I’m a sucker for a good sleeper. The less likely, the better, but it’s becoming more difficult to find a good sleeper anymore. Used to be, if you kept the engine quiet and didn’t do much for outward appearances, all would be well and none the wiser. Nowadays I’m suspicious of any RWD American car that pulls up to me. But if Owen Peterson’s 1985 Volvo 760 pulled up next to me at the light I wouldn’t know what happened. He built this wagon as a drift car and “autocross beater”, which means that the second the road gets curvy he’s going to make a lot of people look really, really dumb. And he’s decided to put this Swedish brick up for sale for the next person to enjoy it, so let’s take a look at his handiwork for this week’s Craigslist budget buy.
Does it bring back fond memories of the 1980s yet? For me, it brought back memories, alright…these wagons used to be everywhere. My aunt had one for a few years, and the only time there was excitement in that car was when my brother puked in the backseat. This one, however, has had a significant kick in the ass that should make life much more entertaining. The 760 is powered by a VW 2.4L turbo diesel six that has a Ford SVO compressor housing and an intercooler from a late-1980s Supra. The five speed manual sends the power back to a Dana 30 equipped with 3.31 gears and a locker. So not only can he catch people unaware as it’s sliding sideways, he can roll coal while he’s doing it.
Since the name of the game was handling, the frumpy interior was canned for a simple dash and two sporty bucket seats. An aluminum hood took care of some weight trimming and the sunroof was gutted and covered with sheet metal. The front shock towers are braced top and bottom and a skid plate keeps the oil pan’s plug right where it belongs. Wheels from a Volvo 780 Bertone are wrapped up in 15″ low-pro rubber.
So, to the price. Ordinarily $2950 for a gutted Volvo wagon would cause me to start snorting like a little kid that farted during church, but not with this one. The laughter is different, and is much more evil. For the money you’re starting out with a very focused car that will embarrass all but the most keen spotters out there. This Volvo would drop jaws at auto crosses…think of the facial expressions of the Miata faithful when this thing whoops ass in the cones! On a drift course this multicolored brick would be nothing short of a riot. And with the leftover money from the Rough Start budget, I’d have the car painted one stock color (personally, I like the majority silver/gray color) and that would be that. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be laughing as you shut up some mouthy little bastard in a Mustang with this wagon.
CLICK HERE to see the Volvo’s Craigslist ad!
not getting the diesel thing yet, but this is OK, at first thought this was going to show this having a sm. block Ford which is a popular swap for these
if the interior wasn’t hashed, I’d be on my way to San Antonio!
Interesting swap and pretty cool car, but I’d rather it had screaming 1JZ-GTE motor-vation.
I could go on forever on everything that is so absolutely wrong about this Volvo wagon ‘ sleeper ‘
Suffice it to say this is a mish mashed rolling trash barge … not a ‘ sleeper ‘
But instead … I’ll suggest you look up the Paul Newman / David Letterman Volvo wagons to see how to do it right !
Now if only someone would do it more simply by stuffing a fully tuned Ford crate motor in one … along with the suspension mods needed to make it right … well then …… we’d really have something
If you read the article it says that it has a VW 2.4 L turbo diesel with a Ford SVO compressor housing and a ’80s Supra intercooler. Why don’t you ever write a article on your vehicles GuitarSlinger/ColoradoKid?
And by the way GuitarSlinger/ColoradoKid not everybody has the budget to build a Volvo wagon like the late Paul Newman / David Letterman did.
Do you ever think before you hit the Post Comment on this website? Or has all the drugs affected your ageing hippie brain?
GuitarSlinger/ColoradoKid
Please keep your comments to yourself. You are annoying and if something is not up to your standard you think its ok to spout your mouth off. I hate people like you!
“keep your comments to yourself? then why don’t you?
I would really love to drive this jumble of confusion.
I must say that every time I rode as passenger in this car I laughed with joy and exhilaration while Peterson made crazy controlled turns. IT IS A FUN CAR TO RIDE IN! Probably more fun than his Lotus 😛
Ick. The 7xx series is Volvo’s ugliest.
I’m not impressed with VW, either, and less so with diesel in… almost anything.
Dana 30 back end? Feh. As a high pinion front axle, it’s OK. For performance RWD? Feh.
Now that I’ve said all that, though… good for this guy and good for the next owner. Hot rodding, as I understand it, was started by a bunch of WW II coming home & driving a big vehicular F U, making go-fast out of pre-war iron. Discontent with the less-than-Free social norms of the time and presumably feeling betrayed by Norman Rockwell… greasy hands, greased hair, premarital sex & hot rods.
Wait, what was I talking about?
Oh, right.
This guy succeeded in making a big “F U, I’m doing my own thing” out of a Volvo. Good for him.