5 WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER

1 REPLACE THE BUSHES

These big Volvos can become quite wallowy with age and the large mileages that many have achieved, – which many just accept as a characteristic of the type. Replacing the original tired bushes with polyurethane items will sharpen things up, while stiffer anti-roll bars will also tame some of the lean in corners. Lower springs are also available, to hunker down the high ground clearance.

2 CURB THE THIRST

Blunt aerodynamics and potent engines mean that economy isn’t great on these cars; the 960’s mpg figure can easily drop into the teens around town. A new air filter, spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor at every service will bring some benefits, as will cleaning the throttle body annually. About 4psi more pressure than recommended in tyres also helps, without compromising grip or comfort.

3 ADD SOME LUXURY

Both 940s and 960s came in various trim levels, so if you want to swap your cloth seats for leather items, the option is there, as is the opportunity to add wood to a 940 dashboard. 940s have one overhead passenger space light and one for the load area – an LED upgrade adds more illumination. In the multi-interior-lamped 960, LEDs can make night seem like day.

4 GIVE IT MORE POWER

The four-cylinder engines are so tough that they can handle tweaking up to an extreme

600bhp for the later units. It’s best to start with a turbocharged engine; upping the boost and porting the head, in collaboration with an upgraded camshaft, will bring appreciable benefits. You can go further with a standalone ECU. A Garrett GT35 turbocharger makes a good substitute for the original.

5 SWAP THE ‘BOX

If you’re adding more power, you’ll want to make sure the transmission can deal with it. The M90 manual ‘box, fitted to cars after 1994, is the one to go for, with the 1997-98 gearboxes known for being especially tough. However, you’ll need an M47 flywheel and clutch cover, with the clutch plate from an M90.