Intro and Volvo P80 V70R advice

Following on the RWD Volvos, I know that adapters are available to mate a Borg Warner T5 (Mustang or other) to the inline 4 red block. Does anyone know if similar adapter is available for the inline 6?  Maybe same adapter. 

Only bummer there is losing the inline 5 sound. I believe some have also mounted the inline 5 longitudinal in 240/740/940. But that's a LOT of work. 

I'll keep searching - at the end of the day I will probably buy whatever I find that is a good rust free example. Lots of options for build direction. Again, not building a racecar, I just need a way to get to fun. 

There are off the shelf adapters to put a longitudinal manual trans behind a Whiteblock for Getrags, T5s, and the current popular option is the Nissan CD009.

This is in a 240, but you get the idea.

That Speedhunters article was inspirational. I don't want anything that nice or that involved, but the potential! ...

Any thanks also for the info above about adapter for longitudinal inline 5 and more modern manual trans. Plenty of options.

And I know there are multiple rear diff options - BMW M3, etc. 

Project Family Racewagon is forming in my mind.  Who needs a Mustang GT when you can have a boxy, roomy RWD turbo manual frankenwagon?

In reply to dustin_h :

That is a sweet build, and I've got a soft spot for Whiteblocks, but you don't have to do an engine swap to get bulk power from a Turbo Brick.  Don't discount the venerable Redblock that's already powering most 200, 700, and 900 series RWD Volvos.

I snagged an abandoned '76 242 project cheap, with intentions of using it as a GRM Challenge car, but as I've researched and collected parts, I'm well outside of the GRM Challenge budget limits.  I've got a 2.1l and a pair of 2.3l to choose from, snagged a B234F 16V head last year, so my goal is 16V turbo.  I got an RX7 Turbo II  transmission, that I originally planned on DIYing an adapter for and putting behind it, but that was before the CD009 swap kit existed, they're cheap enough to have me second guessing my original plan.

dustin_h said:

Following on the RWD Volvos, I know that adapters are available to mate a Borg Warner T5 (Mustang or other) to the inline 4 red block. Does anyone know if similar adapter is available for the inline 6?  Maybe same adapter.

Redblocks are a different bolt pattern from whiteblocks, but AFAIK all whiteblocks are the same bolt pattern, whether five, six, or four.  960 (etc.) oil pans are cut and sectioned to make oil pans for longitudinal fives.  If someone has ever done a rear drive swap of a whiteblock four, I would like to see it, because I'm curious about the rationale 

The rear drive adaptors I have seen required a 960 automatic transmission to sacrifice its bellhousing, which can be the starting point for an adaptor.  See oldskewltoy's Hemi Corona build thread, same setup.  Heck, might be the same transmission starting point, it's been a while since I'd poked transmission sources.  (EDIT: According to Wikipedia, '90-94 960 3.0 used an A340, '92-98 2.9l used a A341, same unit as V8 Crowns... So... Look at his thread and find a dead transmission to grab its bellhousing from?)

....and now I am wondering if there were any all wheel drive Toyotas with this transmission.  Because REASONS

dustin_h said:

Following on the RWD Volvos, I know that adapters are available to mate a Borg Warner T5 (Mustang or other) to the inline 4 red block. Does anyone know if similar adapter is available for the inline 6?  Maybe same adapter. 

Only bummer there is losing the inline 5 sound. I believe some have also mounted the inline 5 longitudinal in 240/740/940. But that's a LOT of work. 

I'll keep searching - at the end of the day I will probably buy whatever I find that is a good rust free example. Lots of options for build direction. Again, not building a racecar, I just need a way to get to fun. 

I got my whiteblock to mustangt5 adapter from https://www.deeworks.ca/ It looks like he's got cd009 stuff now which I probably would have gone with.

Just to chime in again since I've owned a 744 turbo, 965 (whiteblock six) and multiple P80s, I can confirm they are all great cars, but the redblocks definitely have a more, erm, "agricultural" feel to them than the P80s. That is both a good and bad thing depending on how you look at it, but I went from the 744 to the 855R in a span of about ~6 months and the P80 felt orders of magnitude more "modern" from a build and driving perspective. All depends on what you are looking for.

The 965 just felt like a grandpa car. That straight six is a sweet engine but the whole package did not exude feelings of "performance" or "sporting" in any way.

I drove a 240 wagon Friday and I have to agree with PointofDeparture. It just felt too "old" and not in a good way. 

spent the day yesterday at Nelsons Ledges road course and had trouble picturing that 240 wagon ever being fun there even for a parade lap, let alone a track day. 

i think I'm just trying to cram cool cruiser potential into track capability - and it doesn't fit.  At least not on my budget. 

I think I'll stick with P80 dreams and maybe even look elsewhere.  

You know what looked great and fun at the track? ... miatas.  Big surprise. 

In reply to dustin_h :

The 7/9 series feels orders of magnitude more modern than the 240. The p80 is another jump from there. I've had multiple examples of all of them.

Digging this thread up from the dead because I’m in love!  I’m the OP, and I *did* follow through and find a volvo P80 wagon. After a long search, a cheap 1998 V70 AWD (Low pressure turbo) popped up close enough and cheap enough to jump on. Low price due to suspected rear main seal leak (which I was foolishly game to repair just to get one in my garage), clean body, low miles for $800.  Limped it home 250 miles, hemorrhaging oil and stopping to top up. A ridiculously anal cleaning job made it much more presentable. 

After some research, the suspected RMS leak turned out to be only a cam seal leak ($10 and 20 minutes).  But it was not all unicorns and rainbows …

As suggested above, with limited service history, I set about the full “stage 0” maintenance list and dumped about $2k into various parts. PCV, heater core, all hoses & belts, fresh rotors/pads/hoses, all fluids, nice Continental tires, balance, and home alignment, and needed to replace a leaking steering rack.  But throughout the maintenance repairs it was a joy to drive and just felt right, so I was hooked. 

Then the fun began.  Started researching and looking for fun bits. H&R front lowering springs, new struts, DIY “fooler blocks” to lower Nivomat self-leveling rear suspension (other options too $$$ at this point - it’s a cruiser). 

The biggest win was getting what I believe is *the last* P80 AWD wagon IPD rear swaybay to be sold by IPD. I got a tip from an IPD employee that there was a basically new one used for test fitting, etc. that was under a desk in the office, and that guys’s number. Great conversation ensued, and although he had hopes of using it on a project of his own, he won the customer service of the century award by selling it to me for a reasonable price as a one-off item. I had him initial it with a sharpie to memorialize the event!

Lots of cosmetic upgrades: chin spoiler for fun, new headlight glass and corner markers, cross-country grill, rear wing, and I’m a happy boy cruising around in my old volvo. 

As for engine performance, in stock form it is underpowered but still enjoyable in a “slow car fast” kind of way. But I bought a used 16T turbo from an R and rebuilt it, and found a set of R-size (white) injectors, and a 98 R ECU. Once installed, I should get a nice HP/TQ bump to feel more in the game. Also working on a benchtop ECU tuning rig, and made an internet friend who is experienced with motronic 4.4 tuning. 

Not going to be a racecar, but it sure is fun having an old, cheap, lowered, racy-looking 5cyl turbo Volvo wagon. It will get on the local track at some point I’m sure.  And maybe the best part is my 14 year old son wants it to be his first car!  (Maybe … if I can find a 98 T5 manual wagon!)

I write so much of this just as a way to follow through and offer thanks for all of the tips, thoughts and encouragement above. This was a nichey project, and although I didn’t follow all advice (I wanted AWD for no particularly good reason), you all know how having some guys say “do it” leads to all manner of good adventures!  Thanks!