{"id":31690,"date":"2024-10-06T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-10-06T07:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/?p=31690"},"modified":"2024-10-01T11:00:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T10:00:51","slug":"big-bird-auction-car-of-the-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/big-bird-auction-car-of-the-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Bird – Auction Car of the Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ideas. We all have them. From the big and bold life decisions that have ramifications for years to come, to the little things, like painting a bedroom wall luminous green. Some ideas are a bit naff, like, for instance, painting a bedroom wall luminous green, whilst others are quite frankly genius. Ideas that make you wonder why they hadn’t been thought of earlier. Ideas like sticking the drivetrain from a Jensen Interceptor into a Volvo 760 and hitting the drag strip. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we present to you: Big Bird. And yes, it does have a Nitrous system.<\/p>\n

\"Volvo,<\/a><\/p>\n

If you’re building a car for drag racing it’s pretty much par for the course that you have to give it a silly name and for those of you that remember the children’s puppet show Sesame Street, the associations with that show’s giant yellow fowl are clear to see. And much like its anthropomorphic avian namesake, Big Bird here has many talents. Including running a 12.2 second quarter-mile time at 117 mph. Pretty rapid then.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

People have been modifying Volvos for decades, fully exploiting the potential of those bombproof Redblock engines, especially in turbocharged form, so flying bricks are nothing new. Hell, we’re even doing it with our 940 Turbo estate, but then this 760 doesn’t have a Redblock in it any more. Oh no. This super Swede<\/a> has eschewed its tiny four-cylinder in favour of a 6.3-litre big block Chrysler V8 that sends its (immense) power to the rear wheels via a 727 Torqueflite automatic gearbox with adjustable gear ratios and a limited slip diff rear axle. Glorious.<\/p>\n

\"Volvo,<\/a><\/p>\n

But this isn’t a shed build. These aren’t the idle tinkerings of a home mechanic who’s maybe watched too many episodes of Gas Monkey Garage, ordered a full compliment of Snap-On tools on their credit card and thought: \u201cI can do that\u201d. This is a professional race car built by renowned Volvo specialists CP Motors<\/a>, and those guy know a thing or two about Sweden’s favourite export having worked with them since the mid-eighties.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With bona fide racing provenance Big Bird was professionally campaigned by CP Motors and comes with extensive paperwork from its racing days at Shakespeare International Raceway. More than just a track tramp this Volvo was properly looked after, too, having been dry-stored in a heated showroom for nearly 20 years whilst kicking bottom and wowing crowds at various motorsport events during that time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

That muscular rear bodywork that hints at the car’s performance credentials is all built in metal. There’s also a bespoke dashboard and instrument binnacle, racing seats with harnesses – as well as a roll cage – and the engine is mounted as far back in the engine bay as possible with the radiator in the boot (so it’s technically front\/mid-engined), but that doesn’t mean you can’t nip down to Sainsburys in it for a pint of milk and some Haribo. Yep, this bright yellow bastard is fully road legal with a valid MOT until the end of September 2025. Imagine turning up to your local car meet in this! Unlimited kudos points for sure.<\/p>\n

\"Volvo,<\/a><\/p>\n

So, whomever it was at CP Motors back in 2004 that piped up and said “let’s shoehorn the drivetrain from a Jensen Interceptor into a Volvo 760 and go racing”, we salute you. This<\/a> is one quick old brick.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ideas. We all have them. From the big and bold life decisions that have ramifications for years to come, to the little things, like painting a bedroom wall luminous green….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":31694,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[3238],"tags":[7111,3395,1337,15,7113,963,2117,13,2133,693,6797,2705,7114,14,55,5000,1096,216,7112],"yoast_head":"\nBig Bird - Auction Car of the Week - Car & Classic Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a Volvo 760 drag car with the V8 running gear from a Jensen Interceptor. 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