My escort should be sold today or within the next week. I'll be probably picking up a Volvo. I wanted a wagon, but there may be better options.
The wagon (v70) is an auto 
with all wheel drive making it harder to swap a 5.0 into if things go haywire. The interior is in condition. A good car overall. (turbo 5)
Option two (740) is a modified sedan with a manual swapped in. Many performance parts and I'd have to see it in person, but the exterior had a nice look to it. Owner seems like a bit of a douche and I don't want to buy a car with bad juju, but this will be a fun car to drive.
So any suggestions?
In reply to N Sperlo:
I have heard (through the interwebz) that the AWD systems can go haywire. Also, the V70 is transverse and there is very little way and zero support to swap in a 5.0. If this is your goal, just get the 740 assuming that there isn't anything too obvious wrong with it.
Man, I don't know what to say. IIRC, it was already covered in another thread the extent to which a 740 V8 swap is simple and a V70 V8 swap is likely to be custom fab rocket surgery... If that didn't make this a simple decision, I think you've got other considerations I'm not getting...
Yea, you can do the swap, but it isn't easy.
The 740 was not originally a manual transmission. I'll give it a test drive. Sounds like it's OK. leavin towards the 740, but my father is pushing me towards the v70 because it's newer, stock, and less likely (in his opinion) to have problems.
Anyone else know of awd problems?
In reply to ransom:
The swap is in the future. If i need to buy a different chassis then, so be it. Lets leave the swap idea out of it. I've already got a halted swap sitting in a barn.
The bevel gear in the AWD system is a known weak point. There are a fair number of AWD V/S70's that are now only FWD
I owned an 850 which was not awd but I remember reading that the awd system is a weak point. Things like having a different brand tire can cause disastrous problems. What I mean is that lets say you have 4 Michelins and one has a blow out and you have to replace it with a different brand. even though the size of the odd tire is the same, manufacturer differences in size (slight) can cause "transfer case" failure.
I also know that the popular choice is to remove the rear driveline and just run the awd models permanently in fwd rather than fix. Conversely, the car can not be run in rwd only. If choosing to go to 2wd, the front is the only choice.
There may be some savings to be had by finding a awd that is having this trouble. You may be able to buy cheap and then just run in fwd.
Quick search finds this: http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20836
In no way does any of this solve your desire to instal a V8 into a fwd car.
How about this? No affiliation, etc
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ctd/3395240862.html
John, thanks. Thats what I was hearing, but wanted to confirm with the think tank.
Steel pig, thats what I would get if were planning on immediately replacing the engine. High mileage. I know their good cars, but it's a worry. I may call for information on the car, though. Thanks for the link.
as the owner of an 850.. go with the 740 if you want to do a V8 swap.. unless you want to go NorthStar and stay FWD
Steelpig, that one sold. I'm leaning towards the 740, but I'll likely only want a V8 in a wagon for the 
effect, but off there's a failure down the line, I may change my mind.
740 pulled his ad. Must be pretty confident that I'll buy it.
Get the 740. It's one of the last real fun RWD Volvos.
Had an 850 Turbo wagon and loved it. With that said, if I go back to Volvo again, I am going older like a 740 or 960 or something like that.
