780 Bertone D24T conversion

[v8volvo]

A little slow on the forum lately, guess everyone is busy in the summer.

Figured it might be fun to share a new project idea I am working on. My 745 and 764 are both still running (more or less) and healthy (more or less) but I now have a couple of parts cars as well, and have been trying to figure out the best use for them. I have always wanted to build up a really nice diesel Volvo 700/900 series and the two old 7's I have now are great cars but will never be "nice" (body damage, rust, etc). So I decided I wanted to figure out the right chassis to start with for one I could invest some good parts into, plus maybe be a subject for a modified engine, intercooling, exhaust, bigger turbo, etc.

I also wanted it to be a newer year Volvo than the factory diesel models we got through 1986 here. The later '80s and early '90s cars got better wiring harnesses, better interior materials, better brakes, ABS, and in some cases even limited slip differentials and independent rear suspension systems. Big improvements to the platform, in other words. I figure if I want to put some effort into something it would be nice to have some of those newer updates.

Last of all, I decided I want to start with a chassis that has a turbo gas engine and automatic trans from the factory. That will provide turbo suspension parts (sway bars, etc) and trim, which I like the look of, plus it puts the battery and airbox and ABS unit in the correct locations for easy diesel conversion. The NA 4cyl and 6cyl cars have the airbox/battery locations reversed which creates more work. I plan to run a ZF automatic behind the D24T for the swap so starting with an automatic car is preferable there.

I set out to identify a model and year that checks all the boxes above. I thought about a late 80s turbo gas 740 or 760 wagon as a starting point, but then I realized that would be somewhat redundant as I already have a wagon and don't really have a use for two. I also already have a 760 sedan and have had several 740s so didn't really see the point in going with one of those. I like the look of the 940 sedans, but they are very hard to find in good shape, and the late style '90s dash is harder to set up with diesel instruments. There is a single-year model, the 1991 940SE, that had the independent rear suspension which I am interested in trying out. I got interested in those but they're almost impossible to find and have the same challenge with dash adaptation.

Finally a new idea occurred to me: a 780 coupe. These were a limited production model from 1987 to 1991 built by Bertone in Italy. They were all automatics, had the independent rear suspension from 1988 onward, have the early type 700 series dash that a diesel cluster drops right into, mostly came with the B230FT turbo gas engine (some V6, plus some diesels in Europe), and as Volvo's top luxury model, they have all the optional features like ABS and limited slip diff in final year '91 models. They are also full of fancy Italian interior pieces and have a unique body design. I'm 50/50 on whether I really like the styling, but at least it's interesting and won't be redundant with the two other diesel cars I already have. I like the idea of having something different. And the driving experience with the coupe body and independent rear suspension should be great.

I started looking for a 780 in good condition, which turned out to be an easier task than I expected, since these coupes were bought as collector's items and tend to be preserved in ways that the workhorse sedans and wagons usually aren't. Mostly garaged, etc. So even though they were produced in small numbers, there are more good 780s left now than 740s seemingly. I found a nice 1991 needing some mechanical work not far away, in a color combo I like. Planning to pick it up in August, drive it for a while as a gasser to work out any chassis/interior bugs, then swap it next year. I will keep a project thread going!

Here is the car I'm going to be building up. Anyone ever played around with one of these?