hello everyone

[muddy_trousers]

I'm new to this forum and the thought of a 340. only toying with the idea of getting one at the moment but it seems like a good, cheep rwd option for some fun. what would be a good engine transplant to take alot of reving? are there any does and dont's with 340's? what are the standard diff's like? any help would be greatly appreciated peole, thanx for your time.

[magnumpi]

Hey up, welcome to the forum

Engine swap wise the most straight forward option would be one of the Renault 16v engines, i.e Clio 1.8 16v,19 16v, Williams or Megane 2.0, but avoid the later ones with coil packs, just makes more work for you. Quite a few of us have got them on here now and it's covered fairly extensively. The codes for these engines are F7P (1. or F7R (2.0)

The weak part of the drivetrain is the prop, but i give mine a lot of stick and it's not broken-yet The standard diffs are fine, but it depends what you want it for, if it's drifting you'll need it welded up as you can get them sideways on a standard one, but they don't really stay sideways, unless thats just my driving?

Unless you get a 1.7 as a base car you will need quite a few bits for the conversion, mainly all the water hoses, the engine mounts, bellhousing amoungst other bits.

They rev pretty well and make a nice car to use on a daily basis.

[volvosneverdie]

^^ what he said.
And welcome.

[muddy_trousers]

thats some useful information mate, thanx for that. those 16v's are a quick engine but head gaskets can be a problem can't they?! I'm lookin for a power to wieght ratio similar to the AE86 and it would be used for the weakend fun but neads tax nd mot so welding the diff's out of the question. I wonder if i could put in a corolla diff and axel???

[Ian Mac]

Alternatively, buy a Corolla...

I see there are currently two nicely ruined 340's on Ebay at the moment, courtesy of the 'drift' brigade who as usual took on more work than they could realistically finish thereby consigning two more 340's to the scrap bin.

Banger racers sounded the death knell for many an Austin Cambridge and Ford Zodiac in the 70's and 80's, the Drift brigade are now doing likewise to the 340. I wouldn't mind if they actually looked half decent but matt black....!!!????

Welcome to the board by the way...

[magnumpi]

AE86 rev more i beleive, i think Garth on here har one, he may be able to tell you more.

As said if it's just a case of using it for drifting until it dies, please buy the scruffiest one you can find, because nice 300's are getting few and far between!

With regards to headgaskets, i've not heard they are a problem on these engines, i reckon you must be thinking about the earlier ones as found in R5GTT, but even then they aren't as bad as people make out, they are just a small hot running engine in a reallt small and tight engine bay. Like with most things, looked after and serviced properly they are fine.

[garth]

TBH AE86 are fetching big money, any UK car requires rust work, and parts are hard to find in terms of trim and panels. If you got 4-6k to spend, then I'd personally buy a Corolla. Having said that, if you do fancy a Volvo, and you've got 4k+ to spend, you'll have hell of a beast.

Are you into drifting?

It seems that even though, yes I like drifting, it's using up all the decend 340/360's up. People buy them, paint them black, wreck them then try and get big money for them. I'm not dull. I'm not saying 340/360's shouldn't be used for this, that's like saying mk2 escorts shouldn't be used for rallying, god created them for that, just think what you want to achieve/how much money you got and take it from there.

I have 2 340's, one standard and one with an F7P, cheap car for what it is, but I don't look at it as a cheap fix. I do happen to have a passion for them. I also have a E30 BMW 318is, again cheaper than an Escort/AE86, like the Volvo it's a credit crunch RWD toy car. God what am I on about?

I enjoy them, and the guys here are brilliant and will always help you with any question. The time will come though, when they'll all be used up and forgotten, and there won't be anything left.

Sorry for the saga, just started on the beero.

[volvosneverdie]

Sorry for the saga, just started on the beero.

lucky fugger.

[garth]

Damn right, started now, then buy the time we go out it'll be a cheap night. We'll have a few of these if you're going to retro rides.

[volvosneverdie]

sad face.

then, like now - i'll be stuck at work.

more sad faces.

x 1 billion.

[muddy_trousers]

I'd love to buy a corolla but I cant afford it! I'll not be buying a mint 340 either chaps so dont worry about that.lol. just want something for cheep drifting! I had a 2l twincam saphire and was just starting to get the hang of it but then it broke my heart so I had to let it go. pipe dreams at the moment and as usual it all boils down to funds or lack of them which seems to be the case!!!!

[garth]

Same every where, why not try a different car, drifting a 1400 will be difficult in the dry, it is possible, but hard.

[volvosneverdie]

Same every where, why not try a different car, drifting a 1400 will be difficult in the dry, it is possible, but hard.

740/940 turbos?
2.3 litres of spinning madness hanging off the back of a luxorious barge.

cheap an all.

looky linky:
http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.c ... read=60288

[magnumpi]

That one looks like a minter though, but hey you pay your money, it's yours to do with it what you please i suppose.

I'd go for a saloon version of one of those IF i could find one that is.

[volvosneverdie]

That one looks like a minter though, but hey you pay your money, it's yours to do with it what you please i suppose.

I'd go for a saloon version of one of those IF i could find one that is.

He he, me too.
and if I could afford the insurance......

*edit*, i put that link up to show how cheap good ones are.
i.e. if you want a drifter to flog, a rough one would be cheap as chips.
Im not recomending drifting minters.
That sucks.

As we all agree.