$2000 Challenge: Daily drivers–like this Volvo 242–are welcome, too

• Entrants: Dave and Jim Woodson
• Event year: 2003
• Budget spent: $1943

The beauty of the $2000 Challenge? You get to build what you want. Mild or wild, a ticking time bomb or a sensible daily.

After our 2003 event, Dave and Jim Woodson planned to use this 1984 Volvo 242 for day-to-day transportation. No crazy swaps, no junkyard turbo. Instead, …

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Adjusted for inflation, that $1943 Volvo 242 comes out to around $3300 in 2024 money.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't sound too unreasonable for a 242 nowadays.

I had a 242 ('old man beige' color) but I simply loved the car and installed an IPD suspension kit and Bilstein shocks, which transformed the car.  Was contemplating a V8 swap until I realized it wasn't my dream build, so I sold it to make room in my driveway. 5 cars is too much in an urban area...

But isn't a point of the $2000 Challenge to eschew sensible approaches...? 

I once test drove a Volvo 240. Looking back, should have bought it. :) 

David S. Wallens said:

I once test drove a Volvo 240. Looking back, should have bought it. :) 

Wanna try again?

https://augusta.craigslist.org/cto/d/gloverville-1989-volvo-for-project-or/7786576499.html

Or a wagon?
https://maine.craigslist.org/cto/d/litchfield-1978-volvo-245-dl-obo/7792615631.html
https://nh.craigslist.org/cto/d/hampton-volvo/7793049072.html

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Perhaps but, to be honest, not up for a project. A totally mint one, maybe. I have a friend who would totally dig a white wagon, ideally with a stick. Maybe we’ll go halfsies. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

My neighbor is selling a 4-door so you still have a chance: Volvo 240 DL

In reply to Mr_Asa :

337k miles: "Needs a few things. Back wiper doesn't work..."

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Hey, at least it only has miner things wrong.  So long as you dont live in coal country, you should be fine.

Chris Tropea said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

My neighbor is selling a 4-door so you still have a chance: Volvo 240 DL

Looks clean. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Same. Brown manual sedan. My Honda had just chewed through it's auto trans. $750 for the Volvo. Man, I miss 2010! 

That right side stance and angle of attack is what all of those old bricks should look like standing still. I had a 164 and someone gave me some Carrol Shelby 7 x 15" wheels with 0 offset and the only way to make them fit was jacked up in the back and dropped in the front. The top of the wheel wells are both the same height to the tops of both tires. The way they where meant to be.

Kind of like this:

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

In reply to Mr_Asa :

337k miles.......

Just broken in, then.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I had a 240 wagon 4-speed+OD for a few years, and it's one of those "I'd buy another one" cars on my list.  Handles surprisingly well, even all-up with 2 adults, 2 dogs, a toddler, and a month's worth of gear strapped to it.  The nice ones are getting pricey, though....

In reply to Warlock :

I believe I had a Corgi 1/43 of one as a kid but lost it at the beach. 

We just paid $5200 for this 1982 automatic.  Drove it back from Austin, TX to Illinois 990 miles.