For those of us passionate about cars and the culture surrounding them, vehicles can often feel like family members. To some, this might seem peculiar, but not for Kalle Larsson.
Kalle, a 29-year-old vehicle technician and devoted Volvo enthusiast, has owned more than 20 cars from the Swedish automaker. Yet, this 1987 Volvo 740 GL is particularly meaningful. It was first purchased by his late grandfather, Stig Larsson, brand new.
Kalle’s earliest memories of the Volvo are from when his grandparents would pick him up from daycare. After his grandfather’s passing when Kalle was nearly five, the car was circulated within the family.
From a young age, Kalle dreamed of one day reclaiming and restoring the Volvo in memory of his grandfather. Shortly after getting his driver’s license, a family member offered him the car, and Kalle accepted without hesitation.
Although the Volvo had been daily driven throughout its life, it was in decent shape. Kalle’s first move was to refresh the exterior.
He completed a USDM Volvo front-end conversion and fitted Volvo add-on bumpers, Maxton side skirts, a Volvo Turbo grille, Volvo 760 taillights, and a ducktail spoiler. Door handles and black trim from the slightly more luxurious GLE version of the 740 were added before the car was fully resprayed in Volvo 600-3 ‘Grabeige’ paint.
Unfortunately for Kalle, his beloved Volvo was stolen in 2023. Thankfully though, it was recovered after the word went out in the Swedish stance community, but many parts had been removed. In a small miracle, the wheels were not taken.
Kalle suspects the thieves failed to remove the center caps from his BBS RS wheels, upgraded from 16-inch to 17×8.5-inch in the front and 17×9-inch out back.
Inside the trunk is a new Air Lift Performance 3P air suspension setup (the original Air Lift setup Kalle had was also stolen) and a 15-inch BBS RS face bolted into the wooden trunk floor. Additionally, there is a cherished photograph of his grandparents, taken when the Volvo was in their possession.
The chassis has been refurbished with new bushings, an adjustable rear brace, and custom mounts for the air suspension, complemented by J-Spec front shock absorbers and Bilstein shocks in the rear.
Getting the car ready for the 2024 summer show season required a big effort, especially with the interior.
When the car was recovered, the Nardi steering wheel, steering column components, and the center console were all gone.
But thanks to the support of the car community, Kalle managed to restore the interior with used parts, as finding new replacements proved nearly impossible.
Aside from the wheels, the only other area untouched from the theft was Kalle’s favorite feature: the engine.
The Volvo’s original B230F engine features a ‘531’ cylinder head from a 740 Turbo, featuring larger ports, improved flow, bigger valves, and VX3 camshafts.
All other components are original Volvo parts, refurbished to look new, with cables neatly tucked away inside the fenders for a clean engine bay aesthetic.
Kalle’s decade-long journey with his grandfather’s car has been filled with highs and lows. Luckily this story does have a happy ending. Now, Kalle can once again cruise the streets of Sweden in the car that holds so many cherished memories.
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa