Wagonmeister
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Home of the Volvo 240
Phone: 661-609-5732 Please leave voicemail w/phone number
Volvo 240 Front Strut Tower Brace
This is our Series IV Strut Tower Brace for 240. Redesigned to fit all 240s including K-jet cars, Flat Nose Hood cars and LH injected cars. Stronger than ever, with a larger, plasma cut center support welded in, sporting our favorite car's model designation. Heavy, black powder coating. Supplied with all hardware to install, including stainless steel acorn nuts as shown. $169 plus shipping. Yes, we ship internationally!
Please see further fitment notes below.
This new brace is designed to fit as many variations of the 240 as possible. It is a close fit under a flat-nose hood, but will still clear a K-jet NA intake. From the underside of the brace to the top of the valve cover of a B21/23/230 you'll have 3.5 inches. Enough to clear the charge pipe of a non-intercooled turbo. It will easily clear LH standard intakes, including twin cam factory intakes, and some aftermarket intakes.
Nothing is truly universal! Over the span of 18 production years, the 240 series saw many changes in engine management and braking systems. While we have managed to create a brace that will fit over the different intake manifolds and still clear all the hoods, we did have to deal with different brake master cylinders. Please see the photos below. '91-'93 vehicles, or any vehicle fitted with the later, "torpedo" master cylinder reservoir will need minor modifications.
Picture on the left, below: This is an '82 245 Turbo, the same vehicle shown above, with the brace installed. Vehicle is fitted with an OE, ATE master cylinder and stock, 75-90 reservoir. There is ample clearance to remove the reservoir's fill cap with the brace installed.
The reservoir being held above the brace is a '91-'93 style with the integral float switch, and a switch connector housing on top. It is shown here in the same relative position to the master cylinder as the installed reservoir below it. This is the trade off we had to make. The brace makes removing the fill cap on the '91-'93 reservoir very difficult, with the brace in place.
Not to worry! The solution is to retrofit your vehicle to the earlier style reservoir. The picture on the right, we stock new, replacement reservoirs, and also genuine, ATE caps with float switches. You will need to change the connectors on your reservoir plug to attach to the cap's spade terminals. The retro reservoir kit is $55.
Notes on strut mounts:
Please note that many aftermarket strut mounts have only 20mm studs. These studs may not reach through the baseplates of a strut plate AND the firewall brace. If you are using Volvo's GT strut tower reinforcement plates, or other available plates, the studs will NOT reach. Even the 25mm studs on Volvo mounts are marginal, in length, if you are running reinforcement plates AND strut and firewall braces. You may need to weld in longer, 30mm studs or bolts.
