Hi all. Bought my wife an 03 v70t5 a couple years ago (very nice ride) and have since started learning about Volvo's.

Well, i'm starting a food processing business in September and i can't fit too many eggs, veggies & such in the ole Alfa Spider so i jumped at the opportunity to buy another Volvo.

So i got an 83 245 wagon with a 4 speed & electronic OD. Incredible space with the back seat folded down! Runs & drives really good. Paint is faded but i'm curious what a good wax & buffing will do to it.

Front end rides kinda high (see attached pics). I was thinking of getting the overload springs from ipd and a set of bilsteins and their front & rear rubber bushing kits & see what that does.

The guy i bought it from thought it was a b21 but I looked on the little tag on top of the driver side wheel well & it says 141 cubic inches. I believe that's 2.3 cubic cm's right? So b23? It's fuel injected. Not sure if that's K jet, looks different from the L-jet on my 82 Alfa (see engine pics).

Comes with a **** for AC but it doesn't seem to do anything. Does the AC supposed to have an independant blower from the heater & vent?

Anyway, put about 50 miles on her today between city, freeway & 2 lane highway. Feels very solid, the front end is just the tiniest bit drifty around 70 although the back is loaded down with 4 spare tires & rims. Thinking those overload springs should help w/that (especially since i'll be hauling mass quantities of cottage cheese, eggs etc.). Handled great through the curves, pretty minimal body roll. Clutch feels solid, engine purrs & gives a pretty decent kick when asked for more. Who said these 200 series were gutless?!

All in all i'm very happy so far. Can't imagine getting more car for my $999.75

Any advice/opinions comments are welcome!

Thanks,
Antiacus

 

NIce car and good luck. Front end does look a bit high. Its possible someone put diesel springs in the front. If you're mechanically savvy the rear springs from an old say 91ish toyota previa are identical in length and diameter but are much stronger/stiffer than the regular wagon, and even overload springs. You can get them off a junker for dirt cheap.

If it's an 83 and it looks like that its the lh1.0 injection. Could be a b230, I don't know, I was under the impression they didn't show up til 84.

 

Man, what a deal on that wagon.... I think with a buffer and some wax, you might be able to help bring ou tthe paint. Get the springs checked out, it does look high, otherwise it looks clean! Welcome....

 

Checked the VIN, it's definitely a b23.

Right now i'm mulling over suspension options. After reading the description on IPD's website for the Bilsteins i thought i would choose them:
However, i called down the the local volvo shop and he was like "don't bother ordering from IPD, we can get you a new suspension cheaper and the KYB's are a much better value anyway".

So, any opinions?

 

+1. There are less expensive yet good alternatives to IPD.

 

So i had the local mechanic give it a once over. AC was deleted from the car (feel like a dork for not actually looking for the pump but whatever). All in all a solid car, could be lots lurking but i feel like i lucked out.

He's going to:

Add springs all around: $400 + labor.
Intall new timing belt & seals: $250
Front end alignment: $70
Install gasket between exhaust manifold & exhaust pipe: $35 (i supplied the gasket)

So probably around $900 all told = $1,900 for a solid, perfect running 245 seems like a good deal. Really the suspension work is kinda optional too since it really didn't ride that badly. Still crossing my fingers just a tad because they could get the shocks out & determine they are shot but based on how it's riding i'm guessing they'll be okay. I'm quite happy so far.

 

I'd flush the fluids, all are quick, easy and inexpensive to do yourself with a few hand tools..

 

I would go with the ipd rear heavy duty springs. I got a set for my 740 and put them on myself. I rarely seen a 240 or 740 that did NOT sag in the back so I replaced my springs before mine did and they were great. I would do those springs and leave the rest alone, maybe replace the ball joint bushings in the front to get rid of the floating up there.

The motor may have been a replacement some time ago. Those I4's almost last forever. I had 405,000 on my 740 before I let it go.

Love those wheels. They use to put those on the Turbo cars back in the day. I started to purchase a set for my 740 once.

Looks good. Have fun.