Group A Volvo 240 - Info and pics thread

[Gaz170]

Mark Petch, who posts in the Australia/NZ forums occasionally, owned and entered the 240T that won the 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship.

Perhaps a PM to him might turn up some info.

[Herbert]

I did talk to Heinz-Friedrich Peil recently who raced the Kissling-Volvo in the DTM in 1985 and 1986. He told me they build the car themselves, Kissling did the car and Peil did a lot of the engine work. It was more or less a private effort as opposed to IPS-Volvo of Per Stureson who got a support of Volvo Germany and their Motorsports coordinator Rainer Kühl. The Kissling-Volvo is – if I’m not mistaken – the only 4 door 240. All the works cars had just two doors.

[KA]

Originally Posted by Herbert

I did talk to Heinz-Friedrich Peil recently who raced the Kissling-Volvo in the DTM in 1985 and 1986. He told me they build the car themselves, Kissling did the car and Peil did a lot of the engine work. It was more or less a private effort as opposed to IPS-Volvo of Per Stureson who got a support of Volvo Germany and their Motorsports coordinator Rainer Kühl. The Kissling-Volvo is – if I’m not mistaken – the only 4 door 240. All the works cars had just two doors.

Thanks Herbert- that's interesting...

I hadn't realised there was a 4-door version raced- as you said, it's probably the only one. I wonder why they went the 4-door route? If it was an in-house Kissling project with no support from Volvo, maybe they had difficulty obtaining a 2-door shell for some reason?

[Herbert]

Originally Posted by KA

Thanks Herbert- that's interesting...

I hadn't realised there was a 4-door version raced- as you said, it's probably the only one. I wonder why they went the 4-door route? If it was an in-house Kissling project with no support from Volvo, maybe they had difficulty obtaining a 2-door shell for some reason?

Yes, that's exactly what Peil told me. They used the 4-door version because it was too difficult to get the 2-door shell. Oh by the way I just looked up my notes and I mixed some things up: Peil built up the car and Kissling did the engine tuning...

[Herbert]

I also talked to Rainer Kühl and how the Volvos came to Germany in the first place. The organiser of the DTM race at Mainz-Finthen wanted the works cars from the ETCC for his race in 1984 as guest starters. He was a Volvo enthusiast. He talked to Volvo Germany and Kühl who then contacted Bo Wikås in Sweden. But the Volvo race director told them it's not possible that the works cars could race at Mainz-Finthen, but he suggested to contact the private IPS team of Per Stureson and Ingmar Persson. Stureson then took part in the race and totally crushed the German regulars. He beat them by more than 30 sec.
After his success Stureson took part in some more races in 1984. At the Noriring he qualified in pole, but retired after just two laps becuse of gearbox problems. He struggeled at little bit at Hockenheim, but at the last race of the season at the Nürburgring Stureson was again on pole, but only finished the race in seventh place. After this promising beginning he commited for the whole season in 1985 and won the title.

[chunterer]

Herbert, thanks for the info, and it looks like you've already posted info that will answer my question in the Merc thread!

Following on then, how did the IPS deal to run 190's instead of the 240 Volvo's come about?

[KA]

Originally Posted by Herbert

I also talked to Rainer Kühl and how the Volvos came to Germany in the first place. The organiser of the DTM race at Mainz-Finthen wanted the works cars from the ETCC for his race in 1984 as guest starters. He was a Volvo enthusiast. He talked to Volvo Germany and Kühl who then contacted Bo Wikås in Sweden. But the Volvo race director told them it's not possible that the works cars could race at Mainz-Finthen, but he suggested to contact the private IPS team of Per Stureson and Ingmar Persson. Stureson then took part in the race and totally crushed the German regulars. He beat them by more than 30 sec.
After his success Stureson took part in some more races in 1984. At the Noriring he qualified in pole, but retired after just two laps becuse of gearbox problems. He struggeled at little bit at Hockenheim, but at the last race of the season at the Nürburgring Stureson was again on pole, but only finished the race in seventh place. After this promising beginning he commited for the whole season in 1985 and won the title.

