SquareD's slow and steady 945 tarbo project

[SquareD]

So this post was from when I refreshed and upgraded the suspension: TME lowering springs, Volvo/Boge Turbo shocks, iPd sway bars, chassis brace and subframe braces.

... but I'll go ahead and hijack this post to tell the history of the car and to include the running tally of what's been done. I bought the car in Pittsburg, KS in March of 2013 with 91k miles on it; original paint and interior. It was essentially a one owner car. A couple had owned it and obviously fretted over the car. In addition to the low miles, it had a ton of records showing they took it in whenever it even made a noise.

One of the pictures emailed to me:


Shot of the car on the 5 hr drive home:


For whatever reason the car had sat for a couple years prior to being put up for sale. A well-known, regional Volvo guru had finally convinced the owner to let him sell it for them. I found out through the local VCOA chapter that a guy down near Springfield, MO had a clean, low mileage 940 turbo that he was preparing to sell. Since I had been looking for a cherry 940 wagon for years, I immediately reached out to him. He did some work getting it back on the road, but you could tell it had sat for a while. The intank fuel pump was dead and the brakes were rusted and warped. It also had dings on almost every body panel and a smattering of paint etching, clear coat damage and scratches. That being said, I knew the car could be really nice with some elbow grease.

I initially bought the car to be my daily driver, but soon decided that this car made a better basis as a project than my 1985 744t. As most of us know, Volvo addressed the biggest weaknesses of the early 7s in the late 940s (galv. sheet metal, beefier engine, G80, better wiring, etc). That and this car being a turbo and a wagon sealed the deal for me. After 20+ years, I sold the 740 in October of 2013 and this car took its place in the garage. I haven't regretted switching project cars for one second.

I've slowly been working on and modding this car the past 3+ years, here's a rundown of what's been done.

Maintenance:
-OE Volvo in-tank fuel pump
-Bosch in-line fuel pump and Mann filter
-Resurfaced all 4 rotors
-OE Volvo pads
-Bosch FPR
-All vacuum lines replaced
-OE Volvo waterpump
-Stant 180 deg thermostat
-INA idler/tensioner
-Continental timing belt
-Continental drive belts
-iPd tailgate rattle kit
-Driver's side power seat cable housing trimming
-Uncracked (JY) shift lever
-Full-car paintless dent removal
-Mobil 1 synthetic differential fluid
-Lucas synthetic brake fluid
-Bosch ignition coil
-Full AC overhaul including a new OE Volvo compressor
-Coolant flush (2x)
-GM Heater valve
-OE Volvo Expansion tank
-Zerex G-05 (HOAT) coolant
-Royal Purple coolant additive
-poly, outer stay rod bushings
-tie rod ends

Modifications:
-15g (low mile Volvo rebuild)
-Kinugawa WGA w/ Mylesofsmyles bracket
-do88 intercooler
-Turbosmart e-Boost Street electronic boost controller
-AEM Failsafe Wideband (guage/display is in a aaronllewellyn 3d printed vent pod)
-iPd turbo camshaft
-STS Machining adjustable cam gear
-3" downpipe
-3" Magnaflow cat
-2.5" catback (1 muffler)
-EGR delete
-ported ex. manifold
-Ostrich running a LH tune
-sbabbs EZK chip
-42lb/hr green giant injectors
-K&N panel filter
-gutted airbox
-Yoshifab crankcase vent, can and vented oil cap
-VHT Wrinkle finish valve cover w/ polished letters
-Koni Sports front and rear
-TME sport springs in front
-Kaplhenke QRSC's
-Kaplhenke adjustable sway bar endlinks
-Kaplhenke adjustable perches w/ 150lb springs in rear
-Kaplhenke BNE Select adjustable strut mounts
-iPd sway bars
-iPd adjustable panhard rod
-iPd/Cherry Turbos strut brace
-Cherry Turbos lower chassis brace
-960 subframe braces
-EBC Redstuff front pads
-iPd braided stainless brake lines
-Perfo wheels (previously)
-Forged BBS RG-R wheels (17x8, 5x120, et40, 17lbs/ea)
-Motorsports Tech adapters (22mm front, 28mm rear)
-Michelin Pilot SuperSport tires (225-45-r17)
-OE Ecode headlights
-Eggcrate grille
-V90 taillights, hatch spoiler and handle
-V/S90 "Volvo" door sill moldings
-"940_TURBO" tailgate badge
-Euro side indicators
-Ambient temperature sensor/display
-850R Alcantara front headrests
-Pioneer HU
-Kicker CS series speakers front and rear

Stuff waiting to go on:
-M90 transmission
-Yoshifab billet flywheel/clutch kit

Future mods?
-do88 radiator
-Some sort of brake upgrade, maybe?
-Deeper front spoiler
-OEM or aftermarket duckbill rear spoiler

-TO BE CONT'D-

[240240]

I thought I was gonna see some other double dees...

