So here it all goes...

As you might have seen from the intro duction, i have an old 1981 Volvo 242 dl that i am restoring into some kinda restomod fun haver street car that i can hoot around whenever i get fed up of my daily whatever it is at that time. 

Little backstory...

I always loved Volvos, especially the old bricks, even when i lived back home in Lithuania, always fancied one as there were plenty of them in turbo guise, but never had a chance to do it.

When i already lived in the UK, i boughta volvo 240 saloon and swapped in a good old turbo redblock into it, with some more supporting mods and so on and had arounds 270bhp in it, that worked well and lasted a while... I've done some hillclimbs in it, went santa pod a few times and had a really good time. Also, went to Lithuania with a few friends back in 2014...

Then the 242 came along, which i have never thought i will eveer be able to own... Considering Volvo has sold only 5 242 GT's in the uk... There's probably around 30 ish cars in the UK now from allover the world...

The car got imported into Lithuania (where i am from originally) in 1999, and lived there for a bit, where the owner did some little rallying in it and some other car stuff. Then in 2002 the MOT finished so it got parked up in a damp garage and left til i bought it and got it brought up to the UK in 2015...

The idea is to adapt the whole rear subframe in the car so i can switch from a solid axle into an independent rear, so i can set up the geometry however i fancy so i have all the grip and allignment. I am plannting to use the whole rear and also the gearbox too, most likely a CD009 as it can take all the power i want in the car, as per plan. As far as i know the 242 (or any volvo 240) is exactly mil to a mil as the 350z inbetween the axles, so that's why it sould work (Not as it usually work when you do it lol)...

I want the car to be a fully legal street car with some creature comforts and so on, but it will have a little roll cage just in case, and it will be fully seam welded to add to the chassis strenght.

So far i have stripped the car all down to bare shell, while i lived in Chepstow and had a garage in theend of the garden, and also, i started cutting and repairing the rust... I have cut some parts of the front end/chasis rail and inner arch and replaced with some good offcuts off a newer car and so on, and attacked some other rust, and then, the inevitable happened and we got evicted from the property as the landlady has sold the house... Ah well, then the 242 got moved to a container where it lived for 2 years or so...

While i was in the garage at my house I started doing some youtube videos out of boredome, as it was that flu season that noone wants to talk about any more...

So here it is...

I'll be interested to see some measurements of the rear suspension and also maybe have a chance to have a look at how it is all mounted in the rear as i will need to make it work with what i have on the 242 to adapt the subframe and shocks...

Cheers for having a looksie!

ADam

Here's one of mine taken last week:

Im hearing the 718 isnt quite the same but more refined and modern. I have a feeling the 981 will become more valuable than the 718. Cayman 981 kept steady pricing for the last few years

Also on enquiring about warranty from Nissan on the Nismo they wanted a cool 700 plus pounds for 12 months warranty while porsche charge around 1300 pounds for 24 months. In terms of running costs are both cars similar? As Servicing Nissan costs around £400 to £500 per annum. Depending on what needs doing more reasonable service costs can be found at Porsche or at Indies. Wheels are 19s and 20s mainly.

Driving dynamics they say Porsche is superior.  The steering rack is hydraulic on the Nissan but balance is probably better on Cayman with Boxster being heavier due to the roof?! Also adaptive suspension doesnt bother me but most come with it. 

The car started out having been badly painted and stickered up by the previous owner (the Xbox logos weren't me, honest).

We regularly broke it but had lots of fun and crashed through the barriers, into oil drums and over the cones.

The issue I'm hearing is the complexity of the ECU. I guess it's not simple, as I understand, even into another vintage 350Z. I think it would be an awesome engine for the car....

My question is, does anyone know of a company that makes this integration into a completely different car possible?

Thanks to anyone responding/helping. 

Anyway, here's how you don't drift

Later the same day I took 3 trains to collect my Lotus Emira. Registered in Dec-22, its done 3.5k miles.  The 1 owner bought the car with the expectation of being able to sell it for a profit but it didn't work out for him, so he decided to cut his losses, much to my benefit.  

It's a well specced car, in Seneca blue, V6 manual with the Sports suspension, full black pack, driver pack (track mode, switchable exhaust, LSD, Ice Grey Napa leather, KEF Premium Audio pack, Convenience Pack (parking sensors, camera), Diamond Cut Alloys, Yellow Calipers, Privacy Glass, Premium Mats, Scorpion Tracker, 20" alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2's. List price a shade over £92k.

It was glorious weather the day i got it, although was a monotonous drive home on the motorway. The next day the weather was atrocious, but i couldn't leave it at home so tiptoed to work in it... wading through what felt like extra deep puddles was no fun.

