Dream cars

GGJaguar said:

Javelin AMX

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A friend in high school put an AMX 290 (bored out) out of a drag build into a jeep. That was a fun ride.

James Hart said:

I am still thinking a LS swap might be what my 91 240 Wagon needs

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That would work. LS swaps have been done on just about everything with wheels these days. Just recently Hot Rod magazine highlighted an '80's Murry riding mower with a 5.3 liter Vortec motor.

To quote the magazine, "We're not sure if it is still used to mow the lawn, but we bet it makes for one hell of a ride".

gjmalcyon said:

Low 7's?? IN A VOLVO?????

Sweet!

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5thumbs said:

That would work. LS swaps have been done on just about everything with wheels these days. Just recently Hot Rod magazine highlighted an '80's Murry riding mower with a 5.3 liter Vortec motor.

To quote the magazine, "We're not sure if it is still used to mow the lawn, but we bet it makes for one hell of a ride".

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There is a longer video on that car that shows them DRIVING it to all the races!

I'm going to stick with the Volvo drivetrain, but plan a later 90s 16v head and intercooled turbo set up.

gjmalcyon said:

Low 7's?? IN A VOLVO?????

Sweet!

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I think they must have the back weighed down w/ groceries. One thing is for certain, the kids will make it to all their soccer games on time!

(My brother had an AMG station wagon for a few years as a backup car. That thing was scary fast! )

That Volvo was planted! There is more under that body than a big engine.

James Hart said:

There is a longer video on that car that shows them DRIVING it to all the races!

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It it were mine, I'd leave the drag chute on it and when some yobbo in their POS clapped out WRX makes rude "on the rev limiter" noises at the light, I say something like, "That chute is there for a reason, sonny", and rapidly disappear into a point on the horizon.

James Hart said:

That engine bay is TIGHT! my first car was a P1800 coupe (67 Black with Red interior). I've flirted with the idea of building a P1800ES for the kid with updated drivetrain and braking... not very doable unfortunately.

I am still thinking a LS swap might be what my 91 240 Wagon needs

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@JohnW63 is re-furbishing a Volvo PV IIRC, or an Amazon? But think it's a PV.
How's that goin' btw, John?

Guildedagain said:

In the same concept, and one of the few instances where I might like a Ford mill, 260 cube V8 predecessor to the 289-302, an engine in use from 1961-2000, great example of Detroit's fast moving automotive advances.

From the Rootes Group.

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Cue up the Get Smart theme, boys!

gjmalcyon said:

It it were mine, I'd leave the drag chute on it and when some yobbo in their POS clapped out WRX makes rude "on the rev limiter" noises at the light, I say something like, "That chute is there for a reason, sonny", and rapidly disappear into a point on the horizon.

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I used to cruise at about 53-57 in the SuperCoupe, was around 1500 rpm in OD 4th and great milage, beat 26mpg a few times, even a couple of 28's, but all 310 ft-lbs of super-charged torque wasn't even in until 1800 rpm.

So of course once in a while some yahoo in a so-called performance car or (especially Chevy) SUV decides it's more fun to tailgate me than simply pass. So I'd push it to about 90 or so, not too hard, but with a bit more acceleration than my surprised tailgater anticipated. Of course, they'd pass me as I backed off a bit and let 'em get about a quarter mile ahead.

THEN I'd do a hard charge from behind (still keeping it only around 3000rpm, but that still left me about 500rpm to the horsepower peak of 215) and blow by 'em and then get in their lane again a few car lengths ahead.

Now came the chase. At 90 or so most cars on the road, even some modern "muscle cars" and even rice rockets, are near their rpm peaks and running out of of breath and below their torque and horsepower peaks. Easy walk away every time, I still had plenty of rpms and torque to spare. . After 2 or 3 rounds of this they'd either give up or one or the other of us'd exit anyway.

Mind you I'd only do this under appropriately empty highway conditions. Which was kinda why I'd be a little cheesed off at being tailgated in the first place.

