OT - Any Volvo 240 owners?
Michael Baldwin
$1300. Primary commuter (50 miles daily) Looking to better my current
rides 16 mpg (Dodge 1500 Van 3.9 V-6 Auto)
I've reviewed the "swissbrick" forums. Re-occurring theme, "cheesy
wiring" and driveability issues (because of cheesy wiring)
Some reportedly claim drive/powertrain good for 300K.
So any 240 owners in RBR?
Best Regards - Mike Baldwin
Ryan Cousineau
MLB...@webtv.net (Michael Baldwin) wrote:
My club-mate has a 240-series (I think his is a GT, which is the "fast"
version of the 240).
The powertrain is fairly indestructible, though his engine went around
the 300k km mark (megametre?). He changed engines.
We had one growing up, a 242 DL, which was the nonsensical 2-door sedan.
It was eventually done in by whatever in the engine caused the water to
meet the oil, at which point dad knew things were about to get
expensive. Even so, that was at some reasonably high mileage.
I would think an old Honda Civic or Accord, or a Tercel or Corolla would
be my go-to vehicles for better mileage and durability on the cheap.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcou...@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."
Donald Munro
> I'm considering buying an older Volvo 240 Wagon. 4 cyl / 5 sp 200K
> $1300. Primary commuter (50 miles daily) Looking to better my current
> rides 16 mpg (Dodge 1500 Van 3.9 V-6 Auto)
Dumbass,
Pimp it up and use it in the upcoming rbr NASCAR series.
joseph.sa...@gmail.com
> I would think an old Honda Civic or Accord, or a Tercel or Corolla would
> be my go-to vehicles for better mileage and durability on the cheap.
>
The Volvo is bigger and more comfortable for big folks, so that would
tempt me. A 240 is rear-wheel drive which is big fun in slippery
winter conditions, so that cinches the deal for me! Lots of room under
the hood too. Not exactly a fuel efficient vehicle, however.
Joseph
joseph.sa...@gmail.com
To pimp it out scandinavian style, it needs to be painted flat black
with a brush, and outfitted with monster driving lights, loud and/or
broken exhaust and a choice between fuzzy dice or multiple wunderbaum.
Joseph
Andrew Price
wrote:
>My club-mate has a 240-series (I think his is a GT, which is the "fast"
>version of the 240).
Is that the model with the leather-covered steering levers?
rick-...@uiowa.edu
wagon broke down, was towed, couldn't be fixed that night, so he
called me for a ride. I hop in my Honda Accord Wagon (now at 301,000
miles) and go get him. I pull up and there is my sister and their 3
daughters and the back of the volvo wagon is full o junk and he says
"I guess we can't fit it all in". Wrong. 6 people and the entire
volvo contents go in the honda and off we go.
I'd take my USA built Honda over any volvo.
joseph.sa...@gmail.com
wrote:
So what? I've seen 15 clowns get out of a Beetle ;-)
Joseph
Michael Baldwin
It's pre-pimped! Check it out if you'd like.
http://lansing.craigslist.org/car/608433649.html
I spent a few hours last night learning all I could about the
"swissbrick" you know, the good, the bad, the ugly.
Well I checked the 240 out after work today. This particular specimen
would be a great "learners car".....oh not for driving, but for
wrenching.
I wasn't looking for something for nothing as they say. But after the
first puddle, I realized I was only a few rayon fibers away from doing
my Fred Flintstone driving impression.
Oh, well. Back to looking.
dave a
I love the oil stains all over the driveway under the car...
/dave a
Michael Baldwin
>the car...
>/dave a
..photo was snapped at local 25¢ wash...
bdbafh
Joseph,
If its in Mennonite land, the chrome bumpers have also been painted
(with a brush) flat black. The first time I saw one, someone had to
explain it to me.
-bdbafh
Michael Baldwin
>Why call it a Swissbrick? It's a Swedishbrick.
Of course you're correct Joseph, and I'm still a dumbass driving a
Dodge Van.
Now we're both right!
Donald Munro
> Why call it a Swissbrick? It's a Swedishbrick.
A Swissbrick would be a BMC.
datakoll
A 544 is bulletproof. two weaknesses, overheats in the high country
and doesn't drive backwards in at 30 mph in 2' snow.
see the video maybe of NESTE rallying in RBT - getting ahead with
Nimbuss. A 544 lives thru that nooo problem.
A 240 is a restyled 544 but with each model more the car was made
lighter and from lower available octanes, the pushrod was replaced by
and OHC/belt system.
What you get is a car capable of NESTE but requiring more preventive,
intelligent maintenance: an 'inexpensive' durable Mercedes. Simple
electrics. Shhheeett. I have a new E250, a truck, with 113 shop manual
pages on expeltive deleted 'chimes' Bruno the 544 has 4 switches, 3
bulbs and noooo chimes. The 240 electrics problems are Common Frog ?
