The LOLvo ...... aka The little red wagon that could

[KatoKid]

Next is bump stops. Never having had a drag and drive car thar will probably need to tow a trailer we are concerned with pounding our rear shocks on bumpy country roads so have taken the position that we need effective chassis bump stops that dont rely on the shock bump stops. The original Volvo stops are long and pretty compliant so we wanted something more positive so that when the bumps contacted they didn't compress very much or at all.

A trip to Pick a Part yielded some bumps stops off a white van (L300 I think) which were very solid and should fit the bill. With some fabricated brackets these sit in the same positiuon as the Volvo stops and provide 7mm of shaft travel before the shock bumps bottom out. Hopefully this will be sufficient to protect the shocks but we can add more if neeeds be.

 

[KatoKid]

The top shock mounts, bumps stops and ARB chassis mounts all occupy the same real estate so we thought it best to fit and confirm the springs and everyting else would all clear. Fortunately they do but everything is very close and tightly packaged but will work. Pretty releived that we could fit this all in under a stock floor pan!

[KatoKid]

Finished final location of ARB arms so tacked to the bar. Likewise for lower mounts to housing and final length of moly tube for drop links.

Now its time to weld!

[KatoKid]

Bit of a waiting game at the moment......turbo is ordered, pistons and rods ordered, 9" centre is ordered. Good news is that spacers for lower shock brackets, panhard rod and front 4 link mounts are done:

 

 

 

 

 

[KatoKid]

Picked up a few bits today.

9" centre: nodular, 1350 yoke, fully studded, tru trac, 3.5. Rear end is now finished other than brake lines so can go together for final time and the car will be a roller finally. Keen to vacate the hoist as I've got other cars that need attention and I refuse to do it on the ground!

CP pistons and Callies rods

[KatoKid]

Its a roller.

Diff centre in and everything else all bolted on at the same time for the first time. Ride height is near spot on with no preload and enough scope in the shocks to lower it a bit more yet. Will need some serious lows in the front though.

Turbo manifolds will be ordinary log manifolds but room is a bit tight on the drivers side rear so invested in one of these https://www.stsmachininginc.com/coll...olvo-1993-1975

Standard steering shaft has a bulky rubber isolator built in and with the straight STS shaft there is actually enough room to bolt in a VE LS3 manifold but it just touches and no way of making more room. I fully expected to have to do fabricated manifolds for both sides so no great issue.

Just for shits and giggles I chucked the other manifold on the passenger side......this could work with a reverse rotation turbo or you could do something ghetto with a normal rotation.

[PeterAllen]

"STS shaft" ????
I'm having some issues setting up the Bolwell steering shaft.

[KatoKid]

In the US so probably not much use to you. Any competent machine shop should be able to spline a shaft if thats what you need?

[PeterAllen]

Thanks Dave. I make most of the bits at the local Men's Shed. They have a good machine shop. Bespoke machining at commercial shops is a bit pricey compared to off-the-shelf items. 

Had a bit of a breakthrough on the steering today so starting to come together... perseverance is often the answer.

Interesting that the 4-link Panhard set-up I've just completed ran a similar timeline to yours.

 

PS. After-market LSx rocker rcovers are taller than standard. Don't get caught out on clearances. 

Edited July 27, 2023 by PeterAllen

[KatoKid]

Looks great Peter! 

Thanks for the rocker cover reminder