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1980 242 GT Rebuild and Resto

ZVOLV said:
-That pressure switch looks like an overboost switch. Trace the wiring with a multimeter. I see your car is 2.2 Turbo converted. I think somebody that didn't really know what they were doing may have just plugged in an overboost switch from a 740 turbo for some reason.
Click to expand...

Just rereading your comment. The motor was actually from a 740. The original 2.1 with KJet has been removed and the 2.2lh, 2.3L from a 740 has been put in. So the overboost switch was supposed to be part of this harness. Just not entirely sure if it should be hooked up to anything. Should there be a vacuum line connected to it? Is it an under dash mounted switch?

VB242 said:
Does it have the unvented front discs? Adding vented discs and calipers from a later 240 is another subtle upgrade that improves the car without really changing it's looks.
Click to expand...

Luckily, I have the vented disks. So I am assuming as well, that I have the later model calipers as well.

Went to the junkyard in Cookstown to check out what kind of parts they had that I could get for the 242. I found a few 940's up there and that was it. Having redblocks, I figured that I could get some common parts between them.

Found a bunch of washer nozzles that will fit the 242. Just a matter of fitting them on and testing out which spray pattern would work best. All of the washer nozzles that I found for the Volvo's work for the 240. Every car just had circles cut in the hood, and the nozzles had sprung arms to keep it in place.
I also ended up getting a washer bottle motor. The old one was completely caked, and didn't work. Took apart the motor pump bracket, and fitted and working. It will not stay like this, but I was pretty happy to make it work for the day. The motor was from the 940, and I was able to get 2 spares. I'll be using these motors in the car. The design looks like it should have more longevity than the original.



Next I ended up tackling some wiring. My major concerned were:
1. Overdrive Circuit
2. Taillights
3. Fuel and Temp Gauge on the dash
4. Figure out where excess wiring goes to.

I was able to figure out everything but overdrive. I found that I do not have the wiring going to the solenoid valve at the front of transmission, and I don't have a the wire going to the solenoid at the back of the transmission. Looking at the Bentley book, I noticed that there is supposed to be a little wiring harness clipping into the dash area, and connecting the front and the back of the trans.
Does anyone know what this looks like? I have a spare harness from the B21 that was originally in the car. I need to sort through it, and search this little section of the harness out. Any steering in the right direction would be great.

Taillights are working now. The stamped steel that is on the backing of the taillights, where the bulbs screw into, they had a nice coating of crap and corrosion. Once I cleaned those up, the taillights were working.

Fuel and Temp gauge, I was reading that there could be 3 issues. It could be the cluster. The wiring. Or the sensors. To test them, ground each circuit and see if the gauges go to full.
I grounded both circuits, and both ended up going to full. Now it's a matter of ensuring the grounds and wiring are actually good for the circuit before I start changing sensors. I think I'll end up having to put new connectors on circuits just based on the amount of corrosion

The biggest headache is whatever crap of a rats nest I have with excess wiring, and crappy burnt wiring. I found a few issues with just behind the console. There was some random wire that was connected to the hazard circuit. It was about 2 feet long, and it was leading to nothing. Touched it to a ground and the fuse for the hazards went.

You can see in the picture, it was connected to the Green/White wire with the electrical acorn on it. Swiftly removed. Once I have the harness sorted, I'll have to go back in and solder it back together.



This red wire, I have not traced it back yet. It was getting late by the time I got to that wire, but what is that solenoid that it is attached to?



Another red wire. This was straight from the fuse panel. Went through the cabin and under the carpet. For whatever reason, someone hooked up a cable directly to the fuel pump. It was never hooked up since I have had it, so it had no function.


Going back to the junkyard on Friday. One of the 940's has brand new shocks on it, which I will likely end up taking. Any ideas if they fit? I know the 200 series parts and the 700/900 parts have different parts needed, at least according to IPD. But the only different I can visibly see it the width of the mounting bushings on each end. Am I missing anything?

Little victories. But I still hate wiring.
 
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Ended up putting the Volvo in my garage for the winter, and got to putter around it a little bit. My biggest goal was to get my suspension ready for the summer.

The current set up was pretty nasty. The strut towers were really rusted, and springs were in some awful condition. No to mention, the ball joints, tie rod ends, and some other parts were of questionable condition.

