To: swedishbricks@me.rochester.edu
Subject: Re: Volvo 240 Spotters' Guide
Date: Mon, 09 Aug 93 12:50:56 -0700
From: Alex Rosser <lxrosser@cco.caltech.edu>
In message <9308081508.AA12388@fulcrum.me.rochester.edu> you (Tim) wrote:
> On Aug 6, 10:34am, marka@sol.metaware.com () wrote:
>} Subject: Re: Volvo 240 Spotters' Guide
>} > 1983 - First year for B23F. Group A "Homologated" (Flathood) Turbo model
>} > introduced
>} I've seen references to "Group A Homologated" before in this mailing
>} list, but have no idea what it is. Was it a stock car, or a mod kit?
>} (I don't think I've ever seen a 240 turbo with an old-style flat
>} hood.)
>} --Mark "245 GLT Turbo lust" Alexander
> There are a number of folk here who own what they claim to be "Factory
> Homologated 242 Turbos" built in 1983. These are strange cars, but the
> "homologation" purpose is not clear. These are loaded 240 turbos, replete
> with power everything, sunroof and automatic - but have the european
> style flat hood, a unique grille, and the 4-rectangular headlamp front
> fascia. I saw one at the Canadian meet. Didn't look special...
The Volvo Buyers Guide(by someone whose name escapes me, published by some automotive publishing group which also escapes me...I hate being at work away from my bookshelf) covers this model. It wasn't introduced in '83, it only existed in '83. Volvo doesn't like to talk about this car because it was sort of a semi-illegal attempt at an end-run around homologation rules. They built two race vehicles with a turbo system that supplied an amazingly large amount of power(600HP, 600ft-lbs sticks in my mind, but that may be wrong). They then shipped 500 more of these cars to the US. Lots of people are now drooling, right? Wrong. The distributor(Volvo of North America) stripped out the special turbos and put in normal turbos. Volvo claimed that they had shipped 500 cars(the amount needed to homolgate) to the distributor...if the dist. didn't sell them that way, well, that wasn't Volvo's fault, right? In practical terms(for anyone who wants one), they are a stock, loaded 242 turbo with a flat-hood, and...an intercooler which wasn't introduced on the "normal" turbo line until 1984. Personally, I'd like to get ahold of one of those original monster turbo engines and pop it into my 245...lots of fun, no?
-Alex
P.S. Actually, I think the book is "The Compleat Volvo Buyers Guide"...a pretty cool book. Most of the article on the P1800 in European Car was cribbed right out of it. If anyone is interested in the specifics of author, publisher, etc let me know...I'll look it up at home and let folks know. The article was pretty good as well though, because it added some nice color shots...I'm still lusting after a 70-71 1800E, forget the turbo 245....
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 93 17:07:36 EDT
From: wiegman (Herman L. N. Wiegman)
To: wiegman@orion.crd.Ge.Com, marka@sol.metaware.com, tim@me.rochester.edu, lxrosser@cco.caltech.edu, nick@meaddata.com, maj@frame.com, alfred@nyquist.bellcore.com
Subject: Re: Homologated 242T
aficionados,
on the 242 Flatnose Turbo... yes is was a psuedo race car.. yes it was a plane jane turbo.. yes it was a bargain.. yes it was a ripe-off.
let's see if we can smooth out the debate...
many of the 500 cars came with automatics (40% me thinks) and many came with sun roofs (25%??), all came with the "euro" flat hood (basically a 4-cylinder hood as Tim pointed out.. US got the Euro 6-banger hood on all 4-bangers in 1980 because of styling and marketing. )
there were a few real racers in teh country (3 cars?), but I'm sure they and many others went back to Europe to race in the Groupe A fun...
So, that leave about 470 cars in the US, many of which are plane Jane 1983 T-cars with 1984 Turbos.
The real cars had a wild rear wing (which was supposed to be included in the trunk of all the cars.. right:) and they had water injection, which had to be purged every race to prevent contamination. I think 300+ hp were the correct output figures for the motors, but one source does say more.... I think that is doubtful, that would be way out of line with the racing that these cars did.... and an M-46 can not process that much power.. but I think they used some other gear box for racing.. (the clutch in the '83 flatnose is wierd, I think it is not '84 or '85, but some Euro part or something.. ) the racers also had nock off hubs and frame mounted jacks (as in Formula 1 jacks).. special light weight roll cage.. special big brakes, special macphearson struts.. and the list goes on... Basically the Groupe A cars were 10 times more advanced than the US Homologated cars.. they were REAL race cars, modified WELL beyond any streetable US 242T.
I know Fred Hammond of Lexus (used to be of Volvo). He raced a light weight 83 flatnose in SCCA SSA class. It came sans radio, sans speakers, sans sunroof, weird rear end ratio, and no sound isulation (I think he ripped that out himself.) the car was very quick, and he got to National competition with it before he rolled it. (He was my flatnose expert, fortunatly he didn't flatten his own nose..)
I think a Ron Pearsons of VCOA is starting a registry of these cars... He ownes three turbo cars.. and he feels that his 1985 244T w/ intercoller is quicker than his '83 flatnose... goes to show you that there is probably no "majic" in the US spec Groupe A cars...
herm
------------excerpt from the Flying Brick-- reprinted w/o WNYVC permision :)
With the advent of the turbo cars, came a new interest in promoting Volvo cars as performance vehicles. This marketing strategy was adopted in Europe but not here in America. Volvo's marketing success in America was based on longevity, safety and value.
