DVS LT Vocus XR5 - 93% Volvo content

AshDVS · 2016-03-06T11:29:20+00:00

We'd been looking for a P1 platform car for a little while and the delayed sale of our V70 meant that the C30 we'd had our eye on didn't work out. So, we de...

AshDVS

I finally got the Focus RS style vacuum line routing finished off last night as the hard plastic vacuum lines section I needed arrived yesterday afternoon.

Next up is to swap to the Focus RS ECU enclosure and get the Focus RS airbox fitted and ducting finalised before the front bar goes back on.

Philia_Bear

AshDVS;99879 wroteI finally got the Focus RS style vacuum line routing finished off last night as the hard plastic vacuum lines section I needed arrived yesterday afternoon.

Next up is to swap to the Focus RS ECU enclosure and get the Focus RS airbox fitted and ducting finalised before the front bar goes back on.

Pics!

AshDVS

I'll snap some more under-bonnet ones once I've got the ECU holder and airbox in.

Here's a couple of fresh outside ones though -

AshDVS

A little bit of progress lately -
* Picked up a spare M66 box. Will probably fit a Quaife to it, fit the Focus RS clutch and swap it over.
* I've got the Focus RS ECU holder, so will relocate the ECU this week and then work through the airbox install.
* Some of the panels are away being painted so I should be able to start getting it back together in the next couple of weeks.
* The GAZ rear spring perches and another pair of springs arrived so I'll remove the Heico/KW perches and fit the GAZ ones next time it's on the hoist.

AshDVS

Quite a while back, when I was first considering the RS airbox swap, I'd believed that the RS battery box bracket was different to include a mounting tab for the airbox. Then I was convinced they were the same part but more recently I've re-confirmed they are indeed different.

Here's the visual confirmation. On the left is the bracket used in the LS-LV Focus XR5. On the right is the bracket used in LV Focus RS -

There's a bit of mis-information around about it and even some of the Ford Microcat drawings that dealers use to work out parts are incorrect.

Aside from all that, I've been working through oil cooler options too.
Rather than keep with the little cooler mounted on the back of the sump, I'll run an external cooler, mounted to the front bar reo.
The reo is an odd shape so I've ended up with an odd looking mount with a few hand-cuts as well and it partly follows the curve of the bar reo.

I had a small 6 row Serck oil cooler but actually ended up using the Volvo 740T oil cooler that I had in my 240.

AshDVS

Oil cooler mounted, though still waiting on some additional fittings and hose -

AshDVS

This arrived today. It's what'll go at the other end of the oil lines.
It replaces the factory tiny oil cooler on the back of the sump, and allows you to run lines to (and from) an external oil cooler.

The Airtec/AS one is neat as it is machined from a single block of aluminium.

Ex850R

Kool!
Exx$y?

I used to TIG up all sorts of hydraulic adaptors for the Blakiston and Shortell division of J C Brown's in Sth Geelong (the Festo and other major fittings supplies)

I like this machined from one bullet though!

AshDVS

For what it is, pricing was pretty good - around $160.00
Hopefully we'll be able to add them to our offerings shortly.

I thought about making my own, but this being machined from a single billet was pretty appealing, so went that way instead.

On top of all that, the grille and foglight surrounds are painted, ECU has been relocated, Focus RS vac line conversion is complete and I'll get the battery tray swapped over in the next few days.
I still have to modify the Focus RS airbox and test mount it a few times while I work out the plumbing for duct-work.

The things I didnt paint myself - front bar, LF guard, skirt ends, etc - should be back this weekend.

AshDVS

Didn't get too much done on the Vocus over the weekend, but did assemble the press and started on getting the parts back together that came back from paint.

I painted the foglight surrounds in a textured satin black - commonly used for textured plastic bumpers - and had the little edge trims painted in body colour.
This helps make them look a bit smaller and cleans up the dull grey and silver they'd normally have.

See -

AshDVS

I've been spending a bit of time working on the Vocus between other things so progress has been slow.
I've now got the Focus RS battery tray bracket in, the battery box back in and have had the Focus RS airbox in and out a few times while working out how to re-route some of the wiring looms, making a list of hoses and finalising the route of the pipe between the duct and the airbox.

Battery tray bracket in place -

Here's the bumper sitting on the car -

I'm not 100% happy with the duct so I've ordered another one, which I should be able to get looking a bit neater.

The finish on the duct is a really rough textured black plastic and the moulding marks are pretty rough. It gained a few scuffs and scrapes from being in and out of the bar originally, etc. To tidy it up I painted it in the same textured satin black as the grille, however as it flexes and shapes itself to the hole in the bar, the paint is not flexible enough and cracks a little and looks untidy.

LF guard is finally now back on and aligned and the skirt end is in place and the sikaflex is drying -

sucksqueezebangblow

What sort of tuning will you end up doing?

AshDVS

It'll really depend on a few different factors.
We're always looking to forge new relationships with similarly-focused businesses so that we can expand our offerings with products that we feel are a good fit for our own business.

If I was set on doing that right now, it'd likely be one of the PumaSpeed or Dreamscience products we can offer.

That's a little way off though, the to-do list is still fairly long and I'd like to do enough driving in it first to have confidence in its reliability.

AshDVS

The Easter weekend afforded me some time here and there to get few things done.
I finished off the inlet to fit into the bottom of the Focus RS airbox, got the front bar on the car for the last time, grille back in, RH headlight in, etc, etc.

I got a pair of brand new headlights for it a while back, which make a nice visual difference to plastic lensed lights that have seen 10 years of gravel rash.

The inlet was pop-riveted and bonded into the bottom of the RS airbox (paint on that is drying now).
Once that's done, I'll cut the hose to length and fit the the airbox for the last time.
LH headlight is still out of the car until the airbox is in, as is the LF guard liner - this gives me space to connect the hose, etc.

Here's where things finished up -

AshDVS

Focus RS airbox is in for the last time, the duct in the bar is plumbed to the inlet in the base of the airbox and the LH headlight is in.

It's actually amazing how much neater new headlights can make a car look.
No matter, they'll be gravel rashed again in no time!

AshDVS

Got a few things back together today as well to tidy it up a bit more.
The 'slam panel' for a Focus RS was horrendously priced (my buy was nearly $600!!) so I modified one from a Diesel Focus to fit ($54).

I'm just waiting for the 90deg reducer to go between the MAF and airbox.
I'll need to shorten the upper intake pipe a little, to move the MAF toward the firewall as well, but that wont take long.

I've got a plenum coming as well but that isn't important just yet.
Here's a fairly tidy, almost stock looking, engine bay -

Ex850R

Leave that plastic on the headlight!
Ever put that film on lights to protect?. Xpel?

Philia_Bear

@AshDVS
I dare you to cable lock the key to the bumper

AshDVS

Ex850R;105336 wroteLeave that plastic on the headlight!
Ever put that film on lights to protect?. Xpel?

It can stay while I'm working on it and leaning over the front of it. I'll peel it off later on.
Never used any of that sort of stuff. Though I've never broken a headlight either

Philia_Bear;105337 wrote@AshDVS
I dare you to cable lock the key to the bumper

he he.
I actually probably should have just removed the stupid lock, but got in the groove and made the grille pretty.

Philia_Bear

BTW... when does the new coolant tank show up?

« Previous Page Next Page »