BB-Q's 142 16v turbo project

[BB-Q]

Not that I'm ambitious or anything..........

Well, here it is- a thread about the forthcoming project/restoration of my newly accuired 142.
Now to say that RHD 142's are rare in this country is a bit like saying hen's teeth are not that easy to find. I'm going to ask the owners club if they know how many there are but I'm guessing you wouldn't need to take your socks off to count them all.

So here she is, as I found her:















She's as rotten as a particularly rotten thing, but I'll not let something as trivial as a lack of floorpans and sills stop me!!!

Let's get an idea of where I'm going to be going with this:

Body restoration and then repaint the car in a colour yet to be decided but probably original.

Requires new bootlid, new outer sills and new rear floorpans. Sills have been sourced, floorpans will be fabricated, bootlid's proving to be a bit of a problem.

Doors need replacing but will be repaired due to them being just about unobtainable, bonnet and front valance will be repaired. Rear quarters are both good. Chassis is good as is engine bay.

Interior will be kept as original as possible with a few exceptions. Big tacho, possibly racing seats in the front- don't know yet.

The sound system will be decided upon at a later date at which time I'll consult an expert on these matters known as Foggyjames. It will be hidden, though. Completely. The original Motorola radio will probably stay in the dash.

I will rewire the car completely and try as hard as possible to keep the engine bay looking wire free.

Engine will be the 16v B230 that I'm currently building using John V's pistons and Stereophile 33's rods. Turbo is yet to be decided upon but will most likely be a T3/4.

Management will be the MSnS-E system from my 945.

rear axle is still under much discussion but will probably be Ford 8.8" or 9".

Gearbox is again yet to be decided but will be either a Getrag or T5 unless by some miracle an affordable T56 comes along. I'm tempted to go to a Cosworth T5 so I can use a Cosworth uprated clutch on a modified flat flywheel.

windows will be electric, pinched from the 945, as will the remote central locking.

Wheels will be the Propus C's from the 945 but I will ensure that there's enough room in the arches for drag radials whilst I'm doing the bodywork. It's much less hassle to do a small tubbing job before you've painted the car than after.

Without going into the minutest details I think that's the basic outline of my plans for the car.

I've set myself a timescale for the car. I'm aiming to do it's first run at the drag strip by my 40th birthday, in 2 1/2 years time.

As I've only had the car a few days there's been little progress on it so far, other than sourcing a pair of sills and flogging parts from my 945 to fund the building of a car roller as I'm sick of lying on my back out side in the wind. Tomorrow I'm stripping the 945 and clearing the garage for the 142 to live in.

Any questions?

[BabyBlue240]

Crazy what just a wash will do... Looks like a pretty solid starting point. I love retro-tech projects like this.

[Larsen-Racing]

AOUCH! A lot of rust there man!

[77240dl]

dude, i'd look for a new car... that floor is toast... that trunk has gotta be the same way... i'd look at the spring perches and the butt cheeks really good.... POR 15 will be your friend... and rotisserie blast that thing... JOHNNY P made one out of a boat trailer... good luck

[BB-Q]

Originally Posted by BB-Q

Now to say that RHD 142's are rare in this country is a bit like saying hen's teeth are not that easy to find. I'm going to ask the owners club if they know how many there are but I'm guessing you wouldn't need to take your socks off to count them all.

Originally Posted by 77240dl

dude, i'd look for a new car... that floor is toast... that trunk has gotta be the same way... i'd look at the spring perches and the butt cheeks really good.... POR 15 will be your friend... and rotisserie blast that thing... JOHNNY P made one out of a boat trailer... good luck

Don't worry- I can weld just fine. I've located a brand new trunklid in Sweden too.

[Fordy-88]

as all the UK rare 2 doors so far (242 and 262c) are yellow, i think it's only right for yours to be aswell

[suterman]

I have a question.

How are you going to live without boost for 2 and a half years?

[945ti]

I wouldn't worry about the engine. I see several months of body work to get that car to a state where it can be driven in winter and not rust out from under you.

Without hood, fenders, doors and glass they are actually quite light. With some junk tires, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to just put it in its side (onto the soft tires) and attack it with the sandblaster, wire wheel and plasma cutter where needed. For the cutting and welding it is probably best to support it from the jack points if it is solid enough. Welding nicely over your head as the undercoating between the seams seeps out is a blast! Even after plenty of sand blasting and some acid washing it, some undercoating still bubbles through a seam. With patience things can be plenty clean for a good weld, but short of acid dipping the car after stripping it, you get to deal with seeping undercoating in a lot of places and re-rustproofing the chassis. Fun fun!

on a 140, the rear trailing arm mounts could use some love for strength and you ought to be able to go hack upon a 244 to donate some under bits IIRC. 244s are pretty abundant. Getting the undercoating off a late 244 isn't much fun. Not to bad on an early one. Good news with a late one is galvanized metal and more resilliant undercoating where you don't remove it around where you weld is potentially rather nice.

