Hello and all that... 340 or 360?

[SuperRetard]

Hi chaps.

I'm in the market for a cheap project car for drifting and disposable trackdaying, nurburgringing, and keep getting drawn towards a 340 like Nev's. I've come this close to buying a cheap Clio 182 engine and loom, and I haven't even got a 340 yet!

What I want to know; how much bigger/heavier is a 360? Is it the same transaxle diff and gearbox as the 340? What sort of power limit has it got? I know the prop is a weak point. Are steelies available off the shelf? Or is it 'ask your local engineering shop'?

I've read that the 360 will take a B230ET and similar. How easy is that? Is it best to start with a complete donor?

Also, 3-door bodies. Are they shorter than the five-doors?

For background, this is supposed to be noisy hand-full of a car. Totally stripped down to the shell and built up as toy.

Cheers!

[MJ]

Right, the 340 and 360 share the gearbox, but the 360 has a stronger 'prophaft' (due to the gearbox being at the back it's not technically a propshaft)

Stronger 340 ones arn't off teh shelf, but will have to be done by an enginering firm. HuskyRacer had one made by some firm.

The 340 has a 1.4 and 1.7, and can take renault engines, the 360 has a 2.0, and can take other Volvo redblock engines easily, such as the 2.3. It will conect up easily, but, as for how easy the operation is, I don't know. It would be best to have the full donor car to get all the electronics etc from.

The 3 door bodys are the same size as 5 doors as far as I know, just different size doors.

[SteveP]

Pretty much as MJ says - all of the information is around the site in other topics too. A late spec 5 door 360GLT weighs around 1150kg, 3 doors weigh a little less - 340's of a similar spec weigh more like 1000-1020kg. 3 door base spec 340 1.4s come in at under a tonne I think.

Also drifting and a track car don't necessarily go hand in hand - different handling setups for different kinds of sport. I've seen a standard 1.7 with a welded diff in some drifting action in the dry, and it copes remarkably well - why not build two for each purpose

The gearbox is essentially the same, but the front end of the 360 transaxle is different to the 340 - since the 360 uses a torque tube rather than the 340 aluminium propshaft. Apparently 340s are better for drifting, but I'd say 360's are cheaper to get more power out of (since no need to modify the drivetrain unless you're planning silly torque) - donor car for a few hundred quid, swap the bits over, with some minor fabrications, job done! To put it into perspective - theres a guy in the UK running with an alleged 300bhp+ on a standard drivetrain 360, but treating it gently re: launches etc.

[foggyjames]

I'm suspicious that the '340s are better for drifting' business has come about because many want the street cred of using a Renault motor. Presumably being judged by the same street cred police who think my Solex sidedrafts are good only for the bin.

Personally, I'd jump at the chance of using a superior powerplant with the ready-to-roll stronger drivetrain, and get a 360

I think you could make a multipurpose car if you used an LSD instead of welding the diff. Most drift cars aren't as mad as Nev's....I think he did most of that as a very clever way of making it drift well for peanuts (e.g. lowering the gearing by putting tiny wheels on)....and well done to the man, it bloody worked...but more power would overcome most of these problems without making it a one-trick-horse.

cheers

James

[Ronnie]

I drive a '60 so I'm biased...

But I can't help thinking that if you're wanting to build a race car you want more strength and more power as standard. i.e. Volvo torque and a good drive train.

I think the reason why 340's have established themselves as the drifters choice is because of the availability of 340 3 Doors - they're everywhere and they're cheap.

360 3 doors are really pretty rare, although you missed a nice Mk3 last week