Jalopnik
When we started out to build a V8-powered Volvo 244 for the May 10-11 24 Hours of LeMons race, most of the team members assumed we'd be using the good ol' C4 automatic transmission. You know, automatics are way easier to swap, with no troublesome clutch linkage to futz with. But Crew Chief Hellhammer (formerly known as Dave) pointed out that he's built plenty of manual-equipped rods, and then he directed our attention to several Ford V8-compatible T-5 5-speeds (and no C4s) sitting in the weeds behind his shop (he's been working on a '57 Ford project, so his stash-o-parts is heavy on Ford running gear). With our minds filled with images of slushboxes overheating and dying at last year's Altamont race, we decided to go with three pedals instead of two... then held our collective breath when it came time to make it happen for real.
As it turned out, this is a ridiculously easy swap (well, by the standards of weird engine swaps, that is). The 5-speed shifter even lined up perfectly with the hole for the Volvo's automatic shifter. A bit of crossmember modification and it was in place.
What really had us worried was the potential nightmare of rigging up clutch linkage. We grabbed a Volvo clutch pedal and cable assembly out of a manual-trans 244 at the junkyard and settled down for what threatened to be agony-packed days of fabrication.
But no! The Volvo cable hooked right up to the Ford transmission and worked fine. We were stunned. Of course, all the time we saved on this project was promptly eaten up by a thousand other details, but we aren't complaining. We forgot to grab a shift boot in the junkyard, so we fabricated a crude bracket and zip-tied a piece of inner-tube rubber in place. Now if we can just keep from breaking U-joints and differentials at the track...
Comments
Can't wait to kick the competition's collective teeth up through their metaphorical ass.
you need to polish your knob
What? No chrome skull shift knob? Will that put you over budget?
This car should be in the JFG instead of the El Camino.
I'm curios to see if the rear end will survive... Ya'll going to stock up on diffs and driveshaft bits?
PS: The TSX ads are really annoying
@wookie1901: There will be skulls.
Good, just checking. I will let the lack of skull shift knob go if you are planning to paint a giant one on the hood.
@nyoh-ohio:
In the Spirit of LeMons, and of this car, an 8-ball shifter is both free, and wholly apropriate.
@TexanIdiot25: We have an entire parts car. If we blow up the spare rear end, we'll send a crew to the junkyard.
@Murilee Martin: if you guys want ill send you my mr gasket shift boot and plate-on-the-bottom-thing for the cost of shipping
@nyoh-ohio: make that free, i would be proud to have a part of my car on this, although you cant have the hurst 4 speed
Awesome-o 4000! Just need some cardboard and you're all set.
@nyoh-ohio: Thanks for the offer, but we think the inner-tube boot looks cool.
Kudos. Manuals are where it's at.
Somehow I knew this car would have a straight shift... it just wouldn't be right without one... and seeing this brings a tear of joy and affirmation to my eye.
Go kick those $500 slushbox posers back to the junkyard!
You guys won't have any trouble with that rear-end: it's a Dana 30 or 40 or something and is basically what you'd get in a stock Jeep Wrangler.
@wookie1901:
If this whole Jalopnik thing doesn't work out, you could go ahead hand start your own 5.0 brick conversion company.
Is this the coolest car on the planet? Make my t-shirt a medium, please.
It's all just so beautiful. (Sniff) You guys are the best.
Doesn't look any worse than the rubber boot that came stock in my '85 Rx-7
Don't forget folks the pre-event fun starts this SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!
"The Last-Thrash Bash, Sunday 4 May '08 at LeMons Headquarters (5675 Horton Street, Suite C, Emeryville CA 94608), from 10-5. BYOB, BYO lawn chairs, BYO crappy car, BYO B.O., etc. Teams are invited to come wrench on their heaps at the Bash and get free advice from our welding, tech, and fab experts on-site. (Free advice that's worth more or less what they paid for it.) Two arguably lucky winners--for "Least Likely to Be Ready by Race Day" and "Most Improved Since Breakfast"--will end the day with a ten-lap bonus, redeemable if and when their ill-prepared pile ever reaches the grid."
