'74 144 GL Race Car Project
 

This is my new project, a 1974 144 GL automatic.

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I acquired this car on the 2nd of March 2014, which I got free just for towing it away. The plan is to strip it out, clean it up and race it on a very low budget.

Haven't had much time yet, but with help from my mate (who will be helping me along the way), we managed to strip all the seats and carpet out, rear bumper off (front already removed) and tow bar kit off.

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This is where it stands now, I also gave it a wash this afternoon.

Tomorrow, the plan is to see if it will actually start, which should only require a battery and new vacuum hose. If it starts, service the engine, oil, filters etc. Also picking up a used manual gearbox and used clutch as well as a few other goodies that we're being given from an older gentleman Volvo nut, including a custom made crossmember.

Plans on modifications so far are a set of 5 spoke 240 wheels, set of slicks/semi-slicks, Webber 32/26 carby, basic home made rollcage, manual conversion, custom crossmember, some more supportive front seats out of some kind of Mitsubishi, suspension upgrade, fuel cell, boot mounted battery, and maybe a paintjob.

I'm always open to advice and suggestions, so please, feel free to offer :)

Thanks, Cameron.

Finished working on it for today, so here's an update.
-Seat rails removed
-Dash all removed (Plan is to make up a custom bracket to mount the gauges on and keep it as bare as possible)
-One door card (forcibly) removed
-Chrome trims removed (Plan is to sand where they were mounted, fill in the holes and repaint)
-Jump started and amazingly, it cranked. It turned over with help from a can of Start Ya' Bastard (It's a real product by Nulon), but wouldn't run, don't think the fuel is making it up the lines.

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Cool, What is your plan for the motor ?

I just picked up a 1976 242dl that I am going to restore.

Are you going to keep your side mirrors ?

Keeping the motor, after I flush all the bad oil out, I'll take it apart and inspect the internals. Put it back together and put the carburettor conversion on it and just leave it stock otherwise. Don't want to spend too much money on it.

You interested in buying them? Haha, well I do need mirrors for racing, but everything is for sale for the right price.

Doing up a build thread? Would be good to see :)

Update time. Just picked up a HEAP of parts, quite literally a full wheelbarrow. Including a manual gearbox, clutch, subframe, thick swaybars, brake booster and clutch master cylinder, plus a few other smaller bits and pieces. Also buying a set of 15x7 5 spoke Volvo alloys with good tires and a 2.3l 4cyl turbo out of a 940 which matches the gearbox and clutch etc.

Sticking with the carby plan and going to put a big Webber carby on the 2.3l turbo.

-edit- Parts were all free but buying the engine and wheels for $500.

Okay, the carby plan is scrapped, too much work with the turbo. Picked up the engine today, I forgot to mention I got a second spare engine as well as the turbo one. I also got a rear axle including the diff and 2-pot brakes. My backyard now looks like a scrap yard, motors are at my friends place because there was no where to work on them at mine, and he's stripping them down and putting all the good parts on the turbo engine.

Why did you want to do the carb conversion ?

NA engine stripped completely, turbo engine stripped down to the long block ready to be stripped completely tomorrow to compare the parts.
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Bearings on the verge of catastrophic failure. Yes, that's shaved metal barely hanging on and burn marks, also scored badly. They're out of the spare engine, but the spare does have higher comp pistons and has been ported, and the bore is in excellent condition.
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Thought it was going to be cheaper than getting a computer. And it probably still would be, just a lot of messing around, trying to re-route it past the turbo without getting massive lag or losing power from excessive heat. Maybe take the turbo off in the future and refurbish the block and head and put the carby on then once I'm used to the car and have more money.

After assessing more options, decided to go the budget route for the first engine. Using the (better) turbo block, removing the turbo and putting on a cheap carb kit, only replacing the conrod bearings, main are fine. Not sure which head we'll use yet, but we'll use the lower comp pistons, don't want to risk blowing the engine on the first day of racing.

The bore looks pretty good, would say less definitely less than 100k miles, maybe less than 90k. But we'll keep the same rings, they should last long enough until we have the second engine completely overhauled, ready to swap in when this one goes bang.

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Turbo motor stipped down now too.

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New wheels, 15x7 off a later Volvo, not sure which.

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Closer shot of the wheels and clearance, guards will need to be rolled haha.

The wheels look good, what size tire ?

215s at the moment, but it doesn't really matter, I'm taking them off for a set of slicks.

I tend to change my mind a lot, but I had another rethink, and there's no point spending a couple hundred on an engine just for it to last a couple weekends then blow up and buy the same parts for the second engine, plus risk damaging something else. So I'm doing this properly right from the start, main and conrod bearings, bore the cylinders, rings and pistons to match new bore and shave and port the head. Also, back to the carburettor swap.

Was looking at the pic and the fit in your wheel well. I am going to go with 16 in wheels and wondering how wide I can go. looks like 215 may be the max.

Just had a look, they're 215/60/R15, which is a big profile. When I get the slicks, I'll get 215/55 or maybe even 215/50 if I can find some. That'll give me more clearance, and a bit better acceleration. Fronts should fit well after I dial in enough camber (because it's a race car, functional camber).

Not sure how you'll go with the 240 though sorry, good luck though.

Had a look at the classes of racing, I suspected this earlier, but I won't be able to use the 2.3l engine, with or without turbo, without being severely outclassed racing against all the rotaries and 2.0-3.0l Imprezas and Skylines. I can't race in the historics either unless I put the heater core back in and buy some new rear seats. So I'm going back to the 2.0l pushrod B20 to race in the local sprints next year, while developing the turbo motor to get a competitive amount of power out of it.

Can anyone tell me what the diff ratio is or how I can find out?

I also picked up a trans oil cooler out of a VT Commodore which should help a bit with racing, if I can work out how I can connect it all up. Also bought a refurb'd 34/36 weber twin-barrel for $60 :)

I'm likin it