Discussion
Howdy PH-ites! I posted ages ago seeking advice on my (at the time) errant carbs.
I'd just like to publicly apologise for the childish behaviour of some of the members of the Volvo performance community. I'm truly sorry that it has been allowed to spill over onto your forum. Most of us are a happy, friendly bunch. There's the occasional disagreement, but nothing serious.
However there is a small minority who seem - more than anything - to seek to disrupt normal procedings, rather than following any particular agenda (ie: being anti-VOC). Sadly they're also very vocal, and cause chaos pretty much everywhere there are FWD Volvo people on a forum. Thank goodness the RWD community has escaped it so far. Maybe it's God's punishment for having the wrong wheels driven?
I suspect a great deal of it is commercially motivated, and although probably not on the part of any commercial bodies themselves, it can be traced back to arguments relating to the various Volvo tuning companies.
What can I tell you...it's sad, very sad. I'm truly sorry that this disruption has spilled over onto a forum as well renowned as PH. Please don't take this as being a typical view of the Volvo tuning scene. For what it's worth, we don't sit around in beer gardens discussing trim levels all day either. I ran my granny-wagon with twin Webers (ok, they're Solexs, but you know what I mean!) at Santa Pod twice last year, for example. I'm one of the older guys on the 300 series scene, and I'm 21.
If it would be welcome, I could put up a post detailing some of the more interesting projects going on in the Volvo tuning world at the moment.
cheers
James
I'd just like to publicly apologise for the childish behaviour of some of the members of the Volvo performance community. I'm truly sorry that it has been allowed to spill over onto your forum. Most of us are a happy, friendly bunch. There's the occasional disagreement, but nothing serious.
However there is a small minority who seem - more than anything - to seek to disrupt normal procedings, rather than following any particular agenda (ie: being anti-VOC). Sadly they're also very vocal, and cause chaos pretty much everywhere there are FWD Volvo people on a forum. Thank goodness the RWD community has escaped it so far. Maybe it's God's punishment for having the wrong wheels driven?
I suspect a great deal of it is commercially motivated, and although probably not on the part of any commercial bodies themselves, it can be traced back to arguments relating to the various Volvo tuning companies.
What can I tell you...it's sad, very sad. I'm truly sorry that this disruption has spilled over onto a forum as well renowned as PH. Please don't take this as being a typical view of the Volvo tuning scene. For what it's worth, we don't sit around in beer gardens discussing trim levels all day either. I ran my granny-wagon with twin Webers (ok, they're Solexs, but you know what I mean!) at Santa Pod twice last year, for example. I'm one of the older guys on the 300 series scene, and I'm 21.
If it would be welcome, I could put up a post detailing some of the more interesting projects going on in the Volvo tuning world at the moment.
cheers
James
Thanks Roland 
The 300s were set up for granny-comfort from the factory, so no surprises that body roll is a feature of these cars. Having said that, body roll doesn't have to mean poor handling, and to give Volvo credit, they did a pretty damn good job of fine tuning the setup they went for. Sure they lean at some crazy angles sometimes, but the grip is still there, and the reactions are progressive. The good news is that uprated suspension components (becoming increasingly common now) totally transform the car.
Insurance is damn cheap given the size of the cars. IIRC the 360 was the cheapest 2.0 car to insure for many years. I paid £700 in my first year of insurance (no NCB, age 20), and £500 this year (21, 1yr NCB, with the modifications declared).
Petrol...varies from model to model. The 340 1.4 and 360 2.0 carb models are both pretty damn good. The 340 1.7 is a little worse, while the 360 2.0 injection is the fastest, but also the most thirsty. Mine has a rare R-Sport tuning kit fitted, making 140bhp (with more to come when I pull my finger out!), but returning 20-25mpg average due to those huge carbs.
If you want my advice, the model to get is a 360 GLE carb. Mine has been recorded topping 50mpg (prior to modification!), and it was still respectably fast (relative to the range), running an 18.7 @ 71 at Santa Pod. Just don't expect it to move like an average 2.0...it's a VERY lazily tuned motor. On a day-to-day basis, I wish I had it back to stock configuration.
It has now run a 17.0 @ 81, but the ET there is a bit misleading, as I was having horrific traction problems. It ought to be good for a mid 16, which is respectably quick.
cheers
James
The 300s were set up for granny-comfort from the factory, so no surprises that body roll is a feature of these cars. Having said that, body roll doesn't have to mean poor handling, and to give Volvo credit, they did a pretty damn good job of fine tuning the setup they went for. Sure they lean at some crazy angles sometimes, but the grip is still there, and the reactions are progressive. The good news is that uprated suspension components (becoming increasingly common now) totally transform the car.
Insurance is damn cheap given the size of the cars. IIRC the 360 was the cheapest 2.0 car to insure for many years. I paid £700 in my first year of insurance (no NCB, age 20), and £500 this year (21, 1yr NCB, with the modifications declared).
Petrol...varies from model to model. The 340 1.4 and 360 2.0 carb models are both pretty damn good. The 340 1.7 is a little worse, while the 360 2.0 injection is the fastest, but also the most thirsty. Mine has a rare R-Sport tuning kit fitted, making 140bhp (with more to come when I pull my finger out!), but returning 20-25mpg average due to those huge carbs.