GGJaguar said:

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The day the CIA dosed Harley Earle's coffee. He liked that coffee so much he did the Olds Golden Rocket



and the Firebird concepts during a flashback a couple of years later:

adorshki said:

So I'd push it to about 90 or so, not too hard, but with a bit more acceleration than my surprise tailgater anticipated.

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So here's me in my '77 320i one night, on "the river road" , Upriver Drive. My favorite road, especially at night. I just loved that smell in the springtime, never knew what it was, sweet fragrance I later found out the aroma of sticky cottonwood buds and this river is lined with miles of giant cottonwoods.

I'm heading towards home late at night, joyriding. Past Upriver Dam, the left fork in the road follows the river and has some lovely curves. I'm not alone apparently, headlights coming up fast and now I'm being tailgated by some aggressive vehicle*, we're still in the straights, I pickup some speed but the headlights behind are right on my butt.

The 320i isn't particularly fast but has impressive cornering, and I just love these corners ahead, each one in turn more extreme, a series of right handers with the river on your left, moonlight reflecting it's enormous width.

In the first corner, I can hardly shake the tailgater but you get to build up some speed on a straightaway before entering the next one, and in this giant sweeping right hander, I'm pushing the limits of adhesion but outdistancing my Klingon.

In the next straightaway, here it comes with a fury making up the gap, soon on my bumper but never trying to pass and on we race into the next corner, the one that feels like you're in a huge and nearly endless hairpin turn - impressive G forces in the right car - and in this one I steadily accelerate through the whole corner, faster, faster, faster and then suddenly - thankfully - the headlights veer off the road to the left and they're gone.

I'm alone again in the dark, buzzing towards home like a rocketship.

The ultimate driving machine.




* People in bigger vehicles like to bully smaller vehicles like a law of nature.

Guildedagain said:

So here's me in my '77 320i one night, on "the river road" , Upriver Drive. My favorite road, especially at night. I just loved that smell in the springtime, never knew what it was, sweet fragrance I later found out the aroma of sticky cottonwood buds and this river is lined with miles of giant cottonwoods.

I'm heading towards home late at night, joyriding. Past Upriver Dam, the left fork in the road follows the river and has some lovely curves. I'm not alone apparently, headlights coming up fast and now I'm being tailgated by some aggressive vehicle*, we're still in the straights, I pickup some speed but the headlights behind are right on my butt.

The 320i isn't particularly fast but has impressive cornering, and I just love these corners ahead, each one in turn more extreme, a series of right handers with the river on your left, moonlight reflecting it's enormous width.

In the first corner, I can hardly shake the tailgater but you get to build up some speed on a straightaway before entering the next one, and in this giant sweeping right hander, I'm pushing the limits of adhesion but outdistancing my Klingon.

In the next straightaway, here it comes with a fury making up the gap, soon on my bumper but never trying to pass and on we race into the next corner, the one that feels like you're in a huge hairpin turn - impressive G forces in the right car - and in this one I steadily accelerate through the whole corner, faster, faster, faster and then suddenly - thankfully - the headlights veer off the road to the left and they're gone.

I'm alone again in the dark, buzzing towards home like a rocketship.

The ultimate driving machine.




* People in bigger vehicles like to bully smaller vehicles like a law of nature.

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Your post reminded me of this old shaggy dog tale:
I raced a Harley today and after some really hard riding I managed to PASS
the guy. I was riding on one of those really, really twisting sections of a
canyon road with no straight sections to speak of and where most of the
curves have warning signs that say "15 MPH".

I knew if I was going to pass one of those monsters with those
big-cubic-inch motors, it would have to be a place like this where handling
and rider skill are more important than horsepower alone.

I saw the guy up ahead as I exited one of the turns and knew I could catch
him, but it wouldn't be easy. I concentrated on my braking and cornering.
Three corners later, I was on his fender. Catching him was one thing;
passing him would prove to be another.

Two corners later, I pulled up next to him as we sailed down the mountain. I
think he was shocked to see me next to him, as I nearly got by him before he
could recover. Next corner, same thing. I'd manage to pull up next to him as
we started to enter the corners but when we came out he'd get on the
throttle and outpower me. His horsepower was almost too much to overcome,
but this only made me more determined than ever.

