Thinking about modifying a 360

[Angus242164]

Hi everybody,

My name is Angus, I'm from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and I've been into Volvo's for years, My everyday car is a modified '75 242 and I'm currently in the process of modifying a '74 164 as a weekend car. I've also got a '78 245L sitting in the backyard and more parts than you can poke a stick at.

As much as I like the 242, it's a bit slow for my liking, and although it handles well for a sedan, I think something smaller and lighter probably has more handling potential.

5 door 360GLT's (the only 300 series variant that we got here officially) are getting very cheap now, with average, unregistered examples down to $200-400aud, and ones with rego etc. between $900-1500aud, so I've been putting some thought into buying one as an everyday car.

My basic plan would be to lower it and fit some 15" wheels, possibly some steelies from a late model car, remove the aircon, and replace the B200 with a B23.

The B23E in my 242 has an H cam advanced by 8 degrees, and I have a Megasquirt programmable EFI setup to suit it which I would use, that would probably do the trick as far as power is concerned (approx 150HP).

I would love to add a turbo, but I'm not sure how that would go in a RHD 360, there may be possible steering shaft clearance issues to worry about. Also a turbo would go against my idea of not spending much money, just making a cheap, basic, fun runabout to get me to and from work.

Anyway, I've got a few questions that I'm hoping some of you guys can answer for me:

Lowering: I've had a look under a couple of 360's in wrecking yards and it looks to me that some simple steel or aluminium lowering blocks could easily be fabricated to go between the rear springs and the stub axles. Is this the usual way of lowering a 300? What about the front end? Custom made springs? Any other considerations here?

Transaxle: If I run, for arguments sake, 165HP through one, how long is it likely to last? Are they considered a strong unit? What is the ratio of the diff?

Driveshaft: How strong is the 360 driveshaft setup?

CV joints: Do these ever give trouble?

How good are the stock brakes on a 360? Would they pull the car up effectively, considering the extra power?

Finally, what are the common problems that tend to affect 360's in general? Every car has a few typical faults, I assume the 360 would have a few of it's own.

Any help you can give me is much appreciated.

[jtbo]

Hi,

Differential is perhaps easiest to fail if one does some burnouts. Then there is this clamp between gearbox and axle to engine, tends to come loose and then fails rather easy. Gearbox is in rear, but I think you knew that already.

We have biggest problem with rust in here Finland, gearbox and differential attachs to thing that bolts into chassis, this 'thing' rusts away in every car in here. Sorry I don't know the word for thing. Maybe rust is not so big problem in Australia however.

As for front springs, you could take Mercedes 190 springs and cut them, it will be perhaps the best option after custom made springs.

Rear springs are usually lowered just with that lowering blocks, but you could put one more leaf in or get also custom made springs, rear springs will be bit hard to get good for hard driving as well as smoother driving.

Brakes are bad, after few brakings on track front brakes are cooked and rear brakes just starting to grip, you know what that means. Some have succesfyllu fitted WV Corrado G60 brakes, but I'm missing a lot knownledge from that area.

I'm trying to get my carb changed to fuel injection, today I plan to install megasquirt wiring harness and before end of week I should have Megasquirt up and running, let's see how it goes. I have now Extra code in my Ms, first I run with fuel only, but later I wish to get also ingition control. I do have almost one month until it needs to be running so well that I can take it to track again, of course if snow has been melted by then

[Fuse]

165hp shouldn't be a problem if you don't abuse it and all parts are in good condition. I haven't had any problems with the transaxle system but other people who are running more boost and power have reported that the differential is likely the first one to go. Also if the gearbox is worn it might break. The torque tube and the juncture where the torque tube connects with the gearbox should cope with decent power if they are not worn. Key word is that everything should be in proper condition. If they are not something is more than likely to go wrong.

Diff ratios are:

3,27:1 B200K up to -86
3,36:1 B19A, B200K 1987-> and the 360GLE 1983-84
3,45:1 360GLE 1985
3,64:1 B14 with the M45R gearbox, B172 with the M47R gearbox, all fuel injected models except the 360GLE up to -85
3,82:1 B14 with the M47R gearbox
4,51:1 B14 with the CVT gearbox

So your diff ratio should be 3,64:1

Common fault, as jtbo said, is the rusting of the beam that holds the gearbox in place but that might not occur in Australia. I suppose that cars don't rust so easily in there.

[Bilbo]

basically it will always look for and find the weekest link,it could be anything !
1st off i snapped a heavy duty shaft so i got custom rs cosworth shafts made(@great expense)! this was down to pure abuse.

then this happened :

2-stripped the constant gears in sccr gearbox(2 times now)
3-stripped a very very rare 4.7 crown wheel :{
4-completely snapped diff housing in 2(because of supports)

item 3 is down to bad brakes and the rubbish ratio's of a stnd g/box.when slowing down in 3rd and dropping to 2nd the gap in ratios is massive and the compression of the engine puts too much stress on transmission and it breaks the weekest part it can find. likewise if you put a lumpy cam in when changing up from 2nd to 3rd it drops of cam . also real good grippy tyres put stress on transmission where as cheap tyres will just spin.

[Lonewolf]

Hi Angus,

360's are pretty fun cars, but with the roads we have in australia, i'd almost insist putting some good tyres on it, as in the wet even at light throttle in 1st u can get it fairly sideways, and it'll quite happily slide in 4th too with a little encouragement. (though i hear victoria has better roads than the nsw populace)

As for lowering and wheels, kingsprings can do some custom front springs 30mm lower, $185 i think, you can order it through supercheap auto, but the part number was a b!tch to find as it was pretty much deleted from their records, i'll dig it up for ya if u need. As for wheels, several of the ROH wheels would look nice though i ended up going with racing harts, the 360's have a 4*100 stud pattern and +37 offset. If your going for 15" wheels, dont go bigger than 205 or ur front tyres WILL scuff against the shock's and if u use 45% profile with the 15" u wont throw ur speedo out.

If ur not going to turbo it, u can put a 2" mandrel system with a straight through muffler and resonator and have it sound no louder than stock if not quieter up to say 5000rpm but with a nicer note.

I'd look at some better front disks/pads if ur going to up the power, you can get slotted disks from DBA, not sure who does good pads for em thou.

[Angus242164]

Thanks very much for the replies everyone, I've picked up lots of info from this forum already.

I'm really not sure if I want a 360 or not, just getting a feel for what they're like.

I'm a bit concerned about the driveline strength and the brakes. Since the stud pattern is the same as many late model cars I guess it may be possible to adapt larger diameter discs from another car, but I don't want to get into such serious mods for an everyday car really.

I think next time I come across one in a wreckers I'll take a really good look over it, and hopefully I'll get an opportunity to drive one some time soon.