Practicle Performance Car

Post by **Stuntman** » 27 Feb 2006 02:36 pm

Whoo hoo, just a brief one this, I've just had a question about remote PAS pumps published in PPC, I was looking at ditching the belt diven pump and running a remote one from a merc or ford focus, it seems that the pump may be worth around 5Bhp,

Just thought I'd mention it

Post by **bennett** » 27 Feb 2006 11:14 pm

pug 106's have eletric pas pumps

Post by **foggyjames** » 28 Feb 2006 12:44 am

They seem like a cool bunch of guys, but typically closed-minded of the UK scene when it comes to what to play with, and how to do it. Just check out the page on their site about the P1800...they were going to stick a Rover V8 in it for flying fricks sake. Also the extensive references to how reluctant they were to use the 5 pot. Rover V8, or turbo whiteblock. Let me think about that one for a second...

Remember that the power isn't free - it'll just put more load on your alternator. It may well free up power overall...but at best the load is transferred to something more efficient, not removed. Good work on the publication. I'd love to get a couple of 300s in there in the next year or so - when we have more suitable vehicles.

cheers

James

Post by **Stuntman** » 28 Feb 2006 09:16 am

I used to work for 'Parts for Older Cars' in mansfiled when I left school, so I've spoke to Kev and Will a few times over the years, kev a has a soft spot for unloved english cars, and they will be happy to put in suitably modified and easy to live with 300.

Post by **foggyjames** » 28 Feb 2006 09:57 am

The basis for my dig was that I got a free copy of the mag a while back, and there was a shot at Volvos or their drivers on virtually every other page. Sounds like a challenge to me...

cheers

James

Post by **d3k4y0** » 28 Feb 2006 11:11 am

http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... php?t=2044
this is why I have no time for PPC

Post by **alistairolsen** » 28 Feb 2006 06:08 pm

TBH, i dont know what your beef with the mag is. Its an excellent publication with a lot of useful info.

I drive a nova. I drive it because it is the best handling/fastest car that i could build on a budget and insure cheaply. I happen to love the looks of it, but Im fully aware its not the greatest car ever built. Ive got used to folk slating them as chav boyracer cars, and the general lack of respect they have outwith the nova community.

You own volvos of various forms and have your own reasons. It still doesnt alter the fact that of volvos total build number there are more sat in the first 2 lanes of british motorways being drivin improperly, or on country roads with caravans, than in the hands of enthusiasts, and as such, people will stereotype them.

Please, try to be mature enough not to take notice of them!

Post by **d3k4y0** » 28 Feb 2006 06:25 pm

alistairolsen wrote: I drive a nova.

I set fire to my nova... and crashed it... and blew up the engine... then sold it

I liked that car quite a lot, it was nippy (up to about 40mph) it was very predictable in bends in any weather and it ever cost more than a tenner to fix when it went wrong! I just lost faith in it when it threw the cylinder head gasket on the busiest roundabout in the north west, but at the same time I got insured on my dad's 340 (the panther) and as soon as I sat in it I didn't want to get out again!

edit: in my first year it cost £1400 for the insurance on the 1L nova, by the time i had 2 years ncb and got the volvo it was £800 on the nova or £900 on the volvo... i really hope the recent influx of dorriftos doesn't mean that we'll all get tarred and feathered at the insurance brokers

Post by **Stuntman** » 28 Feb 2006 06:52 pm

I know what everyone means, but surely we can do something about the image, there are enough people here building fats cars and drifters and evern dai's rally project to show the public what a fun usable car the 300 series is, maybe we need a bit more publicity???

Post by **340GLT** » 28 Feb 2006 06:53 pm

Well i have the loud 300!!!! Oh to have the time to put the other engine in!!!!

Cheers Adam

Post by **SteveP** » 28 Feb 2006 06:59 pm

Do we want to have more publicity though? I quite like driving something that to others is 'undiscovered' and unknown. Hell.. most people think they're front wheel drive or are all 1.4s for a start.

I don't think anyone was taking any of PPC speak to heart - quite frankly do we realy care about the existing Volvo image if we own a 300?

Also... Rover V8? Bloody hell... there are far better alternate options.

Post by **alistairolsen** » 28 Feb 2006 07:11 pm

at the end of the day, to date, including modifications it owes me about 1500 quid. Its got the best part of 100hp, corners like its on rails and stands on its nose under braking.

im looking for a rwd car, so again ive found the best basis for the project for being cheap, easy to work on etc.

TBH I dont have enough time to care about what folk think of my cars.

Post by **foggyjames** » 28 Feb 2006 10:32 pm

alistairolsen wrote:Please, try to be mature enough not to take notice of them!

It doesn't bother me in the slightest...but do they really think I'm going to buy their magazine if all they do is blindly slate the cars I'm interested in turning into practical performance cars? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. I also think it's pretty short sighted of them, as the RWD Volvo performance scene is growing rapidly.

If they want to have a good diss, they should have a go at drivers of Xsara Picassos, and Megane Scenics (especially the former). They're the new Volvos in terms of being driven by incompetant fools, but they're nowhere near their target audience.

cheers

James

Post by **Andy's-Old-Beast** » 28 Feb 2006 11:16 pm

foggyjames wrote:If they want to have a good diss, they should have a go at drivers of Xsara Picassos, and Megane Scenics (especially the former). They're the new Volvos in terms of being driven by incompetant fools, but they're nowhere near their target audience.

Agreed, it's like people who still make Skoda jokes, long after Skoda started making decent cars! The stereotypical Volvo driver has largely moved on, leaving the RWD fun for us.

If they wanted a stereotype, the incompetent driver being constantly distracted by screaming kids has moved into people carriers and soft-roaders, while the aggressive rep who can't wait to cut you up and push in front of you now favours the BMW.

However I would say these are generalisations and there are plenty of exceptions. As we are discovering, it is no fun being tarred with the brushes of others.

I reckon it's up to us to change people's expectations of a 300 driver. There is little funnier than the look on someone's face when I out-accellerate them from the lights in my rusty old 360, after they've decided that I'm a pensioner who is going to dawdle and be easy to get in front of. Suprise!

Cheers

Post by **alistairolsen** » 28 Feb 2006 11:31 pm

Indeed, just enhoy driving a car that no one knows about or understands. i gave up defending my choice of car ages ago.

Dont bother trying to educate people, we only get so many breaths on this earth and im not wasting mine on deaf ears.

yes the volvo stereotype is used in PPC, but generally referring to 740 estates and newer moels driven badly by old folk. As you say, its bad being tarred with the same brush as them, but there are also constat gibes towards chav novas and fwd tin cans on every page. Just enjoy the mag for its technical depth and stop whinging!