65 Volvo 122 v3.0L

A build thread has been requested. The general idea is a parking lot racer / daily street driver. The recipe so far is an injected V6 5 speed manual. It should get 25+MPG and be capable of way more top speed than a Volvo was ever intended, maybe a shot of giggle gas to make things happen a little quicker. 2400lbs in stock form (I hope to not add much more than I take out) with 200+HP.

I started with a 67 Wagon but discovered it is only suitable for right turns without some major work and the floor boards are close to Flintstone style. I intended to convert it to a 2 door and do pop out side windows in the rear like a coupe. That all went on the back burner when I discovered the RF frame horn is taco'd and the wheelbase is 1" shorter on the right side. I don't know how I missed that.....

Having joined up on a Volvo forum in search of knowledge, goodies, and ideas, I ran into a 65 Coupe for nada! "I'll be right over, give me 10 min to hook up the trailer!"

Lots more usable parts on this car and it's already a coupe. I drove it off the trailer after doing a little surgery on the carbs. I don't recommend using shoe goo to seal up your Solex, especially when Napa has the dang Orings for less than the shoe goo costs! The added benefit of using the oring is the float does not get glued to the cover!

My motor of choice is a Duratec 3.0L which is a DOHC 24 valve motor with an excellent reliability record and a high factory redline. I scored a junkyard takeout from a 98 Taurus with all the goodies and started piecing together the rest of the parts. The Duratec 3.0 does not come with a 5 speed with any strength (Getrag 122) and I am not ready to tackle computer control of a electronic trans. A Toyota W57 5 speed trans will handle the power easily (it is a close ratio gearset with a .7 overdrive) and are easy to find and if I tear it up I can easily switch to the Supra R154 trans which are much stronger but a little harder to find.

Since no bellhousing is made for the Duratec I started looking at ways to screw the two together. I discovered that a Noble uses this motor with a Fidanza flywheel (not the dual mass Lincoln type) 9# of aluminum beauty.

$50 for ARP flywheel bolts and they don't come with washers! If I remove the plug in the crank that centers the torque convertor I can fit the Toyota pilot bearing in it's place. I found a 350HP clutch and cover from a Contour, I'll have to swap the disc for a 21 spline disc that fits the Toyota trans.

Now for a belhousing that doesn't exist. The local trans shop donated an automatic case from their scrap pile.

Some measuring and a couple of nights sleep on the idea and after consulting with my Tool and Die amigo the concept was given the green light. I have to transfer the bell housing pattern to a plate that will adapt the trans to the Auto case. First trip to the band saw and loose some un-needed weight. Measure twice, cut once, leave lots extra in case the plan changes...

After I digitized the Auto case, the bellhousing and the front of the trans on a CMM the guru overlayed the three CMM files in MasterCam and created a pattern for a plate.

I wanted to install an internal hydraulic TO bearing but cannot find one to fit over the Toyota snout. Plan B, I found that a 92 truck has a short (and cheap) throwout bearing that will fit in the space I have. It also fits the 84 Celica release fork I have. One more issue solved, I just need to decide where I will clock the TO fork. I want it high on the pass side so it does not take away foot room from the driver and up away from the heat from the headers. Once I get that position dialed in I can relocate the fork pivot ball in the pattern and finalize the hole cut out for the trans. I will also need to weld on some bosses to the belhousing to provide 4 bolts on the pass side where the unneeded portion of the case has been cut off. Then I can trim off all the extra knobby stuff that the FWD auto used.

The Exhaust manifolds will not fit inside the frame so I will use them for patterns for header flanges to be cut out on a water jet. Building headers will be an interesting challenge, I'll probably give Headers by Ed some of my hard earned to get a design that will lean towards low RPM torque to make up for the light flywheel. Still researching.....

I cut down the wire harness to what I need for the MegaSquirt 2 I built for the project. I grabbed up an external Walbro to pressurize the fuel, I'll just need to add a return line to the Volvo tank from the factory Ford pressure regulator. The factory intake has a symmetrical pattern so I can turn it around I will need to either space it up or do a little cut and paste on it for clearance over the cam gear. Also it used an motorized servo to operate the secondary butterfly's and I have not been able to reverse engineer the electrical control for that, I am now leaning towards using a vacuum servo to open the butterfly's and simplify that. I can easily switch a vacuum valve on and off at 3800rpm with the MS2.

I plan to set the motor back significantly I'll have to get it on the scales to get a better idea of how far back I will go. I'll have to look at the parking lot racing rules also so I don't put myself in a class with mid engine cars. Any ideas for what I should shoot for would be appreciated.

I'm ordering a triple master cylinder pedal setup with a balance bar so I'll be able to make any brakes work (starting with stock disc/drum setup).

