Feature Cars
AUTObiography: Douglas Kauer's 242
By source: Douglas Kauer
May 13, 2004, 19:55

Welcome to AUTObiography, our newest Feature at Swedespeed that gives our readers a chance to get their rides featured on our site. Readers can submit several photos and fill out our questionaire below. We're lucky enough to have the responsibility of choosing which of your witty responses and photos get published. Our goal is to feature a different reader's car every Friday, so tune in each week.

Want to see your car featured in an AUTObiography? Just click HERE. We can't promise you that we'll feature every car that gets submitted, but we encourage you to be creative, as that's always a good way to score some brownie points with us. Quality photos won't hurt your chances any, either.

And now, for your reading and viewing pleasure, check out Douglas Kauer's 242.

1. How long have you owned this car?
Since August of 2002

2. Is there anything unique about the history of this car?
I bought the car from one of my teachers in High School. I used to build firebirds while my buddies had 240's, so I usually ended up wrenching on them. When it came time to buy a daily driver for college, I bought a 100k-mile '87 240DL and drove it for a few months. I got tired of building cars (firebirds) so I sold my 1969 Firebird 400HO car and bought a 2001 S60 2.4T. I gave my 87 to my brother for his first car and swore off cars all together.

That lasted 6 months... then I got the itch to build something again. I knew about this beat-to-death 242ti that my teacher's step daughters were driving (into the ground!) so I asked him about it (we're good friends). He said it was dead in his driveway, had 4 flat tires and didn't run.

Perfect! I ended up making a deal that neither of us could pass up and towed it home. The addiction picked right back up at full pace again!

About 3 days after I brought the car home www.clubvolvo.com started up, so I emailed the webmaster and offered up my car for a "project car". We chronicled the car from the beginning, really offering neat insight to the build up of the car, step by step. Its been a great relationship and has really opened up some opportunities for the car!

3. What was your objective with this car?
To ruin my credit record.

No... when I first built the car, it was going to be a budget weekend racer. That sort of evolved into what it is now, which is a test bed for the things you can do with these cars and just a general car nice enough to show.



5. What tuning style would you describe this car as? (ex. Euro, Bling, US-look, sleeper, OEMplus, street racer, auto crosser, etc.).
I think its sort of musclecar-ish still. Its very clean, in a euro respect, but there is a Japanese "super car" influence on it. I think it takes the best parts of a dedicated track car and show car and makes it work.

6. Who helped you build this car?
I did everything myself except the paint and machine work. Big thanks to www.v-performance.com for the T5 transmission adapters, Rick at Crackaway Machine Service in Elk Grove, Ultra Truck works in Elk Grove (they handled all my goofy welding requests) and the various members on Clubvolvo.com and Turbobricks.com who also helped along the way.

7. What makes your car special?
Its unique. Its loud, it idles like a race car, revs like a race car, its really fast and it still gets good mileage! Its really a good showcase for the potential of these cars.


8. What is your favorite part/feature/function?
It's probably the cam. I LOVE to listen to it idle (it idles at 1200, and it sounds like a massively over cam’d V8). The TurboXS TypeH Blow Off Valve is also turns heads, the dash is really unique.

9. Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car?
A lot of the reasons I did what I did on this car were because a lot of people said it couldn't be done.

10. What don't you like about this car?
Its a constant learning adventure ;) It used to be very high maintained, but its been getting better.

11. What would you change if you could?
If I did it again, I'd have built a single turbo T6 motor from an s80 for it.

12. On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project?
So far its a 12! Its never done though!

13. What would you do to the car if money were no object?
Single turbo T6! Coil Overs, Volk TE37 wheels (18x8), 6 pot Brembo's up front. More carbon fiber!

14. Who has been your biggest critic of this project?
Probably myself. My girl friend has always been supportive... but my friends usually give me the worst time when the car isn't running.

15. What do your family and friends say about this car?
"Its so loud!"

16. What is your favorite place to drive this car?
Everywhere! Its really enjoyable on mountain roads though!

17. What is your ideal day with this car?
65*s out, mountain road, no traffic!

18. Who gets to drive this car?
I do for the most part. A few buddies have been able to drive it a bit.

19. If your car had a motto, what would it be?
It has a motto, its not clean enough for print !



20. If you had to name your car, what would you name it?
I don't honestly know. I've always referred to my cars solely by color.