Put an order into RockAuto and got:
Ball joints
Tie Rod Ends
Rubber Engine Mounts
Intake Gasket
Timing Belt Kit

I ended up finding lightly used Poly bushings already installed onto trailing arms and control arms for all around. So the entire car should feel pretty tight come inspection time. I guess thats my driving motivation. To pass inspection.

Starting Point:




On initial inspection, there are a few good things. Previous owner told me that the bearings and the brakes were "brand new". With the amount of rust on everything, they didn't look that way. The brake disks still have cross hatching on them, and surface rust. Pads are good. Bearings, great shape, just surface rust. Everything just looks bad, but is actually in great shape. I'll clean up and paint the calipers.

Now, onto the good stuff. Put an order in for the Coilover Kit from Ben at Kaplhenke Racing. THe exchange rate from Canada to the US blows goats right now, so I have to do the hard work to save some cash.

Ordered some Monroe 73453 (Saab 9-5) shocks and began shortening my strut towers.



I think I ended up shortening them by 2 5/8". Somewhere along those lines. Handed themm off to a friend for sand blasting and paint, and here are the results.





Still need to install the bumpstops, paint the shock cap at the top of the strut tower, and install the ball joints. Just finishing work, then back to the suspension work on the car.

Aside from that, I ended up coming across an awesome find over the winter. On the fence about actually installing it onto the car.

Foha Heckspoiler. Forget the model number, but meant for an E30.
Found it at a local Habitat for Humanity. Never been installed.
 
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Car looks cool. I'd reinstall the rubber mouldings on the bumpers, though. Would look better. Good to know about the spoiler. Looks similar to the Volvo/Zender GT spoiler sold before the Group A wing became available.

VIN says Canadian-spec 242DL with B21A, btw. A GT would have "45" as its engine code instead of "41". I'm guessing your VIN information came off the dash? There are three other locations for it. Underhood on the data plate, the sticker on the driver's door, and on the passenger side, stamped into the body at the front of the door opening where the hinges are.
 
John242Ti said:
Car looks cool. I'd reinstall the rubber mouldings on the bumpers, though. Would look better. Good to know about the spoiler. Looks similar to the Volvo/Zender GT spoiler sold before the Group A wing became available.

VIN says Canadian-spec 242DL with B21A, btw. A GT would have "45" as its engine code instead of "41". I'm guessing your VIN information came off the dash? There are three other locations for it. Underhood on the data plate, the sticker on the driver's door, and on the passenger side, stamped into the body at the front of the door opening where the hinges are.
Click to expand...

I've been lied to! Where are you running that VIN? I will have to double check what the jamb and the underhood plate says. I'd like to find out if it is actually a GT or not. Got a reference that I can go check as well?

As for the bumpers, I planned on putting the rubber back on. I need to fix the bumpers into place. The mounting points on the backside aren't fixed right now. Haven't been able to see if it is because the bumper shocks are buggered, or if the bolts are missing from the mounts.
 
John242Ti said:
VIN says Canadian-spec 242DL with B21A, btw. A GT would have "45" as its engine code instead of "41". I'm guessing your VIN information came off the dash? There are three other locations for it. Underhood on the data plate, the sticker on the driver's door, and on the passenger side, stamped into the body at the front of the door opening where the hinges are.
Click to expand...

Checked a lot resources online tonight to check VIN info and Im still confident that I have a GT on my hands. Even though that it does denote the 41 instead of 45, 1980 GT's were capable of having 2.1s. I can't find any resources that state that GT was 45/2.3 only. As far as I can read, the 2.3's weren't available until much later anyway. Although I am aware of a few guys in the registry with 45, Canadian market cars. I should have a dealer run the VIN
Even my 1985 244 Turbo had the B21FT.