Today was marginally better, dry by the afternoon so i got to stretch its legs on the way home from work somewhat.  Its terrifying. 😂 There's not much low down torque, so you have to be wringing its neck to get the most out of it, by which time you're doing silly speeds. The exhaust is quiet and reserved until you hit 5k revs, and then it sounds like an F1 car - i love this. As you change between Touring, Sport, and Track mode, the exhaust gets a little louder and the lift-off burbles become more prominent, but thankfully there's no Golf-R obnoxious pops and bangs... The manual gear box when driving at speed is a little breathtaking - when lifting off at 6k revs in 3rd to dip the clutch and change up, it feels like you've slammed on the brakes, before being thrown back in your seat when you engage 4th. I've become too used to seamless auto-boxes in recent years.

Pictures do not even remotely do this car justice, for either its colour or more so it's shape. It's so wide and low it really does look like a much more exotic supercar in the flesh. I have CCTV at home and have watched 4 or 5 people walking past the house and stopping to take pictures.🙂  The afternoon i picked it up, literally the first pedestrian i saw gave a chef's kiss as i pulled out of the junction.

My favourite thing so far is the steering wheel. Alcantara with a square bottom and it's oh so chunky... it really adds to the occasion. With the notchy little gearbox it feels like i'm in the arcade playing Sega Rally.

The only downside so far is that it is an effort to drive... i've been bored of my Range Rover for the last 6 months, but after 2 days of driving this it felt incredible to get back into the Range. 🤪 

Here's a couple of unimaginative pictures from on my driveway... i'll get some better shots soon. 

Subaru will unveil their version later 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/next-toyota-gt86-confirmed-2021-leaked-presentation

So starting with Colin's fab old pics here- come on folks dig out your fave old car pics and post up - yes we all have dodgey haircuts but what the hell - its just a bit of fun.

Oh go on then........ just for a laugh - back in the day here I am about 1985 I think - one on the left!

 

and yes they are white socks and slip on shoes!

 

 

My parents had a Triumph Dolomite which went very well and then bought the sprint in yellow with a black vinal roof and boy did that go. My mum used to get in the slow lane and undertake people as the lights changed to green, sooo funny.

 

Snap!

 

Dug out some old 35mm pics (or might have been taken on box brownie ) - and includes one of the yellow Dolly Sprint I had at one time - a quick 2lt car in its day - me using it at a grass Autotest and had it on two wheels several times handbraking it round the cones The other pic is of my first Golf GTi (a Mk1 4-speed taken on MOD land near Aldershot) and a standard spec Singer Chamiois Sport at a Sprint at Goodwood and a Trial at some farm in Surrey. Used to tow that on an 'A'-frame behind a later GTi so I could compete in both cars

 

 

Pics also also show the Beetles I had. The little one of me standing next to my very first one - a 1956 oval with a 1600 porsche engine rescued from a breakers and used for rallycross before I bought it. (Yes, I had hair then at 20 ) I then then got a 1957 Dub and dumped the 1200 engine for a 1500 one, but had it fairly heavily modified including twin Minnow-Fish twin carbs and very loud exhaust that I used in trials, autotests, and events that were the pre-runner of rally stages but then without navigators, crash-hats and rules........

 

 

The other pics are me navigating in the Moskvich at stages event in the NE (that car/driver had previously taken part in a RAC rally of GB and I got roped into the 'works' servicing team by a friend). The bottom pic is on a Welsh rally event - a Ford 1600E that had just had TJ fuel injection fitted (one of the first such installtions in the UK - and it was quick - when it held together!). Always remember after we finished that event in the early hours we got back from the Brecon area to Central London in about 2 hours - that was when there where no speed limits on the motorways and we crusied the M4 at 130mph+

 

 

So there you go Stan - we all have history that looking back does bring some great memories back

Thanks again Colin they are ace - sure I have seen some of those pics in old copies of VW Motoring magazine?

Well now it has in the shape of a G81 M3 Competition Mdrive Touring in Brooklyn grey.  
 

This car is very, very different gravy from anything I’ve ever had!  Blisteringly fast, on rails and a stunner to gawp at!!  The tech is off the scale, too much mibees!

just had the running in service done so brave pills at the ready, its time to stretch its legs.

I’ve got, surprisingly, few photos, but I’ll attempt to post a few….

Someone did mention on another post a Z4M. Reading the reviews, it is very hardcore and actually not very suited to British roads, values have shot up its a lot of money. The next car down in the range is the Z4 3.0si. A straight six, three litre and available in very rare coupe form. I have to say the looks of it really got me, its a stunning car to look at in the metal, its engine is fantastic and down in BMW folklore. According to Howmanyleft there are circa 250 coupes left in the UK, yes its a bit open to some interpretation but ultimately, its a rare car.

