Fastest, expensivest, turboist 145 EVER!

[jrv6a]

Obviously, none of the adjectives in the title apply here, but everyone else took all the good self-deprecating titles, so yeah... .

I started a build thread on IPD back in 2020, but it gets no traffic, so I am moving over to TB in hopes that someone else on a tight budget might find this thread and learn from my mistakes.

Here's how I got it and how it sat until COVID, which gave me some time to start hacking. More to come soon...


This is the seller's pic from Craigslist.






Late 2019 = I snagged this 1973 145 off Craigslist. It had a VERY seized caliper, bad BW35, and torched wiring. I paid $1800, which is like $50 in 2022 money.


Here's a shot of the inside.


Here's the engine.

[StanleyR]

Very nice start!
Congrats

[joel142]

Good to see another turbo 140. Are you sticking with the overhead valve engine or going to overhead cam?

[2turbotoys]

Very cool, love the car. It's really let down by its wheels, but I'm sure that will be addressed.

[Dvroofer]

Ooohhh I like it. Very nice. Great looking car

[doucheNozzle]

Way cool

[Hilding]

It's.. beutifuller.
Looking forward to this.

[Scaramanga]

Lovely! Show us progress

[jrv6a]

The pandemic begins and so does the hacking!


Let's get that crusty engine out and take a closer look.


The side of the engine block looks dirty, but that's not dirt. The manifold has a crack, and the heat baked the paint off and cooked the metal.


Here's the two-piece manifold.


The heat cooked the alternator harness, which explains a lot.


A lot of this sort of stuff.


Broken wire on the FI relay.


...and a few more crispy wires.


Of course, it won't run if the fuel pump is full of crud.

[Swedbrick]

Sweet wagon!

[jrv6a]

It doesn't run, and it doesn't stop, and the wires are burnt, but first-things-first... get rid of the BW35. All the cool kids want a T5, but I've never been able to hang with the cool kids, so I went with an M41, until I didn't.


Finding a clutch pedal for a 140 isn't easy. I almost gave up and went with a Tilton pedalbox, but then I found this on Craigslist. I also got the driveshaft.


I then scored an M41 that has overdrive issues. These are easier to get than the pedals, but I'm not about to tear this one apart on a whim, so I'll save it for later after I watch a few how-to vids. On the shelf it goes.


I found an M40 on eBay for $75. It won't go into gear, but I can handle fixing that, and I can drive it around until I get the overdrive sorted out.


A quick dip in the hot tub and we're ready to rebuild.


The M40 is a lot like Ford's venerable top-loader. I've built a few of those, so this is not too unfamiliar. Even if you've never built a transmission before, I'd say you (anyone) can handle building an M40. A quick Google search will give you a handful of very helpful write-ups and vids, so I won't go into detail here, but I do have a few pics.








Back together and it shifts fine. Note for future generations: there was a pandemic in March of 2020, which is when I built this. It would have been nice to have the correct red oxide paint on hand, but I had to settle for black. Not to worry, the trans is back out and on the workbench now (May 2022) ready for new paint.

[lookforjoe]

Cool project! I remember rebuilding 140 transmissions back in the early 80's in the driveway, no problem. I did have the square frame Volvo press tool that fit over the casing, which made things easier.

Are you keeping the D-Jet or sticking carbs on it, or later FI???

How about some non-potato pics of the car as it stands? It would be nice to see it up close & personal

[jrv6a]

I'm glad to have this heavy, leaky mess out of the way. There's not a lot of support for anyone wanting to replace their power steering with manual, so here's how I did it. Hopefully it helps someone.


Use a set of small vice-grips to pull out the tamper proof screws under the column.


This is extra. Replace the tamper proof screws with something you can take out easily. On the left are the old screws. On the right are two M8 X 1.25 X 1in, two spacers that measure .462 X 3/16, and two washers. You'll never find .462 spacers, so you can just order .500's and polish them down on a belt sander. You could even do it by hand with a sheet of sandpaper. I put them on a long bolt and ran them in a zigzag pattern on the belt sander with 150 grit and got them down to size in just a couple minutes.




Now you can install and remove everything very easily.


