I'm just curious, is it possible to put a 160 nose on a 240? I know the 240 nose is longer but I believe the structures and of course wheel base are the same. So... might that beautiful 160 nose fit on a 240? Does anyone know of anyone who has done this?

Thanks

Richard

Bram Smits already has referred to my page about one of many differently approached 165 conversions. Some facts however are worth considering if you're going to build one:

1) If you only want to use the B30 - cut and splice the front end of a 164 to the rear of a 145/245/265. Far most simple way to go.

2) Modern engines, like the 960 six I've got in mine, require more sideway space which can be provided by using the 240 McPherson suspension or something similar. Unlike me: consider this before building.

3) The 240 only looks longer than the 164. 240's with old style bumpers were 4890 mm, cars with new style bumpers 4790 mm. The 164 was 4715-4720 mm with the thin euro bumpers until 1973 but 4870-4880 mm with 1973 US bumpers and all 1974-75 bumpers.

4) The 164 had a, by Volvo standards, incredibly long wheel base. The 140 was extended 100 mm / 4 inches to create space for the 164 engine which gave 2700 mm. From 1971, modified suspension parts further increased the value to 2720 mm (same increase, from 2600 to 2620, on the 140. The 240 wheelbase also was 2620 mm froom the beginning but extended to 2640 mm on ps equipped cars from 1979.

Sorry about the SI units but someone else probably could translate into inch fractions, relations should be clear anyway. The 164 wheel base extension is found between the front wheels and the doors. Pretty obvious if you compare the fenders of a 164 to fenders of a 140/240/260.

This all means you can't use fenders from a 164 on a 240 if you don't increase the wheel base. The oil pan of the B30 also was designed for the 164 cross member location and would interfere with the cross member in a 140 or 240.

But the 240 front structure of course could be extended too. Four more inches between the strut towers and the fire wall is all it takes...it however will be a lot easier to follow point #1 if you're not going to switch the B30 for something different. Another problem which I haven't examined that careful is the height of the front end structure - the 240 nose is higher than the 164's and will have to be modified to take the 164 fenders. Upper fender mountings also differs and hood hinges will have to be completely rebuilt with custom made parts.

I went the hard way, though, and started with a 164/145 combination which later has been modified with the 240 suspension to achieve sideway space for the engine. Not an easy way but good luck, whatever you choose.

/Martin
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65 121, 73 165

YIKES! As much as I love a good project, I think that one is a little too involved for me alone. Thank you for all the info. It's certainly nice to hear from someone who knows ALL the ins and outs. If I were able to borrow your talents for a week I might attempt the project but I'll just reamain content with my GT nose. I was hoping that all that would be involved would be shortening the nose on my 245 and grafting the 160 pieces on but I haven't had the opertunity to exhamine a 160 for quite a while. I didn't realize the wheelbases had changed.

Thanks

Richard

Unless you are trying to make a wagon Volvo never made or you want to use
the older 164 front end. You could just purchase a 1975 164E. This is essentially a 160 front with the rest of the car a 240. Personally, I like the
older 164 front better but even the 1975 looks OK to me. Wish you well with
your project.
Dave 82 242ti 266k mi.

I was hoping to put the older 160 nose on my 245 partly because I like having a unique car and partly just because I love that rover looking front end. BUt I like the 240 too much to part with it. To me, that nose seemed to be much more well finished. I was never happy with the 240 headlamp moldings and grill fittings. They just never seemed to be as well intigrated as a car of it's quality should have. For now I have a 242 GT nose on my car so it is a unique wagon but that early 160 nose was just outright beautiful. In my opinion anyway. They're still great cars and I'm on my seventh now so I certainly can't complain but I really wanted that look. In one responce however, I realized I was about to bite off much more than I could chew. So I guess it's going to remain a 245GT.

Thanks
Richard

What's your objective? If it's just transferring the sheetmetal, yes, that's possible, You'll need to do a bit of welding to extend the inner wings to support the longer (!) 164 nose, but apart from that, nothing a competent bodyshop or good shadetree mechanic couldn't do in a day or two.

If you want to transfer the entire front clip and mechanicals, including the inline-6 engine, that's a lot more work. One of the nicest I've seen so far is at http://switch.to/estate - although he might've gone a lot further than you intend.

Bram

AH! I've had a 145 and a 142 and I'd sware the hoods on those seemed shorter than the 240 nose, Was the 160 nose longer? If that's the case than I will look into my project further, All I wanted was a unique look for my wagon. If a sheetmetal transfer isn't a huge project , then I stand a chance of doing this over the summer.

Deffinately encourraging! Thank You.

Richard

I'll be reading the link you sent, Thanks for that too.

Yes, it is possible.

The 240 nose is longer? The 160 is longer than the 140 because of the long inline 6, so I would have thought that the 160 would be longer than the 240 from the firewall forward. Most of the 160/240 conversions I've seen were the 160 front on a 245 rear to make a "165", which Volvo never made. These are usually done by actually cutting off the front half and welding it to the rear half. Do you just want to put the front clip on the 240 chassis? I'm not sure if that fits or not. There's a website that has MANY details on the building of a 165, but I don't have it. I think it might have been by someone from either Austrailia or New Zealand, but that's all I remember.

If you want pictures, I've got several, including some 165's, a 163, and a prototype 262 Bertone coupe with a 160 front end.
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Volvo 240 Links

Thanks and YES, I'd love to have some pics of that project. Another board member just sent me a link to a site where the conversion was done. All I want to do is a sheetmetal conversion. I simply don't have waht it takes to attempt the full mechanical conversion and frankly just want to leave well enough alone. Thanks for the advice! Pics are always welcomed.

Thanks Again
Richard

The site mentioned above is the one where many of the pictures I have came from. Here are a few more that I've found and saved.

Custom "163"

262 Bertone prototype with 160 front

That's all I can find right now. I'll post more if I can.
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Volvo 240 Links