This Volvo proves you don't need to be smooth to be fast

When Kevin Morfett of Porsche specialist Historika bought the car a couple of years ago, his intention was to revert it to its circuit racing specification. Work on customers’ 911s kept him too busy and the Volvo remained untouched. The invitation to 75MM was the impetus needed to get the job done… in three weeks flat.

This 240 is interesting in having competed in both top level racing and rallying. In 1983 it was driven by Gregor Petersson and was one of three 240s built for the European Touring Car Championship. Two years later, Volvo won the championship outright. 

By then, this example had left the circuit for the rally stage. It was converted by Volvo Motorsport to rally spec for 1984, and in Bror Danielsson’s hands, it was the third fastest car at Rally Sweden. Only the dominant Audi Quattros went quicker. The following year, rally driver and owner of a Volvo dealership in Aberdeen David Gillanders bought the car from Volvo. It was converted by Volvo Motorsport to right-hand-drive and given a raft of mechanical upgrades.

In 1995, Gillanders won his class of the Scottish Rally Championship and four years later it returned to Sweden. Now back in circuit racing specification, it still uses the same steel bodyshell as it had for the 1983 ETCC, it now also has the same sponsor's’ stickers as it did back then.

There are still some components to source for its conversion back to track spec – the suspension is still a little soft – but it was great to see it adding some variety to the Group A saloons demonstration at 75MM.

Photography by Pete Summers