21. What was your previous project?
1969 Firebird 400HO. Full frame off restoration, was my daily driver for 3 years.

22. What is your next project?
I’m building a 2.5L DOHC 740 drag car right now for www.clubvolvo.com's newest project car. We're shooting for over 500whp and 10's in the 1/4. Its been a REALLY slow process the last few months, but we're starting up on it again!

23. What one word best describes your car?
AWSOME! I think the most comical thing I've ever heard at a car show was, (someone walked up to my car and said) "Turbo Volvo? That’s *!)($)! BRILLIANT!"



More info:
www.clubvolvo.com
www.turbobricks.com
www.swedespeed.com
www.v-performance.com
www.innovatemotorsports.com
www.geminicomposites.com
www.atpturbo.com



Modifications
Drivetrain:
Rebuilt B23FT (2.3L), decked, o-ringed. Mircopolished crank, hi flow oil pump.
398 head pocket ported, polished, match ported, shaved, 3 angle valve job
Enem K15 cam 298* duration, 13.2mm lift
IPD adjustable cam gear
Holset HY35W turbo, -8AN braided feed, -12AN braided return line
Proturbo.fi full tube, equal length header
Tial 38mm wastegate (not pictured)
NPR Intercooler
Megasquirt Engine Management System w/ 56lb/hr Lucas injectors
B230 intake, Throttle body, Fuel Rail, 3.5Bar fuel pressure regulator
TurboXS TypeH BOV
HKS Turbo Timer
Blitz EBC-S boost controller
MSD 6AL, MSD BTM timing retard
MSD 8.5mm plug wires, NGK plugs
Relocated OEM oil cooler
Innovate Wideband
4” down pipe
3” Catco cat
3” Dynamax Bullet muffler, side exit exhaust


91 5.0 T5 mustang gear box, adapter from www.v-performance.com
ClutchNet custom clutch (carbon/carbon disc, modified pressure plate 100% over OEM clamping force)
9lb aluminum flywheel (custom built by www.v-performance.com)
Pro5.0 Short Shift kit
Bullet edition shift knob
1 piece drive shaft

Dana 30 (1031) axle
Converted to 3.91 gearing
Powertrax Locker

Suspension:
IPD Sport Springs, 25mm sway bars (front and rear), strut braces
MVPvolvo.com poly bushings
Adjustable panhard rod
Bilstiens struts and shocks
Cross drilled Brembo’s, PBR Metal Master pads
SS braided brake lines
Moda R6 17X7.5
235/45/17 Wanli tires


Interior:
Converted to black interior
Hand built custom Carbon Fiber dash cluster
Autometer Carbon Fiber: Tachometer, Speedo, Fuel, Volt, Water Temp, Oil Temp, Oil Pressure, Boost
Autometer Pro Comp: AF gauge
Autometer Ultra lite: EGT
Corbeau CR1's, 4pt belts
Innovate Motorsport’s Wideband o2 sensor
Sparco Wheel and pedals
Silver GT themed trim


Audio:
Pioneer 6300 receiver
Kenwood 4" 2 ways in the front doors
Kenwood 6X9 3 ways in the rear deck
10" Polk Audio Momo Subs (X2)
600W Apline Amp
Custom trunk enclosure built by myself

Exterior:
Converted to Group A (racing class) flathood front end
euro front signals
87 Trans Am wing
Waist line trim removed
Painted Sunset Metallic Orange
TurboPerformanceClub.com decal (rear window)
TPC.com plate holder and euro plate (front)

Misc:
Painless wiring fuse block, rewired car from scratch.

Best 1/4 mile time so far was a VERY traction ally limited 13.6 @ 106. Had wheel spin in the first 3 gears!

Future Plans

- My carbon fiber hood will be here VERY soon (late May)
- Working on either Porsche 993T brake calipers with cross drilled S60R discs
- Roll Cage
- Water injection and an aluminum radiator

I should have all those goodies over the next year at the most!

Had me cracking up!

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