Beast of a Volvo: 400HP GM V8 240 Rally Car / Battle Wagon

1989 Volvo 240 DL Additional Info:

This is a truly unique and awesome rally car / battle wagon of a Volvo 240, painstakingly built by Legacy Classic Trucks of Driggs, Idaho. Classic reliability of the Volvo 240 Brick coupled with modern GM American muscle of a V8. The car began as a beautiful condition Volvo 240DL wagon, and then Legacy went to work. They rebuilt the entire suspension, motor mounts, fuel system, exhaust, and drivetrain. It is a car that gets looks without being gaudy - and is truly at home on the dirt. Legacy Classic Trucks is a top-tier professional shop, with extensive experience with suspension design and GM V8 conversions - check out their other work at their web site (google Legacy Classic Tucks - eBay does not allow a direct link in this description). So, what was done?
Drivetrain:The heart of the vehicle is the outstanding GM V8, putting out approximately 400 horsepower, coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission. Specifically:

• GM 2010 LC9 aluminum-block V8
• 6L90 automatic transmission
• Corvette shifter, with manual tap shifting and digital gear display
• Newly fabricated motor mount brackets
• Custom steering knuckle
• Custom modified K member to accommodate the engine size
• IPD oil pan shield
• Balanced driveshaft
• Fully programmed and cleanly mounted ECM
• Custom air intake and filter
• Limited-slip rear differential
• Dual catalytic converters
• Custom Borla exhaust

Note that the vehicle is fully emissions compliant, and is currently registered in Pima County, AZ, having passed their emissions testing with flying colors. Gas mileage has average 20mpg for me.
The horsepower is put down to the road through new BF Goodrich KO2 All-Terrain tires, ideal for poor terrain, sand, mud, snow, etc. This beast will go anywhere and through anything, thanks to the limited-slip rear differential. To match the engine power, the brakes were upgrades with new discs and oversize Mazda calibers in front (new discs and standard calibers in the rear).
Suspension:The suspension was completely customized for offload performance, travel, and ground clearance. It has a 2" lift over the stock height. The front suspension is all new custom coil-over setup with adjustable ride height (no external reservoirs). Plus:

• New front bushings and ball joints
• New IPD sway bar and links
• Massive IPD upper strut brace
• Fully adjustable strut mounts

The rear suspension is more extensively improved, with:

• IPD Adjustable Panhard bar
• Drop straps on rear axle to limit rear suspension travel
• Billstein shocks
• Adjustable height coil springs
• IPD upper arms and sway bar

Related systems:

• Fully functional ice-cold air conditioning
• Holley fuel regulator and new custom fuel pump
• Rod Davis aluminum radiator with dual electric cooling fans
• Alpine stereo deck with Bluetooth and handsfree phone connection
• 6.5” front speakers and 6”x9” rear speakers
• Tow hitch with trailer light wiring
• 215/75/R15 BF Goodrich KO2 All-Terrain tires
• Custom wheels
• Hella rally lights on the front bumper
• Wet Okole waterproof seat covers in front

This is not some shade-tree hack job, it is a professionally built expression of what a massively powerful and capable vehicle the classic Volvo 240 series vehicle can become. The package is much more than the sum of the parts, expertly engineered by Legacy. It can blow down the freeway for long road trips, it can take on the worst backroads and adventure spots. It has outstanding visibility and a massive amount of cargo space with fold-down rear seats. It is a truly one-of-a-kind car for the connoisseur who is tired of the same old things.
I have driven this about a thousand miles total, and it runs great. Extremely powerful and reliable. My driving was done in Phoenix and Tucson in the peak of the summer, and it has no problems with engine temperature, and the A/C blows nice and cold.
The base car for the project had just under 90,000 miles on it when work began, and the it has about 1000 miles on it in its new form. I have gotten all the bugs worked out for you, but I can't keep it myself - I have gotten financially overextended and have to let it go. Let my loss be your gain!
Further ImprovementsNot happy with it as it sits? Well, there are a couple more elements that could be upgraded further. A cruise control box has been added to the dashboard, but the requisite control module has not yet been added.
The weakest point on the build is the rear axle, which could be replaced with a stronger unit. The stock Volvo axle and differential are just fine for 99% of driving, but if you really want to unleash all the ponies from the engine and put it into really extreme conditions, that would be something to consider (and it would be a very straightforward modification to make).
ReferencesWant to know more? You can contact Legacy Classic Trucks (307-734-6500) and ask anything you like. You can also contact Revolvstore in Tucson (520-792-1520), where the vehicle is currently located. Interested parties are welcome to inspect the vehicle in person there. I have a gallery of many more photos at DropBox, but eBay does not allow links in the description - email me for that link and I will happily provide it.
TermsFull payment due within 7 days of auction ending via cashier’s check or cash (for a local buyer). If the winning bid is $25,000 or more, I will arrange and pay for delivery in the lower 48 states. If the bid is less, I will help you arrange shipping but you will need to cover that cost. Title is clean. I reserve the right to end the auction early upon an acceptable offer from a local buyer. Barring that, the auction will run with no reserve and will sell to the highest bidder.