Brilliant stuff Herbert- I'd wondered about the number of Volvos that appeared in Germany, particularly the contrast between that and the total absence of them in the BTCC, as discussed earlier in the thread

[Herbert]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Herbert, thanks for the info, and it looks like you've already posted info that will answer my question in the Merc thread!

Following on then, how did the IPS deal to run 190's instead of the 240 Volvo's come about?

I don`t have access to all of my literature but I assume that IPS needed a different car after the 1987 season, because the Volvo just wasn`t competitive anymore. So for 1988 they entered two 190 for Stureson and Siggi Müller jr. (who currently works as team manager at the F3 team HBR Motorsport). They also planned to add their 1987 driver Anders Lindberg later that year, but it never happened.
After the 1987 season the team was sold to Günter Schons (Schons already was involved with IPS since mid 1985 as Team Manager) und Jochen Mass. It became MS Racing. I'm not sure what happend to Persson in the following years. I have to look it up. I only have access to the old DTM Media Guides at the moment and Persson isn`t mentioned till 1992. In 1992 the team moved to new premises in which it is still today with Persson at the helm who bought out Schons at the end of 1992.

[Brickyard]

Two ex-factory cars raced in Portugal from 1985, one to Antonio Rodrigues and another to Artur Mendes.

I have the cars as:

a) the Mendes car was the '84 Zolder ETC winner.

b) the Rodrigues car finished the same race in the third position. The problem is that the third on that race was a Jaguar not a Volvo.

Any comments?

Regards
Luis

[chunterer]

The '84 Zolder winner was Ulf Granberg's Luna car, not a full works car IIRC?

The other one (not a Jag as you say!!! ) must've been Thomas Lindstrom's black 240T? His was the only other competitive Volvo in the '84 ETC.

[Brickyard]

Originally Posted by chunterer

The other one (not a Jag as you say!!! ) must've been Thomas Lindstrom's black 240T? His was the only other competitive Volvo in the '84 ETC.

It makes sense. The Rodrigues car was black. The Mendes car was white.
What chassis numbers might be?

Regards
Luis

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Brickyard

It makes sense. The Rodrigues car was black. The Mendes car was white.
What chassis numbers might be?

Regards
Luis

Luis i've got no idea, i'm sorry, sure someone can help though?

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by Brickyard

It makes sense. The Rodrigues car was black. The Mendes car was white.
What chassis numbers might be?

Regards
Luis

Hi Luis,

The one car the Rodrigues raced in 1985 and still today, is in fact the former the black Thomas Lindström Volvo that finished in 5th place in the Zolder 84's race and where the former Luna-Volvo that Mendes have today won that race. And both Rodrigues and Mendes got the cars in 1985.

Regards
Björn

[Chris Wilson]

I have a few detailed photos I took of the RAS 242 Turbo at the Silverstone ETCC race circa 1986 I think. I recall being shouted at when I was found by the team virtually under the car taking photos of the suspension! Would anyone be interested in seeing them? I can't post them for a while though, as I need to buy a new scanner.

I was heavily into Volvo 4 cylinder turbo engines and 240's for some years.

[KA]

Originally Posted by Chris Wilson

I have a few detailed photos I took of the RAS 242 Turbo at the Silverstone ETCC race circa 1986 I think. I recall being shouted at when I was found by the team virtually under the car taking photos of the suspension! Would anyone be interested in seeing them? I can't post them for a while though, as I need to buy a new scanner.

I was heavily into Volvo 4 cylinder turbo engines and 240's for some years.

Hi Chris, Yes please, I'm sure we'd be interested whenever you get a chance to scan them.... As I think I've said before in the thread, the Volvos were always the Group A cars I knew least about at the time- they always seemed that bit more exotic because we only ever saw them when the European teams came over for the ETCC rounds.

