When any engine swap is done using a larger displacement engine, you have to look at the big picture. Everything around it must be addressed to handle the added horsepower. This includes the braking system, front and rear suspension, and the structure of the frame.

When I did my first Volvo V8 engine swap, it was a 1983 760 four-door sedan that had an anemic six-cylinder engine. I selected the 1992 LT1 Corvette FI engine, linked to a 700R4 automatic transmission and one-piece driveshaft. The stock rear differential held up over the years without problems, even though it had twice the horsepower and torque. It looked like a real sleeper, even with retaining the stock wheels but with larger profile tires. The climate control even worked but not as good as I wanted, considering the mounting of the compressor and V-belt drive. I drove the 1983 760 Volvo V8 for six years and perfected new ways to build the next killer Volvo. That's why I chose the 780 Bertone for my second engine swap (the focus of this article); it had style and was meant for V8 power.

Finding a used, red 780 Volvo with a black interior was tough since only six were made for the U.S. (Many 780s had a two-tone tan interior, which I didn't like.) I finally came across a mint 780 with only 90,000 miles, a turbocharged B230 engine, and a very clean body and interior. The powerplant of choice was a 1998 Corvette LS1 5.7L, SFI, OBD II, all-aluminum engi...