New Looooong Term Volvo 340 Project

Little update, My dad got the wire wheel on the rear gear box/diff mount, then rush proofed it and then painted it black. This was all because it was in pretty bad visual state from rush.


Also Dai AKA Classic Swede has got also stronger bushes on order for the mounts because mine are shot. So can't wait for them and then start building the 340.

 

Using a standard 360 box

 

So big update, to start I moved the scrap 360 on to the trailer.



Once on the trailer had to get the rear axle/beam off the 360, me and my dad made a little contraption to hold the rear of the car up.



After some blood, sweat and tears we managed to get the axle off but one of the leaf spring bolts has ceased so going to just burn the bushes out and get some strong ploy ones.



Strapped the turd down to the trailer and was soon on the way to the scrap yard. While on the way the car nearly fell of the trailer through the centre of a village because of it fell off the concrete blocks but managed to stop it sliding off with the winch on the trailer.



Once there weighed it in, got £30 for it which is not bad for not a lot of metal. Videoed it being crushed but can't post the video so got some photos of it.







A couple of days after that, stripped down the rear axle and found 50mm lowering blocks already on the leaf springs but these won't be needed as getting the 75mm ones.



So that's it really but one question for any clued up Volvo guys. I have taken the m90 gearbox off the b230 and found this sensor which I am unsure if it is needed. I think it is a RPM sensor but not certain.

 

Thanks guys will start modifying the 360 bell housing so it will fit, not a hard job just a bit of cutting.
Anyway while I was out for the day, my dad cracked on and stripped the rear hubs off the beam and then attacked the beam with a wire wheel, cleaned the beam up and cut all the brake line guides off which aren't needed. Thankyou saves me a job!

If you look in the pics you can see the old man's tool kit too !!!

 

So update time!

Firstly I started stripping the auto gearbox and diff out of the 340 which we put up in the air.


Man!! This thing weighs a tonne, trying to drag this thing across the floor from under the car in the freezing cold.

Once that was out the way started to take out the engine, I dropped the coolant out of it and lets just say it was just orange with rush particles so not great anyway now that was out I realised that the whole front end had to come out to get the radiator out and I need to mock up where the intercooler can fit behind the front bumper.



When taking the front end apart I found that the front end wasn't what we had been told, the car seems like its been crashed but only lightly because where the bumper bolts onto the body all the mounts has been bent backwards as well as the bumper bar meaning it took nearly hour to get it off.

 

As the whole rear auto setup was out of the car, I started to build up the new manual rear end up with the newly painted rear beam.


Fitted the 50mm lowering blocks to the beam as well, waiting for 75mm lowering blocks to come but 50mm will do for now to build up the car so it can be put on the floor.

 

Update time!

So it was time to get the 1.4l engine out of the 340, as in the barn it was at least -5 degrees. I didn't really want to wait around so I sawn through all the pipes and disconnected the wires or the lack of them. Crazy how simple these engines and cars are.



As the exhaust manifold goes around the steering column, it was in the arse to get the engine out. So after a lot of blood, no sweat as it was too cold and a few tears. The engine out and on the floor, next is to put the 2.3 turbo redblock in and the running gear. This means the car is not fair off being finished after that it is in, its just wiring.



Something is missing!!!!!!

 

So a little update, as the engines out we took the front brace out to cut the original engine mounts off and repainted the brace. Dad also welded some thicker plates for the anti-roll bar mount and the mounting points on the chassis rails for the brace.




Also test fitted the 2.3 redblock turbo in the engine bay, lets just say we didn't get far as the engine is rear sump so the sump hits the steering rack. The heater box has got to come out as well to give a bit more room for getting the engine in, the 360 engine mounts fit on the 2.3 block as they should but the turbo oil return pipe gets in the way so will make a new one. The water feed and the return will be redo to route them a little better as well. Everything else is fine, swapping the 2.3 sump for the 2 litre sump so will fit the 340. happy days more work than realised but that's the fun of it right.


Final part of the update is, I got my new wheels from the painters and I love them . Sizes are 14" x 8j all round and unknown offset but will get some 10mm slip on spacers to fill the arches a little bit more.

 

Update

Now I am very happy, project is moving forward and a date has been set for it to be finished so its full steam ahead and get me on the road with this thing!

So gearbox, diff and gear linkage is in fitted and done.




Also as said in the last update the sump on the 2.3 redblock wasn't going to fit as it is a rear sump. Our worry was that the oil pickups on the 2 litre block and 2.3 would be different but when we took the sumps off they are in the same place on the block just the pickup that goes to the sump is shaped differently, so the engine will be fitted very soon with the new sump and pickup.

 

Update inbound sorry for the massive time gap but a lot has been done so that's always a good thing!!!

 

So a long need update!
Managed to get my hands on so Land Rover 90 Shocks to go on the back and they are massive compared to the standard shocks and I can tell they are a hell load harder as well so skids will be easy. Which is good!



They were surprisingly easy to fit as well which is nice, only had to knock out a sleeve out of the stand bushes to accommodate the bigger thread for the landy shocks.


Also got all the rear beam back together which have been painted black and the leaf springs have been poly bushed using ClassicSwedes bushes and all new bolts and nuts. Hopefully once the car is finished the whole car will be poly bushed.



Built the drum brakes up with new springs and seats also supplied by ClassicSwede.



Got all the beam on the car, bolted up and ready to go. It's a shame none of the rest of the car is ready.


Finally test fitted my wheels on the back and lucky they don't catch the shock which is a common problem with the bigger landy shocks but they do catch on the lower plate. Will cut about 10 mm of the plate and then fit a 10mm slip on spacer of the wheel to space it out a little to give a bit better fitment as well because the car is so low!!


Till next time followers!!