Uprating brakes/suspension/axle etc

Post by **stealthstylz** » 22 Mar 2007 04:45 pm

I've got a few questions lol. I've just been given a 3 door 340 and i'm wondering what the popular modifications are.

1.) How much power will the stock gearbox and axle take?

2.) Are there any popular upgrades for the brakes? I saw something about fitting bmw 325i disks on the front somewhere. How hard is that to do?

3.) What upgrades are available for the suspension?

My plan is to weld in the transmission tunnel from another car and then fit a Volvo T5 engine mated to a 960 gearbox.

Matt

Post by **Stavros** » 22 Mar 2007 06:11 pm

stealthstylz wrote: My plan is to weld in the transmission tunnel from another car and then fit a Volvo T5 engine mated to a 960 gearbox.

if your doing that you dont need to know about the standard bits, lol.

5linked rear end and coilovers all round is available if you want to do it. Wont get any change from a grand for serious work like that mind.

Post by **classicswede** » 22 Mar 2007 10:05 pm

Suspension has a fair number of options. A good set of springs&lowering blocks with some good dampers is a good start with poly bushing.

A good range oif wheels are available common pcd 4 x 100mm

Brakes are very good if in good nick - no real easy upgrades at the mo.

Stock box and diff will take a fair bit the prob is the weak point - uprated version available.

Post by **stealthstylz** » 23 Mar 2007 05:44 pm

I dont want to 5 link it I could do it all myself, but preferred my mates capri to drive when it had de-cambered leaf springs, anti tramp bars and ajustable shocks to when he 5 linked it.

With the Clio Williams/16v engine conversions are they using the standard gearbox with a custom propshaft or fitting a completely different gearbox?

Matt

Post by **jtbo** » 23 Mar 2007 05:50 pm

Gearbox is at rear, engine at front and prop shaft between them

You don't need to worry which box fits to engine, only bellhousing.

Post by **stealthstylz** » 23 Mar 2007 06:00 pm

My plan is to run a conventional gearbox bolted to the engine so would get rid of the rear gearbox completely.

Can somebody please get me a photo from underneath of the rear axle and how its mounted to the leaf springs etc, as i've just been looking for dimensions and the rear axle is the same width as one from a capri.

Matt

Post by **jtbo** » 23 Mar 2007 06:07 pm

stealthstylz wrote:My plan is to run a conventional gearbox bolted to the engine so would get rid of the rear gearbox completely.

Can somebody please get me a photo from underneath of the rear axle and how its mounted to the leaf springs etc, as i've just been looking for dimensions and the rear axle is the same width as one from a capri.

Matt

If you are going to move box to front you need to heavily modify floor and as there is not many that has done this most of information about boxes and propeller shafts is not helping I'm afraid.

Post by **stealthstylz** » 23 Mar 2007 06:21 pm

Converting the rear axle wouldn't be very difficult would need custom plates & u-bolts but can get those made cheaply.

My plan is to weld in the complete transmission tunnel from something else in or modify the existing tunnel. Did this on a Mk1 Cortina for a mate and it worked well.

Matt

Post by **petefarrell360** » 23 Mar 2007 07:26 pm

Interesting project. I'm just wondering how moving the box forward is going to affect the weight distribution. I know just how heavy that unit is as one with the diff, it's not light! By having that layout it makes the 300 a pretty well balanced car. Good luck, keep us posted, and lots of pics please!

Pete

Post by **volvorsport** » 23 Mar 2007 07:42 pm

well if you manage to get a an M90 whiteblock keep the prop and final drive , you should be pretty close to what you want .

mount the 1065 diff in the same place as the original one , and the driveshafts might even line up for you .

hmm foggy do you have a 3 series driveshaft , could try it up against that IRS back end iv got .

Post by **stealthstylz** » 24 Mar 2007 01:20 pm

Is the 1065 diff the same design as the standard 340 setup and how much power will it handle?

I was thinking of converting the rear to a normal type live axle.

Matt

Post by **volvorsport** » 24 Mar 2007 04:25 pm

1065 diff comes off the 7/900 series cars and is one and the same diff as the live axles only IRS .

i thought about this conversion for a long time - if the driveshafts had teh same PCD on the bolts - it would turn out to be relatively easy .

im just waiting on the rigth 66 to turn up , job done .

Post by **classicswede** » 25 Mar 2007 07:55 pm

Moving the box up front would be great for drifting but naff for a handling car. If you do want to do that and keep some kind of road holding you will need to shift a fair bit of weight to the rear.

Post by **petefarrell360** » 25 Mar 2007 09:08 pm

classicswede wrote:Moving the box up front would be great for drifting but naff for a handling car. If you do want to do that and keep some kind of road holding you will need to shift a fair bit of weight to the rear.

Yeah, this is why I questioned this above! Adding weight can't be good. The 300 is well balanced due to where the gearbox is mounted, and it's a lot of weight at the rear to suddenly move elsewhere! Throw it into a corner with such a light rear end, and I can't see it gripping too well. The 340 compared to the 360 feels less planted on the rear, and that is purely no spoiler, a smaller differently mounted fuel tank and different, narrower tyres.

Pete

Post by **stealthstylz** » 25 Mar 2007 09:34 pm

That might be the easy option if the 1065 diff will work, and as said in my other thread a b320 engine will fit easily, which would mean I could just buy a donor car.

Will need to handle 300+bhp and slicks so will ask on another volvo forum see what power they'll take.

Matt

Uprating brakes/suspension/axle etc

Uprating brakes/suspension/axle etc

Re: Uprating brakes/suspension/axle etc