This is my custom 1976 rockabilly inspired Volvo 244 GL Sedan

The car is rather light and is a really great handler around the twisties, despite its large appearance it only weighs around 1280 Kg in stock form (according to original owners manual). It has no power steering and the AC compressor and hosing was totally deleted. A friend of mine drove my car and told me that its so easy to steer it feels like it has power steering in comparison to his old Toyota Corona, and my car has 7 inch wide wheels!.

Additional ways in which I reduced weight were with the bumpers as they where swapped over for lighter and better looking plastic ones from an 80s model 240. Other components where also replaced making way for things such as a new light weight aluminum radiator and later model 240 seats with lighter frame rail. At the back I removed the heavy tow bar bracket beneath and behind the rear bumper. The old power antenna and its mechanism was replaced with a light and simple rubber unit. I have also shaved a few kilos off by removing the metal body trim around the exterior also adding a more custom appearance. Additionally I have replaced the ducting and stock airbox with a custom PVC piped cone filter and replaced the rear muffler with a lighter Hotdog style exhaust. As a result I estimate that I have removed potentially 80-100 kilos from the gross weight of the vehicle (and you can certainly feel it when behind the wheel). It doesn't have a spare either :o

The 240 series vehicles were over designed (in a good way) from the get go. For example my car came from the factory with 4 wheel disc brakes, a high compression slant fuel injected engine, MacPherson strut front suspension, Coil solid axle rear suspension and sway bars on the front and rear. As a result these cars are great for modifying but many people wouldn't know it.

The guages were made by dissambling a guage cluster, tracing the existing face with tracing paper, scanning that trace into the computer, using Photoshop and Illustrator to create designs, printing out the designs onto photopaper, cutting them out with a scalpel and scissors and then assembling the gauge cluster back together again with the new designs slipped over the existing (*Front-lit*) faces. The front badge was designed by me on the PC using Photoshop and Illustrator, printed out, cut out and then laminated by an A4 laminator at home, cut out again and placed over the existing badge in the grille.

The car is currently assembled and on the road but is in Primer gray undercoat and lacks a credible paint job. My plan is to hopefully paint it with 2 pack which has been purchased and is stagnating in the garage. The color will be General Motors Holden Capricorn Metallic Green.

This is my old page for my ride, hasn't been updated since 2004!!! http://www.cardomain.com/ride/488697 (my car is actually a 76 model, not 75 as previously thought)

Mods

-VX Cam from IPDUSA.com
-Air-con compressor delete
-Body/C-pillar trim shave
-Late model 240 bumpers
-Custom cone pod filter intake
-Custom Grille Badge (created by me)
-Clear Corners
-Volvo badging removed
-Custom flame face gauges (created by me)
-Volvo 264 rear taillights
-Old front seats swapped for lighter and newer seats and framerails
-Hotdog exhaust with droopy chrome tip
-2 coils cut from front springs
-Late model 240 sway bars (front/rear)
-205/60R15 Falkin tires sitting on 15x7 inch Mullins Chrome Rims
-Blaupunkt CD tuner
-Blaupunkt Speakers
-2 x 12 inch Sony Explode enclosed subs being fed 230 watts RMS per channel (bridged)
-800 Watt Kenwood Amp