• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

1800 best engine/ trans swap ??

2manyturbos said:
That's what I would do, and yes, it has been done. 15A bought 3-4 P1800s and was going to go all out building an Ecotec P1800 and sell installation kits to people wanting a modern drivetrain in their Volvo. The volatile market for these cars made him rethink the whole idea and he sold everything off before getting too far into the concept.

There is a reason none of you on here ever heard about his plans. This thread is a classic example of why it never came up on the TB forum. He didn't want to hear all the bullshit from people that weren't doing anything other than shooting their mouths off. He had a point. He actually sourced the engine and drivetrain and was looking into the suspension/cross member fabrication to get everything rolling on the conversion. Then, he just stopped. He came to the reality that the Volvo community is just too weird to appreciate a turn key solution to everything they want in a classic car like the P1800. An engine that runs smooth as glass, makes all kinds of power and fits under the hood like it belongs there with a transmission that can handle the power and shifts nice with enough gears to keep the car in the power band and still get great fuel mileage. All the while, being reliable and easy to drive. He was even looking at power steering, modern AC, the works. If he had more money to work with I know he could have and would have pulled it off.

Here is one I found with the GM Ecotec motor and transmission. You can see it fits without cutting the car all up. 300 hp is enough of an upgrade everything else will need to be upgraded. Even in NA configuration the Ecotec is a major power upgrade.

<iframe width="1248" height="702" src="
" title="300HP Ecotec-Swapped 1963 Volvo P1800 - One Take" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Click to expand...

Someone up at the VCOA National in Hickory NC in the Fall of '22 had an Ecotec in a blue 1800. I'll try and dig up the pics.
 
2manyturbos said:
That's what I would do, and yes, it has been done. 15A bought 3-4 P1800s and was going to go all out building an Ecotec P1800 and sell installation kits to people wanting a modern drivetrain in their Volvo. The volatile market for these cars made him rethink the whole idea and he sold everything off before getting too far into the concept.

There is a reason none of you on here ever heard about his plans. This thread is a classic example of why it never came up on the TB forum. He didn't want to hear all the bullshit from people that weren't doing anything other than shooting their mouths off. He had a point. He actually sourced the engine and drivetrain and was looking into the suspension/cross member fabrication to get everything rolling on the conversion. Then, he just stopped. He came to the reality that the Volvo community is just too weird.
Click to expand...

2manyturbos said:
If he had more money to work with I know he could have and would have pulled it off.
Click to expand...
I'm still waiting for a thank you from 15A for the favor I did him.
 
72 1800es delivered yesterday, runs and drives great.
Looks like this car was Ziebarted back in the day... just as the seller explained there is NO rust on this car except for a little surface rust around the battery box, went over this car in, out, and under.... Amazing! Looked at many p1800 rust buckets over the past few years. Bought a running clean title 2008 Sky Redline 5spd for only$5540 today, decided to figure out the swap. Any advice from someone who has actually done this swap would be appreciated. Wells are getting widened, rear end is going.. anyone install an 8.8 under there?
 
Two Yoots said:
72 1800es delivered yesterday, runs and drives great.
Looks like this car was Ziebarted back in the day... just as the seller explained there is NO rust on this car except for a little surface rust around the battery box, went over this car in, out, and under.... Amazing! Looked at many p1800 rust buckets over the past few years. Bought a running clean title 2008 Sky Redline 5spd for only$5540 today, decided to figure out the swap. Any advice from someone who has actually done this swap would be appreciated. Wells are getting widened, rear end is going.. anyone install an 8.8 under there?
Click to expand...
I'd just run the Dana 30 personally. It'll handle the 260lb-ft fine. I'd upgrade the front brakes and pick out wheels/tires first given my friend's experience with his 2.5L B20 (things got toasty with good amounts of smoke last time he pushed it).

