[lesmore49]

The "problem" is that it only has 64,000 miles on it, although it's 18 years old. Any new purchase would be $30K ish, and still not be perfect for me. The best idea is to wait a couple of years, then keep doing that until like 2032.

One possibility is an electric conversion. I have minimal requirements - I don't need that much range or to carry a lot of weight. I could even give up some climate control, 4WD and power steering. I can't do it myself but possibly find someone willing to swap engine, transmission and gas tank for lots of batteries and an electric motor. As more electric cars come out, more parts and batteries are available. It wouldn't be as high-tech as the Tesla or Rivian, but it would be as functional as I need and way cheaper. In my mind that conversion is $15,000 and gets cheaper or better over time.

I expect more new electric pickup trucks but I also expect they will follow the Tesla model and be expensive at first. GM has been talking the most. Ford has invested in Rivian.

I just "serviced" my battery-powered lawnmower for another year - sharpened the blade and blew the dust off. It started right up.

An 18 year old truck is getting on. You might want to have a body shop check out what shape your frame, body panels, etc...are in as far as rust and general corrosion goes before you go make significant...both in cost and mods to your vehicle. The 64,000 miles isn't much for a near 20 year old vehicle....but it's not the miles it is the condition and living in a state that has a lot of winter like Colorado, could well have an effect on the structural integrity of your truck.

I would also get a mechanical garage to check out your suspension, brakes....the non powertrain parts of your vehicle...non powertrain as you intend to take out the engine and transmission....but you will need to keep at the very least your rear axle and possibly the differential in your front axle...if keeping 4WD is something you may want to consider.

Before you get too deep into this you may want to join a local EV (electrical vehicle) group / club, as some may have already done a swap out of an IC engine, tranny, etc...to see what is involved in terms of details, costs, what pitfalls to avoid, who or what company has positive experience to do the swap.

I'm not sure where the batteries, electric motor, etc...would be installed in a pickup and what specs these components need to meet. You also want to find out how the heater/defroster system works and how/if it can be converted to work to with batteries. Remember it was purpose built to work with an internal combustion engine....and you need both cabin heat and a defroster in Colorado winters.

Don't mean to discourage you, but think these maybe some factors you may wish to consider before getting involved in this project. I'm not an expert.

As far as mowers go, I'm considering an electrical (battery) self propelled mower as I have arthritis in my shoulder. I don't know how long the batteries last...in terms of years before replacement is needed ?

Currently I have a 1988 Lawn Boy 2 stroke gas mower and have used for over 31 years. Costs over those years...gas/oil ( 1 Imperial gallon of gas ...10 ounces of oil per year), a new sparkplug every other year, one used gas tank replacement ($8) and a new rope to start the engine. I do a minimal service each fall and the thing has lasted and still strong after over 3 decades. Starts 2nd- 3rd pull. It's been good.

Anyway good luck on your project and hope all goes well.

[Just1MoreDave]

My lawnmower is a Ryobi and uses their 40V batteries. I think it's 4 years old. It has no propulsion except me. The battery lasts about an hour. The mower came with two 2.4AH batteries but only uses one so you can swap mid-lawn. They haven't dropped off noticeably in performance. The batteries were half the cost of the mower when I got it, still more or less true today. It's probably still an expensive option. Besides skipping most of the maintenance, it's very quiet.

[lesmore49]

My lawnmower is a Ryobi and uses their 40V batteries. I think it's 4 years old. It has no propulsion except me. The battery lasts about an hour. The mower came with two 2.4AH batteries but only uses one so you can swap mid-lawn. They haven't dropped off noticeably in performance. The batteries were half the cost of the mower when I got it, still more or less true today. It's probably still an expensive option. Besides skipping most of the maintenance, it's very quiet.

Thx Dave for the report on your electric mower. The long term battery life is a concern, but seeing that you have used yours for about 4 years and the batteries seem to be at full power sounds good to me and worthwhile to consider. Appreciate the info.

Les

[cooltouch]

She's a '94 Volvo 940 wagon, Here's a pic I uploaded a few years ago, Currently everything's covered in pollen and seed pods.

Probably my favorite of the old RWD Volvos, especially the 940 Turbo wagon. I'd love to find a lightly used '95 940 Turbo wagon one day.

[red5isalive]

European here, so maybe its not the same model everywhere

2003 Toyota Corolla E12 1.6 VVT-i 110bhp 3 doors

*Firstly important to know: I am a low milleage a year driver.

What I like:
- Easy to maintain.
- Never breaks down/ Reliable car
- The engine has two different "modes" as at around 4000rpm and beyond starts to pull quite a lot compared to before and it mades you want more and more.
- Size is around 4,20 meters which mades it great for city parking like in Barcelona. Anything bigger would be trouble.
- Enough cabin and trunk space.
- Engine uses a chain so it needs no replacement. That means more reliability and cheaper maintenances.
- The looks. I love its front look.