Rewire.
see IPD, Portland. anti sway bars, gas pressure shocks.
best deal is finding a worn and inexpensive car needing the preventive
engine maintenance-Houston, TX-then getting an over the counter short
block + head.
obviously, a DIY project unless ura doctor/dentist.
datakoll
oh yeah. Ebay. The cars are found in southern, no salt, areas at
states college and ubiversiuty towns, professor/family owned, dealer
intelligence-for dealing with the clientele. There are dealers in
these towns for the 240/700's. A dealer in the Houston area gets used
Volvo from the aerospace community
dusto...@mac.com
Houston is one place you can see rust even away from the ocean (and
the Space Center).
From worldtravels.com:
(quoting): Houston has a humid subtropical climate, prevailing winds
bringing in the heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the
Gulf of Mexico during most of the year. Summers are swelteringly hot
and humid, making air-conditioning a necessity rather than a luxury.
Summers are characterised by afternoon thunderstorms, which bring rain
most days, and sometimes tornadoes. (stop quote)
What doesn't rust, molds. Or rots, whatever.
Not to mention:
<http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/inland_flood.shtml>
I was there for Allison, 2001. Many, many autos were replaced through
insurance policies, then salvage-sold elsewhere afterwards, through
all sorts of "vendors".
Suggest you look for something with Arizona plates on it that doesn't
have the paint burned off. --D-y
datakoll
downpours, heat at KSC. owned by Lemay Eng. former jet jockey ect ect.
Absolutely perfect (?) needing new timing chain/waterpump maintenance.
Ran like a train, drove lika bullet. garaged? traded for a Caravan
sale. didn't want to fool with the rebuild and that's the story you'd
be looking for.
Volvo get mileage? sure but ya gotta drive for it, light foot no high
revs cruise only.Last rebuild (due to vandalism not metallurgy-
machineing-design) on the B18/544 at 100K had round unworn bores but
that block has low piston speeds on it. The original B18D had 240K no
oil burning and hi revs (NESTE) when it met a similar fate.
there are no $1300 exotic euro cars. machining is machining but the
euro is worht 30% than a dollar now. Volvo parts go together, come
apart, and go back together. that's not true of Detroit. Butbutbut
basically a rebuild on a Apache pickup is $5-6000 and so is a 240
rebuild.
If you want a $1300 car? there's no thing as a $1300 car. there are
$5000 rebuilt cars and up for dependable transportation. if your
intending to get reliable trans out of a series of $1300 cars ura
wizard with a contact at the auto auction.
The wagon I almost bought was? $3000 needing $1500 parts (I do the
work) so bang your up to $5000 right off.
Mike G
<a70c7925-fb21-4582...@e60g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
"dusto...@mac.com" <dusto...@mac.com> wrote:
> On Mar 20, 9:14 am, datakoll <datak...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > oh yeah. Ebay. The cars are found in southern, no salt, areas at
> > states college and ubiversiuty towns, professor/family owned, dealer
> > intelligence-for dealing with the clientele. There are dealers in
> > these towns for the 240/700's. A dealer in the Houston area gets used
> > Volvo from the aerospace community
>
> Houston is one place you can see rust even away from the ocean (and
> the Space Center).
>
> From worldtravels.com:
>
> (quoting): Houston has a humid subtropical climate, prevailing winds
> bringing in the heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the
> Gulf of Mexico during most of the year. Summers are swelteringly hot
> and humid, making air-conditioning a necessity rather than a luxury.
> Summers are characterised by afternoon thunderstorms, which bring rain
> most days, and sometimes tornadoes. (stop quote)
>
> What doesn't rust, molds. Or rots, whatever.
>
> Not to mention:
>
> <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/inland flood.shtml>
>
> I was there for Allison, 2001. Many, many autos were replaced through
> insurance policies, then salvage-sold elsewhere afterwards, through
> all sorts of "vendors".
>
> Suggest you look for something with Arizona plates on it that doesn't
> have the paint burned off. --D-y
If the rust doesn't get it here in Houston, the mold, sun or endless
body work will.
I had a 4-cyl 4 speed manual pushrod OHV 1974 145 station wagon for 12
years. Loved it. It survived my mother, my teen years, transcontinental
travels towing a light housetrailer, being T-boned and generally abused
from behind the wheel and maintained religiously by both the Volvo
dealer and its cast-off mechanics in private practice.
I would buy one today if it was from another state.
The 1975 245 with the auto trans OHC 4 my mother bought to 'replace' it
was a hunk of junk I wish I'd never seen. We tried to make it's
plastic-feeling ergonomically sub-standard design work for us for about
a year, but in the end dumped the 245 in favor of the more robust 145
which made it into 300k mileage-land before being traded for the 1987
Dodge Grand Caravan I still have today.
If my mom had asked me, I would have bought it for what she got in
trade... Easily one of the best cars I've ever owned.
Sigh.
Mike G.
-
b...@mambo.ucolick.org
wrote:
Both of you, please take this to
rec.bicycles.campy-vs-shimano.
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Ben
datakoll
Mike, the two models are the same car ?