My only hope was to outbrake him. I held off squeezing the lever until the
last instant. I kept my nerve while he lost his. In an instant I was by him.
Corner after corner, I could hear the roar of his engine as he struggled to
keep up.

Three more miles to go before the road straightens out and he would pass me
for good.

But now I was in the lead and he would no longer hold me back. I stretched
out my lead and by the time we reached the bottom of the canyon, he was more
than a full corner behind. I could no longer see him in my rear-view mirror.

Once the road did straighten out, it seemed like it took miles before he
passed me, but it was probably just a few hundred yards. I was no match for
that kind of horsepower, but it was done. In the tightest section of road,
where bravery and skill count for more than horsepower and deep pockets, I
had passed him. though it was not easy, I had won the race to the bottom of
the canyon and I had preserved the proud tradition of one of the best bits
of britiron.

I will always remember that moment. I don't think I've ever pedalled so hard
in my life. And some of the credit must go to Raleigh cycles, as well. They
really make a great bicycle...

James Hart said:

That engine bay is TIGHT! my first car was a P1800 coupe (67 Black with Red interior). I've flirted with the idea of building a P1800ES for the kid with updated drivetrain and braking... not very doable unfortunately.

I am still thinking a LS swap might be what my 91 240 Wagon needs

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It's kind of funny how Volvos are stereotyped in the U.S. as the classic family car. In Sweden, where Volvos and SAABs are just regular, everyday cars, people race the crap out of them. In Sweden, there are races for every generation of both marques. People even race SAAB V4s and Volvo Amazon 122s. It's pretty fun.

I was a bit shocked when near home out from a garage a long stored Sonnet came out a couple summers ago, no need to ask about price, but I looked it over, later saw it on FB Mktplace for $10k or more. I could see why it had been garaged, really not practical in this area, lots of mud or dust, flying rocks.






Nearly a dead ringer for my GT6.

Guildedagain said:

* People in bigger vehicles like to bully smaller vehicles like a law of nature.

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I've noticed a very high correlation between that behavior and young males with an ultra macho cultural ethos, almost invariably in Chevy SUV's.

Fords? Normally nice polite drivers. Lookin' at you, Cynthia .

Guildedagain said:

I was a bit shocked when near home out from a garage a long stored Sonnet came out a couple summers ago, no need to ask about price, but I looked it over, later saw it on FB Mktplace for $10k or more. I could see why it had been garaged, really not practical in this area, lots of mud or dust, flying rocks.

Nearly a dead ringer for my GT6.

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"Great Grill!"

Over the years, I've had so much fun with cars! Having come of age in the late 60's - early 70's, I grew up with muscle cars and the golden age of rock. I never gave a Kinker's damn about European cars (super or otherwise). I loved drag racing!

Now that I'm just an old boomer, I don't know what my dream car is. Maybe a '67 Merc Cougar XR7. Given the traveling my wife and I do, I don't really have a lifestyle that lends itself to hobby cars or motorcycles.

Years ago, I built my dream car. a '62 Ford Falcon with a 525HP (naturally aspirated) 351C hotrod. It was a street legal drag car. Picture below is before the new paint.



Sometime around '96 I wanted to buy a fun car. I was going to get a Viper, but sanity prevailed as I would be using the car to routinely commute a 6-hour drive. So I got a Mitts 3000GT.

Hey Soul Tramp! Those Mitsubishi 3000GT's were super nice cars. At the time when Don had one, we lived up in the Hollywood Hills and freeway driving was very different from getting up in the hills with the curves! Nice to flip a switch and change the suspension from sport to lux. Coming right after a '79 Corvette, it was like night and day!! Thanks for the photo!

Tom, it was such a fun car to drive. For some reason the Mustang guys were always at me. Not one was able to keep up. I switched to a set of soft-compound Yokohama tires that felt like you were glued to the road. I can imagine the fun in the Hollywood Hills. The car was a beautiful white pearl that absolutely sparkled in daylight. I still think that model year was one of the prettiest production cars ever made.