89_740Turbo
New member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2018
- Location
- Central New Jersey
Backstory
Lower income family growing up so we never drove a new car. Most of the cars we had were given to us, like my first taste of Volvo which was a '86 744 GLE. A lady gave it to us when my sister crashed her old car. She then gave it to me.
I spent a lot of time wit that car and still have it. Years pass, I'm still driving it, and I now have some extra money to buy a car I will drive when my Honda lease is up. I find a mint 744 Turbo being sold on craigslist. Ends up being a car that another member on here is selling. I basically loose my **** when I find it. It was my favorite car, but turbo, fast, manual and all around awesome. I get in contact, drive about 3 hours away to see it and buy it on the spot. Mind you, this was the only 744 in this condition for sale anywhere in the NE. It's now my car. That's the short but sweet background. I named the car the swedish sleeper because thats exactly what my goal was.
The bad
The car had obviously been tinkered with over the years. I bought it from the 2nd owner with AEM stickers on the rear window, leading me to assume that performance modifications had been done... but what. I didn't know. 2nd owner tells me its sitting on cut springs and desperately needs new suspension. Also that the gas gauge doesn't work and the speedometer chooses to work when it wants to. That's about all I knew at the time of purchase. Oh, and the original owner removed the OEM spoiler... WHY!
The good
BOTH driver side and passenger side heated seats work. The automatic sunroof works. It's a 5 speed manual. It comes with the rare coin tray and snow scoop on the hood. Comes with Voxx wheels all around. Cosmetically great except 2 minor dents and a faded hood. Came with the rare checkered pattern cloth seats. Volvo leather wasn't that great so I'm happy.
Repairs begin
After owning the car for about a month, I'm driving it home from work and the car wont accelerate. Peddle to the metal and nothing. I research online and replace the MAF. $300 later, the issue was fixed. Some time passes and I still cant figure out the gas gauge. Whatever. Onto the more important stuff. Temp gauge fails... I replace it.
Onto the suspension. I browse IPD's website and view their classifieds. There was a guy selling 740 lowering springs, IPD front sway bar and Bilstein front struts and rear shocks for $400 plus shipping. I respond and we agree $400 total. Everything arrives and I see the shocks and struts are leaking... I'm mad. Its okay though because the front sway bar and full spring set is over $400 by just the two things alone. In the meantime, I buy some generic shocks and struts off Ebay to be a place holder while the Bilsteins are sent away for rebuild. I go to my buddies shop and have them throw in the lowering springs and rear shocks. Couldn't throw in the struts b/c no dust boots. Fast forward some time, dl242gt and I spend about 8 hours putting the new sway bar in as well as the new struts w/ dust boots and bump stops. Now the car has all around new suspension.
Onto the mechanicals. The car was having intermittent stalling issues at idle. Posted to the forum and learned it could be the suppression relay, a ground issue, hall sensor issue, fuel pump relay or the ignition module b/c after stalling, it wouldn't restart. Well, with documentation to back it, we replace everything. I was able to get my hands on a used cylinder head with a low mileage distributor. Took that and put it on. Stalling issue resolved w/ all new parts. All documented. By this point, dl242gt and I have also added a brand new boost gauge from the famous Dave Barton as well as a brand new manual boost controller.
Onto the engine. At this point, multiple engine bay components are replaced to get the car
to stage 0. The stalling issue has been fixed and the cars main failure points are changed and repaired. After all the important **** was done to get the car to proper, safe and reliable
driving standards, dl242gt and take a day to throw in IPD's turbo cam w/ adjustable cam gear... and what a great but tedious day that was, especially when it came to the shims as well as the adjustable cam gear positioning. We removed everything we needed to in order to access the cam, remove the old one and install the new one. After installation, EVERY shim was measured to ensure the proper fitment. Cam is installed.
https://i.imgur.com/cUm4FTZ.jpg
What has been completed so far (recap)
New MAF
New Shocks/Struts
New Springs
New Suppression Relay
New Fuel Pump Relay
New Ignition Module
New Fluids
New Front Sway Bar
New Crankshaft Belt
New Alternator Belt
New Turbo Camshaft
New Adjustable Cam Gear
New Appropriate Shims
New Boost Gauge
New Manual Boost Controller
New Distributor
New 2.5'' Exhaust
OEM Spoiler Added
New Spark Plugs
New Break Booster
90+ 744 Tail Light Swapped On
and some other stuff I might be forgetting right now.
What's next
I installed custom door panels and am currently working on the inside. Ive installed a custom AFR guage. Also doing a trans swap soon as well.
