85 Volvo 240 Turbo - Motorsports Almanac

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made) Ratios : I : 2.328:1 II : 1.675:1 III : 1.353:1 IV : 1.145:1 V : 1.000:1 Clutch : AP metal sintered, hydraulically actuated Rear Axle : Alloy housing (two types) 1031 with bolt on tubes, steel (two types) with 1.5 degree negative camber + sensors for antispin system. Later development was lightweight carbon-fibre unit. Special drive shafts for negative camber and wheel center hub bolting system (left and right threads). Axle centre fitted with oil cooling system - pump and radiator. Final drive : Dana or ZF Limited slip diff. Gearing ratios 2.86, 3.15, 3.31, 3.73, 3.91, 4.10, 4.56, 4.88. SUSPENSION Front : Bilstein short adjustable spring struts, VMS adjustable alloy A- arms, anti-roll bar. Rear : Steel or aluminum lower support arms, adjustable upper control arms adjustable panhard rod, Bilstein shockdampers, anti-roll bar. BRAKES Front : 330 mm ventilated discs with AP or Brembo alloy calipers Rear : 280 mm ventilated discs with AP or Brembo alloy calipers STEERING Type : Power-assisted rack-and-pinion - 2.6 or 3.5 turns. WHEELS Front and rear : 8 x 16" or 9 x 17" BBS, Compomotive, Ronal or Speedline - 90 mm center hub attachment, split or mono wheels. TIRES Front : Pirelli P7 25/62VR17 (Pirelli D3 was used in '86) Rear : Pirelli P7 26/64VR17 (Pirelli D3 was used in '86) (8 1/2" x 16" Avons in Australia) DIMENSIONS Wheelbase : 2640 mm Length : 4790 mm Width : 1710 mm Weight : Bit over class minimum of 1065 kg Fuel cell : 120 litre safety tank with 8-bar quick fill system. VOLVO 240 TURBO HISTORY In order to compete in group-A, Volvo Motorsport had to built atleast 500 "homologation" cars. So, in 1983 242 "evolution" was brought to the market. All the cars were sold in the USA though few found their ways back to Sweden. All the cars had european front and so-called "flathood", even though they were mainly sold in the USA. There are also lots of other differences, such as the engine: B21 with modified 405 cylinder head, group-A type cam ("generation 1"), group-A turbo, group-A, intake manifold with "Bosch Gold" injectors, group-A exhaust manifold, special airmassmeter for use with water injection, group-a aluminum intercooler etc. Boost was set at 1.05bar and the output was very nice 225hp @ 5700 rpm and 340Nm @ 3300rpm! As usual for homologation specials, rumours exixted that only a small amount of the 500 cars had these parts installed and the rest were just original 242 turbos. The gearbox was surprisingly a M46, though it had aluminum housing and it's modified in other ways too (higher oil pressure, "fast shift" etc.). Also, a five-speed Getrag was available through special order. Clutch was ofcourse enforced and rear axle was the legendary "Dana 30" 1031 with limited slip differential. Suspension featured Volvo Motorsport springs and "Volvo sport" shocks (made by DeCarbon). Bushings were harder ones and anti-sway bars are the same as in original turbo versions. The car came with different wheel choices to suit the buyers needs, from original 6x15" Virgo to 9x17" (without a doubt the most amazing looking wheel, 9x17" 3-piece split wheel made by BBS. Rare and *expensive*.). The interior was usually black leather with extra gauges and Volvo's "sport" steering wheel. These cars are indeed rare and valuable collectors items, if you find one in original shape and with the gr-A type parts, don't hesitate to buy it! 1983 FIA GROUP A HOMOLOGATED 242 TURBO by Steve Seekins VCOA This two-door 242 series car arrived in the dealerships in 1983 as a result of the need to manufacture a minimum number of cars to qualify them for racing in a production class. One of the enigmas about these cars is exactly what differences there were from the rest of the 240 series turbos. It seems that everyone has a different answer. The question often elicits just a clandestine smile from Volvo Corporation types, however, I have been able to piece together a few interesting items. These cars were fitted with a B21ET engine in place of the B21FT installed in other cars. The ET version was the European version of the turbo engine and provided some extra power over the FT. I am guessing, but I suspect that these engines were fitted with slightly different
pistons and other internal parts as well, because they were intended to be used for racing with a different manifold and the larger T04 Garrett turbocharger. I have heard, but cannot be certain, that they may be equipped with larger clutches and lightened flywheels. Thirty of the cars were returned to Sweden for racing after being imported to the US. These cars were fitted with other items besides the larger turbos. Included in the list are Volvo Electronic Water Injection Systems with an eight gallon tank, Getrag five-speed gearbox, limited slip differential, ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels with aluminum AP-Lockheed four piston calipers, adjustable front/rear brace balance, magnesium alloy wheels (8.5/8.75x16") with center lock nut and Pirelli P7 245/45 VR16 tires. Final drive ratios were available ranging from 1:4.56 to 1:3.15. The car also had a 31 gallon fuel tank. For instrumentation, the racing cars were equipped with full digital instruments. These were vertical stacks of green, orange and red lights. Although the US drivers have indicated a preference for the analog type gauges, the European racing drivers said this digital arrangement worked very well for them since all they needed to know was