The design of the 300 series, ugly?

A global place for general discussion (Volvo, V3M or non-Volvo related topics).
Please introduce yourself here, your Volvo 300 hobby...
NO technical support, parts requests or car advertisements here
User avatar
jtbo
Posts: 5805
Joined: 23 Jul 2004 03:50 am
Location: Finland, middle of nowhere
Contact:

Post by jtbo » 07 Jul 2006 09:01 am

Actually my mother has had few times not so good judgement of actions so she was Tupperware seller at mid-late 80's, kept those gatherings at ppl's homes :shock: :lol:

So I think I do have soon a treasure of having not much else than Tupperware in my kitchen :D

It is soon near gold prices, yes? :lol:

But from 300, I think they should have made hood open other way, also spare tire should not be place into engine bay, those are surely things that make 300 to not so nice.

When I look that banner of this site, that pic of blue car, there is nothing that I would change, it is just perfect :D
Volvo 360GL -88 -under restoration-
Volvo 343DL vario -81 -running- Image
Volvo 240 Diesel -83 -undecided-
Citroen ZX Dturbo -97 -daily- ImageImage

User avatar
hatch360
Posts: 287
Joined: 17 Jun 2006 02:51 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by hatch360 » 07 Jul 2006 12:25 pm

Spare tyre in the engine bay :shock: not here in oz. The 360 needs to be done up to have an appeal to the eyes.

User avatar
MJ
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 1933
Joined: 24 Feb 2005 10:32 pm
Location: Devon/Staffordshire, UK

Post by MJ » 07 Jul 2006 12:30 pm

Hmm, there's a bit of tupperware in our family. Can't see it being worth too much when a Tesco fake tub with lid costs 14p :lol:

Spare tyre is in the engine bay only in 340's. Not sure about that idea. Great if the boot is full, you don't want to unload it by the road to get the tyre out, especially on your own in bad weather :(

On the other hand, not sure about the effect on weight distribution, with the fuel further back...

As for the bonnet, it is a bit of a pain opening that way, but the drifters can pop it open to aid cooling, without it flying up over the window :)

Be positive :)

User avatar
SteveP
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 7943
Joined: 21 Sep 2004 12:45 pm
Location: Coventry, UK

Post by SteveP » 07 Jul 2006 12:34 pm

Spare location under the bonnet is a great idea - as for the very reason MJ has pointed out. As for the bonnet opening that way, I just like it like that! :lol:
1989 - Volvo 360 GLT
1985 - Volvo 360 GLS
2008 - Volvo S60 SE Lux

User avatar
Chris_C
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 9600
Joined: 18 Jun 2004 11:53 pm
Location: South Coast, UK

Post by Chris_C » 07 Jul 2006 01:10 pm

Spare in the bonnet is the way forward... Can someone please explain though why the 40 and 60 have fuel tanks in different place? both where the 60s is seems sensible, i.e. not exposed.

As for the bonnet, if it's good enough for motorsport ;)
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

User avatar
SteveP
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 7943
Joined: 21 Sep 2004 12:45 pm
Location: Coventry, UK

Post by SteveP » 07 Jul 2006 01:12 pm

360s spare wheel needed to go in the boot - thus relocating the fuel tanks? Only available space surely was where they mounted the two tanks on the 360s...
1989 - Volvo 360 GLT
1985 - Volvo 360 GLS
2008 - Volvo S60 SE Lux

User avatar
Chris_C
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 9600
Joined: 18 Jun 2004 11:53 pm
Location: South Coast, UK

Post by Chris_C » 07 Jul 2006 04:32 pm

Thats what I mean... why didn't they put the 40 one there first? I supposed the 40 was before they though of sticking a 2 litre lump in it, and only then was it a problem
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

User avatar
petefarrell360
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 3083
Joined: 11 Oct 2004 07:12 pm
Location: Bucks, UK

Post by petefarrell360 » 07 Jul 2006 04:33 pm

Speaking from experience, having had a Fiat with a bonnet that opens in the standard direction, and having had the secondary safety catch fail as well, and the bonnet blow up at 70 mph covering the windscreen and smashing it, I love the 300 design! It's safer for a start! Managing not to panic, driving blind, in a FWD Fiat was somewhat alarming, and managing to see through a tiny gap under the bonnet and safely come to a halt was quite something! I vowed then that the 300 was the way forward!

The spare wheel under the bonnet of the 340's is quite a clever place to put it really. As for the fuel tank, the 340 is pretty exposed, It was only when I came to jack the vario up with Andy that I realised quite how vulnerable it is, having only ever had 360's before then!

Pete
G reg 360 GLT, G reg 340 GL Variomatic, plus many more..........

User avatar
SteveP
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 7943
Joined: 21 Sep 2004 12:45 pm
Location: Coventry, UK

Post by SteveP » 07 Jul 2006 04:56 pm

Atleast the fuel tank isn't made out of plastic unlike alot of more modern eurobox type cars :shock:
1989 - Volvo 360 GLT
1985 - Volvo 360 GLS
2008 - Volvo S60 SE Lux

User avatar
MJ
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 1933
Joined: 24 Feb 2005 10:32 pm
Location: Devon/Staffordshire, UK

Post by MJ » 07 Jul 2006 07:31 pm

Also having the tank rearward in the 40 helps get a better fron/rear weight ballance I'd imagine, as most of the weight is otherwise at the front.
Image

User avatar
SteveP
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 7943
Joined: 21 Sep 2004 12:45 pm
Location: Coventry, UK

Post by SteveP » 07 Jul 2006 07:54 pm

Dunno really, from what I've heard the 360s seem more balanced than 340s, certainly less tail happy anyway, despite the obvious power differences
1989 - Volvo 360 GLT
1985 - Volvo 360 GLS
2008 - Volvo S60 SE Lux

User avatar
MJ
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 1933
Joined: 24 Feb 2005 10:32 pm
Location: Devon/Staffordshire, UK

Post by MJ » 07 Jul 2006 09:38 pm

Exactly, 60's have the wheel at the rear and petrol, so as the 40 has the wheel at the front, the tank moving further backwards would help, although it would still be worse, unless, perhaps you had a full tank.

Does anyone have stats on the front:rear weight distrabution for either model? *looks at Mac* ;)
Image

willowdog
Posts: 59
Joined: 20 Dec 2005 10:09 pm
Location: Timaru, New Zealand

Post by willowdog » 09 Jul 2006 09:48 am

[quote="hatch360"]Spare tyre in the engine bay :shock: not here in oz. /quote]

But then in Oz you only get 260GLT's. Maybe the odd GLS. Either way, they all have 2litre Redblocks.

Little hard to fit a tyre in there along with that big lump o steel! :P

Cheers

EDIT Should be 360GLT's. 2litre 260? hmmm :oops:
Last edited by willowdog on 19 Jul 2006 09:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Chris_C
*** V3M DONOR ***
Posts: 9600
Joined: 18 Jun 2004 11:53 pm
Location: South Coast, UK

Post by Chris_C » 11 Jul 2006 11:36 am

Steves right, 360's are a lot harder to get sideways (well... of the 3 340s and 3 360s I've had a play in), which I put down to less weight past the rear axel.

Having said that, its only 50k... and about 18"-2ft difference... not that much more moment.
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

Post Reply