Im currently working on a 16T upgrade with a 90+ manifold as well as a trans replacement. She's coming along and I love this car to death
Lower income family growing up so we never drove a new car. Most of the cars we had were given to us, like my first taste of Volvo which was a '86 744 GLE. A lady gave it to us when my sister crashed her old car. She then gave it to me.
I spent a lot of time wit that car and still have it. Years pass, I'm still driving it, and I now have some extra money to buy a car I will drive when my Honda lease is up. I find a mint 744 Turbo being sold on craigslist. Ends up being a car that another member on here is selling. I basically loose my **** when I find it. It was my favorite car, but turbo, fast, manual and all around awesome. I get in contact, drive about 3 hours away to see it and buy it on the spot. Mind you, this was the only 744 in this condition for sale anywhere in the NE. It's now my car. That's the short but sweet background. I named the car the swedish sleeper because thats exactly what my goal was.
The bad
The car had obviously been tinkered with over the years. I bought it from the 2nd owner with AEM stickers on the rear window, leading me to assume that performance modifications had been done... but what. I didn't know. 2nd owner tells me its sitting on cut springs and desperately needs new suspension. Also that the gas gauge doesn't work and the speedometer chooses to work when it wants to. That's about all I knew at the time of purchase. Oh, and the original owner removed the OEM spoiler... WHY!
The good
BOTH driver side and passenger side heated seats work. The automatic sunroof works. It's a 5 speed manual. It comes with the rare coin tray and snow scoop on the hood. Comes with Voxx wheels all around. Cosmetically great except 2 minor dents and a faded hood. Came with the rare checkered pattern cloth seats. Volvo leather wasn't that great so I'm happy.
Repairs begin
After owning the car for about a month, I'm driving it home from work and the car wont accelerate. Peddle to the metal and nothing. I research online and replace the MAF. $300 later, the issue was fixed. Some time passes and I still cant figure out the gas gauge. Whatever. Onto the more important stuff. Temp gauge fails... I replace it.
Onto the suspension. I browse IPD's website and view their classifieds. There was a guy selling 740 lowering springs, IPD front sway bar and Bilstein front struts and rear shocks for $400 plus shipping. I respond and we agree $400 total. Everything arrives and I see the shocks and struts are leaking... I'm mad. Its okay though because the front sway bar and full spring set is over $400 by just the two things alone. In the meantime, I buy some generic shocks and struts off Ebay to be a place holder while the Bilsteins are sent away for rebuild. I go to my buddies shop and have them throw in the lowering springs and rear shocks. Couldn't throw in the struts b/c no dust boots. Fast forward some time, dl242gt and I spend about 8 hours putting the new sway bar in as well as the new struts w/ dust boots and bump stops. Now the car has all around new suspension.
Onto the mechanicals. The car was having intermittent stalling issues at idle. Posted to the forum and learned it could be the suppression relay, a ground issue, hall sensor issue, fuel pump relay or the ignition module b/c after stalling, it wouldn't restart. Well, with documentation to back it, we replace everything. I was able to get my hands on a used cylinder head with a low mileage distributor. Took that and put it on. Stalling issue resolved w/ all new parts. All documented. By this point, dl242gt and I have also added a brand new boost gauge from the famous Dave Barton as well as a brand new manual boost controller.
Onto the engine. At this point, multiple engine bay components are replaced to get the car
to stage 0. The stalling issue has been fixed and the cars main failure points are changed and repaired. After all the important **** was done to get the car to proper, safe and reliable
driving standards, dl242gt and take a day to throw in IPD's turbo cam w/ adjustable cam gear... and what a great but tedious day that was, especially when it came to the shims as well as the adjustable cam gear positioning. We removed everything we needed to in order to access the cam, remove the old one and install the new one. After installation, EVERY shim was measured to ensure the proper fitment. Cam is installed.
https://i.imgur.com/cUm4FTZ.jpg
What has been completed so far (recap)
New MAF
New Shocks/Struts
New Springs
New Suppression Relay
New Fuel Pump Relay
New Ignition Module
New Fluids
New Front Sway Bar
New Crankshaft Belt
New Alternator Belt
New Turbo Camshaft
New Adjustable Cam Gear
New Appropriate Shims
New Boost Gauge
New Manual Boost Controller
New Distributor
New 2.5'' Exhaust
OEM Spoiler Added
New Spark Plugs
New Break Booster
90+ 744 Tail Light Swapped On
and some other stuff I might be forgetting right now.
What's next
I installed custom door panels and am currently working on the inside. Ive installed a custom AFR guage. Also doing a trans swap soon as well.
Im currently working on a 16T upgrade with a 90+ manifold as well as a trans replacement. She's coming along and I love this car to death
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