145s Holley Sniper + questions

[142 Guy]

This is a really interesting mystery car!

I have attached the parts manual diagram showing the front door parts for a 144 / 145 and the door parts for a 142. #20 is the early door handle (my car has them) and #33 is the later recessed door handle. The parts manual (attached) indicates that the 145 would have had the early door handles up to chassis # 103379 and part #33 starts with 145 chassis # 103380. The attached scan from my 1971 North American sales brochure clearly shows the 145 with the early door handles. Also notice in the brochure the seats with the side-ways pleats rather than your longitudinal pleats which came in 1972.

So your doors, seats and the seat belt buckle all suggest 1972. Your build plate is 1970 and I notice that the dash is black and the real clincher is that you still have the long shift lever. The 1972 dash looked the same as the early black dash; but, had a fake woodgrain finish instead of a textured black and the 1972 had a revised transmission tunnel which allowed the short shift gear stick. It also looks like the car has the later 3 piece front grill which came out in 1971

Perhaps a previous owner found a 1972 or 1973 144 or 145 that had been in a collision and decided to do some upgrades to the car? That doesn't particularly matter. It is a really nice looking 145 which may or may not be 100% original with what may be an interesting history.

[AndrewBrown]

Originally Posted by almex

Hola,

I bought this 1970 145s a few months ago from an auction here in Mexico. I was not planning to bid, went with a friend, blah blah. It's my first Volvo. It was running poorly so I converted it to EFI with a Holley Sniper 2300, which so far has been better much that the carbs. I live at 7000 feet so fuel injection with an O2 sensor is nice to have considering that lunch is often in nearby Cuernavaca, 3000 feet lower.

So the car looks original but I don't know... Are the painted not chrome bumpers original? Is the interior original? Anyway I am finally enjoying the car after a few months of very slow work installing the EFI conversion.

Did you get a manifold off the shelf or did you convert one?

what manifold is in the photo?

[142 Guy]

Originally Posted by AndrewBrown

Did you get a manifold off the shelf or did you convert one?

what manifold is in the photo?

That looks like one of the Redline Weber manifolds used for the Weber 32/36 DGEV conversions

https://www.carburetion.com/Products...part=99002.845

[almex]

Originally Posted by AndrewBrown

Did you get a manifold off the shelf or did you convert one?

what manifold is in the photo?

I used a Pierce brand manifold for Weber DGV to b20 conversion and a DGV to Holley adapter plate. I bought the manifold and adapter on ebay, they where both old stock. I did have to trim the stock volvo exhaust manifold. I used a Morso brand kit for the fuel return line, it returns to the tank in the filler tube. I spent about 34,000 pesos or about 1550 pounds in total. That includes the 123ignition distributor and the Holley 2300 Sniper EFI kit. The original SU carbs needed to be rebuilt and I could not find anyone in Mexico I trusted to do it and fuel injection works better than carbs at the 6800 feet of altitude I live at.

[142 Guy]

Originally Posted by almex

The original SU carbs needed to be rebuilt and I could not find anyone in Mexico I trusted to do it and fuel injection works better than carbs at the 6800 feet of altitude I live at.

6800 feet! Now that you have added EFI you need to fit a turbocharger to recover the power lost compared to a B20 running at sea level.

[almex]

Originally Posted by 142 Guy

6800 feet! Now that you have added EFI you need to fit a turbocharger to recover the power lost compared to a B20 running at sea level.

It's easy to add a low boost blow through turbo, supposedly, with the sniper kit, it's designed for it? All you need is to fabricate a J pipe/downpipe and add a carb hat for the turbo to blow through, the little tunning dongle has settings for adding a turbo. I already have a turbocharged 2017 Mazda MX5 with 260whp and a turbocharged Clio 182 with 250whp. I've been enjoying driving the Volvo slowly around the little town I live part time in, lots of cobblestones and dirt roads, I like the pushrod and induction sounds and smooth ride, for now...

[142 Guy]

If you are enjoying the slow speed cruise then carry on!

[morwenna240]

Originally Posted by 142 Guy

That looks like one of the Redline Weber manifolds used for the Weber 32/36 DGEV conversions

https://www.carburetion.com/Products...part=99002.845

Yes, it’s. I have one with dgev on my 1970 145.

[RCHunt]

I have just noticed this thread. My 142 rally car was fitted with a Holley carb when I bought it. This was almost totally unknown in the UK. The manifold was made by Hansen in Sweden, they informed me that it had been quite popular in Sweden at the time but I couldn't get any information relating to rallying at that time which I would need for it to easily qualify a pre 1968 historic rally car in the UK. I swapped it for a pair of SUs which I don't think were any better or worse but certainly more acceptable in historic rallying circles.