Now it's time to order some parts. I'm going to dork out a little here for anyone who finds this post while searching for random, obscure Volvo 145 steering info.
Manual gearbox shaft = .750 X 48 spline
Power steering shaft = .688 X 54 spline
Power steering shaft length = 28 1/8in
Power steering column = 24in

Here's what you'll need. You'll use your old power steering column and shaft. You'll need two Woodward Steering U-joints: the first one is UA115109 and it's for the steering box. On one side it fits a .750 X 48 spline shaft and on the other end it fits a double D steering shaft. The second joint is UA101109. That one fits the power steering shaft with a .688 X 54 spline and the double D steering shaft on the other end. You can also see I have a piece of double D shaft. Make sure to get the right double D. You'll want the 19mm Ford style (NOT the 17mm Chevy). You can get this from Speedway motors (cheaper on Amazon if you can get someone to tell you that it's definitely the 19mm). I went with 24in, so I would have enough in case I messed up on my measurements.


Here's a close up of the U joints. I've always liked the Woodward stuff because it's tough and precise. Flaming River makes these joints too, but some people have complained that the plating makes them a little less precise. I've never had an issue with Woodward, so that's what I use in all my builds.


Here's the manual box in place for measuring. This box can be hard to find, so start searching Facebook now.


The double-D and U-joints fit together nicely. I ended up cutting the double D shaft to 9 3/4in. I then mocked it all up on the bench and drilled dimples where all the set screws go. The double D doesn't need to be welded, but you should dimple your set screws because your column has a notch in it under the ignition lock, and it could move a little.


We have contact! You can see the U joints installed here. Notice that the joint on the box is pushed all the way down toward the box. This is a rough fit, so you can push back against the bearing spring on the bottom of the steering column. Be patient here and measure a few times.


Most people just want to drive their cars, and finding a manual box isn't easy, but there are a few out there. Finding the column and the splined pinch joint is almost impossible. If you can find a gearbox, you've got options. I got everything ordered to do it my way in a week. I then spent a year hunting down the bits in this pic for the factory collapse.

[Chuck W]

A green '73 145 was my first car. Following for nostalgia.

[jrv6a]

There was something about the stance that I didn't like when I bought it. I wasn't sure what it was until I read a post somewhere here on TB that said the '71 and up has a larger wheel opening than previous years. I wish I had found that post sooner.


One option would be larger wheels to fill the fenders. Another option would be to add flares or reshape the fenders. I went with 60mm drop springs.


More than anything, I'll argue that these 60mm drop springs don't complement each other front to rear. The fronts feel reasonably stiff on the car. The front ride height is okay on its own, but the rear springs are too soft, which makes the back of the car sag. After this pic, I cut the rear bumpstops and it dropped even more. I'm going to play around and see if I can balance things out with spacers, maybe new springs on the front or rear.


60mm drop close up. I'm still not crazy about that big gap.


Out back, the 240 series came with a conical rear spring seat, but the 140 had a flat spring seat in the rear. My car was missing the seats, so my first step in sorting out the ugly stance was cutting some new rear spring seats. I cut two 4-inch disks out of a chunk of T6061 aluminum. These are just over 1/2in thick.


Here's one side installed. You're looking at the aluminum disk sandwiched between the rear frame rail and the spring. I found some crappy rubber pads in a box and stuffed them in for good measure. The whole project was a good starting point, but overall it was a waste of time because the rear looks unchanged. I'll increase the spacer to 1in and update later. If that doesn't help, I'll consider stiffer rear springs or smaller fronts.


On the left is a 60mm drop spring, which is 5X8. On the right is a 5X7 700lb spring.


On 1inch spacers out back and 5X7 springs. I can live with this. I can't drive it because the upper control arms are resting on the lowers, but it's not like it runs anyway, so I'll sort it out later.


5X7 up close.

[lookforjoe]

Originally Posted by jrv6a

There was something about the stance that I didn't like when I bought it. I wasn't sure what it was until I read a post somewhere here on TB that said the '73 has a larger wheel opening than previous years. I wish I had found that post sooner.

Sounds like one of those interweb myths. The fenders & 1/4 panels did not change form beyond the changes required as a result of the side marker/parking light changes over the years. The wheel openings and inner wheel housings did not have any functional change.

What did they say was the basis for their assertions?

EDIT - I am wrong - hiperfauto has images that indicate the change in front fender wheel opening

[hiperfauto]

There is a difference in the wheel opening on early cars. The change occurred in the beginning of the '71 model year production.

https://forums.turbobricks.com/showp...6&postcount=21

[jrv6a]

Originally Posted by hiperfauto

There is a difference in the wheel opening on early cars. The change occurred in the beginning of the '71 model year production.

https://forums.turbobricks.com/showp...6&postcount=21

That's the EXACT post I found! BTW, thanks for the help with my M40 build back in 2020!

