG_0139.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/IMG_0141.jpg


I also added in the LM-1 kit and mounted it using some metal strips i bought from canuck tire and some velcro, looks pretty cool IMO

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/DSC01106.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/rollinv4l/DSC01108.jpg



More Updates will becoming once i get some shots of the Megasquirt tuning and other mods i have done!