The Volvette: TT LS1-powered 740 Wagon
Needless to say, the Volvo wagon is the pinnacle of unassuming motoring. We've driven a few and they perform their assigned task with due diligence and little fanfare, which is exactly what's expected. So it came as a bit of a surprise to find one DIY-er who decided that a 740 wagon would be the prime recipient of an LS1 V8. Not content with the stock power output of GM's finest small block, he decided to strap a duo of turbos onto the exhaust manifold and heave seven pounds of boost into the cylinders. The result is the Volvette, which produces over 500 HP and has the potential to make even more if the owner decides to crank the boost.
We want. Enough said.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Seabass 11:37AM (11/27/2006)
Wow. A sleeper Volvo that makes your pants get tight. The tranny gears need to be streched a bit, but damn. that's some serious cajones to make the super shoebox, well, super.
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Jake 11:38AM (11/27/2006)
Thats a 940 not 740, But frikin AWESOME! either way. (please don't try to drift it!!!!!)
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Alex 11:46AM (11/27/2006)
This is the coolest car I've seen in years!! To the owner - you're the man!
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epp_b 12:13PM (11/27/2006)
That is the KING of sleepers! I love it!
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Mr_Oak 12:08PM (11/27/2006)
Very cool car. All he needs is a rear mounted camera to capture the expressions of shock on his many victim's faces.
LS1!! May not be the most cost effective method of liquefying rubber, but it's got to be by far the most fun way to do it.
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Bill 12:20PM (11/27/2006)
Brick owners have been doing this with Ford 5.0's for years. For sheer sleeper shock, the boxy old 240's are the best, but I've always loved the elegant squarishness of the 700's and 900's.
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Chris 12:23PM (11/27/2006)
In the spirit of the season. He's gonna shoot his eye out.
This is fun to watch from a grassy knoll but no way would I get into the car with this guy. I'd wet my pants.
Any specs on the suspension buildup?
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Paul 12:27PM (11/27/2006)
Build up pics here: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2196921/
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gerbick 12:34PM (11/27/2006)
Oh man... that's just sheer brilliance. Friggin' awesome.
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PJ 2:03PM (11/27/2006)
Drool. I'm currently on my second 740T wagon, and have dreamed of doing this for years. One day...
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RP 1:08PM (11/27/2006)
That's insane! I love it.
The power of a Z06 with the handling of a...
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eed 1:25PM (11/27/2006)
I wish MY V70 did that...
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Jason_801 1:15PM (11/27/2006)
What Bill said. Paul Newman was having two 400 HP Volvo wagons built for himself and David Letterman about a decade ago with Ford 302 V-8's
This exact setup may be new, but the overall idea is old news...a related article was in Car & Driver way back when, also. There was a guy doing this as a standard kit (send him your Volvo) and I think it was the cover story.
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HotRod 2:03PM (11/27/2006)
Here is the link for the guy who did the Volvo for Paul Newman...
http://www.hesco.us/content.asp?id=80633
He was engine builder for Bobby Allison and Neil Bonnett. I imagine that 302 Volvo was pretty potent.
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riverhead 2:38PM (11/27/2006)
That's freaking awesome! When he first parks the car after the parking lot drift it looks like he's running from the cops. Volvo should promote it's cars' aftermarket capabilities to the younger crowd ... perhaps a Z0-Cross Country at SEMA.
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Bill 5:05PM (11/27/2006)
Jason_801,
Thanks for the comment. Indeed, this idea has been around for probably 20 years. I think I read that C&D article you are talking about.
There is an outfit in Maine, Converse Engineering, that will do a Volvo V-8 conversion for you, or sell you the tools to make the adaptation yourself. It can be done on almost any old-school RWD Volvo 200, 700, or 900 series.
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rw 6:40PM (11/27/2006)
I guess if you have to ask why than you don't understand. So that would be me. Why build this car?
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mattlach 6:20PM (11/27/2006)
Found another video of this beast doing a little dragracing on youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK7Nj3abeQs
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Mark 8:40PM (11/27/2006)
Awesome car but how long is it going to take before the PA police track down his license plate and try to charge him with wreckless driving on public roads? His plate was very visible for a couple of seconds in the video.
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Maxzillian 10:58PM (11/27/2006)
#19: Why not? 8)
If the owner of this car wanted to build something unique ,not commonly expected, and downright nuts, he did it!
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