We’ve seen some Volvo 240s do very well in the 24 Hours of LeMons, but never before has a 240 this terrible managed to crack the top 10 in a 100-plus-entry 24 Hours of LeMons race. This hacked-up ’92 244 has a creaky, squeaky much-worse-than-stock suspension and an octillion-mile non-turbo B23 engine, but it still beat up on most of the E30s, 190Es, and Integras in the Capitol Offense race over the weekend.
When the checkered flag waved on Sunday afternoon, the Vermont Volvocheros stood proudly in eighth place overall. This astounding achievement earned them the top prize of LeMons racing: the Index of Effluency award. Along with the trophy comes $1501… which the team donated on the spot to the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Good work, Vermont Volvocheros!
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Why, it has an intact grille! It’s not that rough for a 240!
The B230F really is gutless, particularly with the equally-indestructible automatic behind it. However, if that’s the car I remember, it was once a 245, though either conversion can yield a handsome pickup/ute.
Funny you should notice the grille. This was the first race where it was actually sporting the grille. We thought it would class the car up a bit. It’s held on with zip ties. :-)
Yes, it used to be a 245 wagon, though by ’92 Volvo was just calling them all 240s.
And yeah, the B230F is gutless enough with the 5-speed we’ve got. I can’t imagine it with a slushbox!
We were all thoroughly shocked to win IOE.
Congratulations on your race and thanks for your generosity!
Zip ties, eh? The guys on Turbobricks would be proud! (For all I know, you’re one of us already.)
I bet the M47 helps a great deal. My ’89 sedan’s got the AW70 and… well, it might do 100 down a sufficiently long hill. Performance isn’t bad up to 55 or so, though. Still, trying to drive my second car (a $200 740 Turbo wagon) the way I drive the 244 has earned me one speeding ticket so far – I don’t have to, and shouldn’t, push it as hard, since its limits and capabilities are hilariously higher.
Congratulations, by the way! A prize well earned.
So, wait, what happened to that Pontiac?
Ran more or less flawlessly all weekend.
Wasn’t fast, but it was quite reliable.
It’s funny, I’ve never realized how much of a wedge there is in the body on a 240, amazing what happens when you cut the roof off.