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  • DVS LT Vocus XR5 - 93% Volvo content

Philia_Bear;70355 wroteI remember the gearshift from the Mazda 3 of the same vintage being available in alloy in the sp23 or some such and looking quite good
Maybe try and track one down and see if it gives it a better look than the ford unit
The shifter/knob from an LV Focus XR5 is a lot nicer looking, so I'm now going to go that way.
I've got a gear knob from an LV Focus RS coming and I'll use a boot and surround from an LV XR5.
Philia_Bear;70355 wrote Also what do you have planned for the steering wheel? Any retrimming like you did on the v70?
I had the guys from Redline (who did the handbrake boot and console lid for the V70) sent out a gear shift boot and a handbrake boot in alcantara already. The handrake boot will fit the LT XR5 console, but as I'm changing to LV, it's now of no use to me.
The shift boot they sent across doesn't fit any of the LS-LV Focus models. My guess is that it's for an LR model, so they're trying to work out what to do and they'll get back to me.

I'll use the stock LV ones, until we work out whats happening or I may have a local trimmer make the right ones for me and I'll provide samples to use as a pattern.

I've got a Steering wheel off being retrimmed. With the V70, I used Royal Steering wheels in the UK, so I did the same this time. Rather than send a steering wheel to the UK this time around (expensive), I bought a steering wheel via UK ebay and had the seller send it to them.
I'll swap it over once I've got the airbag light issue resolved, so as not to confuse matters too much.

In the UK, the XR5 is badged as the ST, so the UK-sourced steering wheel has a cool little ST logo on the lower spoke, which is kinda neat.

6 days later
I had a little bit of time today so started looking at getting the LV XR5 console into the LT XR5.
It isnt difficult but isnt straightforward either as it requires a couple of locating holes to be drilled into the lower LS/LT dash. The LV XR5 console has lugs/dowls that line up in the main dash using these.

I swapped over the head unit as well to one in much better condition and fitted the carbon radio surround and lower switch surround from an LV XR5 to replace my rather bland grey plastic.

I also got the outer kick panels in the footwells swapped of to ones from an LV (they're lighter grey and will go better with the LV XR5 console).

I've got a little bit of wiring to do. moving to the LV console sees the location of the cigarette lighter/12V socket move from the dash itself into the console bin and I'm going to mount a usb charger where the 'start' push button would be on an LV XR5.

Here's a couple of pics -







Watching with interest. S60 Polestar is still a little too expensive for a toy so next project will probably be a P1.

Although mine will have slightly higher Volvo content :D
The P1 interior looks 1 million times better than the ford one....
Rob;70715 wroteWatching with interest. S60 Polestar is still a little too expensive for a toy so next project will probably be a P1.

Although mine will have slightly higher Volvo content :D
I don't have any interest in the new S60/V60 shapes, but I don't yet see too many enquiries other than service parts, so a P1 car was always going to be the next one. The Ford and Volvo are of the most interest as they have the most in common.

Aiming for 97%?
There is an amazing amount of stuff throughout the thing with the Volvo logo cast into it, right from brackets and pressings in the body, through to just about everything in the engine bay.
I wouldn't be surprised to find some Mazda stuff either.
Philia_Bear;70716 wroteThe P1 interior looks 1 million times better than the ford one....
The focus interior has certainly dated the most of the 3 P1 variants. The Volvo is certainly the simplest looking at a glance and therefore looks cleaner and is taking longer to feel dated.

The Mazda3 MPS interior is pretty impressive to look at and has a more expensive feel than the Focus too.
Even the Focus leather interior is a bit ordinary and goes back to my thoughts that both Holden and Ford don't do decent leather interiors.

Mine might end up with LV Focus XR5 seats yet, but I'm not sure. I want to see how the current seats come out with a scrub.


You decided on what shock/spring setup your going to do with it?
I need to order something soon and still cant decide...
Philia_Bear;70736 wroteYou decided on what shock/spring setup your going to do with it?
I need to order something soon and still cant decide...
Yes. I have most of the hardware already.

Front - Heico coilovers (rebranded KW & Eibach)
Rear - Heico adjustable perches and springs (rebranded KW & Eibach) with GAZ Gold adjustable shocks.

I'll go with an adjustable mount up front too and may change rear spring rate a little, but I'll know that once I do some driving with it.
I may swap the front coilovers out for some GAZ Gold ones down the track too.

I'll get it through the RWC process first and then get onto it, once the maintenance tasks are done and I've done some more general tidying up.

Then its intercooler, plenum, exhaust, injectors and a tune.
I may look at the turbo after that, but all of this will take time - it doesn't get touched while I have customer work to do.
Heico appear to be really good value and option

You should PM me RE: the turbo, I have something interesting in development
Philia_Bear;70752 wroteHeico appear to be really good value and option.
I've had this set since last year but on-sold the rear shock absorbers so have a pair of GAZ Gold adjustables coming with a GAZ order that is currently in transit.

The good thing its that these would have been suitable with whichever I'd ended up with C30/S40/V50/Focus XR5.
Philia_Bear;70752 wrote You should PM me RE: the turbo, I have something interesting in development
I may do at some point, though it'll be a little way down the track.
Cheers!
Saw this parked at Dan Murphys tonight, note the extra Volvo content...

Thats Dan's car. He works at the bottle shop.
He also has a wild VL turbo!
As I'm using an LV XR5 centre console, I'm left with the hole where the push button start would be.
In it's place I'll have a USB charging socket which I got mounted in the console top piece today. It required a simple bracket/spacer on the underside to get it to fit and will take power from the 12V source that runs to the socket/cigarette lighter.

With a bit of messing around to satisfy my OCD, I extended the loom in the console and spliced in the USB power socket. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - it looks almost factory.

I've swapped over to the LV Focus XR5 kick panels too as these match the lighter grey of the LV console.

I've had a few issues with Redline making up the wrong shift boot. I'll send theirs and another back to them so that they can make a pattern for anyone who needs one in future. I ended up sourcing a LV Focus RS shift boot and knob and using that.
The blue detail suits the interior quite well.

The seats still need a clean and I'll rid the thing of the horrible red footwell lighting.





My 'ST' steering wheel arrived back today from Royal Steering wheels too - as per the V70, trademark teal stitching is there. :)




My Ford/Mazda IDS device and software arrived too but I cant make use of it until I get a ODBII extension cable. :(
The ODBII port is in the most annoying place ever.

The stereo needs an update so badly
It's killing the dash
7 days later
Philia_Bear;71234 wroteThe stereo needs an update so badly
It's killing the dash
There are some good plug-and-play options out there that fit into the dash insert opening without any cutting or additional surrounds.
I'm not much of a stereo person though, so if I replace it with an aftermarket one at all, it'll be right at the bottom of the list.

I'm onto an LV Focus rear hatch at the moment (panel pressing is different and looks a bit more aggressive) which I'll pick up next weekend, other than that it's dropping things off for painting etc.

We've had a few weddings and things on of late so there hasnt been much time to sink my teeth into anything more serious.

Slowly, slowly I guess.
Love Ford Focus XR5'S especially my youngests Sons one a total Hot Hatch made 500bhp but fuel system couldn't keep up so more modification needed!
XR5s look great in white! The slightly different bodyline of the LV and the more aggressively style tailgate are a nice improvement too. I'd have like to have picked up an LV instead of our LT, but the price was right!

Looks like a really neat car. We offer PumaSpeed products, so if he needs anything for it, drop us an email via our website and have him mention you're a member of this forum.
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