1979 Volvo 242GT - Reader Ride

By: David Caligari

Date: 19.09.2017

This Swede is swifter than it looks thanks to a Japanese heart

David Caligari's 1979 Volvo 242GT

I bought this car for $500, with the intention of swapping the engine. I sat on it for a while, and finally formulated a rough plan as to what I wanted to do with it.

I decided to drop in a Lexus V8, it would have been easier to install a Ford or Holden V8, but being a Volvo person means being a bit different, so I thought I’d continue the stereotype.

It wasn’t an easy job at all. There is no guide or kits to help you with a build of this kind, so I had to go through a lot of trial and error to get the car where it is. You have to make everything, the mounts, the exhaust and all the bits in between. It uses a Megasquirt ECU, and it runs well. The whole thing is good for about 160kW at the wheels, but big power was never what this car was about.

The body got caught in a hail storm a few years ago, so I took it off the road and pretending to be a panel beater, I repaired it myself. If I never have to do that again, it’ll be too soon.

On the outside the car looks fairly stock, with the original paint scheme. I like this idea of keeping it original on the outside, but different underneath. Most people don’t pick it, even when I start the motor, which I think is really cool.

Valuation guide: This one fits the bill 'Unique' which also describes its value

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