Hello all.
I'm very happy with my 1979 242. It is not perfect, but I'm always working to improve it.
Mine is a three speed automatic BW55 that shifts well but it always feels like it can use one more gear, specially on the highway.
My question to the forum is, are there 4 speed auto transmissions that I can swap on?

Thank you all in advance,

JP

 

Certainly - the aw71. It's your trans with an overdrive. You'll need the shorter driveshaft from any 240 with that trans as long as the flange matches your differential. (Volvo used 2 different size flanges. That is - a 1985 240 turbo will definitely will have large Ujoints and large flanges. ) Grind a passage in the solenoid to make 4th gear work all the time and you won't have to supply power to it. (That's done frequently, it's cheaper than a new solenoid or relay.) You will have to figure out which speedo drive gear is most accurate or just be happy with close enough. The diff in a 3 speed car won't be the same ratio as a 4 speed car.

 

Your '79 242 sounds like a classic gem. I get what you mean about wanting that extra gear on the highway—it can really make a difference in cruising comfort. Swapping to a 4-speed auto transmission could be a great upgrade. I remember when I upgraded the transmission on my old pickup—it transformed the driving experience, especially on longer trips.

If you're looking into options, places like Suncoast Transmission might have insights on finding a 700r4 transmission for sale, even if it's not exactly what you need. Sometimes exploring different models can lead to unexpected solutions.