The place to race in Europe was the Group A sedan class. Most European manufactures sponsored cars in this class throughout the 80's. Volvo entered the class in 1983, but first needed to homologate the new intercooled turbo car here in America. This is where the "Group A Homologated 242 Turbos" came from.
500 Group A cars were shipped to Virginia in the Fall of 1982 where the race officials supposedly inspected all 500 cars... before lunch. The author had the opportunity to talk with an eye witness of the event. Basically, as the story goes, only three cars were fully operational with the special intake manifolds, water injection, rear spoiler and T04 turbo chargers. These three cars were inspected and one was driven around town by the chief inspector. The remainder of the beauties were much more stock and 188 of which even came with automatic transmissions. Several cars were then shipped back to Europe to race, which they did with amazing success. The massaged motor in race trim could produce 340 hp and 310 foot pounds of torque. These numbers put the competition to shame, but the negative side to the performance was reliability. Many of these "flying bricks" needed engine rebuilds after ever race. Perhaps that is a small price to pay for the 155+ mile per hour top end.
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Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 09:11:27 PDT
From: werner.wbst311@xerox.com
Subject: Re: Homologated 242T
To: JAG2@vms.cis.pitt.edu
Cc: wiegman@orion, swedishbricks@me.rochester.edu
Homolagation is the process by which a manufacturer makes a specified number of 'identical' cars and registers the fact with the FIA (a large auto racing/competition organization). Typically, all of the cars are inspected and must be in running order.
Auto manufacturer's do this to produce 'stock' cars for racing. Typically, the homologation specials are a bit out of the ordinary (350 bhp 242 GLTs, Ferrari GTO, Mitsu. Galant VR-4) in their optioning and power output.
The number of cars needed to homolagated varies with the different classes. The Group B (Killer B) rally cars only needed a handful of cars made. I think it was 50. That is why you found really powerful and esoteric cars like the Audi Quattro S2 (a 650 BHP Audi Coupe with 12 " taken out of the center and Kevlar body), and the Peugot 205 turbo 16 (an AWD, Golf sized car with a 16V, turbo charged motor where the rear seat used to be).
Group A homologation requires substantially more (500 used to be true, but I think 5000 are now needed -- herm?). These cars tended to be much closer to everyday production vehichles. One of the requirements of Group A is that a 4 door sedan version of the car be available, even if trimmed differently. (The Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo is a group A car, even though it looks nothing like a Toyota Celica sedan.) The increased production requirements keep some of the more essoteric items like Kevlar body panels from being used.
It should be pointed out that most of the regulations still allow some minimal changes to the cars for competition, even in Group A. In the world of Rally Racing, most of the suspension parts (shocks, struts, bushings, swaybars, springs) are replaced with special competition parts. The body work is required to stay identical, as are the brakes. Wheels are allowed to grow 1 inch in width and diameter.
An interesting side benefit of the homologation rules is that some pretty impressively performing cars become available to the general public (i.e. Galant VR-4, Camaro Homologations, Ford Escort Cosworth 4x4 (a horribly be-spoilered beast), Mercedes 190E Evolution II, Audi Quatro S2, Mazda 323 GTX (200 bhp, 4wd, some with 6 spd. manual gearboxes), etc.)
BTW: When Volvo homologated the famouse 242 GLTs, they only had one working car. They had a bunch of cars built. Showed them to the inspectors from FIA, and then let him start the only driveable one. All but a handlful of these Canadian assembled cars were then scrapped for parts. Pro-rallyist Dan Thiel's car was built by a Volvo of North America Employee from scrap parts. Until recently, it was never titled. It has never been 'sold' by volvo.
--John
To: alfred@nyquist.bellcore.com (Alfred Kwan 21342)
Cc: wiegman@orion.crd.Ge.Com (Herman L. N. Wiegman), marka@sol.metaware.com, tim@me.rochester.edu, lxrosser@cco.caltech.edu, nick@meaddata.com, maj@frame.com
Subject: Re: Homologated 242T
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 93 13:43:28 -0700
From: Alex Rosser <lxrosser@cco.caltech.edu>
On the subject of the homologated turbos...the 600HP/ft-lbs figures were numbers that were stuck in my head for a Dinan-modified V-12 Turbo BMW...oops.Volvo's figures were 340 hp, 400ft-lbs.
-Alex
To: Tim Takahashi <tim@me.rochester.edu>
Cc: alfred@nyquist.bellcore.com (Alfred Kwan 21342), wiegman@orion.crd.Ge.Com (Herman L. N. Wiegman), marka@sol.metaware.com, nick@meaddata.com, maj@frame.com
Subject: Re: Homologated 242T
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 93 14:10:28 -0700
From: Alex Rosser <lxrosser@cco.caltech.edu>
In message <9308102051.AA23273@fulcrum.me.rochester.edu> Tim writes:
> I still don't see what the hoopla is over these cars. They were never race cars...
Yup. That would be the point about the homologation series I suppose. Now, if we could get ahold of one of the race cars...well, it'd cut down on the sneers from Mustang drivers if you could smoke them at 155mph.
As for the discussion...it beats working, right? :)
Alex
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