LCM Volvo 245 ’74 – 1UZ 4.0 V8 Engine Swap

After the LCM Volvo 940 with a 2JZ 3.0 GTE Supra engine, it is time for a new project. Of course another old Volvo, in this case a 1974 Volvo 245.

Purchase

I had my sights set on one of what I consider to be “primal” Volvo cars; a Volvo 245 with the old-fashioned round headlights.

Finding a first-generation Volvo 245 that is not completely rusted can be challenging. After looking at a few I decided to post on Facebook on sales groups, after a while I got a message from the north of the country. In Groningen there was an orange 1974 245 which was originally from France and even still has French license plates.

The pictures looked promising and a few days later I was sitting down to coffee with the owner, a very nice and sociable man. After spending a few hours talking about cars, I bought the 245 named Peter and immediately made an appointment at the RDW for an import inspection.

Import inspection

An import inspection may sound exciting but is really no more than a check of the papers, chassis number and in the case of an old car additionally a check for 9 points such as headlight height, brake performance etc.

Except for a loose fuel hose from the mechanical pump, the inspection went off without a hitch and I was back outside 30 minutes later with an “approved” Volvo 245.

Plans

The Volvo 245 must be able to be used as daily transportation. So important things are reliability, good handling and comfort.

The 1UZ 4.0 V8 engine from Toyota/Lexus turned out to be the most logical choice because it is very reliable, can run on LPG, has enough power (265HP) and most importantly is not much heavier than the original engine.

The 1UZ is easy to find in England. The most economical option is to purchase a complete Lexus LS400 and strip it for parts. In England, they are for sale from as little as 600 pounds.

The interior looks very retro originally which I like, comfortable however is not at all. For this reason, all-electric seats from the LS400 will also be installed. Slightly less retro but they sit superbly!

The chassis, like the engine, was a logical choice. LucaCarMods.com provides BC-Racing coilovers for the Volvo 245. Yes. Even for a 44 year old Volvo!

It remains fascinating how much difference a coilover set can make. The Volvo 245 immediately looks much better with the BC-Racing Screw Set. Of course, the handling is also many times then better than the original suspension. Peter steers tightly and is stable on the road.

Disassembly

First of all, the old B-Series engine must be disgorged, it will go back to Peter’s old owner and will be reused in another vintage Volvo.

1UZ 4.0 V8 Engine

The question was how and if the V8 engine would fit, and there is only one way to find out. It was time to put Lexus’ new V8 1UZ engine in the Volvo on a few spools of wood.

Turns out; a V8 fits perfectly in the engine compartment of a Volvo 245!


To achieve a good weight ratio, it is important to place the engine as far back as possible. With a V8 you are limited in this because the cylinder bank comes up against the brake booster; this is obviously fixable but not necessary in this situation.

Manufacturing engine mounts

The engine mounts are “easy” to fabricate yourself. The thing that takes a lot of time is the fitting and measuring!

The car must be 100% level on the bridge, the engine block must be in line with the drive shaft, the engine block must be at the correct angle, the correct height and so on. This is where most of the time goes.

In fabricating the motor mounts, I used the following materials:

• 5-6mm thick sheet steel
• 3mm thick-walled steel tube
• Wishbone rubbers from an Opel

I made the engine mounts so that no welding and/or grinding is required on the Volvo. They are easy to install with the subframe and stabilizer bar bolts.