Engine swap legality confusion

Wilfy

Hey all, I've got a 1985 760 GLE here, and a redblock (b230ft) to go into it. I need some clarity on whether this would be a swap requiring engineering documents.

In Victoria, I can put the engine in no worries so long as it was available as an option delivered in aus. Online I've read that the b230ft was available in 760 turbo models, but from memory they stopped being sold here in 86~ so potentially no 760 ever came with an ft motor, ergo requiring the swap to be engineered?

I'm probably missing a key piece of information, either legally or volvo-lly, that gives me a nice clean answer, but search engines have stopped listening since they were given consciousness.

Any help appreciated,

Major Ledfoot

Read up on the regulations.

First, go to VSI8 on the VicRoads website, and download / read the PDF.

https://transport.vic.gov.au/registration-and-licensing/registration/standard-and-non-standard-vehicle-information/vehicle-standards-information/guide-to-modification-for-motor-vehicles

Then you need to look at VSB 14 - in particular, NCOP3, Section LA.
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/vehicles/vehicle-design-regulation/rvs/bulletins/ncop

tl;dr? You'll have no dramas getting an engineer's certificate. It's not a drama to get if you do the installation properly. Having it engineered means never having to worry about getting stiffed by clueless cops or arsehole insurance companies when they're looking for someone to blame.

A 740 (up to YM88) is just a 760 with a 4-pot engine. After YM88, 760s and 740s used different bodies. B230FT with weak skinny rods and centre thrust were fitted up from 86 to 88.

760 Turbos were sold in other markets (e.g. US market) from 88 on, until the model was dropped - from 88, the sedans had IRS while 740 turbos had a live rear axle. 760 turbo wagons had 760 firewalls etc but were live axle (they are VERY rare in OZ). Volvo Australia dropped the 760 turbo and only imported 740 turbos from (IIIRC) year model 1988. I owned a 1990 760T when I lived in the US - it was LH2.4 B230F with IRS1 - so they had them, all right.

Most non-Volvo people can't pick the difference between a centre thrust block, a K block, or an L block by looking at it.

B230 uses the same engine mounts on the engine all the way through, AFAIK - although I forget which year they went to hydraulic mounts.

dmc

From first hand experience I can offer:

VicRoads don't really care so long as it is not a mental conversion. I took a 1978 round headlight sedan in for a new engine number that originally was a B21 and swapped to a B230. I said to the two guys it is largely the same block except it is 2.3 litres in place of 2.1 and it is EFI not carby. I mentioned that engine was in that chassis until 1992 and they did not care, they swapped the engine number paperwork and said have a nice day.

Regarding the rego side, there is some rule about that engine being released in that chassis in Australia that covers most of this. Berry Motor Group will almost certainly do a RWC for any 200 series engine in any 200 series chassis. They have done a B23 + carby turbo (R-Sport kit, so factory-ish) in a 260 for me as that engine was sold in that chassis in Australia. I expect he 700 engine/chassis combination is the same. Call them and ask for Graham, he will say yes or no. He is a good guy and very supportive of us enthusiasts.

I would avoid the engineers certificate, it is a lot of work and what you propose is largely a factory configuration. The only difference may be front springs.

My old 1990 740 turbo had hydraulic mounts, I think the only difference was the mounts, same block and same mount points on the chassis.

Btw: wiring harness in a 700 can be tricky! I did a swap years ago that was a massive job, pulled the entire harness from the large connector behind the kick panels for the entire engine bay. Headlights, blinkers the lot. It was a bog job swapping from a carby B230 to EFI B230 (a UK import). I would check the connectors on your harnesses before starting to see if it will just unplug the old and plug in the new.

Wilfy

dmc Thats real good to hear. I plan on either pulling most of the loom out anyways (good old biodegradable insulation) or just going aftermarket, depends on what the scope of the project is. Early days yet, could catch a case of the "might as wells"

Spac

The early (live axle) 760 is demonstrably the same car as the 740, so it is an owner certified modification.

It’s basically the same as putting a V8 into an originally V6 Commodore - you’re just fitting a different factory option to a car that was available with that option.

In this particular case, there’s not even the worry of having to prove that a 740 is the same basic car as a 760 - the first turbo charged Redblock 7-series cars in Australia were badged as 760s.

You may need to show that your car has the same (or larger) brakes than the factory 760Ts, and if you have a super-uptight inspector they may want to see that the V6 diff is the same as the Turbo diff, but that is very unlikely (and easy to prove if you need to).