Factory fitting power windows can come from a 164 IIRC, but most are a bit slow.

Adapting a 240 axle might make sense if you are into that.

[1stRaven]

Good luck with it!

In for the updates anyway!

[sparks]

Originally Posted by 77240dl

dude, i'd look for a new car... that floor is toast... that trunk has gotta be the same way... i'd look at the spring perches and the butt cheeks really good.... POR 15 will be your friend... and rotisserie blast that thing... JOHNNY P made one out of a boat trailer... good luck

No! in the uk we are used to this sort of rust - just needs a bit of time to sort!

[BB-Q]

Mini update: The car wouldn't fit in the garage due to the chest freezer being in there so, as Mrs BB insited that we keep the freezer I've just knocked down the partition wall at the back of the garage and altered the ring main to allow a new socket to power the relocated freezer.

Now all I have to do is get rid of several tons of crap so I can fit the car in there and get it away from the salt air.

[BB-Q]

Well, it's in.

After a complete day spent emptying my garage of assorted crap and several hundred bricks that used to be a partition wall at the back, I managed to get the car in and only lose my small workbench at the back.
But this brings to light a problem- there's no way I could get the car in and out on a roller and there's no room to roll it over once in side the garage. Looks like I'll be doing it the old fashioned way, then. Bollocks.

But at least it's not being corroded further by the salt spray that blows in off the sea.



It's now got a boot full of engine parts and a back seat full of John V's Cosworth parts as I've now got nowhere else to put them! Time to get rid of more crap, methinks.

[BB-Q]

Originally Posted by suterman

I have a question.

How are you going to live without boost for 2 and a half years?

I'm not sure, Mike. Maybe persuade Tina it's time she upgraded her S40 to a T4?

[BB-Q]

Mini update:
Today sees me getting a pretty solid bootlid for £45 and a pair of outer sills for £42.
I also got a mechanical linelock for £30.

[BB-Q]

Ok, so I'm a ricer.

But for £26.99 brand new in the box I couldn't refuse!

[grizlyadams]

Ricer
Griz

[Johann]

Even a cheapo ricer..

[volvorsport]

half that rev counter is wasted , lol.

[BB-Q]

Originally Posted by volvorsport

half that rev counter is wasted , lol.

Why?

Do you seriously think I'll be setting a 5500rpm rev limit on a built 16v motor?

[klr142]

Originally Posted by BB-Q

Why?

Do you seriously think I'll be setting a 5500rpm rev limit on a built 16v motor?

Yeah, that's what I was wondering...

Get to work on that body!

[rallyvovo]

Originally Posted by BB-Q

Ok, so I'm a ricer.

But for £26.99 brand new in the box I couldn't refuse!

there are better options than a Type-R tach for that price

[BB-Q]

Originally Posted by rallyvovo

there are better options than a Type-R tach for that price

Not in the Uk, there aren't. Unless you'd like to prove me wrong?

[Ruben]

car parts are much cheaper in the US, I think the US guys over here would be shockes if they know what we pay for some parts. Because volvo is a European manufacturer doesn't mean everything is cheap! Carparts are expensive, at least in the Netherlands...
Also things like insurance and taxes....If you'd only know what we pay for taxes (my 740 = $100 per month) and insurance (my 740= $110) and fuel is extremely expensive over here. $2 per litre that's like $7.50 or more per Gallon....
All the complaining Ok we do get M90 gearboxes, e-codes and other stuff.
Back on topic, BBQ very nice project!!!!

[BB-Q]

Thanks!

On the plus side, I've insured the 142 with a specialist custom car insurer while I'm building it. Accidental damage, fire and theft cover is currently costing me £42 a year!

[DaytonAE86]

Originally Posted by BB-Q

Thanks!

On the plus side, I've insured the 142 with a specialist custom car insurer while I'm building it. Accidental damage, fire and theft cover is currently costing me £42 a year!

Does this insurance have a mileage limit, or is it only for non-op or cars being built? Can't wait to see a nice 16vt 142 , although a nice hi revving 2.5/2.3 NA 16v would be sweet, can't fault turbo power