• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

'83 245 Wagon+ LSx+Dragstrip FUN *videos*

Eviltwin

New member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
Ottawa Ontario Canada
I don't have a build thread (but I supposed I could always make one...)

I just spin and spin and spin if I don't have traction.
consistent 14.6's@ around 98mph

specs:

1983 Volvo 245 DL
Tires: 185/75/14 all season junk
factory rear diff (dana 30, open, 3.73)

engine:
2002 GM L59 (LM7)
Built heads (rockers, pushrods, springs, lifters)
4l60e transmission

exhaust:
Hooker bloc huggers
3" to 3" Badlanz electric cutout to 2.5" straight pipe to thrush welded hush muffler


typical pass-->
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RqQzp59o8M

if I feathered the throttle-->
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_xkqXFNfQk
 
Yeah, that's a comical lack of traction going on there. Which would affect the 14.6 part quite a bit, the 98 mph part a bit less.
 
Built heads (rockers, pushrods, springs, lifters)

What Cam?

Yes, please get some real tires on there and post results! :)

Def good for 13s if cam and tires.
 
Drag calculator (@3350 lbs) guestimates around 240 - 250 hp at the wheels for a 98 mph trap speed. Which correlates well with the stated stock hp of a '03 L59 (285 at the crank).

They really do need a cam to wake them up some. Cam-n-sprangs.
 
They really do need a cam to wake them up some. Cam-n-sprangs.

This 100%, its a different LS animal with a cam swap. Shifting at 6500 is goooooood.

Just a straight LS6 swap is night and day. Gm Blue springs to match and done.
 
Still, 250 at the wheels from a half-asleep utterly unstressed motor that can do that for another 200K miles without breaking a sweat is not a bad thing. 250 HP from a Volvo motor isn't rocket science stuff, but still, it's a more highly stressed motor, and it's a peakier 250 hp. not a massive wide plateau of instant-on torque.
 
If you are running factory cam your drag times are a bit slow for what I ran 14.1 @ 98 mph in a 4.8 all stock thats was the fastest I could go. The truck cam is a huge downfall in the high RPMS.
 
Still, 250 at the wheels from a half-asleep utterly unstressed motor that can do that for another 200K miles without breaking a sweat is not a bad thing. 250 HP from a Volvo motor isn't rocket science stuff, but still, it's a more highly stressed motor, and it's a peakier 250 hp. not a massive wide plateau of instant-on torque.

LS6 cam is still puny. Good for 200k+ :nod:
 
LS6 cam is still puny. Good for 200k+ :nod:

it's the stock LM7 cam, I kept it oem.

I'm reading up on ford 9" and ford 8.8 Explorer rear axles.

having this hook up, with a proper launch and LSD will net me an easy 13.9 without a sweat.

**edit** OR simply get a G80 Locker in the Dana 30...or will that just eventually grenade?

both will be about the same price, but a whole axle swap will be time consuming
 
The Dana 30 should survive for a while. I wanted to test it with my car when I was going n/a, switched to a turbo and just did the 8.8. the 8.8 swap is time consuming but it can be done in a day if you are handy with a saw, cutoff wheel, and welder :)
 
could anyone point me to where I can snap up a G80 Locker on the cheap?

I think it'll hold just fine for the amount of true world "drag racing" I do which is barely any.

this is more of a cruiser/highway puller
 
Adding a locker and more rubber will help with that first 60 feet.

Adding a cam will make more power, which will help you hustle down the other 1260 feet more quickly. Including cruising and 'highway pulling'.

I think you'd get more bang for your buck with a cam.

I snagged a couple of G80's from the local pick-n-pull, seems like pretty much every 93+ solid rear axle Volvo (940) got a locker here in the states.

To do it *right* you should keep the ring gear and pinion gears paired, but FWIW I totally shade tree'd in the first G80 into my car probably 10 years ago, and I've puts lots of miles on it with drag strip trips and 350 whp running through it for some of it and it's been perfectly fine.
 
could anyone point me to where I can snap up a G80 Locker on the cheap?

I think it'll hold just fine for the amount of true world "drag racing" I do which is barely any.

this is more of a cruiser/highway puller

JY 960 wagon for the G80. Others will chime in on what else may contain a G80.

Very true, 95% of my driving is boring interstate as well. But the 5% you get to open her up on back country roads is priceless.
 
At what amount of sticky tires does the 4L60E start to sweat bullets? All I know about those are the endless Sloppy Mechanics memes.
 
At what amount of sticky tires does the 4L60E start to sweat bullets? All I know about those are the endless Sloppy Mechanics memes.

They are usually a 150k mile trans behind a mommy Suburban Tahoe etc. IIRC the 3rd drum goes out on them.

A popular mod is the HD rebuild kit, beefier discs and 3rd drum. Apparently it will hold up really well to abuse. There are YT videos where you can see people build them with the upgrade kit.

The 4L60E is good for what it is behind a 1500, but start pushing them and they do break. Then again for the OPs 240 it will probably last forever given the light weight, small tires, and low HP.
 
I'm leaning towards a Gren80 locker now instead of having to rip apart the rear end.
I'd really like to keep my 5x108 BP too as I'm actually in the process of importing some Ocean MK18 wheels (only ones in Canada, possibly USA?)

so in conclusion- for the amount of abuse the car will see (nary any....the odd weekend warriorism) a G80 will do the trick with some fatter tires.

As mentioned earlier- and LS1 cam will really wake up the motor, but that'll be something to do in the next while. for now- I'm just going to enjoy it and surprise a few unsuspecting musclecar heads with her sleepy looks ;-)
 
I'm leaning towards a Gren80 locker now instead of having to rip apart the rear end.
I'd really like to keep my 5x108 BP too as I'm actually in the process of importing some Ocean MK18 wheels (only ones in Canada, possibly USA?)

so in conclusion- for the amount of abuse the car will see (nary any....the odd weekend warriorism) a G80 will do the trick with some fatter tires.

As mentioned earlier- and LS1 cam will really wake up the motor, but that'll be something to do in the next while. for now- I'm just going to enjoy it and surprise a few unsuspecting musclecar heads with her sleepy looks ;-)

Agree 100% with all that! :nod:

The stock Volvo G80 ought to be fine. The stock rear end ought to be fine.

LS6 cam when you are ready OR one of the Torquer cams from TSP.

Ocean MK18 wheels = the sex! I applaud your efforts on these imports. 225 is the best I can tuck in for a 960.
 
Back
Top