Either way. I have the sway bars, strut tower bracing, interior and the like. By the way, the interior will be kept as
Is and the GT red stripes
 
I think you should source 83-85 bumpers from the states. I usually love commando bumpers but with the more modern wheels I think it will help update the look
 
speaking of... heres my 78 with newer bumpers, early grill setup and 780 wheels

20170529_200530_zps0sonvesc.jpg



amerbritcan said:
I think you should source 83-85 bumpers from the states. I usually love commando bumpers but with the more modern wheels I think it will help update the look
Click to expand...
 
runt262 said:
Checked a lot resources online tonight to check VIN info and Im still confident that I have a GT on my hands. Even though that it does denote the 41 instead of 45, 1980 GT's were capable of having 2.1s. I can't find any resources that state that GT was 45/2.3 only. As far as I can read, the 2.3's weren't available until much later anyway. Although I am aware of a few guys in the registry with 45, Canadian market cars. I should have a dealer run the VIN
Even my 1985 244 Turbo had the B21FT.

Either way. I have the sway bars, strut tower bracing, interior and the like. By the way, the interior will be kept as
Is and the GT red stripes
Click to expand...

B23E engines have an 84 code and were never stock on North American GT's.

B21A = 41
B21E = 44
B21F = 45
B21ET = 46
B21FT = 47
B21F-LH (certain 1982 US cars) = 48
B21F-MPG (1981-82 US with Chrysler ignition) = 49

My 1982 and 1984.5 cars have the 47 code.

With respect to your car, best to look at the stamped VIN on the body next to the passenger door hinges. My suspicion is that the dash was replaced with a better condition assembly that came out of a 1980 242DL and they forgot to swap VIN plates between the dashes.

On the interior, good. If you can find the orange dash trim pieces from a 1978 or 1979 car, even better. Instead of going the toy bumper route, I'd go with the 1978-79 GT front air dam. Looks better. Doesn't provide as much downforce as the 1980-82 "snowshovel" front spoiler, but works better with modern rims and the flathood.

Here's my old '82 242Ti, which I had converted to a GT using one of the 200 black GT hoods available in 1980, along with a black GT air dam that I found on a '77 242DL at one of the yards down here. Lights in the grille were the Bosch Touring driving lights that were an option for GT models up in Canada. Under the bumper were amber Bosch Pilot fog lamps.



My current 242 is going to remain pretty much how it looks, but less rusty and with some other repairs done to it.

-J
 
amerbritcan said:
I think you should source 83-85 bumpers from the states. I usually love commando bumpers but with the more modern wheels I think it will help update the look
Click to expand...

I dig the commando bumpers, so I'll have to keep those for now. Might even omit the rubber padding for a while. but the later bumpers do take a lot of visual weight off the front.

NO_SPRK said:
speaking of... heres my 78 with newer bumpers, early grill setup and 780 wheels

20170529_200530_zps0sonvesc.jpg
Click to expand...

Case in point. Looks really good with that bumper.

John242Ti said:
B23E engines have an 84 code and were never stock on North American GT's.

B21A = 41
B21E = 44
B21F = 45
B21ET = 46
B21FT = 47
B21F-LH (certain 1982 US cars) = 48
B21F-MPG (1981-82 US with Chrysler ignition) = 49

My 1982 and 1984.5 cars have the 47 code.

With respect to your car, best to look at the stamped VIN on the body next to the passenger door hinges. My suspicion is that the dash was replaced with a better condition assembly that came out of a 1980 242DL and they forgot to swap VIN plates between the dashes.

On the interior, good. If you can find the orange dash trim pieces from a 1978 or 1979 car, even better. Instead of going the toy bumper route, I'd go with the 1978-79 GT front air dam. Looks better. Doesn't provide as much downforce as the 1980-82 "snowshovel" front spoiler, but works better with modern rims and the flathood.

Here's my old '82 242Ti, which I had converted to a GT using one of the 200 black GT hoods available in 1980, along with a black GT air dam that I found on a '77 242DL at one of the yards down here. Lights in the grille were the Bosch Touring driving lights that were an option for GT models up in Canada. Under the bumper were amber Bosch Pilot fog lamps.



My current 242 is going to remain pretty much how it looks, but less rusty and with some other repairs done to it.

-J
Click to expand...


You're a great resource! I meant to check the body VIN last night but got sidetracked. It's making a lot of sense though that dash would have been swapped out, just lucky it was at least with another 242. I got excited that I had a Halifax car though!

As for the front end, commando bumpers until I grow tired of them. I do have a GT air dam, as well as the normal snow shovel in silver and black. I'll be playing around to see what looks best eventually, but likely settling on the GT dam. I like it the most.

First thing is first though....correcting my title with the proper VIN
 
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