I looked at one not far from me, manual, black, good mileage, service history. Couple of niggles to fix (few scratches, rear parking sensors didn't work, needs two new tyres) so negotiated on price but ended up slapping down a deposit. Anyway, a couple of snaps I took of it, this time next week it will be sat outside my house. 

Revenue collection or common sense? 

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/consumer-news/363722/supercar-driving-licences-why-you-could-soon-need-special-licence-drive

...until now.

Yesterday i picked up this beauty - it's a 1968 289 4.7L V8 Coupe Automatic.  60k miles.

Restored in Texas in 2014 before being imported into the UK, it's been owned for the last few years by a retired mechanic who's done some fettling in the engine for reliability and mild performance improvements.

I've always dreamed of owning a 60's era Mustang - they have been number 1 on my bucket list of cars to own since i was about 12 - so i'm very happy with this.

Whilst it looks and sounds great (imho), it honestly drives like crap...!!  It has drum brakes all round which are about as useful as a chocolate teapot. I think itd be more effective if i Fred Flintstone'd my leg out the door tbh!  So first on the list will be a Wilwood dics/caliper conversion, although im in no rush - it'll only be driven very occasionally.

Anyway enough talking... here's the pics!

Out with the new...

In with the old...  (shame about the skip - i'm having a bathroom done...)

I was truly emotional as I drove the last mile to the dealership (300 mile last drive), I had to compose myself on arrival and have a walk round the car park before going in and securing the new deal.  Then my wife got all emotional as well, this was nearly on a par to having our old dog Ellie finally laid to rest in January.  The 8 years I had the Mustang we did so much in it, I did so much to it with every square inch so familiar to me.  Grand Euro trips, touring the U.K. and Ireland, one of the first groups to do the NC500 (16 Mustangs from every corner of the U.K.)

Never in a thousand years did I think I would be an emotional melt in the way I was!  Too much to mention in this post but what a fantastic car, I’d recommend anyone to give one a go.

Eight years full Ford dealer service history, last one in March along with a new MOT, the new owner is going to get a well cared for and much loved car.

What to get?  My heart after some serious research was going to go into a M850i, possibly the best looking coupe BMW has ever produced, I watched every review video, read everything I could possibly understand about it and it had a V8 twin turbo!  What wasn’t to like?  Well the price of one new was something not to like!  Nearly new, 1 year old was @£70,000+ but man, what a beautiful looking machine but I would be in the 3+ year old bracket for what I could currently afford, that will definitely change though, if we don’t go to war, have another pandemic or there’s another financial crash.

I then looked at M cars, not M light but proper M cars, particularly the M3 Touring or an M4.  Again, watched all the review videos and read as much as I could about them and again looked at the age/price combinations, the M3 Touring was out on that filter but the M4 hmmm, maybe, could possibly, just about do some man maths and make it work.  I then watched my last YT review on the M4, by Carfection I think they’re called.  Amazing driving experience, power, delivery, handling all ticked all the boxes that a car enthusiast would want.  Alas, at the end of the video, after all the glowing stuff, the reviewer said “but, this review was done in Spain, on silky smooth roads, perfect to test its capabilities but if you are from the U.K. then not so good at road manners but if it was for more for a track focussed ownership, then perfect but too harsh for poorly maintained roads....” or along those lines.  Finally, the reviewer said for U.K. roads, he’d go with and recommend the M440i!  Lightbulb moment for me!

So off I trotted and again, watched every review video, read as much as I could possibly read on them, went through all the different ‘packs’ that were on offer, configured new, oh, £70k or thereabouts, so I decided, on a nearly new, 1 or 2 years old, low mileage (5k miles), high spec, manufacturer warranty etc was the way to go.  So I bought a two year old M440i in Arctic Race Blue, only option missing was adaptive cruise, I could live without it and unmarked like new!

Its never going to give me the soul the Mustang had, it’s never going to give me the theatre the Mustang produced, nor the noise nor the very positive attention it deserved with the random people that film, photograph and want to chat about it.

What the M440i does have is more comfort, more options, more performance, a sublime 8 speed auto box and something that’s more akin to what this old semi cripple can enjoy in a spirited, when called upon or an old farty pants miss Daisy manner.

I will in the next couple of years, revisit the M850i before it’s all too late.  The V8 pull is mighty in me, though the straight 6 is silky smooth

Ive got a distinct lack of photos 

4 door GR86 2025 - 1.6 300HP-350hp According to Forbes and Best Car Japan 

Toyota GR86 Sedan