If you want my advice, the model to get is a 360 GLE carb. Mine has been recorded topping 50mpg (prior to modification!), and it was still respectably fast (relative to the range), running an 18.7 @ 71 at Santa Pod. Just don't expect it to move like an average 2.0...it's a VERY lazily tuned motor. On a day-to-day basis, I wish I had it back to stock configuration.
It has now run a 17.0 @ 81, but the ET there is a bit misleading, as I was having horrific traction problems. It ought to be good for a mid 16, which is respectably quick.
cheers
James
Foggyjames,
Are you going to apologise to the people of Ludlow for your mates childish and stupid behaviour in their public car park (burnouts and donuts). A kid in our town has just recieved a 6 month prison sentence and 18 month driving ban for what the judge called 'immature and silly' behaviour, a young girl was injured when she was hit by his Chavalier while he was fooling around in the supermarket car park. I think you need to get your own house in order, before casting aspertions on others.
YingYing.
Are you going to apologise to the people of Ludlow for your mates childish and stupid behaviour in their public car park (burnouts and donuts). A kid in our town has just recieved a 6 month prison sentence and 18 month driving ban for what the judge called 'immature and silly' behaviour, a young girl was injured when she was hit by his Chavalier while he was fooling around in the supermarket car park. I think you need to get your own house in order, before casting aspertions on others.
YingYing.
You have no idea of the context those scenes were shot in. The police had already attended and given our presence their blessing. In addition, a traffic warden was present the whole time. She used to own a 300, and we had a great time talking to her.
I can't say I'm that comfortable with the drift showoff in a public car park either, but the authorities didn't object, and it was a pretty impressive spectacle, executed by a professional driver, and in reasonably controlled conditions. Ultimately, I'm not in a position to stop the guy doing whatever he wants to do.
I have no idea why I'm justifying the inclusion of that footage in our meet video to you, as you're obviously out to score points rather than enter into a constructive debate. The same could be said of most of your posts that I've read to date. I'm calling "troll" on you.
If anyone wants to make their own mind up, here is the video in question...
www.foggyjames.co.uk/video/v3m_ludlow.wmv
You'll need Windows Media Player 9 or above. I know that offends people, but I've not yet got around to getting a DivX or XviD encoder with suitable control over output quality.
cheers
James
I can't say I'm that comfortable with the drift showoff in a public car park either, but the authorities didn't object, and it was a pretty impressive spectacle, executed by a professional driver, and in reasonably controlled conditions. Ultimately, I'm not in a position to stop the guy doing whatever he wants to do.
I have no idea why I'm justifying the inclusion of that footage in our meet video to you, as you're obviously out to score points rather than enter into a constructive debate. The same could be said of most of your posts that I've read to date. I'm calling "troll" on you.
If anyone wants to make their own mind up, here is the video in question...
www.foggyjames.co.uk/video/v3m_ludlow.wmv
You'll need Windows Media Player 9 or above. I know that offends people, but I've not yet got around to getting a DivX or XviD encoder with suitable control over output quality.
cheers
James
It was smoking at only 175k? Respect, that takes some doing Mine has done 140k, and still made 140bhp @ ~5500rpm with its 'mild tune' B200 (only had those carbs and a hotter factory cam...otherwise totally stock, including the exhaust). My other 300, a 340 1.4 with the Renault 5 engine has done 184k and is still tight I'm not at all sure which direction I'm taking the 360 in yet, but I think I'd like to make it a fairly fast, fairly fuel efficient clean-looking daily driver...and the most likely route for that is turbo power, donated by a 940. We'll see on that front anyway...it's very much a work in progress.
Good to hear from you. A lot of people relate to these cars via their childhood, or earlier in their driving careers. I like the idea of putting a twist on that and using them as a performance platform. After all, it's how things like the Ford RS platform started out - taking the mundane and making it more interesting. People can really relate to that somehow. Anyhow, bedtime...
cheers
James
Mine has done 140k, and still made 140bhp @ ~5500rpm with its 'mild tune' B200 (only had those carbs and a hotter factory cam...otherwise totally stock, including the exhaust). My other 300, a 340 1.4 with the Renault 5 engine has done 184k and is still tight I'm not at all sure which direction I'm taking the 360 in yet, but I think I'd like to make it a fairly fast, fairly fuel efficient clean-looking daily driver...and the most likely route for that is turbo power, donated by a 940. We'll see on that front anyway...it's very much a work in progress. Good to hear from you. A lot of people relate to these cars via their childhood, or earlier in their driving careers. I like the idea of putting a twist on that and using them as a performance platform. After all, it's how things like the Ford RS platform started out - taking the mundane and making it more interesting. People can really relate to that somehow. Anyhow, bedtime...
cheers
James
foggyjames said:
Good stuff
Hi James,
Are you in the performance section of the VOC? SGirl and I are members, but ever since a gentleman with a Green T5R with an interest in sound systems let the reins go, for some reason we have (been) dropped off the email lists.
Might be interesting to see what's happening, and judging by your choice of rolling road in Uxbridge, I presume you do not live a million miles away from us (The performance lot used to meet at The Crooked Billet in Iver Heath, IIRC)
All the best
Sean
>> Edited by Tam Lin on Friday 10th March 12:17
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