I've been in the automotive business since I was a teenager.  I started out as an apprentice Saab & Volvo technician out of high school.  I really liked both makes because of their commitment to safety but still understanding performance. 

Later I decided to follow my other passion and moved in to the computer industry. I did a lot of computer related work for automotive businesses. I like to write computer code in my spare time.

My official title at ipd is "Purchasing and Inventory Manager" but that doesn't describe all the work I do at ipd.  I'm kind of a Jack of all Trades.  Purchasing and Inventory manager basically means I am responsible for buying products and making sure our inventory is active. I am also a general trouble shooter and the webmaster and developer for ipdusa.com.

I've had many Volvos over the years, but I've always been a Volvo 140 series fan.  I've owned about 6 of them.

This Green 1972 142E was my baby for many years. 

• Special 1.25" front ipd swaybar
• Custom .75" rear swaybar
• Koni shocks
• Lowered several inches (I clipped the springs)
• ipd front air dam
• 1975 242 doors (no wing windows) with inside adjustable mirrors
• 240 seats (see the headrests) later it had Recaro SE seats.
• 1975 B20F block w/ 2130 cc pistons, 10:1 compression ratio, double valve springs, HD oil pump, etc.
• Ported and polished head and matched manifolds
• 4 speed w/ overdrive from a 1975 240 (nice shifter & OD switch)
• Bosch LH-Jetronic 2.2 fuel injection (see picture)
• Electronic Ignition from a 1975 240. Later it had a better hall effect style ignition.

The other technicians at the shop where I worked thought I was a little nuts to install LH-Jetronic on a 140.  I was really tired of messing around with the standard D-Jetronic that came on it.  D-Jetronic isn't very sophisticated and doesn't run consistently.

The only items I had to fabricate were the fuel rail and the wire harness.  I made the fuel rail on a spare head.  I gathered up all the pieces and installed it on a saturday (including making the wire harness.)  I was done in about 3 hours. It started on the first try! 

This 142 got fantastic gas mileage and I could start this car up on a really cold day (20°F) and just drive away. No messing with chokes, no popping when hitting the throttle, just start and go! It was a very good daily driver and a lot of fun to drive.

This is still the best handling car I have ever owned. It wasn't a horsepower monster, but I rarely ever had to slow down. It just flew through corners.

I haven't owned a Volvo for a few years.  I've been driving Saabs. My last project was a 1986 900 Turbo that was pushing 20 PSI of boost. That car was a blast, but I got married and had kids so I traded it in on a 1998 Saab 900 SE. Garry Small Saab is a great place to buy a car. Garry is a very nice guy and likes to keep used Volvos on his lot too.

I've been feeling the itch lately and decided it was time to have a new project car. It really needed to be a Volvo so I traded in my 1998 Saab 900SE for a black 2002 Volvo V70 2.4 LPT.  I love this car and am looking forward to customizing it.