Volvo 745 Pickup + 4.8l V8 conversion

[lookforjoe]

Been thinking bout a new project - went & looked at a Bertone 780 today - turned out to have too many issues. Looked OK in the pics, but in reality there are too many flaws/dents/dings mismatch panels to make it a good project. Much unobtainium in the body & interior.

Mechanically, needs a bunch of the normal Volvo wear & tear, which is how it was presented. Body was listed in very clean condition.

 

[twincam69]

Been thinking bout a new project - went & looked at a Bertone 780 today - turned out to have too many issues. Looked OK in the pics, but in reality there are too many flaws/dents/dings mismatch panels to make it a good project. Much unobtainium in the body & interior.

Mechanically, needs a bunch of the normal Volvo wear & tear, which is how it was presented. Body was listed in very clean condition.

View attachment 45180

View attachment 45181

I’ve thought about one of these too. Turbo 4 not V6. My C30 is gone so I need another Volvo and this reminds me in profile of my 124 Coupe.

 

[lookforjoe]

I’ve thought about one of these too. Turbo 4 not V6. My C30 is gone so I need another Volvo and this reminds me in profile of my 124 Coupe.

Yes, this one is B230FT - 4cyl turbo. I'm waxing nostalgic for a RWD Volvo. What I may do is look for a beater 740 & turn it into a pickup. I need one every once in a while.

EDIT: Body cutting starts here (Feb 2022)

Swedish video:

EDIT: V8 (GM) conversion starts here (Nov 2022)

 

[twincam69]

Yes, this one is B230FT - 4cyl turbo. I'm waxing nostalgic for a RWD Volvo. What I may do is look for a beater 740 & turn it into a pickup. I need one every once in a while.

Like they offer here for others (not Volvos though).

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[Dr.Jeff]

There's a "truck" kit for VW Jettas as well.

I believe the old Volvo "chop top" coupe was also a Bertone design.

 

[kmead]

Yes, this one is B230FT - 4cyl turbo. I'm waxing nostalgic for a RWD Volvo. What I may do is look for a beater 740 & turn it into a pickup. I need one every once in a while.

That is the Volvo I have always wanted. Hard to find a manual and the turbo over the PRV.

 

[lookforjoe]

I believe the old Volvo "chop top" coupe was also a Bertone design.
View attachment 45182

Yes - the 262C was also Bertone. Those look better styling wise (not this one with the bootleg wheels & broken suspension) IMO than the 780. Haven't seen one since around 1990 - I bought one & chopped it up to fix a turbo wagon

 

[lookforjoe]

That is the Volvo I have always wanted. Hard to find a manual and the turbo over the PRV.

These were new when I worked at Volvo - I don't recall ever seeing a manual. Turbos were more common around this part of the country - I used to make many a custom "780TURBO" emblem while they were on the showroom floor.

 

[kmead]

A 740 wagon would make a great pickup.

The interiors on the 780s seem to degrade in unexpected ways. Still a striking looking car.

The 262C has always looked like a pimp’s car to me, it literally makes me gag, regardless of how it is presented.

The 242 was much more attractive at least to me. Particularly the Turbo.

 

[lookforjoe]

A 740 wagon would make a great pickup.

The interiors on the 780s seem to degrade in unexpected ways. Still a striking looking car.

The 262C has always looked like a pimp’s car to me, it literally makes me gag, regardless of how it is presented.

The 242 was much more attractive at least to me. Particularly the Turbo.

That's what I'm thinking - now I just have to find one.

I hate to admit it, but I agree on the pimp factor of the 262c, I still like the chopped roof line though.

The 242GT & Turbo are solid favourites. Once I had kids to attend to, the 2 door was out of the question, so I kept wagons, up until I bought the C30, in fact.

 

[motoTrooper]

I had an early 780 V6 w/o the IRS with which I lowered with IPD springs and Bilsteins and anti-swaybars after I swapped it with a Mustang 5.0 V8 attached to a AOD with a manual transbrake valvebody for dragracing. It shifted like a clutchless sequential manual and was a ton of fun to drive. It had a stock 3.73 diff and would top out at around 120 but would get there in a hurry. The paint was old and worn and I would mess with many drivers of fancy new performance cars shocked that they couldn't outrun an old Volvo...

 

[Dr.Jeff]

The interiors on the 780s seem to degrade in unexpected ways.