What i don't like:
- Its an old car and some plastic lamps are wearing off (after 17 years)
- My unit suffered a lateral impact many years ago and unfortunatelly even if it was repaired, the 1st owner did not spend money on it. Which means that the beep alarm when you leave any lights on does not work, or my seat doesn't fold as well as the passenger seat. That is unpleaseant and i don't like it. But other than that works great.

Overall after 8 years owing it (I bought it when it was 9 years old) this car I have had NO problems at all. It works fine for my 120-180kms runs on some weekends (in total for a weekend and not every weekend, I just drive it to the racetrack and home), and also when the Rally goes which is sometime I make it around 1000kms in 4-5 days. I don't daily drive it (i did for a couple months), and I just use it when I need to drive.

I wanted a car that give me no trouble and would start every single time, no matter if it's been parked in the street for a week or three. That car does that. I enjoy driving it, is good at cornering, it has a decent acceleration, it has a decent amount of power and torque for the European standards, and overall goes strong.

Bought it 2nd hand (I'm the 3rd owner) with around 130.000kms on the clock. In 8 years I made around 40.000kms to it. I have changed oil and filters regularly (once a year), I had to replace a battery, I have replaced all 4 tyres for some Michelin Cross Climate (reccomended) and the shock absorbers some months ago as the car was having the original ones with 160.000kms so I felt it was time for it.

I really like it. It never lets me down, it drives well, is an easy ride and brings me everywhere. Its my second car and I came from an Opel / Vauxhall Corsa from 1997 with 55bhp and 1.0 liter engine. That was a great school car, as was slow as a turtle, but let me understand and learn how to drive and think before anything happens. The Corolla has twice as much power and for a one person drive is a great choice.

What do I don't like? That is getting old.

The engine keeps going and going, and I would not like to replace the car if possible. Yes I'd like something more powerful and overall newer, but I just don't need anything else.
Unfortunatelly those enviroinmental laws would make me change it sooner or later.

[lesmore49]

Probably my favorite of the old RWD Volvos, especially the 940 Turbo wagon. I'd love to find a lightly used '95 940 Turbo wagon one day.

I had a '62 PV 544 (looked like a '46 Ford Tudor) with the twin SU carb B18 engine. Almost bought an '81 240 with the 4 speed manual, then in the late '80's looked again at Volvo...this time a 240 station wagon with the 5 speed manual.

Still wouldn't mind having a 240 wagon in good shape...but with a powertrain transplant ,beefed up suspension + cooling system, bit bigger wheels, tires.. Powertrain of choice...Chevy LS V8 with 6 speed manual. Not making a hot rod...more like a GT wagon ...with some punch. I would keep full mufflers....just want a bit of V8 burble.

[cooltouch]

With that kind of horspower, you'd also better plan on a Ford 9" for your rear end. I don't think that Volvo unit will last long.

One of the coolest 240s I've ever seen was a '84 245Ti with the 4-speed with OD. Very cool car. I used to own an '87 745Ti with the same 4-speed with OD. I've never cared for that tranny, though. I don't like ODs because often they decide not to work. That was a cool car, though. It actually came from the factory with a limited slip rear end. I breathed on that car's turbo quite a bit and put a better cam in it, late model exhaust manifold and other bits. I was able to break loose the rear tires in second gear. A fun car. Unfortunately it died of terminal wiring harness rot -- a common problem with the Volvos from that era.

[lesmore49]

With that kind of horspower, you'd also better plan on a Ford 9" for your rear end. I don't think that Volvo unit will last long.

One of the coolest 240s I've ever seen was a '84 245Ti with the 4-speed with OD. Very cool car. I used to own an '87 745Ti with the same 4-speed with OD. I've never cared for that tranny, though. I don't like ODs because often they decide not to work. That was a cool car, though. It actually came from the factory with a limited slip rear end. I breathed on that car's turbo quite a bit and put a better cam in it, late model exhaust manifold and other bits. I was able to break loose the rear tires in second gear. A fun car. Unfortunately it died of terminal wiring harness rot -- a common problem with the Volvos from that era.

I don't know about more modern Volvos, but I recall my '62 PV544 had an American Dana Spicer rear axle and a Borg Warner 4 speed...if my memory is correct...which it may not be, as that was 50 years ago when I had my '62 Volvo.

But yes, I would agree with you a Ford 9 inch axle or something like a Dana 44 would be a good replacement, able to handle the power of a V8.

