Having stupid thoughts... August 24, 2009, 05:21:38 PM Ok, so I've decided I need a wagon. Saturn sedans suck at hauling anything, and Thunderbirds suck even worse (although it is better with the trailer than the Saturn). I was actually thinking of buying a small truck like a Ranger or S10 or, more likely, a Nissan Hardbody, but I've thought about it, and I came to the conclusion that I don't need a truck. I need a wagon. I have a 150 pound dog and routinely need to carry things too big for a sedan or T-Bird (such as a cage for a 150 pound dog), but only rarely need to carry anything big enough for a truck to be necessary. And I've got my utility trailer for that.I was originally thinking about a Saturn wagon, but they bore me. I then started looking for another Volvo wagon. I have always loved Volvo wagons. I know, my V70XC spanked me, but I'm talking older Volvo wagons, or even if I had to settle on a V70/850 series, at least I'd get a basic, non-turbo, 5-speed model from before 1998. I've got a few under consideration now, really cheap but needing engine work (broken timing belts), and this is where the stupidity starts.Candidate #1 is a '97 855 with a 5-speed. ~85k miles. Timing belt broke, likely needs a head, or at the very least, must be disassembled and the carnage properly checked - who knows, might even get away with replacing a few valves? This car has been advertised for several months for $1000, but the seller obviously is not getting much interest. PRO: I am rather certain I could get it for half that amount, and I'm fairly certain I could have it on the road for less than a grand in total. CON: It's FWD.Candiate #2 is where the real stupidity starts. It's a '91 740 wagon, again with top end problems. This one has the dreaded twin cam engine, and apparently the bolt for the oil pump sheared off, causing the timing belt to go slack, causing some piston/valve interaction. The guy had the oil pump problem repaired but the engine won't start, it's got no compression. Again, this could be anything from a bent valve or two to a whole replacement engine. This guy's asking $500 but it could probably be had cheaper.The stupidity? I'm thinking Ford engine swap. Not your typical 5.0 swap, either. It just so happens that in the next week or two I will be receiving two vans from my brother. One is a GM cube van that I want the body off of to make into a shed, but the other is a '97 E250 with a split port 4.2 V6 and a brand new, less than 5k mile rebuilt 4R70W. I was gonna save this drivetrain for a swap into a four-eye some day, but now I'm thinking it'd make a nice home in a Volvo 7 series wagon. Isn't that stupid? Not really, when you think about it. The 4.2 would very probably fit better than a 5.0. I dunno about hood clearance, especially with that split port intake, but it would certainly solve the other problem 5.0 swap guys run into with those cars: There's all kinds of room up front, so the fan would be well back from the radiator. I also wouldn't have to notch the firewall, since the engine could be set ahead a little further than a 5.0. I would have the whole van here as a donor vehicle, including the wiring harness. It would be lighter than a 5.0, and probably as light as the factory Volvo engine. And it would be much more powerful than any engine ever offered factory installed in a 7-series (I believe the 740 turbo only offered 175 horses or so). I'd get decent mileage for daily driving and all the torque I'd need for towing my trailer. And I'd be going where no man has gone before (a google search of Ford V6 in a Volvo came up blank). Yeah, I know, still stupid. I've got some thinking to do, so if you hear of smoke over eastern Canada blotting out the sun, that's just coming out of my ears... Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #1 – August 24, 2009, 05:51:50 PM There's a Volvo wagon here in Pittsburgh with a 5.0 and a T5. The guy shows it every summer at all of the big car shows. What was different about the pre-1998 Volvos? I'm just curious. Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #2 – August 24, 2009, 06:29:50 PM My dad is thinking about selling or trading his 87 toyota 4runner in St.Andrews N.B. He wants to try to get a dodge charger. Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #3 – August 24, 2009, 06:45:48 PM How about a subaru wagon? My buddy has one (everyone in WV has a subaru), and it does just about everything with the lil boxer. Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #4 – August 24, 2009, 08:03:37 PM thunderchicken,your cantidate 1 may be a flop as there are tons of supposed deals left on(assuming) craigslist only because they didnt remove the ad after the car sold. dont ask how i know this :Xas for the van thing if what you need is a wagon im sure you dont need a project wagon that dives into uncharted territory with the swap you plan on. it sounds more like a "want" than a "need", ya know.from what im gathering here it really sounds like you need a small suv, i take it you want something newer something in the realm of a sportage or tracker since they are small enough to get similar mileage to the wagons you are interested in with a manual trans and have the ability to hold a few things, tow a small load and if your thrifty can pick up some sheetrock or something like that.oh, and usually found cheap with little to no work required.just my 2 cents... Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #5 – August 24, 2009, 08:21:30 PM Quote from: Thunder Chicken;288076Candiate #2 is where the real stupidity starts. It's a '91 740 wagon, again with top end problems. This one has the dreaded twin cam engine, and apparently the bolt for the oil pump sheared off, causing the timing belt to go slack, causing some piston/valve interaction. The guy had the oil pump problem repaired but the engine won't start, it's got no compression. Again, this could be anything from a bent valve or two to a whole replacement engine. This guy's asking $500 but it could probably be had cheaper.I vote this with a 302 5speed, only because I have wanted to do it for the longest time. Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #6 – August 24, 2009, 08:54:47 PM I dunno if it'd be a problem, but a 3.8/4.2 is taller and wider than a 5.0... Yes it's shorter...With the economy being what it is, I doubt they have sold... Few people are in the market for a Volvo project car, unless maybe they have a wrecked one like it for parts... Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #7 – August 24, 2009, 09:44:48 PM The 850 is not sold, the guy renews the ad about once a week and just reposted it today.Zach: 1998 was the first year for the drive-by-wire throttle system. It is pr0ne to sudden (and very expensive, the module alone is $1200) failure. There is supposedly an extended warranty on it, but I'd rather stay away from that can of worms.Ductape91: Whatever I end up with will be a project. After the V70XC I vowed I'd never lose money on a car again, so the last several vehicles I've owned have been "buy cheap, fix, drive for a bit, then sell high". For example, I paid $400 for my last Saturn, invested about $600 in it over the year I owned it, and sold it for $1700. I paid $400 for a Nissan Maxima, put a $350 tranny in it, and sold it for $2500. That's why I'm looking at Volvos with engine problems now. I'm a licensed mechanic with a fully outfitted garage, so I'm not afraid to get dirty.As for SUV's: Nah. I've owned a couple of SUV's and although I did use them quite thoroughly (I'm an avid hunter/fisherman) I have never liked them for daily drivers. For one thing, gas is REALLY expensive here (about $4/gallon right now), and more importantly, I just don't like the image they project. I've never been a "fad" person, which probably explains my Thunderbird. If I ever did buy something like a Tracker I'd cut the fenders off, take the doors off, slap some 31's on it, and leave it at the cottage for off road use only.You are correct about the "Want" part, though. I need a bigger vehicle to haul the dog and his litter to dog shows, and also occasionally tow my trailer with an ATV or two on it. An SUV would do this, sure, but I have always loved Volvo wagons, so that's what I want :hick:Bhazard: I don't like the looks of Subaru wagons. They just look too plain. I prefer the boxy looks of the Volvos. Besides, any $500 Subaru around here is rusted to dust, and I'm pretty sure that by law you have to be a lesbian to own one anyway...Tom: I was kinda figuring the Esshag was a bit wider than the 5.0 (and with split port, definitely taller), so I would have to make measurements before committing to anything. 7 series Volvos were available with the P-R-V V6, which was a 90-degree SOHC V6, so I'd think the 4.2 should fit in. Here's a pic of the PRV engine in Volvo trim, I can't see a 4.2 being bigger than this: Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #8 – August 24, 2009, 11:20:16 PM Dodge Magnum, all black, or late 70's pinto sedan delivery http://www3.sympatico.ca/guinnessd/pinto/ Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #9 – August 25, 2009, 07:18:56 AM I love the Magnums, but they're not $500 cars yet. They're Dodges, so they will be soon, but not yet. I also like Pinto (and Vega) wagons, but they're rare, and I'm looking for a DD, including the winter months, so neither would be practical. Quote Selected
Having stupid thoughts... Reply #10 – August 25, 2009, 08:22:23 AM Not to clog up your thread, but I found this photo and had to post it. Quote Selected
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