I also decided to try swapping the front suspension to phase2. Basically that is just a different strut top, bearing, and spring perch. I think it will work, because phase1 and phase2 have interchangeable dampers and all this stuff mounts to the top of the damper so fingers crossed.

I'm not 100% sure if it's doable, but it seems like it is, and phase2 parts are much easier to get so I figure it's worth a shot.

Basically I have bought this kit, minus the bellows and bump stops (the front dampers are not stock, they are Bilsteins.

8 days later

Mounts have arrived, and oil cooler hoses and some other bits should arrive before the weekend. After this hopefully all that is left is a set of pads for the front brakes.

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92A is pretty hard - like nearly 'skateboard wheel' hard.
Be super careful not to damage the original bush shell too when removing the old bush material.

Might be ok with all other bushes as oem rubber and in good order. Might be terrible.
Good luck!

Yeah will be interesting, if they are too harsh I can always put OE mounts back in, but I would like to take this car for some hillclimb as that seems to be what it was setup for, so harsh mounts aren't the end of the world.

I noticed someone was selling front+rear strut braces for an S40 too 👀

You just need to be selective about where you use hard urethane or delrin etc mounts.
I've got Delrin subframe mounts in my V70, along with solid strut mounts/camber plates. All the other bushes are new oem rubber in the front.
I tried a delrin upper torque mount (ie top of the engine where the firewall brace connects to the engine, the big one). Too much increase in NVH for me and you could feel it through the steering wheel. Swapped that out for a considerably softer urethane mount and all good.

There’s a free N/A 1999 near Melbourne, non runner .

Hi James. Your mention of hillclimb caught my attention, do you contest any championship?

None, I've never done any competitive hillclimb, this car seems like it is a good entry-level choice.

Replaced the oil cooler hoses

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Also replaced both engine mounts:

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And while I had the subframe out, I replaced the turbo oil drain gaskets

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I have got complete Phase 2 strut tops now, but unfortunately the top coil of the phase 1 spring is a different diameter to the phase2 spring.

If I can find some lowering springs locally for a reasonable price I'll probably pick them up and finish doing the phase 2 conversion, but for now I'm throwing the towel in, I've ordered some strut tops from a Mitsubishi Evo X that look compatible, I'll drop them in so I can rego the car.

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Also while I was under it on the weekend, I found the source of some of the suspension clunks,

there was a loose sway bar drop link bolt, and the east-west stabiliser bar underneath the car had both bolts loose. I am a bit sketched out by finding multiple loose fasteners, I think I am going to lift all four corners up and go over the suspension and see if anything else is loose.

Springs for the first gen S40/V40 are a bit of a challenge because of the variation between the years/facelifts. Add to that that the cars are old enough now that they've been messed with and there's additional complexity to contend with.
Springs are available though - we do a lot of Spax kits for them.

    AshDVS I want to run a phase 2 spring. Basically I want to convert the whole upper strut to phase 2, at this point I think it's just the spring itself that I need. The phase 1 and phase 2 shocks have the same part numbers so I'm assuming the lower spring seat is the same for both phase 1 and 2 springs.

    Purely because Phase 2 parts have been easy to get, and IMO the phase 2 strut top design is better,

      Evo10 tops don’t work. You need 49.

      The PCD of the 10 tops is smaller than the x40, CE, and Evo4-9 (etc).

      @Spac all good I don't know why I said Evo X, that scared me for a second, the ones I got were advertised for evo 4

      a month later

      Started it up to do the strut tops yesterday but it would only run on 2 cylinders. I took that as a sign to do the coilpack wiring, which I'd been putting off. I ended up cutting out quite a lot of harness, I did the coil wiring but I also repaired the head ground lead and resoldered the suppression cap that was hiding in the loom.

      I also helicoiled the threads for the bolts that hold the coilpacks down, both were stripped out.

      Apologies, the photo doesn't really do justice to how much work I put into it.

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      So hopefully will do the strut tops on Monday.

      Okay, the strut tops are finally done 🎉 so the car is ready enough for inspection.

      7 days later

      Blue slip passed 👌 will go get plates tomorrow

      Also, man tyres have got expensive lately. I'm looking for 195/55R16 or 205/45R16 205/50R16.

      Usually I'd run RE003s but that looks to be an $800 endeavour atm 😭

        Hilo , my guys put them on most of customers cars, X5, QAudis even.

        The stopgap tyres on my 90 were even cheaper than them ! While I sort other rims.

        They are good!!

        I used to have a T4 phase 1 and a half

        (2000 model in other words).It blew the head gasket..

        I have some parts I kept off it including the 2 front struts. They have the custom strut tops mounts that look like phase 2, but are a bit different . The Monroe shocks and the mounts were 3 months old when the head gasket blew. If you are interested, 150 bucks for the 2. They will slot straight into your car

        jamesinc

        Tyres for 16" are even stupid price on used ones on Marketplace!

        Have you thought of maybe 17" or 15"? Both cheaper in the size you would go and cheap rims available everywhere.

        I sometimes get lucky on Marketplace with near new sets for good price , gots to be quick though. ( theres a tyre shop guy who makes up sets from spares off customer cars , or the ones left when they do full set of new)

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