As far as the engine swap, you may be on your own as far as documentation. Probably the best way to start is to pull both drivetrains (engine and gearbox together) and start measuring where things need to go. From there it'll be sorting out two engine mounts and a transmission mount. See if you can line up the shifter with the stock hole, that would be neat and convenient, but ultimately engine position relative to the cross member is going to be of bigger impact.
 
Last edited:
Nice! Can’t say I’ve seen that swap happen. But it should be pretty straightforward as Spock says.

If it’s a Dana 30, you should be good. If you wanted to upgrade, the 8.8 swap would be mostly custom fab. I’d do a full back half if I were to do it again.

For brakes, I do a wilwood and a Volvo s60r Brembo adapter set if you plan on staying stock front suspension.
 
cwdodson88 said:
Nice! Can’t say I’ve seen that swap happen. But it should be pretty straightforward as Spock says.

If it’s a Dana 30, you should be good. If you wanted to upgrade, the 8.8 swap would be mostly custom fab. I’d do a full back half if I were to do it again.

For brakes, I do a wilwood and a Volvo s60r Brembo adapter set if you plan on staying stock front suspension.
Click to expand...
Especially with the stock rear end you get a parking brake. I see a lot of rear end swaps without a functional parking brake.

I think Nordicar also sells a kit to fit 240 calipers and vented rotors. Depends on the wheels and tires OP wants to run.
 
Thank you for your replies
The engine/ trans mounting solution will take thought and trial and error but not really money.
Equally important in my view is the vehicles stance and fit of the wheels/tires under new the steel flares... probably 1.5"-2" front and back. Once i've selected the tire/wheel combo i will easily flare accordingly. looks like a 4.25" bolt circle so even a trial fit of Ford or GM wheels wont work unless I pop out the studs. some year Ford 8.8's are a 4 link pretty close to the Volvo with some fabbing and narrowing.
OR!!! last resort try to make the Saturn independant rear work???.... Naaah way too much work for now but I like the thought process.
Older Mustang rears are cheap and Its not like i'll be doing a slalum through NJ traffic a straight axle is the way to go for me.
All the brake stuff is new and it stops great but I will look into that s60 adapter kit... thanks.
 
Dana 30... OK if its less work than an 8.8 I'm all in ... what year make model vehicle would you recommend
 
Two Yoots said:
Dana 30... OK if its less work than an 8.8 I'm all in ... what year make model vehicle would you recommend
Click to expand...
That is what it already has, a 27 spline Dana 30, pretty much the same rear end in 140, 240, 740, and 940 cars. Folks push those far beyond the 260lb-ft that Sky engine puts out. LSDs are also available for it. The differential is also popular with the Jeep crowd so parts aren't too bad to get.

The upside is also not having a mismatched bolt pattern front/rear. Volvo mostly ran a 5x108 bolt pattern. The 1800E and ES had an offset more in line with the FWD cars from the 90s onwards, but you can still run wheels from any RWD car from '68 to '97. I believe Ford also used 5x108 on a bunch of cars. Spacers/adapters are also an option.

The rear brakes should be fine, probably similar to what the Saturn has. Just be sure to get an adjustable proportioning valve to make sure the balance remains correct if you swap the fronts. I highly recommend brakes with more cooling capacity if you are going to push the car. I've gotten my Amazon's solid front discs pretty hot even without the additional power from an engine swap.
 
Two Yoots said:
72 1800es delivered yesterday, runs and drives great.
Looks like this car was Ziebarted back in the day... just as the seller explained there is NO rust on this car except for a little surface rust around the battery box, went over this car in, out, and under.... Amazing! Looked at many p1800 rust buckets over the past few years. Bought a running clean title 2008 Sky Redline 5spd for only$5540 today, decided to figure out the swap. Any advice from someone who has actually done this swap would be appreciated. Wells are getting widened, rear end is going.. anyone install an 8.8 under there?
Click to expand...
cool. any pics?
 
240 240 said:
cool. any pics?
Click to expand...
Volvo-P1800ES-1-2000x2037.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top