[lookforjoe]

Originally Posted by hiperfauto

There is a difference in the wheel opening on early cars. The change occurred in the beginning of the '71 model year production.

https://forums.turbobricks.com/showp...6&postcount=21

Thank you for the clarification, I stand corrected

[jrv6a]

The alternator wiring was burnt, taped, broken, re-taped, and re-broken. If you have a 140 with FI, PS, and A/C you know that the alternator and its wires are hard to get at, so a "quick cut, splice, recrimp" isn't all that quick or easy.


An afternoon gutting the engine bay and wiping it down is time well spent. Now I can remove and reinstall the engine easily ten times a day. Just wait 'til you see how I turn those little rust holes under the battery tray mount into a total dumpster fire.


That alternator mess is a thing of the past.


Just like the alternator, the injector harness was in bad shape. Everything was crispy, brittle, and broken.


I "recreated" the FI harness and hand wrote the numbers on the wires. As soon as I snapped this pic I knew this was a bad idea. Now my crispy, brittle, and broken harness that could have at least still been called "factory" and used as a template is all cut apart, and if the hand written number wear off, I'm in trouble.


The solution to all the white wires = color!


This might be blasphemy, but it works and it makes testing and fault tracing a lot easier. Besides, no one has to know.


The injectors and I can hide our dirty little secret under the sleeving.

[jrv6a]

These calipers have seen better days.


Even in bad condition, Girling calipers are worth saving. In the 140's case, you kind of have no choice because they're are getting hard to find. Here's how I got most of the pistons out. I attached an air chuck to the original brake line and started at 50psi and cranked it up until one of the pistons popped out.


They're going pop with some force, so I used some 3/4 steel stock to keep them from flying across the room.


If you get a REALLY stuck one, you can hook your grease gun up to the brake hose and start pumping the caliper full of grease. The down side is you'll have to open the caliper and replace the inner seals too, which a lot of people say is a "no-go" for a novice.


I eventually saved this caliper, but this is a good lesson on not giving up. Normally a little compressed air will pop the pistons right out of a caliper. But when they are BEYOND STUCK this is what happens. If you look closely, you'll see that the grease forced the piston on the right up against the 3/16 steel plate and bent it, but the piston on the left isn't making contact. The caliper is rebuilt and on the car now. So far, so good.


This next one is a different story. Normally you can hit a seized bleeder with a torch to heat it up and get it out. This one wouldn't budge, so I welded a bead on the caliper body to get some real heat in there to break things loose. After it cooled, I put a socket on and the bleeder snapped off like butter. No big deal, a screw extractor will take care of that - see two broken extractors to the right in pic. Okay... so a carbide burr will cut through an extractor - nope. The hole is now full of 1) broken bleeder, 2) broken extractors, 3) broken carbide burrs. And for good measure, I split it open and used another burr from the inside out, which was satisfying, but it destroyed the bleeder seat.

[jrv6a]

My car came with D-jet.


But I have this problem.


I got a deal on set of carbs...


so I got a header for carbs.


Now I want to go back to D-jet but the intake and header don't match.


I had this piece T6061 aluminum


I used a router to cut a channel in it.


Here's a closer look.


A hole saw on the drill press makes quick work of the aluminum.


A little sanding, and now I can mate the FI intake to a carb header.


They don't look as good as the ones from Swedish Relics, but they seem to be working. We'll see what happens.

[jrv6a]

It's time to clean the injectors! This turned out to be a pretty easy task. Like always, my intent with this post is to help anyone who stumbles across this while trying to save their own car. I'm no expert, but I'm glad to show how I did it.


I got one can of carb cleaner for each injector and one for the cold start valve. The white thing in front of the cans is a nozzle. You can get that on Amazon. Just type in injector cleaner nozzle or tool.


Here's how it goes together. I used to use straws and tape when I would do this on old 5.0 Mustangs, but this new nozzle was totally worth the $5.00. There's no clamp in this pic, but make sure to use a clamp to hold the injector on because it will pop off.


Here's how you fire the injectors to clean them. Those are two D-cell batteries wired in series to produce 3.2 volts. The red jumper right in front of you on the battery pack goes from neg on the left side to pos on the right. The white wire is taped to the neg on the left and the orange is NOT connected to the battery pack because you will tap it to positive manually to fire the injector.


A couple of crimp connectors make things a little easier on this end. The white is connected to the neg on the battery pack. The orange is not connected to any battery.


This is the money shot. The hand you can't see is tapping the orange wire on the pos of the D cell on the left of the pack. The injector popped off, so be sure to clamp yours on.