Ford 5.0L V8 Powered 1982 Volvo 245 GL Wagon Up For Auction

We’ve certainly seen our fair share of Ford-powered vehicles that don’t have Blue Oval badges on them over the years, which makes sense for many reasons. Oftentimes, certain vehicles have poor reputations for reliability that are powertrain related, but are otherwise desirable, which makes them great candidates for an engine swap. Other times, it’s a matter of parts availability or costs, making an engine like the venerable Ford 5.0L V8 a proper target – and that’s precisely what’s under the hood of this older Volvo wagon.

This 1982 Volvo 245 GL wagon is up for auction at Hagerty with a Ford 5.0L V8 underhood, making for a pretty cool combination. It was originally powered by an inline-six cylinder diesel engine, but now, it’s running on conventional gas, with a four-speed automatic transmission linked to the Blue Oval V8 – a Mercury Mountaineer-sourced powerplant that was installed back in 2012.

It was that same year when the previous owner repainted their Volvo wagon in its current shade of Silver Metallic, paired with a set of 15-inch Virgo alloy wheels, which are wrapped with 205/65 Michelin Defender T+H tires. Those features are joined by a front spoiler, though there are obviously a few imperfections showing on the exterior, as one would expect from a paint job that happened well over a decade ago.

Inside the cabin, one will find seats that have been reupholstered in button-tucked black leather, along with power windows and door locks, the factory AM/FM/cassette stereo system, cruise control, and air conditioning. The previous owner also added a set of aftermarket front and rear sway bars, joining four-wheel disc brakes and a 2.5-inch exhaust.

This is just the latest engine-swapped vehicle we’ve seen with Ford power underhood, and that includes a few that have hit the auction block as of late. One of those interesting builds was a jacked-up Mazda Miata with Ford V8 power, and the other, a last-generation Ranger with a 5.0L powerplant underhood as well.