vw corrado/volvo s70 engine

[dan lewis]

Hi, I have an idea which is to fit a volvo s70 engine and gearbox and front subframe into my vw corrado, what I have done so far is to strip the volvo and I've cut the parts of the chassis out of the volvo shell where the volvo subframe originaly bolted to, now my idea is to weld these sections of Volvo chassis into the VW corrado and bolt the volvo. subframe straight into the corrado, and my question is, is is easier/better to do that or modify the corrado subframe to allow for the volvo engine and gearbox now I'm thinking if I use the volvo subframe its easier to mount the engine ect but the volvo is 4inches wider so trying to get the suspension to work properly could take some work any ideas would be greatly appreciated

 

[steveo3002]

id leave the orig subframe , steering , struts etc and try to mount the engine to that

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Don't forget as soon as you alter the Corrado by welding in the Volvo sections you are automatically into IVA test territory. Far better to adapt the subframe to fit or better still as, steve3002 says, leave original VW suspension, steering etc in situ and fit just the Volvo engine & box. I also query your decision of fitting Volvo engine & box when there are a far bigger choice of more powerful VW lumps that will fit in without such major surgery. Is it a case of you already have the S70 lying around ?

Paul H

 

[dan lewis]

Hi yeah basicaly I was going to put a 1.8t 20v engine in it or mayby a vr6 lump but loads of people have done that already, then I bought the volvo cheap and run it around for a bit and I thought as it is 240bhp standard because its the 2.3 it wouldn't take a lot to hit 300bhp and that's more than enough for a fwd car and its more of a challenge to see if I can auctually do it, plus the volvo always sounded cool I Just didn't really like the look of it lol!

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Anything is possible if you have the appropriate skills. However there is always the chance it won't work out the way you planned, impossible to get road legal / IVA etc so you end up with a scrap Corrado. If you are prepared to take that risk and have deep pockets "go for it". Don't underestimate the amount of work involved or the expense. It might seem that you will only need incidental parts as you have two complete vehicles as donors but the that is just the start of the money pit Even the IVA is going to cost you £450 and every fail £90 for a retest so don't forget to include that in your budget. Then insurance company might not be happy with such a conversions whereas the tried and tested 1.8T or VR6 would be acceptable. Also play with photoshop to see how you plan on having the bodywork with the Volvo track being wider. The result could look like a Chop Shop / Leepu creation (that's not a compliment) !

Paul H

 

[dadangerman]

I would definitely stick with the corrado subframe/suspension and steering so the handling isn't ruined, just make up some mounts.
if that fails, I have the whole front end of a golf gti 1.8t from behind gear selector for sale

 

[DrNik]

Whilst I'm not here to **** on Compo's comments there are lots of cars out there that have been radically altered and fall into the class of being IVA required. You'd only get "caught" if there were something serous like your using cloned numberplates, welding a bracket here and ain't going to cause an issue. If you weld a different front end on your local police ain't bothered. All I would say is get it properly insured. Tell them all modifications thoroughly. So then your ass is covered. I have seen some poorly modified cars which are structurally altered and they still pass an mot. So as long as the conversion is over engineered and some good welding crack on.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

If you do an engine change now DVLA want to know the providence of the donor so you are best making a copy of the donor V5 before sending it off as scrapped. This is due to emissions being based on the engine and not the car so a 2001 engine in a 1990 car would have to conform to 2001 limits (including CAT) and not 1990 as previously.

Paul H

 

[lshigham]

If you do an engine change now DVLA want to know the providence of the donor so you are best making a copy of the donor V5 before sending it off as scrapped. This is due to emissions being based on the engine and not the car so a 2001 engine in a 1990 car would have to conform to 2001 limits (including CAT) and not 1990 as previously.

Paul H

That's not the case paul, it's done on whatever is oldest, engine or car. From the MOT manual, section 7.3:

"Vehicles fitted with a different engine must be tested to the requirements of whichever is older, the engine or the vehicle. e.g. A 1995 car fitted with a 1991 engine (of whatever make), test to 1991 standards for emission purposes. Note: The onus is on the vehicle presenter to prove engine age"

Middle column at the top: http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_730.htm

 

[CompoSimmonite]

That's not the case paul, it's done on whatever is oldest, engine or car. From the MOT manual, section 7.3:

"Vehicles fitted with a different engine must be tested to the requirements of whichever is older, the engine or the vehicle. e.g. A 1995 car fitted with a 1991 engine (of whatever make), test to 1991 standards for emission purposes. Note: The onus is on the vehicle presenter to prove engine age"

Middle column at the top: http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_730.htm

I stand corrected and hold my head in shame

Paul H

 

[madkayaker]

Whilst I'm not here to **** on Compo's comments there are lots of cars out there that have been radically altered and fall into the class of being IVA required. You'd only get "caught" if there were something serous like your using cloned numberplates, welding a bracket here and ain't going to cause an issue. If you weld a different front end on your local police ain't bothered. All I would say is get it properly insured. Tell them all modifications thoroughly. So then your ass is covered. I have seen some poorly modified cars which are structurally altered and they still pass an mot. So as long as the conversion is over engineered and some good welding crack on.

It's all well and good being honest with insurance company but if the alterations take you into iva land and you haven't if you have an issue the insurance company will laugh and walk away and that's a whole new world of problems

 

[Wallace]

I stand corrected and hold my head in shame

Paul H

I'll sit on the naughty step with you Paul as I thought it was the other way!

 

[DrNik]

Thing about it is that the insurance would more than likely pay out as they haven't as yet pulled out of a claim of a car that was actually insured correctly, but wasn't put through an IVA, it would more than likely be the CPS that would prosecute, although there isn't (that I can find as yet) a case of a person dragged through the courts for failing to take their car for an IVA, there are too many scaremongers out there, who will put you off, building what you want, just build it and if your unsure use existing bolt holes and don't chop the shell, but in reality if your welding were good and the job of fitting the engine was good and had no correlation to an accident your car was in I can see no reason to take court action, for instance, someone runs into the back of you, and the insurance won't pay out because you've welded to the shell, well how many transits are running round with pigeon poo panels botch welded on...... Sorry for my ramblings