740s getting a bit thin on the ground

[Jag-D]

Old Volvos are one car that I regularly scout through the classifieds for and I've realised that the 740 Sedans are becoming very thin on the ground these days, doubly so for the Turbos!

Bit of a pain in the ass as now I'm looking at buying one

[Tunku]

I always have a hankering for one of those. I had one years ago while I had my Estate versions. Very cheap and plentiful til recently. I fear most have gone in the new for old car scrappage deals, as it was mostly old boys who had them and probably chopped them in for a Matiz and the like.

[Jag-D]

I've not had the pleasure yet, but it's been a long standing aim to build a slightly breathed on track going version for the sts and giggles

[garethj]

I failed to find a 740 Turbo (high pressure turbo, natch) recently so made do with the 2.3 injection instead. Perhaps at this age, a non-turbo is the sensible thing.

[morgrp]

Turbos are genuinely great cars - I very nearly bought an ultra rare 740 GLT 16v - (a 155bhp twin cam 16v version of the red block lump) a couple of years ago but it was a total dog so didn't bother - most get ragged to death then scrapped these days. Of course the other uber cool retro Volvo of the moment is the excellent 240 GLT

[Spoof]

morgrp said:

Turbos are genuinely great cars - I very nearly bought an ultra rare 740 GLT 16v - (a 155bhp twin cam 16v version of the red block lump) a couple of years ago but it was a total dog so didn't bother - most get ragged to death then scrapped these days. Of course the other uber cool retro Volvo of the moment is the excellent 240 GLT

16v 740GLT was my first ever car. It was bloody brilliant and at the time, I really didn't realise what I had. I believe, the lsd was standard and it would drift like you wouldn't believe. I have an E30 M3 now and thats less fun in the wet.

[garethj]

morgrp said:

Turbos are genuinely great cars - I very nearly bought an ultra rare 740 GLT 16v - (a 155bhp twin cam 16v version of the red block lump)

Is that right? According to the Autocar road test I was reading the other day, it had 170ish bhp and would do 0-60 in 7.7 seconds. I believe this was the estate version....

[morgrp]

garethj said:

morgrp said:

Turbos are genuinely great cars - I very nearly bought an ultra rare 740 GLT 16v - (a 155bhp twin cam 16v version of the red block lump)

Is that right? According to the Autocar road test I was reading the other day, it had 170ish bhp and would do 0-60 in 7.7 seconds. I believe this was the estate version....

8v turbos are 170bhp the dohc 16v was 155bhp. The 16v made a lovely noise but they were a bit gutless bottom end and needed revving I think because of this, the engine was never a big success with volvo drivers of the day as really the turbos had more torque, were quicker and more simple. Really you want a 760 rear end on a 740 as the 760 had multilink rear suspension and rumour has it a limited slip diff was an option on the 760 turbo

[herbertanchovy]

Yes, they are getting a little rare. I've got a 740 GLT 16v saloon, It's occasional use only at the moment- can't quite afford to run it everyday.
Yes, these are 155 bhp, 0-60 is about 8.5 secs, 125mph top end. not startlingly quick but usefully more pokey than a standard 2.3.
If you are technically minded it's possible to create a 16v/turbo hybrid with crazy amounts of power, but too much work for me. you need to get the pistons machined, fit your own management system, mess about with turbo manifold etc.
I also owned a 740 turbo diesel- surprisingly enough it was a brilliant car, uses the old VW LT van straight six diesel engine to pretty good effect. nice sound, quite pokey and 40+ mpg which you won't get from any petrol engined 740.

[morgrp]

herbertanchovy said:

Yes, they are getting a little rare. I've got a 740 GLT 16v saloon, It's occasional use only at the moment- can't quite afford to run it everyday.
Yes, these are 155 bhp, 0-60 is about 8.5 secs, 125mph top end. not startlingly quick but usefully more pokey than a standard 2.3.
If you are technically minded it's possible to create a 16v/turbo hybrid with crazy amounts of power, but too much work for me. you need to get the pistons machined, fit your own management system, mess about with turbo manifold etc.
I also owned a 740 turbo diesel- surprisingly enough it was a brilliant car, uses the old VW LT van straight six diesel engine to pretty good effect. nice sound, quite pokey and 40+ mpg which you won't get from any petrol engined 740.

