I have decided that that my 1988 240 and I are going to stay togeather for life! There are quite a few things that I want to do to it. I basically want to restore/upgrade to all of the things that I like. I will eventually wan't to repaint at least the hood trunk and roof if not the whole car due to bad clear coat. I want to upgrade the suspension...Ipd Sways and better shockes. I would also like to fix the a/c and install power windows. The only problem is that I'm not rich, so I can't do all of these things at once. Where would one start?

Get another Volvo so you aren't frantically wrenching on yours Sunday night before you have to drive it to work on Monday. 240's are famous for the abuse they will take and still get you to your destination. $200-$500 beaters are readily available to help you get around while you work on the cream puff at your leisure. Careful though, a Volvo habit can be hard to break.

First concentrate on ensuring the foundation is solid. Ie. Get under and make sure the floor and frame are solid. If they aren't then anything you add on will be a waste of money in a few years.
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb and M46 trans

Brother,

Always go from mechanical to aesthetics... what good is a pretty car that runs like doo-doo. Get the motor in excellent running condition. Working a/c is always nice. How about that blower motor? Go for suspension upgrades, as they are affordable. Depending on your tastes, it isn't difficult to build a super Brick. Ultimately, the amount of cash required will depend upon your skill set. What you can't do should be done by a professional, and always remember: the bone yard is your friend.

Peace, Jon

Find a local "pull-a-part" salvage yard and go nuts. While you take your chances and may spend some money on major parts, with regard to the minor stuff I giggle at the prices people pay on Ebay for things that I pick up for $0.50. I guess I am lucky to have found the yard I did, but I replaced the entire rear floor of my 245 with like-new stuff for $10. They gave me a working large tach AND working large clock. IPD wants $2.15 a piece for the little clips you use to attach door panels. I pulled about 50 of them the other day and paid $1.00.

Most of the time I don't even pay 50c for stuff like that. I buy a lot of body panels and such from the pick and pull and when I buy a major part, I usully get a box of odds and ends for free.
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Drive it like you hate it

It all really depends on what is important to you. Depending on where you live, I would start by getting the air conditioning repaired. Here in the Baltimore/Washington area, working air conditioning is a necessity. For me, I'd much rather be comfortable with air conditioning, than uncomfortable with a new paint job. My first upgrade was to purchase a set of turbo Virgo wheels. Since then, I've grabbed some seat heaters, a large tachometer, and a small clock from the junkyard for less than $70 total. Take your time and enjoy the upgrades!

It all depends on you personality. If you love to drive and like good handling, then go that route. If you want a nice looking ride to attract the Swedish babes, get the paint job.

If your budget is limited, I'd highly recommend scouring the junkyards and pick-n-pulls for some turbo sway bars. They're 80% as good as the IPD bars, at 10% of the cost. And if you follow your Bentley and the help on this board, you can install performance strut inserts yourself without costing you too much. And IPDs strut to firewall chassis braces are only $50. Those three mods won't set you back too much and will make you very happy.

You can save a lot of money on the paint job if you do a lot of the prep work yourself - minor body work, take off a lot of the trim, sand, mask, etc. But don't skimp on the quality of paint; get the best that money can buy. Just about any reputable paint shop will give you good results.