that the system was performing properly, marginally, or had failed. The xray picture also shows the special lightweight alloy roll cage that was installed for racing (not legal in the US), the four corner pneumatic jacks, trunk mounted battery, extra bracing for the front shock towers, and the rear spoiler. These rear spoilers were reputedly supplied with all cars, unmounted in the trunk. I don't recall seeing any of them, so I wonder what happened to them? Oh, and by the way the engine with all the goodies on it develops 340 HP at 6600 RPM and 310 ft/lbs. of torque at 4000 to 5000 RPM and will power the car to speeds over 150 MPH. HOW THE 1983 "FLATHOODS" WERE CAME TO BE by Duncan LaBay VCOA In the last issue, I mentioned the very rare 1983 "flat-hood" 242 Group-A Turbos. Volvo manufactured 500 of these cars to meet production requirements for Group-A sedan class racing in Europe. Some number of them were sold to private customers in the US through the Volvo dealer network. Different sources tell different stories about the distribution of these vehicles. According to various US sources, all 500 were brought to the United States through Portsmouth, Virginia port of entry. Some 30 were then sent back to Europe for racing. In racing trim, the cars had bigger (T04) turbo, water injection, a different intake manifold, four wheel vented disc brakes, full digital instrumentation, light alloy roll cages, and different front struts. The vehicles which stayed in the US were changed back to standard 1983 Turbo specs in these areas, although the Group-A Turbos sold here did retain the GT springs, a factory intercooler, and the 242-style European front end sheetmetal. Although Volvo Cars of North America spokespeople indicate the Group-A Turbo has the standard 161 HP turbo output, those who have driven these cars all say they are definitely faster than a stock turbo with an intercooler added. Supposedly, all Group-A Turbos sold in the US came through with manual sunroofs, while the European racing cars did not have sunroofs. One unconfirmed source suggests 312 of the 500 vehicles had 4-speed manual plus overdrive transmissions, with the balance being automatics. The vehicles were produced in a variety of colors, although metallic blue, metallic silver and black seem to be the most common in the US. Information on the Group-A Turbos is scarce and conflicting. Any club member who has one of these cars is encouraged to check the VIN and VIC plates, and let me know of any discrepancies from the information shown here. (An article from ROLLING the VCOA's bi-monthly magazine. Vol. 9 No. 3 May/June 1991) 'ONE HOT LAP' with Ulf Granberg in a 240 Turbo Group A by Angus MacKenzie MONZA Race Circuit - Italy 1986 - We flashed past Monza's pit lane. The tacho's showing 7,000 rpm, the turbo boost gauge is reading 1.4 bar (20.5 psi). That means over 250 km/h and we've just shot past the 200 metre braking marker at the first chicane. Not 10 minutes earlier European Touring Car Champion Thomas Lindstrom had driven slowly around the fast 5.8 km Monza circuit and carefully explained the breaking and gearchange points. "Keep right and brake at 200 metres," he said as we dawdled into Monza's first chicane in Volvo 740 Turbo Estate. So even as team-mate Ulf Granberg, now chauffeuring me in the works Volvo 240T Group A race car, finally mashed the brake pedal at the 150 metre mark, I knew he was having a big go. The full harness bites into my shoulders as the Volvo squirms under brakes. Bam! Bam! Bam! Granberg heels and toes back to second gear with machine gun rapidity, swinging the suede covered Momo steering wheel hard left into the first part of the chicane. Even as we bounce off the kerbing, Granberg dabs at the throttle and throws the Volvo to the right, up and over the kerb. Suddenly the 240T spits sideways - simultaneously Granberg grabs an armful of opposite lock and boots the accelerator. He brings the car back onto line by the scruff of its neck. We jumped the kerbs again on the second left-right kink of the chicane then on the gas hard - third, fourth, fifth - into the Curva Grande. He feathers the throttle through the long sweeping right hander, the Volvo's inside wheels lifting as we delicately walk the tight-rope between under and oversteer. Past the clipping point and hard on the throttle again as we scream down toward the second chicane. Granberg stands on the brakes as we flash under the Campari bridge, rapid fire again back to second gear as he steadies the Volvo for the single left-right flick ahead. We bounce the kerbs again and it's full-bore into the double apex Curve di Lesmo. We charge through the first Lesmo flat in third, then Granberg grabs fourth as we slide up onto the kerbing in readiness for the second Lesmo. Again the Volvo corkscrews as the outside tyres bite and the inside wheels lift clear of the tarmac. We run wide up onto the kerbing again - "You must use all the track" as Granberg grabs fifth through the gentle left hand kink on the run down to the Variante Ascari. We're flat in fifth as the track dips under Monza's huge banked oval. The Variante Ascari, named after the great Italian World Champion killed there while testing in 1955, is the fastest of Monza's three chicanes. Granberg hauls the Volvo back from just on 250 km/h and downshifts twice. We're over the kerb on the first left hander but the
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85 Volvo 240 Turbo - Motorsports Almanac

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