I think they're tricky to turbocharge when right hookers as the steering column gets in the way of the turbo charger - that was the main reason they never sold the 240 turbo in the uk because the turbo wouldn't fit - instead we got the 2.3 GLT injection - early ones were awesome with a cam profile so aggressive they would barely idle below 1500rpm!
If you ever want to flog your 16v you know where I am!
Id love to see some pics of it!

[herbertanchovy]

I think-only think, mind- that you can just about squeeze a turbo into a 740 16v, slightly more room under the bonnet. if not there is a company in oz that supplies inlets for a top mounted turbo, but mega expensive! You also need one of those megasquirt systems to run it, and I really don't understand all that. however, 400 bhp is within easy reach!
I'll try and get some pics up. mine was one owner from 1990-2010, in pretty reasonable condition for the age.
I think saloons are rare because they appeal to very few people unless turbocharged, they don't have the load capacity of the estate and are seen as just another thirsty old barge.

[randomwalk]

We had a wonderful 1987 740Turbo, 7 seater estate fitted with the Volvo globe alloys and Volvo's "Turbo Plus" which gave extra turbo boost when you floored the accelerator. It was a great car, eventually the turbo blew and I sold it as was, since we had bought another car and too much to fix it. I remember it being very heavy on fuel for a 4cyl, but quite good performance.

[Jag-D]

There was a 200bhp version too with the (I think) 2.0Litre 16 Valve turbo which is the one to have, but can't find one!

I would quite happily settle for a 740 sedan with the 2.3 engine and run a turbo as a custom install if not find a B230FT to drop in with some bottom end work=

[morgrp]

Jag-D said:

There was a 200bhp version too with the (I think) 2.0Litre 16 Valve turbo which is the one to have, but can't find one!

I would quite happily settle for a 740 sedan with the 2.3 engine and run a turbo as a custom install if not find a B230FT to drop in with some bottom end work=

believe it was Italian market only - Didn't think it was turbocharged though - I know they also did a 2.0 5cylinder turbo for the Italian 850 to get around tax laws

[morgrp]

randomwalk said:

We had a wonderful 1987 740Turbo, 7 seater estate fitted with the Volvo globe alloys and Volvo's "Turbo Plus" which gave extra turbo boost when you floored the accelerator. It was a great car, eventually the turbo blew and I sold it as was, since we had bought another car and too much to fix it. I remember it being very heavy on fuel for a 4cyl, but quite good performance.

Turbo Plus pack was awesome and now very rare on 740s - I believe it was an ECU upgrade that increased power to 190bhp up from 170 - Quite common (and in some cases standard) on the 940 2.3 turbo

[Mighty Flex]

Nice cars standard, or vastly improved by a few subtle mods. I have to admit having had a look for them in the classifieds. I don't know how the 940/960/S/V90s compare, but I imagine they could also be interesting.
Still millions in Sweden where the turbos are still popular. My cousin's friend has had a few with around 250bhp, and has made a T5 engined one (interesting conversion - http://www.garaget.org/?car=70731 ). They are comfortable and spacious, just as nice a place to be as S/V70s.
Once in Sweden I saw one coming around a corner on the road at a mahoosive drift angle in the wet, and it looked... interesting. The combination of fear and smug on the guys face was brilliant.

[morgrp]

A manual 960 will take a t5 lump with practically no modification - far better version of the engine than the cambelt snapping straight 6

[Jag-D]

I just love the idea of 4 pot turbo Volvos, they're absolutely hilarious!

The stheap 960 auto Turbo I bought the other year was pure comedy gold

14psi with no BoV = flameage, silly quick above 25 mph and such a lovely noise when you shut the throttle off (compressor surge)

I've currently got a 940SE Wagon with FSH and it's really clean...now I'm thinking about keeping it and dropping a B230FT under the bonnet or a B234FT if I can find one

[captainzep]

Always fancied a V8 transplant myself.

See Paul Newman's old 960 project here:

http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Features/pr...

[Jag-D]

I'd love a small block chev powered 940, but gotta love the 4 pot