[Wind]

Car looks good man! Nice to see headlights that aren't yellow and sad looking...

I dig the licence plate for sure.

[5cyl]

i like

[SquareD]

Originally Posted by Wind

Car looks good man! Nice to see headlights that aren't yellow and sad looking...

I dig the licence plate for sure.

Thanks guys, it still has a few little things to iron out but I'm pretty happy with it. As far as the lack of yellowed light, it helps that the car only has 98k miles.

[Wind]

Originally Posted by SquareD

Thanks guys, it still has a few little things to iron out but I'm pretty happy with it. As far as the lack of yellowed light, it helps that the car only has 98k miles.

Just getting properly broken in

[SquareD]

Originally Posted by 240240

I thought I was gonna see some other double dees...

Noob please, this is showroom.

Originally Posted by Wind

Just getting properly broken in

Lol. When I try to emphasize to my friends that it has super low miles they don't get it.

[240240]

Originally Posted by SquareD

Noob please, this is showroom.



Lol. When I try to emphasize to my friends that it has super low miles they don't get it.

That's still a nice dd

[Råda]

Sweet wagon!

[760T man]

20TIL10 for epic plate hilarity.

[760T man]

Oh, and that looks just like my old car, with the exception of wheels, obviously.



Edit:// and my car had mudflaps and rain guards on the windows, for moar grandpa swag.

[MistrThou]

Sharp lookin car. Can't say I like the wheels though.

[240240]

Its so clean. I want one again now. Plus one for more grandpa swag. Mudflaps maybe a sunroof deflector. A tow hitch

[91_740Turbo]

CLEAN!!!! Ecodes now!

[fivealive]

.

[15A]

Whats the colors on that? 412 exterior and ? interior?

[MadDog_945]

The license plate is killer :D

[SquareD]

Originally Posted by Råda

Sweet wagon!

Thanks breh!

Originally Posted by 760T man

Oh, and that looks just like my old car, with the exception of wheels, obviously. Edit:// and my car had mudflaps and rain guards on the windows, for moar grandpa swag.

Originally Posted by 240240

Its so clean. I want one again now. Plus one for more grandpa swag. Mudflaps maybe a sunroof deflector. A tow hitch

I go for more the hella clean look than the grandpa swag look.

Originally Posted by MistrThou

Sharp lookin car. Can't say I like the wheels though.

Not a fan of perfos? I dig 'em, they're like a more modern hydra IMO. Plus $120 set of junkyard wheels FTW.

Originally Posted by 91_740Turbo

CLEAN!!!! Ecodes now!

Originally Posted by fivealive

Nice car!

I've got a set of ecodes for sale by the way: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=280769

Hmmm. I'd definitely like to do some ecodes eventually, but there are more pressing issues; mainly exhaust and tires. I'd highly prefer to get some OEM ones though. [TB]If you have those when I have the money (which is a ways off), I'll be all over them.[/TB]

Originally Posted by 15A

Whats the colors on that? 412 exterior and ? interior?

Yeah, 412 Metallic Blue Green with that medium grey leather.

Originally Posted by MadDog_945

The license plate is killer :D

Thanks, it was my wife's idea. My first choice was NINE 45, but I'm pretty sure they couldn't read my chicken scratch. Oh well.

Thanks for the complements guys!

[MadDog_945]

Originally Posted by SquareD

Yeah, 412 Metallic Blue Green with that medium grey leather.

Thats called FjordGreen Metallic

[SquareD]

Originally Posted by MadDog_945

Thats called FjordGreen Metallic

Interesting. I see it's also listed as tropical green.

[CAPT_BLOTTO]

Originally Posted by SquareD

GASP! Your Volvo is haunted!

[shaved240]

Are you running adapters with those wheels?

[SquareD]

Originally Posted by shaved240

Are you running adapters with those wheels?

Yeah, they're FWD, S70 T5 wheels. I'm running Motorsports Tech adapters with your standard 25mm front and 32mm rear FWD--->RWD setup...

[15A]

Originally Posted by SquareD

Yeah, 412 Metallic Blue Green with that medium grey leather.

Looks GOOD.

"412" Verdigris/Tropic Green metallic is my g/f's favorite Volvo color - and happens to be the color of her 945. It had the inevitable baby poop tan until I found a dark gray interior in a late 960 to replace it with.

[SquareD]

Thanks. I'm not a fan of dark colors at all, but it's growing on me. It's an interesting color, on a cloudy day it looks pretty dark, but it really brightens up when it's under full sun. The interior is in pretty good shape, some scratches and cracking, but only one small rip. I've been conditioning and lexol'ing the crap out of it to slow its eventual decline.