Your 745Ti sounds like an interesting performance vehicle...maybe a 'sleeper'...a car that didn't bear any obvious external clues about it's enhanced performance .

[Ratmagiclady]

I had a '62 PV 544 (looked like a '46 Ford Tudor) with the twin SU carb B18 engine. Almost bought an '81 240 with the 4 speed manual, then in the late '80's looked again at Volvo...this time a 240 station wagon with the 5 speed manual.

Still wouldn't mind having a 240 wagon in good shape...but with a powertrain transplant ,beefed up suspension + cooling system, bit bigger wheels, tires.. Powertrain of choice...Chevy LS V8 with 6 speed manual. Not making a hot rod...more like a GT wagon ...with some punch. I would keep full mufflers....just want a bit of V8 burble.

I usually like to make everything 'more GT,' and these cars can take a lighter LS without losing all balance, and they at least make mounts if not bellhousings/adapters for the M42 trans or whatnot, the real thing to watch is there are flexible bits in the driveshaft and hangers thereof that you need to account for/solidify/not overstress. I'd honestly like to put a 5-cylinder in mine with RWD conversion goodies or K-swap a Honda engine in even better. Partly cause I do not need tremendous power to make a car this light by current standards go fast enough. I'm currently rocking maybe 110HP. Two hundred would be more than adequate, especially if I don't want to change the whole drivetrain. Basically what I have is very mod-resistant if practical, so I have to change computers and at least flywheels anyway, I could gain modest power and more eco too without breaking things if I used a bit of restraint. (Probably would still want to look at driveshaft carriers and bushings, though.

[cooltouch]

Your 745Ti sounds like an interesting performance vehicle...maybe a 'sleeper'...a car that didn't bear any obvious external clues about it's enhanced performance .

It sorta was. It had the turbo Hydra wheels and the widest tires you could fit on a Volvo 700 series -- 205/55s. I also had a free flow exhaust installed with a performance muffler, so it had a bit of an exhaust note to it as well. Charcoal gray metallic paint. It looked the business. So, a sleeper? Eh, maybe. I took it to the Pomona drag strip one Saturday, when it was open to anyone who wanted to run their car, right after doing some port and polish work on the head, running 15 psi of boost and a high-lift cam. It was turning the 1/4 mile in the mid-15s. I discovered from the first trip down the strip, however, that the clutch was slipping. So I dunno what its actual 1/4 mile time would have been.

[lesmore49]

It sorta was. It had the turbo Hydra wheels and the widest tires you could fit on a Volvo 700 series -- 205/55s. I also had a free flow exhaust installed with a performance muffler, so it had a bit of an exhaust note to it as well. Charcoal gray metallic paint. It looked the business. So, a sleeper? Eh, maybe. I took it to the Pomona drag strip one Saturday, when it was open to anyone who wanted to run their car, right after doing some port and polish work on the head, running 15 psi of boost and a high-lift cam. It was turning the 1/4 mile in the mid-15s. I discovered from the first trip down the strip, however, that the clutch was slipping. So I dunno what its actual 1/4 mile time would have been.

I wouldn't be surprised if your clutch wasn't slipping you could probably have got the Volvo in the 14's or better at the strip. Still mid 15's is nothing to sneeze at.
I sort of recall think it was back in the late '70's to mid '80's that Volvo offered a police package in the States using one of their turbo models as a base and it did vey well in police testing which looked at criteria like acceleration, braking, handling, etc. Of course Volvo police vehicles have been very popular in Europe over the years.

[Ratmagiclady]

It sorta was. It had the turbo Hydra wheels and the widest tires you could fit on a Volvo 700 series -- 205/55s. I also had a free flow exhaust installed with a performance muffler, so it had a bit of an exhaust note to it as well. Charcoal gray metallic paint. It looked the business. So, a sleeper? Eh, maybe. I took it to the Pomona drag strip one Saturday, when it was open to anyone who wanted to run their car, right after doing some port and polish work on the head, running 15 psi of boost and a high-lift cam. It was turning the 1/4 mile in the mid-15s. I discovered from the first trip down the strip, however, that the clutch was slipping. So I dunno what its actual 1/4 mile time would have been.

I never liked the look of Hydra rims, but I want to run 16's (for tire size, not qurter mile, necesarily) anyway. Someday, black BBS-meshie-styles.

[edom31]

I Just changed my shif knob as the original was falling off (top already came loose, leather was hanging...)

Heavy knob but so much better. Great response, easy shifting... Love it.

[Canada_Rockies]

I Just changed my shif knob as the original was falling off (top already came loose, leather was hanging...)

Heavy knob but so much better. Great response, easy shifting... Love it.

Boast, boast, boast

[edom31]

Boast, boast, boast

when you finally like what you got, there is a great sense of freedom...