Next to look at is power steering so I can quicken up the steering. I have some questions for the engineers here regarding geometry. The Swed's mounted the center link significantly forward of the end of the steering arms so the tie rods are angled forward 30-40°. I am trying to figure out why they did that, before I just stuff a rack in it. I have a feeling it has to do with extreme steering angles, facilitating tight U turns without scrubbing tires. Any input? Suggested reading?

Thanks for any help and I hope you enjoy my project, maybe get some ideas for your own "high powered light weight smog control exempt E36 M3 box".

Nice! Should be fun.

If the coupe works out good I may do up the wagon with a cage to brace up the damaged frame horn. Then since it has a cage I can have more power, like a pair of turbo's. I can get a newer style oval intake port motor. And also I can play with an automatic trans too.

First things first...

Got the button out of the back of the crank with a tap and a bolt. If the machine shop is open today I will make a sleeve to hold the pilot bearing.

Bored the button to match the pilot bearing and shortened it up.

The new year has brought out a few new projects to fawn over. I like where this is going.

I'd bet if your bellhousing turns out nice, you could make some extra cash by making a couple spares and selling them.

Oh, and welcome.

Watching this with great interest..

I could maybe dup the adapter plate since it will be cut out with a CNC...

Cool beans, keep updates like this coming!

So I can use this flywheel in my 3L duratec mazda 6? interesting...

As a 122 owner who is a glutton for punishment with engine swappery, I'm watching. However, I'm really curious the motivation for the Duratec V6...whatfer? I see "high redline" above as one of your motivations...are you autocrossing this or top speed racing or...? It seems like a GM "high value" 60° V6 would be a hell of a lot easier and cheaper, for example. Also, the Getrag 221 (?) from the Jag S-type should work, but you're avoiding it...isn't that the trans that came from the factory?

Personally, I think the front geometry on the 122 is highly compromised to allow a non-power steering box with significant wheel cut. I'd ditch it for a proper rack and pinion as part of an engine swap, no doubt.

Sounds like a fun fabrication project, just wondering your motivations to add some context. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!

Bryce

As someone who's commitment to fiscal responsibility verges on that of a government organization's I'm not one to questions anyones projects...

However, I really have to wonder about the masochistic path you are walking with the engine to transmission project.If there is one area of hot roding that I want to be well defined and uncomplicated, its the mechanical genitalia that couples the back of the engine to the front of the transmission. Having to troubleshoot a complex home bult hybrid like yours would be like a transexual showing up at the gynecologist for maintenance.

That said, impressed with the skills and commitment.

"like a transexual showing up at the gynecologist" Easy for you to say!

Trouble shoot? It's just a bellhousing...

I have been told the Getrag is the suck, there is also an availability issue. I was looking at the auto trans but the GPIO trans stuff seems to still be in it's infancy. Many of the needed features still seem to be in development

DD and parking lot racer.

Still looking for a candidate for a power rack, race stuff is spendy, but stock stuff is going to need a quickener.

fidelity101 wrote: So I can use this flywheel in my 3L duratec mazda 6? interesting...

Yes I believe it will fit, does the mazda use a dual mass flywheel? I never looked into that angle.

I've done 2 other swaps with the GM motor.

Isuzu Pup and an MG Midget Both were very nice.

However an iron pushrod motor doesn't excite me.

The Duratec motor can be had cheap with lots of smiles left on them because the Taurus trans fails and costs more than the car is worth to fix. The motors sit in the wrecking yards (the don't sell) because very few fail.

bentwrench wrote: "like a transexual showing up at the gynecologist" Easy for you to say! Trouble shoot? It's just a bellhousing...

It is a custom one-off bellhousing made by someone with the right tools and skills that is enveloping a flywheel, pilot bearing, clutch plate, pressure-plate and throwout bearing mechanism of unknown provenance.

If someone who is not you ever has to work on this area, they are going to be scratching their heads unless you provide some good documentation.

I do not mean to put the project down in any way, just saying that when it comes to swaps, I like to keep the engine transmission interface exactly as some factory engineer designed it.

Just saw that you're in Portland. Me too, and I have a '67 122 wagon in the same color! Do you still have the wagon? I'm always looking for bits and pieces if you do and would be interested in selling/trading+cash with some of my parts.

Bryce

What do you have or need? I need a r fender and a hood for the wagon (if i move forward on it) I need a latch for the upper hatch. Front turn signals W lenses. Rear brake parts.

Got the Stage 2 clutch disc (92 4 runner 5 spring hub). Mocked up assembly to check clearances and release fork and slave positioning. Good to go. Anyone have a line on a waterjet in the portland area to cut my header flanges?

These guys are right next to my shop and did good work quickly for a reasonable price:

http://www.portlandwaterjet.com/

Bryce

Thanks, I just found another closer to home too.

This is awesome. Carry on.