340 Handling?

[Joshy]

Hello there.

I'll make this thread short as I'm itching to get to bed (It's been a long day!).

I am looking at taking on a project to turn into a decent daily driver that I can occasionally take to a track day and have a bit of fun in. Because of my young age, I am somewhat limited in what options are available to me.

I had decided after being a passenger of a MK2 Polo at brands hatch for a few laps that the Polo route was right for me, although the more I think about it, the more I think I'd enjoy a rear wheel drive car, which led me straight to the 340.

Now, I have to ask what is the handling like on these old beasts? I've always thought that handling was never their strong point, but would a decent set of tryes and suspension make a 340 a fun car to drive around corners. With realistically only the 1.4 option open to me, enjoying the corners is what matters most to be as I doubt the straights will be much fun!

Thoughts and opinions?

Thanks

Josh

[SteveP]

Quite simply... yes

The 300's are very well balanced and my old 360 GLT with just Spax rear suspension and Bridgestone Potenza's on 15x7" alloys gripped very well. They do tend to roll but stiffer springs/uprated shocks help to combat that. I reckon the best place to start would be some decent tyres and wheels and a bucket seat.

Why are you only considering the 1.4? The insurance is pretty much the same on all models and economy differences is neither here or there. I insured a 360 GLT at 19 and it wasn't too expensive.

Put it this way my BMW E36 feels like a barge in comparison to my old 360, and that isn't a bad handling car!

[Chris_C]

As Steve says, they handle very well if you understand them. I do a lot of autosolo's, autotest's etc, and normally come away with a placing.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Skrd5uuHweo

That video was at a Bornmouth and District autosolo, my stock 1.7 on really bad tyres (budget 175's) came third in class. To give you a clue, my class was 2.0 or under, and I in the same class there were 2 XE engined mk2 escorts, 2 16V golf gti's and another 20ish cars that I can't remember off the top of my head. Last autotest I did was wet grass, and came first in class, 4th overall, beating an MR2 turbo, Fiat X1/9 and 2 mx5's... both with slippers.

The arn't great for fast road out the box, but when I was 17 I found that having a predictable car that I could have fun with before the speed limit was out much more fun than having something that constantly sticks, you have to actually drive it. If you want fast road (seeing as you mention tracking it, I guess you do) then I rally mine with the only change being the same Potenza's that Steve ran. They stick better than Proxy TR1's in the dry, and much much better in the wet.

Have a look round the forum, there are a lot of much faster 300's here than mine but if you are looking for fun, I'd just stick a good set of 15's on a stock 1.7. I also agree with Steve, there was 20quid difference between my 1.4 and 2.0i, big hikes with some companies atm seems to be 3dr's over 5, 5 seems much cheaper. I really would get the 1.7 or 2.0i though.

[volvosneverdie]

Here here.

For the money youd spend on:

1) decent solid car (silly cheap)
2) insurance (cheap)
3) Uprated parts (cheap as chips)
4) Running costs (cheap as cheese)

I dont really see that theres any real competition for a daily driver come track day toy.

Spend double on anything else wouldnt you?

If moneys tight, 300s are right.

[classicswede]

The biggest area for improvment is a good set of wheels and tyres folled be springs and dampers. ONce you have doen that provided there is no play in any of teh suspension it will handle quite well.
The other important thing imo is to get the steering geometry set up correctly.

[Cloud]

I ain't driven my 360 yet...but looking at it they are really well balanced with the gearbox at the back etc. Some 15" Alloys, good set of tires and some springs and it would be tidy, I'd renew any worn suspension parts...poly bushes would also be a nice upgrade.

For the little extra cost on insurance I would go with the 1.7 though.

[filthyjohn]

You really can feel the good weight distribution when you push hard. It's just a piece of cake to control when it starts stepping out at the back. As stock they roll like mad, but grip is actually very good (probably the rear camber). Fitting a bucket helps you ignore the roll, and leaves your legs free to push pedals instead of bracing against the tunnel/door to stay in the stock seat.
Some better front end grip would be nice, you really have to be smooth or it'll break traction and plough straight on. It's not like a light FWD car where you can just point the wheel wherever you want to go, as viciously as you like without consequence.
I reckon some camber up front to match the back would help a lot.

[Joshy]

Thanks for that guys, I think those words put the 340 straight to the top of the maybe list.

I never thought that a 300 would make a decent handling car, I think it must because every single picture I've seen of them driven on the limit makes the body look like it is at a 45 degree angle than where it should be . Would decent suspension completely eliminate that bodyroll, or is it always going to be there?