@TexanIdiot25: Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking.
I love it when stuff just fits together like an engineer designed it that way. Maybe one did? Whenever I create something and have time to improve it, I make it do stuff I want it to do in addition to the requirements. I too am glad you went with a manual.
@trs1: Dana 30, which were typically used for the front diffs on the Jeeps. Should be alright here, unless some forced induction gets added into the equation; at least you don't have a rear subframe to worry about ... the 7-series are apt to turn into a pretzel when a lot of torque is applied.
Is a lincoln locker in the plans too?
@narf: Hmmm... forced induction... plenty of turbochargers in the junkyard!
24 hours spent racing on a manual box sounds great, except for the kind of clutch that must have ended up in this $500 race car. Are you going to be putting in a new clutch after 2 hours or does it look like it will last?
So... how did you work the drive shaft out?
@joshman: As an engineer, they were probably lazy and jsut copied whatever else was around. Also know as following a standard. All this 30 years before Ford and Volvo officially were joined.
Murilee, don't forget that there are lots of GM 3800 SUPERcharges at the junkyard too. Everybody does turbos.
@diskreet: It's the clutch that came with the trans. Plenty of meat left!
@diskreet:~What he said Murilee Martin...?
@P161911: I'm really tempted by the idea of a supercharged 3800-powered Fiero as a personal Hell Project. Or, better still, a supercharged 3800 in a Citation!
@RoninianHoon: OK, we'll bring a spare (used) clutch disc.
@Murilee Martin: Just remember the intake is on the ass end. I was thinking about shoving one onto my V6 Firebird, but their just too close to the cowl it seems on the 3rd gen.
Doesn't VW have a supercharged AND turbo charged motor?
@TexanIdiot25: As in, both the super/turbocharger on the same engine.
@TexanIdiot25: A.D.D. to the rescue, heavy duty (big) turbos of diesels!
Obviously, the Hoon Gods, and Evel himself, have smoothed the path for their favored sons. I anticipate this power plant will produce Major Tire Damage.
This car is evil. Not evil in the Disney wicked step-mom kind of way, but evil in the enjoys the smell of dried blood on a shirt collar and entrails on the ceiling evil.
Seriously, you need to dye the anti-freeze bright, blood red, so if this thing chucks its guts, we want high speed shots of red mist wafting on the track, like a mouse thrown into a turbine.
You need to call it the 284 now. 8 cylinders for the win!
@P161911: A T-5 lining up behind a Ford engine with the shifter in place nothing ... these T-5 shifters line up through the hole even behind the stock Volvo redblocks.
FWIW, I run Motorcraft FL-1A filters on my Volvos too.
@dculberson: Driveshaft would most likely be the front half from a Ford, rear half from a Volvo.
I don't recall whether the U-joints would work out size-wise on its own or not ... because they might.
@JCWhitless:
While that does sound cool, they do already sell red antifreeze . . . I used to run it in my dirtbike. Secondly, LeMons cars have to run on straight water to avoid making a slippery track when spills occur. Perhaps they'd allow dye in the water?
That exhaust system looks expensive...
@Murilee Martin: Please, no. Adding a turbo would put a big ol' bullseye on the side of the V8lvo when it comes to crusher voting.
"NINE BUCKS! Thats a steal for a Fiero wing.
OK, Scoop? Yep. Wing? Yep.
Turbo badge? Yep.
Fender vents? No?
Ya gotta have fender vents!
How can ya have any ventin' if ya dint have any fender vents?
And by all means, paint a Swedish flag on the roof.
The $2008 challenge gives points for looks. Likewise, LeMons may add "index points" for coolness. A flag roof is very cool, unless its a British or Confederate flag. Way overdone."
From the Fiero wing post.
I can see about a set of Escalade fendervents. Or if anyone wants the grille of a new CTS (upper and lower) I can send it out if anyone is interested... Well, in a few weeks when I can afford the shipping
@TexanIdiot25: I also have the chrome grille inserts to a new Escalade. Cut those for fender vents.