What was the most popular car in your hometown growing up? For Pal Ivar FrigstadIn the early 1980s, Volvos ruled the roads in Høvåg, Norway. Especially those with a turbo.
Instead of watching cartoons or reading comic books, Pål asked his parents to buy him car sales magazines. He studied them, looking for custom vehicles to inspire his own model car creations. Tinted windows, painted rims and makeshift subwoofers made from folded colored paper were enough to keep him busy for a while.
At just 10 years old, Pål started tinkering with his first car, although his efforts were not as serious due to his young age. At the age of 18 he started his first major project: an Opel Calibra.
After the Calibra, Pål bought a 1988 Volvo 740 in 2009, which he nicknamed BADVOLVO. What started as an unregistered project gradually turned into a drift monster.
Pål’s journey with the Volvo has had many challenges, mainly due to rule changes. When he first started working on the engine bay, there were no specific rules about the firewall. Like many of his fellow drifters who modified or moved the bulkheads of their cars, Pål removed most of the firewall from his Volvo so he could move the engine as far back as possible and build everything else around it. However, subsequent rule changes forced him to return the engine compartment to its original form.
What isn’t original is what’s in the closet now: a fully forged Toyota 2JZ-GTE VVTi engine built by Widmer Motor in Norway.
Pål has spared no expense on the engine, which is undoubtedly his favorite aspect of the car. For a personal touch, he even CNC-milled his Frigstad Motorsport logo onto one of the red anodized cam covers.
The 3.0-liter inline-six features an impressive array of components, including Wiseco forged pistons, Eagle H-beam connecting rods, GSC Power-Division S2 camshafts with adjustable Brian Crower gears and GSC valves, springs and holders. The list is extensive; see the spec list at the end of this post for full details.
A Volvo built for track use is not complete without a big boost injection. For this purpose, Pål selected a Precision 6870 Gen2 turbocharger, mounted on a custom stainless steel manifold with a v-band connection, combined with a 60 mm Turbosmart wastegate. A custom Garrett core intercooler and two compact Spal electric fans keep the intake charge fresh.
The water cooling of the engine is provided by a modified system with a coolant capacity of 20 liters. The core of the setup is at the rear of the car, where a large aluminum radiator with two Flex-a-lite fans and a Meziere (208l/min) water pump is mounted.
With a power of 826 hp, Pål’s Swedish stone needed a drivetrain that could do its job. This is thanks to a Sellholm Tuning MPG 5-speed sequential gearbox, a triple-plate clutch and a modified Volvo 1031 axle with a custom-made Sellholm 2-way limited slip differential and 31-spline axles.
The suspension features a custom four-link and Watt linkage, BC Racing coilovers up front and 3-way Proflex coilovers designed specifically for this vehicle by Sellholm at the rear.
Other aspects of the structure that need to be updated due to regulatory changes include the roll cage and roof, which was previously fiberglass but is now steel again.
The customization is clearly visible on the inside. The 6-point cage is mounted tightly in the cabin and the fiberglass dashboard is flocked. A custom engraved Sparco wheel with a break-off hub and push-to-talk switch for the intercom is mounted on the custom Woodward steering column. Pål sits on a Sparco Circuit seat, the passenger in a Sparco Sprint, both secured with QSP 6-point racing belts. Vital data is displayed on an ECUMaster ADU7 digital dashboard.
The battery has been moved to where the back seat once lived and is housed in an aluminum box. The MaxxECU Race engine management system and PDM box are located on the passenger side.
As a finishing touch to the interior, Pål repurposed a pair of Speedhunters x TAKATA Racing tow straps he purchased in 2014 as lightweight door pulls.
The exterior has also undergone significant updates. Initially the fender arches were steel, sourced from a BMW E46 M3, but have since been replaced with custom molded fiberglass equivalents.
To reduce weight, the front bumper, hood, fenders, doors, trunk and the Group A-inspired ducktail are also all fiberglass.
After 15 years of evolution, challenges and perseverance, Pål and his Volvo have become inseparable. He told me he will never sell the 740, but will concentrate on new builds, starting with a BMW E46 M3 and eventually aiming for a Nissan Silvia S15.
If his next project is anything like this Volvo, I’m sure we’ll see Pål on Speedhunters again.
Alen Haseta
Instagram: Hazeta
The 1988 Volvo 740 ‘BADVOLVO’ by Pål Ivar Frigstad
Engine: 3.0L Toyota 2JZ-GTE VVTI built by Widmer Motor, machined, line honed and balanced lower section, Wiseco forged pistons with coated skirts and oversized cross pins, Eagle H-beam connecting rods with ARP bolts, ACL racing bearings, ARP crankshaft and cylinder head bolts, modified oil pump, ported cylinder head, GSC Power-Division S2 billet camshafts, GSC valve springs and retainers, GSC Inconel exhaust valves, GSC intake valves, shimless tappets, Brian Crower adjustable cam gears with ARP bolts, Kevlar timing belt, timing belt tensioner, ATI Super Damper, RAD Industries billet water neck, RaceSupply carbon fiber belt covers, custom billet top covers with titanium bolts, custom stainless steel v-band manifold, Precision 6870 Gen 2 v-band turbo, 60mm Turbosmart wastegate, 4-inch TIG-welded oval stainless steel exhaust with Cerakote, custom double plenum intake with CNC funnels, GM LS7 electric throttle body for anti-lag use, TiAL 50mm blow-off valve, aluminum pressure line with quick clamps, Garrett intercooler core with custom end tanks, 2x Spal fans on the intercooler , custom aluminum oil cooler, custom sump tank with separation chamber, Chase Bays servo bus with temperature sensor, PFTE AN hoses and fittings, Bosch ignition coils, NGK spark plugs, Mechman high power alternator, upgraded racing oil thermostat, System1 racing oil filter, custom 40-liter fuel cell with quick-fill system and built-in valve chamber, Aeromotive Eliminator fuel pump, gasoline cooler, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, Aeromotive 100-micron filter, Custom dual-feed fuel rail from Scimec Motor, Bosch 2,200cc injectors, MaxxECU engine management system, MaxxECU PDM20- box, ECUMaster ADU7 dash logger, CANBUS system with USB-to-CAN and switch panel, Cartek main electrical circuit breaker, Autotel Motorsport radio communication system, dust and waterproof German connectors, custom ‘mil-spec’ wiring harness
Powertrain: Sellholm MPG 5-speed sequential gearbox, OS Giken flywheel, OS Giken triple-plate clutch, Alcon release bearing, custom GKN chromoly countershaft, custom Volvo 1031 axle, custom Sellholm 2-way differential, Sellholm 31-spline floating axles
Suspension and brakes: BC Racing adjustable coilovers front, custom Proflex 3-way coilovers rear, modified 1031 axle with upright dampers, custom 4-link and Watt’s clutch, Sellholm blade stabilizer bars front and rear, Sellholm rallycross rack, Brembo 330 mm 4 -piston front brakes from Volvo V70R, line lock valve for burnouts, double set of rear brake calipers (separate circuit for handbrake), PFTE hoses and acid-resistant AN connectors, EBC Yellowstuff brake pads, powder-coated Cherry Illusion brake calipers
Interior: Custom flocked fiberglass dashboard, custom Woodward steering column, Sparco steering wheel with snap-off hub and push-to-talk switch for intercom, Tilton upright pedal box with bias adjustment and reduction valve, Autometer mechanical backup instruments, custom made aluminum battery holder with engraved logo, FIA-approved Sparco seats, Sparco fire suppression system, QSP 6-point seat belts, ASD Motorsport reverse handbrake with Wilwood pump, custom break-away door hinges, Speedhunters x TAKATA Racing door handles, 2x Type S LED interior kit
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