The '99 Highlander is the winter/rainy DD, when there's no ice or salt out on the roads I tend to rotate between it and my 2 dorky hot rodded Volvos.

Oldest is a 1963 Volvo PV544. I bought it from a carport behind someone's house where it had sat for 17 years. Since then just about everything mechanical has been redone and improved, but appearance wise, it's still mostly in 'shed found' condition. Stock, it had about 90 HP, 4" wide skinny tires, and leaned around corners like a sailboat in a stiff breeze. Now it has about 175 hp (which is fun in a 2200 lb car), 205/55/15 tires, and front and rear sway bars and Bilsteins, corners like a modern sports sedan. I've had it for 14 years now.

More carbs than motor, lol:


The other Volvo is a 1993 Volvo 245. I think the 240 was the best car Volvo ever made, and mine is a special run of the last 1600 240's made, an individually numbered special "Classic" model that closed out the 18 year production run.


Of course, in 1985 Volvo stopped putting Turbo motors in the 240 (trying to encourage buyers to move up to the more cheaply built, higher MSRP replacement model - the 740). Which left the 240 with the 115 hp normally aspirated motor, usually with an automatic trans, not really an exciting drive in 3100 lb car. So, obviously, some changes had to be made. When I got it - small 14" wheels, 4X4 fender gaps:


Since then, it's gotten lower, stiffer, the automatic was switched first to a Volvo 5 speed, then when that blew up, a Mustang T5. The motor was at first a stock Turbo from a '93 940T, then it accumulated modifications (Megasquirt, Isuzu NPR truck intercooler, bigger turbo, bigger injectors, 3" exhaust). Then I blew up the 8V motor. And built a 16V motor. Volvo made a small number of DOHC 16V motors in 89-90-91. The 16V head, fresh from the junkyard, flows a lot better than the 8V head with $$$$ spent in porting and $$$ in a cam. So the car got faster on less boost. Then after a couple of years of that, I put a ported 16V head on it, upgraded the ECU (MS3X running COP's, boost control, 1000cc injectors), with a custom intake manifold and a billet steel flywheel with a Saab 9000 Spec Clutch on it (240mm, biggest I could find that would fit in the bellhousing).
The stock 16V head dynoed at 300 whp at relatively sedate boost levels (18 psi), the new head setup isn't quite right (the custom ground cams aren't timed quite right, it's laggy) but I had high hopes for it.

Growing pains - Volvo transmissions don't like more than around 225-ish HP:


Blown up SOHC 8V motor.


Houston, we have a problem:


Racked and loaded (2 tandems and a single bike):


The version 1.0 of the 16V motor (stock intake, stock cams, stock head, distributor):


Version 2.0 nearing completion (ported head, custom cams, custom intake, COP):


Part of version 2.0 and the move from MS1 to MS3X was to remove the growing mass of unused OEM engine harness wiring, and leaving only what was needed, and adding a lot more (for sequential injection, boost control, new crank and cam sensors, coil-on-plugs, etc).




Run's low 13's currently, hoping for 12's once the new motor gets dialed in properly:

 

Nice to see the details on the Volvo's. Cool cars. I spied the front of a familiar 4Runner. Quite the load of bikes too.

 

WOW that Volvo!

 

This is my 1997 GMC extended cab. I switch between this and my 4Runner as the DD, depending if we have the granddaughter or not. The baby seat is in this one.

 

My other vehicle is a 1990 Honda Civic DX hatchback. I bought it from a high school kid a few years ago. As you might guess, he rodded the heck out of it. On the plus side he did put in an all new steering system. I replaced the lowered suspension with stock springs and shocks and installed a Japanese crate engine and transmission. It is a lot of fun to drive and gets 32 mpg in town and 42 on the freeway.

 

Thanks, I was going for a certain 'sleeper' effect.

Oh wait, which one?

Hot rodded Volvo's are a pretty nichey niche.

 

A cool niche.....certainly not what I would have expected under the hood.

 

This is currently my only running non-Toyota. I got it last year and rebuilt the engine, did a 5 speed swap, all new suspension, brakes, wheels, tires, basically overhauled the whole car. I had stored it away for the winter but with gas prices being what they are now I think I'll probably be driving it pretty much any time snow isn't in the forecast from now on. Saves me quite a bit in gas compared to my Tacoma and especially my FJ40. Really fun to drive too.

 

Hi folks. Just joined as I just got an 02 4runner with a 1KZT diesel conversion.
Up till then my DD has been an 06 Mercedes Sprinter with a OEM 4X4 conversion.I am hooked on diesel!Oh,can someone tell this old guy how to post a bigger picture? I sized it down to to required size and this is it.It's a big van and needs a big picture.

 

Hatch

Daily pickup

My 2banger

Wife's subie

 

Bought this last Jan so the Yota has been sitting for about a year little bit of driving here and there and got a little better mileage then the yota did
And here is the yota since im i new member as of today i will post a pic of that to

 

Awesome Yota.... The Ram needs bigger treads...

 

just shy of 30mpg which is MUCH better than the tacoma 2wds. had a 2wd single cab tacoma/auto and the thing only got like 20mpg, no thanks!

 

Heres mine

 

^ That's gangster !

 

I have a 78' Datsun 280 Z -- Used to be my daily until I picked up my 89 4runner. I'm now in the process of beefing up the suspension a bit(custom full body S13 coilover setup) and eventually make a decision on whether to keep the L28 straight six or swap a v8 in preferably a LSx.

 

That Datsun is beyond badass man!!
Love classic Japanese sports cars!
Beautiful. More pics please?

 

The toyota was the dd/rig until the rearend went out. Waiting on alcan springs, highsteer, ifs rear axle and hubs, and 35x10.5 boggers


brought my 5spd swapped 98 z71 out of yard ornament status. Luckily The drive to work is a 3 mile roundtrip

And the wifes car she let's me drive sometimes


And hopefully within the next year this will be my 1uz/5spd dd

 

My DD Now 97 GMC K1500 with 14 Bolt Rear End

Was My DD 1984 F150 4spd Granny Gear First Vehicle

Then i let my cousin borrow it and this is what happens

 

My Ram aka Crawler Hauler


My old '95 daily that I sold, the other I still own and drive.


My daily when I replace the shattered front glass


The part time driver when I want to feel the power beneath my feet.


I'd still rather hop in the old beater rock crawler Yotas though lol.