As much as old Volvos were high quality and nicely built, I've always found their interiors to be of inferior quality...at least in terms of their ability to wear and age. I wonder if that is anything unique to them living in the US, with a different air quality/environmental conditions compared to their native land? I know that was a factor with other makes of European cars, especially with regard to things like rubber or plastics. But I don't know if Volvo has the same interior issues back home?

 

[lookforjoe]

As much as old Volvos were high quality and nicely built, I've always found their interiors to be of inferior quality...at least in terms of their ability to wear and age. I wonder if that is anything unique to them living in the US, with a different air quality/environmental conditions compared to their native land? I know that was a factor with other makes of European cars, especially with regard to things like rubber or plastics. But I don't know if Volvo has the same interior issues back home?

No idea about their native land. The plastics used 80's-90's were too brittle & heavy for sure. The mid 2K-on plastics are quite different - much more flexible. Interiors in the later ones seem to hold up much better - besides the crappy 'textar" fabric used in some models. Leather is much better & holds up well if maintained.

I found a 91 740 wagon beater - going to look at it tomorrow. $500, which is more inline with my plans, for sure.

 

[bjwhite]

I believe the old Volvo "chop top" coupe was also a Bertone design.
View attachment 45182

And should be driven into the nearest lake. haha. Worst car to ever wear the Bertone badge? Especially with those 70s Firebird wheels. haha.

 

[bjwhite]

If you really want a Swedish car, my shop mate is getting ready to sell his black on black/grey 900 Turbo SPG that has the super rare three gauge cluster in the center dash and a set of 9000 Turbo wheels. Looks great

 

[lookforjoe]

If you really want a Swedish car, my shop mate is getting ready to sell his black on black/grey 900 Turbo SPG that has the super rare three gauge cluster in the center dash and a set of 9000 Turbo wheels. Looks great

LOL - I don't touch the other Swedes

 

[lookforjoe]

Went & evaluated the 1991 745 I found - it had been picked at - fortunately not too much missing under the hood - brake booster hose & valve, alternator mounts, injection relays....

Regina-Rex NA

little extra something over here

interior is good enough - manual seats, manual mirrors, manual sunroof, no cruise

Exterior is pretty decent - in terms of lack of damage - will need paint or course when it's all done. Roof is really the only place where the paint is actually gone, and that will be cut off anyway. Not too much rust underneath, a few spots but nothing I can't deal with fairly easily.

nice patina over much of the car...

I needed to hear it run before I said yes, even for a $500 buy - especially since it's Regina-Rex.

Hooked up a booster, checked the fluids & cranked. Nada - that's when I found the missing injection relays - still no start - couldn't hear the pump(s) - so I checked the CEU - someone swiped the system relay "E"...

After I located a used relay, it cranked a little & fired right up - idle stuck around 1500 - that's when I found the brake booster hose missing. Checked the trans goes into each gear. Power steering pressure line has rotted at the rack fitting - I added a quart or fluid & it pumped right out.

Car will need all the suspension refresh & brakes eventually - rotors & calipers are rotted away. It's been sitting on this lot for a couple years.

Quick check of electrical systems - power locks work, antenna works (lol), flashers & lights all work. So, I feel OK about using this as the starting point.

 

[dllubin]

I remember when my neighbor came home with a brand new one of those in silver. I think it was a GLT model or something is it had power everything. What motor and trans is in the one you've got? I was actually thinking of finding an old 850 Turbo wagon a few years back as my ability to haul large items were severely hampered when a semi totaled my pickup.

 

[Bjorn Nilson]

What I may do is look for a beater 740 & turn it into a pickup.

A lot of kids are doing that here. They convert them to tractors so they can drive them at age of 15. Max speed is reduced in ECU to 30 km/h so not uncommon they are causing traffic jam. The tractors vary in condition from wrecks to show cars. Most of them has a car stereo and wheels that's more expensive than the car itself.

 

[lookforjoe]

A lot of kids are doing that here. They convert them to tractors so they can drive them at age of 15. Max speed is reduced in ECU to 30 km/h so not uncommon they are causing traffic jam. The tractors vary in condition from wrecks to show cars. Most of them has a car stereo and wheels that's more expensive than the car itself.

I think I just threw up in my mouth. Yeah, not so much. Those they just chop the back off at the glass line & slap sheet metal panels to fill. No finesse to flow with the factory lines up front. Mine will be more along these lines, but longer bed/shorter cab. This one actually has a working gate for the back of the cab too - I may well copy that. It does mean I have to source a spare tailgate.