Weight - A 240 cabin floor pan has in some areas two separate layers of steel, then a glued down sheet of bituminous tar, then foam backed sound deadener mats, then carpet. The 'foam backed sound deadener mats' are very heavy, being easy to remove (or to refit). The bituminous tar, being glued down, is hard yakka to remove - Method - hot air gun and paint scraper.

1kg = 2.2 lbs OR 1 lb = 0.454 kg

• Foam backed sound deadener mat on upper 240 engine bay firewall = 2kg. Now you can hear the injector soleniods clicking away.
• Foam backed sound deadener mats - rear floors, front floors and transmission hump = 10.74 kg (23.6 lbs)
• Bituminous tar - rear floors, front floors and hump = 9.75 kg (21.45 lbs)
• Bituminous tar - boot and under rear seat areas = 4 kg (8.8 lbs)
• Bituminous tar - total of inside front and rear doors = 2.32 kg (5.1 lbs). Doors sound tinny with tar sheet removed.
• 242GT Font doors Bituminous tar lining = 865 grams (1.9 lbs) per door (save 1.73 kg or 3.8 lbs for both doors).
• SUMMARY - All insulation removed from around the 240 chassis = 30 kg
• Door panels - cardboard moulded = 1.5 to 2 kg each
• Whole Door 244 rear = 24 kg with door panel. Intrusion bar = 1.7 kg, Glass = 2.8 kg, therefore glass is only 12.4 % of door weight, Remaining weight is steel. Glass alternative is Lexan polycarbonate, the difference is only a few hundred grams for a lot of fittment effort and cost.
• Front bonnet 244 flat hood = 27kg
• Radio & wiring (save up to 3.5kg depending upon model), Speakers are heavy too.
• Windscreen water container and pump - water is heavy, 1 litre = 1 kg or 2.2 lbs
• Rear Seat upper = 9 kg / Rear Seat lower = 6kg. Total rear seats = 15 kg (33 lbs)
• Heater / circulation fan assembly 9 kg The heater core with water = 2.4 kg

Studies have shown a weight increase in the order of 100 lb or 45 kg will increase the time it takes to complete the 1/4 mile by about 1/10th of a second. (Quote by someone). Presume this applies to a weight decrease also, the aim of this discussion.
Depending on your determination, and what model 240 you start with, you can save the first 30 kg relatively easily, but the next 30 kg gets harder with either a comfort compromise, or increased $ expense as you try to save weight by using alternate lighter parts. For example, Volvo front seats are not light, but if you spend $500-700 each for two light race seats you'll save around 25 kg.

Weight removed by fitting newer model parts or modifying existing parts

B21/230Lighter weight water pump pulley (one pulley is machined off)

Click to enlarge

Volvo Radiator plastic end tanks - shown is the hollow copper tube assembly that attaches to an auto trans. Most radiators have this unless you specifically ask for the manual version which doesn't. There appears to be 2 Cu pipes welded together, and inside is a spiral of tube for the heat transfer from one end to the other. So if you have a manual transmission, save yourself extra weight of Cu 375 grams plus 40g for nuts, so 405g or about 1 pound. Radiator (manual trans) #9142703, rubber seal for bung #1378869, bung #1274052

• LINK Bumper bar upgrades - 'Commando' type vs lighter 1981-on
• K-Jet injection replaced by EFI parts, save 6 kg
• Steering rack - newer all-alloy cased 'Camgear' 6 kg vs 8.5 kg aluminium alloy/steel case. Huge weight saving again if replacing early cast steel version with Al.Alloy.
• Late model F&R bumpers - see article
• Starter motor - save 50% with newer slim (Volvo/Bosch) compared to old style starter. # VO-5003564
• Radiator - Plastic tanks / Al.Alloy core - save 50% over old copper type
• Gearbox - M45 instead of M46+Overdrive / alloy M47 or Supra perhaps
• Race style seat or seats (FIA or SFI approved), 2 light seats save approx 25kg
• Late model front apron (vertical) support save 0.5 kg or more (sits under bonnet catch and supports horns), Remove one of the two horns
• Water pump and alternator pulleys are dual in a Volvo - machining off one of each can save 40%, plus reduce belt friction losses.

Weight added by Improvements

• Swaybars larger diameter 26mm IPD (measure them, the steel bar is bigger than 25mm). Comment, a lot heavier than say 21 mm bars.
• 2" diameter tailshaft (standard on an auto), smaller diameter on a manual.
• 3" Exhaust system - 3" tube or pipe is noticeably heavier than 2 1/4" dia. tube.
• Rims - larger diameter and wider rims means more metal and more weight. But more grip with wider tires.
• Tires - bigger and/or wider sizes are usually heavier (to fit your big rims!)

General

• Radiator cooling Fan - Viscous (mechanical) VS Thermofan (electric)
  A Volvo plastic/metal combo viscous fan weighs 1.9 kg. A 16" electric thermofan with brackets weighs 2.5 kg, so a big thermo is heavier. However, when fitting the thermofan you remove the Volvo fan shroud and that weighs approx 530g. So in the end the net weight gain of the thermofan is very little, around 100 grams. Balanced by reduced drag on the engine, the thermo fan would come out ahead in the efficiency stakes.
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