Also, how much am I going to need to spend to get the suspension up to a decent standard? I know that 300 series vovlos aren't the most popular car on the track/modifying scene, does that mean I am going go have to pay out of the nose for bits

A 1.7 doesn't look too possible though, it's £300 year more to insure bringing the grand total up to £1400 (don't you just LOVE being young? ), I could still JUST about stretch to that if the 1.7s are THAT much better.

I'm warming to idea A bit of cheap, Rear wheel drive fun - Just what I've always wanted

[SteveP]

Do some more quotes, I'm sure youd be able to get something close to the 1.4 for the 1.7 and 2.0. I'd certainly go the extra for the 1.7, maybe with a 1.4 diff for better acceleration.

Check out these videos:

http://uk.youtube.com/results?search_qu ... type=&aq=f

The V360 Cup is a racing series elsewhere in Europe. They take very much standard 360's and are only allowed basic suspension and power mods, so should give you an idea of what they're like.

Suspension stuff isn't going to come that cheap - but if Mk2 Polo's were on your potential list surely you'd have to throw alot of money at one of them too?

[Ronnie]

Re Body Roll:

http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... l&start=45

These cars are fun to drive hard - even more fun with sorted suspension. Buy one.

[Edcase 300]

get one bruv its got a lot of balls -check out the badge on the grill when u buy it and most of all enjoy it

[classicswede]

Go with a 1.4 to start with mate. For starters you are young and would be best off with a little less poke to start with . To be truthfull the 1.4 is not much slower than the 1.7 - its only top end (over 100 MPH) that you notice teh difference.
Think off the cash savings cheaper tax cheaper insurace and at the end of the day you can swap in the 1.7 at a later date if you find you need some more go.

Also get some lessons driving RWD! I would strongly recomend doing an advanced driving course if you can and skkid pan training would be a very good idea for anyone tbh. Even if do not learn anything new from going at least you know the way you are driving is correct.

[Andy P]

I'd tend to agree with Dai on the 1.4 front. It wasn't too long ago when I was a young driver looking to insure my first car.

Ended up with a 1400 Rover 214. Granted its fair bit more powerful than the 1.4 in the 340 but what I'm trying to get at is it'll be no slower than anyone else will have in your age group. Most your age will be thrashing about in 1.1 106's with spaceship like plastic bits hanging off them!

I can see why the more experianced drivers here are suggesting the 1.7+ motors but no matter how good you think you are a driver at that age you simply don't have the experiance. The 1.4 is more than enough to get you into trouble.

I've got a 1.4 340 and its plenty of fun - completely bog standard in the wet hanging out the back end will get you grinning from ear to ear and will happily cruise at 70 on the motorway.

I say get a 1.4 and bolt on a few cheap suspension mods and get some real experiance (and a no claim bonus!) I'm not going to say you'll crash but if it does happen and you write off the car at least you wouldn't have thrown away hundreds on expensive suspension mods. Once you have the experiance then up to more power. I know you'll probably hear this a thousand times from "your elders" and you'll get sick of it - I was too but no doubt in a few years time you'll be dishing out the same advice.

Oh and just before you think "whats this old guy saying with his slow cars" I'm 23 and own a 400hp S40 turbo along with 2x 1.4 340's. The S40 is fun in its own way but its nothing compared to the grin the 340 usually leaves me with.

Looking forward to another 340 owner on the boards.

Andy

[SteveP]

Oh and just before you think "whats this old guy saying with his slow cars" I'm 23 and own a 400hp S40 turbo along with 2x 1.4 340's. The S40 is fun in its own way but its nothing compared to the grin the 340 usually leaves me with.

Some good words there, Andy. Also totally agree, my S40 T4 was nowhere near as fun as my 360 despite being loads faster. Just don't get the reward you do as driving a 300 quick.

[Chris_C]

Hmmmm, maybe good points there, I got into some situations in my 1.4 I wish I hadn't.

Dai, couldn't agree with you more on the skid pan, I'm quite used to sidewaysness, but did a course 6months ago. The instructor was impressed at the fact I could control a drift and he still showed me some techniques I didn't know. I then told him I had no idea how to deal with understeer as I'd only driven rwd, and he showed me that too (it was a mondeo on casters, worked well for teaching everything). The next week I hit a diesal spill, and the techniques came into play luckily, else I would have had a bent wishbone at least with what I was aiming at.

The 60/80 quid is costs is nothing in comparison, and on those lines, I did my IAM this year too. If you are under 25 you get a discount, think all the lessons, test and a fair few books cost £75. Bargain, they straightened out bad habits I had in town, and helped my lanes driving.

EDIT: Slow cars do win, out of everything I've driven two of the most fun are 300s and MG midgets. Both you can get to play at silly slow speeds