LeMons Volvo project

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343Saturn
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by 343Saturn »

7:00 it is then...hopefully everyone is ok with this being mainly a planning meeting because I don't think we will be able to do much with the car.

Jared - sorry to see you drop out but as Jim said feel free to stop by any time.

For the remaining team, I may have another driver that is interested in filling the slot - I will verify at work on Monday.
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skivittlerjimb
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by skivittlerjimb »

Quick update- looks like we can score a straight up trade of one set of our puny 14" x 5.5" wheels for a set of manly Volvo alloy 15" x 6"s from a local Volvo enthusiast friend. That should improve our rubber choice options quite a bit. We'll still need a back up set of wheels and tires for the race, of course, but I want to make sure the VL (Volvo Lemons) crew is ok with making this trade.

For 14"s, just checking Tire Rack for 195/60R14, we're pretty much limited to Yoko ES100 (a decent tire, but easy to overheat from my experience with it at SLMP a few years back) or Hankook Ventus RS2 (probably going to wear out fast and I think below the treadwear rule #) or Sumitomo HTR 200 (cheap, 380 treadwear rating, maybe we have a winner?). Open it up to higher perf. all seasons and you get a few more choices for 14"s.. For 15"s, our choices grow exponentially.

A set of either 205/50R15s (max width for 6"s) or 195/60R14s (max width for 5.5") would lower our gearing about 10% from the stock tires size on this car (195/75R14).

Thoughts? I can probably make the trade this weekend if we want.

Oh, and this same friend is also letting us have a set of decent shocks! :D
-Jim B.
'92 GVR4 280/1000
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Dave_G
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by Dave_G »

Great score, Jim! Do it! As every Miata owner knows, 15s are about a thousand times better for tire choices. 14-inch tires seem to be going the way of the dodo.
Dave GuertinImage
'90 Miata (summer fun)
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'04 Mazda 6s wagon (family fun)
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Mr. Bridgestone
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by Mr. Bridgestone »

Dave_G wrote:Great score, Jim! Do it! As every Miata owner knows, 15s are about a thousand times better for tire choices. 14-inch tires seem to be going the way of the dodo.
Exactly the reason I am getting rid of the 14" wheels for the Miata. There are limited tire choices out there in 14". In about 2-3 years, there will be about 4 14" tire sizes made in new tires (as they are released). From a manuafacturer stand point it kind of makes sense. There are fewer and fewer new cars coming OE with 14" tires, so why continue to produce them in the new tire lines? Currently, there are something like 14 cars produced with OE 14" tires. 13" tires are pretty much dead. 12" tires are dead. The trend is definately heading toward low profile and performance tires. Almost all cars now come with T speed rated tires of higher. The most popular being H and V rated tires... :D
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Autofile242

Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by Autofile242 »

Hi guys ... I have a slightly larger than stock rear swaybar that you can use (as long as I can have it back when your done. also have some cheap/free suspension upgrade Ideas for you. Hit me back or call me 233-1709. hope the project is going well. Charlie
jkale
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by jkale »

Jim,
I gave you a call yesterday about the cage and left a message. Gimme a call back at 316-4240. I can definitely fit it in before may.
-Joey Kale

95 Impreza 2dr.-->seam welded/caged
w/--> 2.5L 6spd GT3071R+water/meth
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gtivr4
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by gtivr4 »

Maybe you can use this as inspiration for graphics on the car

Image
Nathan Dana
1990 Miata, 1992 Volvo Cow, 1997 Sonoma, 2012 Locost 7
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skivittlerjimb
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by skivittlerjimb »

I'm thinking more along these lines for our graphics package:

Image

Just flip that upside down, with the udder on the roof, four legs sticking out of the roof corners, and some sort of horns coming out of the hood , and probably a tongue and eyes somewhere, too. Voila, the Vermont Cow Tippers.

First things first- DaveG... Russ and Jason and I are voting for an open diff. for cheapness and availability. Are you OK with that? How fast can we source one? We need to get Joey started on our cage.

-Jim B.
Vermont Cow Tippers
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Dave_G
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by Dave_G »

skivittlerjimb wrote:First things first- DaveG... Russ and Jason and I are voting for an open diff. for cheapness and availability. Are you OK with that? How fast can we source one? We need to get Joey started on our cage.
Given how impossible it has been to find a LSD, at this point I don't think we have any other choice but to go with an open diff. It'll just make our slow car slower, which we will simply need to make up for in other places, such as paint scheme and attitude. :) I'll give Packard's a call tomorrow and see if I can pick one up.
Dave GuertinImage
'90 Miata (summer fun)
'91 BMW 325iX (winter fun) oo=[][]=oo
'04 Mazda 6s wagon (family fun)
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sachilles
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Re: LeMons Volvo project

Post by sachilles »

Could you guys weld the diff?
Sachilles
02 Subaru impreza sedan made from spare parts (Scrappy)
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