Bought this yesterday for my girlfriend. She's always loved these, now she has a chance to rebuild one to be exactly what she wants it to be.

Can any of you can guess the make and model?

I think I might be more excited about this thing than I am about my own project car (the miata). This car, though, rebuilt... I'd probably be too neurotic about keeping it perfect to enjoy driving it.

 

looks like an Opel with a fat ***...

 

Next guess?

 

volvo p1800

 

I'll be damned..

 

Winner!

 

Going to keep this one in mind while we rebuild it:

 

y8s beat me to it...

That one above is really nice. Are you considering the V8 conversion?

 

Definitely.


Whole drivetrain is missing, so it's a blank slate- I can't imagine going through all the expense of a full factory restoration just to end up with the freaking tractor engine that the car shipped with.

Ideas so far:
Engine Reason
LS1 (awesome)
Land Rover V8 (another aluminum V8)
Turbo I5 from an 850 or 940 (apropriate)
1.8l from the '97 I'm parting out (already have it)

Any other ideas?

 

yup i was gunna say volvo too. a kid on campus has a restored one

EDIT: this is your chance to make a TRUE volvette.... do it

 

Deliverator, how many cars do you have now?

 

Just a WRX and the project Miata.

The miata I'm parting out doesn't count.

The 1800 doesn't count either- I bought it as a project to work on for and with my girlfriend. And it's not really a car at this point anyway, just a rolling shell.

 

Lexus V8 if she will take an auto. Reason- You can buy a whole LS400 with some damage for $1000 easy. Easy to fit and if you get the whole car you have about everything you need for the swap so it won't kill the budget. Part out the rest and end up with a free or nearly free drivetrain.

 

$1k for a whole wrecked lexus? Seriously?

An LS1 or rover v8 would cost 50% more than that, without a transmission.

Definitely have to look into that. Thanks!

 

Nice build your getting onto there...
I work for a Volvo dealer and we actually have a windshield we would LOVE to get rid of. Goodluck finding the little tricky parts. Things are getting rare. PM me and i can send you the site for the volvo antique vintage site. catalogues, pdf's etc.. I say keep it official volvo powered... My dream setup would be, RWD S80 or XC90 t-6 (Twin turbo 6 Cyl) Driving the rear wheels. There are a few 960' volvos out there doing the FWD turned for RWD. So its def possible. Then Megasquirt it...

Goodluck

 

Sure. Here's a local that I have talked to but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I'm waiting because the 32K mile no title S2000 that I thought I could get for $2500 might go as little as $1500 in the next month. This SC400 isn't even wrecked, its a two door SC400 that I can part out to recoup the $500.

92 black lexus sc400 v8 rear drive

 

Those Lexus V8's are easy to find here too. Several SC400's at the local yards that are wrecked with a good drivetrain. And it's flatrate 165 a motor, 56 for trans, 45 for diff.

If I were gonna do a V8 conversion, I'd do an LSx, but if I were trying to do one cheap, I'd look into the yota V8 fore sure.

 

wow, that looks like the way to go.

While an LS1 would be fun...I think the Toyota V8 will be a better compliment to such a stylish car. Strong, but not brash.

 

You still end up with a sold 230-240 hp. Plenty of fun in that car.

 

Been googling like a madman for the last little while...

From dyno charts, it looks to me like a 1.8l with a 2560 would produce more power and torque than the lexus V8.

But you make a good point- I hadn't taken into account the character of the engine.

No options at all for a manual with the toyota v8?