Although the Volvo 544, 122S, and 1800 have distinguished themselves in vintage racing, the company isn’t known for high-performance cars—safe, reliable transportation is more the watchword. So, consider this track-ready lightweight Volvo with 747 horsepower now available on eBay Motors.
Sweden’s Filip Malm and his company Tuneit built the car, using a relatively rust-free 1967 two-door shell. Very little remains of the original car, though its roofline and twin-grille nose are unmistakable.
This relatively clean two-door shell was sacrificed to build an uncompromising racer.
Incredibly, Malm managed to replace the original 1.8-liter four with a shoehorned four-liter BMW M60 V-8, as seen in the 540i and 740i. The fit was so tight the radiator had to be relocated to the trunk. A custom tube frame was married to a complete all-wheel-drive powertrain from the legendary Nissan Skyline GT-R—front and rear subframes, suspension, five-speed gearbox, Brembo brakes, and all. Despite the extreme modifications—not even the dashboard remains—the car is road-registered in Sweden.
Amazingly, they got that BMW V-8 to (just) fit.
To make the car lighter, fenders, hood, doors, and trunk are fiberglass, and the interior is stripped. These days the old Volvo sports a custom carbon fiber instrument housing with a Samsung Galaxy Note II running a MaxxECU digital display. No ribbon speedometer for this Volvo.
Malm built the car but didn’t race it or hold onto it long—it was sold in 2015. The second owner traded his Lamborghini for it (but didn’t race it, either), and the third, still in Sweden, is Tommy Carlson. He spent the better part of a year fettling the Volvo so it could live up to its performance potential (the 620 horsepower engine was tweaked to 900), and then took it racing for the first time, against Porsches and other modern machinery.
“The goal was to make it to finals in every heat, but we finished in fifth place in 2016,” said Carlson. “That was surprisingly good for an old Volvo that was driven to all its races. Many of the other cars weigh less, have even more power, and are pure race cars not allowed on the road.”
The taillights, rear bumper, and roofline are original 122S, but not much else.
Zero-to-60 In Less Than Three Seconds
The Volvo is being offered on eBay with a more street-worthy tune of merely 747 horsepower. Carlson describes the acceleration as “amazing” and the top speed as “enough.” More specifically, he told us, “If you can get traction [via Hankook Ventus racing slicks], the zero to 60 time should be under three seconds.” The car has reached 160 mph but would go faster if it wasn’t for a rev limiter and short Mantorp Park track straights.
Vintage Volvos are common in Sweden, but they don’t usually sport flared wheel wells, hood bulges, racing seats, and roll cages, and they don’t usually emit a V-8 roar through a custom exhaust. “Everyone who sees the car gives me a big smile and wants to talk,” Carlson said. “A simple stop at a gas station can take an hour. Most of all, everyone—from kids who go for the style to seniors who remember the old Amazon—loves the look of the car.”
Carlson said he’s taken the car as far as he can, and is eager to start on his next project. Besides, he’s got a two-year-old and a pregnant wife. The buyer gets free private lessons in driving the Volvo on the track. This Volvo 122S Amazon now listed on eBay has a lot of roar left in it, and it’s likely to appear at competition events somewhere in the world.
See Volvo 1967 Cars & Trucks for sale on eBay.