I'm not surprised the RAS guys weren't too happy about someone with a camera taking such a close interest in the cars- didn't they lose a couple of results that year because of something dodgy on the car?(illegal fuel I think, rather than the actual car itself being bent) They probably thought you were working for Tom Walkinshaw....

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by Chris Wilson

I have a few detailed photos I took of the RAS 242 Turbo at the Silverstone ETCC race circa 1986 I think. I recall being shouted at when I was found by the team virtually under the car taking photos of the suspension! Would anyone be interested in seeing them? I can't post them for a while though, as I need to buy a new scanner.

I was heavily into Volvo 4 cylinder turbo engines and 240's for some years.

Hi Chris,

Since I have the Volvo group-A page Im more than interested to see them! So just e-mail when you have scan the pics,
bjorn.ohlson@240grupp-a.se.

[Blue Oval Boy]

I helped look after Antonia Rodrigues car at Villa Real, Portugal for 1 event in '86 or so. The main issue with it was fitting the water injection system that had been sent over from Sweden, I cannot recall if it already had the system and I was upgrading or repairing it, or it was a new fitment for the event. In any case, Antonio won, by some distance, from a field that included a M635 BMW amongst others. I'll try to find the press cuttings from portugal.

[KA]

Eggenberger Volvo at the '85 TT. Brancatelli/Lindstrom
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1202143...7622659048123/

[KA]

...and one for the model collectors amongst us- AutoArt 1/18 scale RAS Sport 240 Turbo, apparently a new release for 2010
http://www.marckwort.de/Nuern10AAracing/06.jpg

[Chris Wilson]

Originally Posted by VolvoGroupA

Hi Chris,

Since I have the Volvo group-A page Im more than interested to see them! So just e-mail when you have scan the pics,
bjorn.ohlson@240grupp-a.se.

Haven't forgotten, I am watching this thread, I will have to get a new scanner, what I thought was a driver problem turns out to be mechanical.

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by KA

...and one for the model collectors amongst us- AutoArt 1/18 scale RAS Sport 240 Turbo, apparently a new release for 2010
http://www.marckwort.de/Nuern10AAracing/06.jpg

Yepp thats right! I've been cooperating with AUTOart since last year in the progress of this very 1/18 model. And I must say that the details are very impressive! Nothing is forgotten!

http://www.240grupp-a.se/baxodesign/report.JPG (German report about the Volvo model, my name is mentioned under the pics down to the left)

Where did you get that photo btw of the model?

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by Chris Wilson

Haven't forgotten, I am watching this thread, I will have to get a new scanner, what I thought was a driver problem turns out to be mechanical.

Hey Chris!

Thats sounds good, hope you will solve this mechanical problem soon then so I can enjoy watching some good Volvo photos!

[SAMD]

Originally Posted by Chris Wilson

, what I thought was a driver problem turns out to be mechanical.

LOL thats my favorite excuse too.

[Splendid Cat]

Originally Posted by VolvoGroupA

Yepp thats right! I've been cooperating with AUTOart since last year in the progress of this very 1/18 model. And I must say that the details are very impressive! Nothing is forgotten!

http://www.240grupp-a.se/baxodesign/report.JPG (German report about the Volvo model, my name is mentioned under the pics down to the left)

Where did you get that photo btw of the model?

Oops-a-daisy. There's a German flag next to Lindstrom's name on the car and a Swedish flag next to Cecotto's...

Looks like the details aren't that impressive after all.

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by Splendid Cat

Oops-a-daisy. There's a German flag next to Lindstrom's name on the car and a Swedish flag next to Cecotto's...

Looks like the details aren't that impressive after all.

I take it that you don't know German? This model is the prototype model, so I guess you just were bored and didnt got any thing better to do then to complain. Well if you are going to make that kind of comments, keep them to your self cause no one wants to hear about it...