Considering a Sir harmony Redux or Sir Harmony 3.0

[Sir Harmony]

Gentlemen, it's been a while since I made an appearance here. I totaled my S60 months ago. While it's labeled as totaled, its not bad at all. In this case the damage was on the soft components, namely hood, fenders, bumper, radiator, condenser, headlamps, reservoir, intake manifold, etc. The frame was completely unscathed because the collision happened above the rails and even airbag sensor. When this happened, I considered it a mixed blessing because despite all my mods, I could finally move onto a platform where the fruits of my labor could destroy M3's rather than just run with them. I've had persistent dreams of a 560hp m5 (post 2013), Rs7, and to a lesser extent, an S6 and S7 (all post 2012 with the 4.0 TT motor). {no M3's or S4's as their outputs would not satisfy my thirst. More importantly though, cabin room is limited as in the case of the s60}. In a year, I could churn out an 800hp grocery getter. I thought my decision was all but certain, until this past week. The ****ers at the insurance company are slower than molasses and that has given me ample time to weigh my options. I could buy back the S60 from the insurance company and very easily fix it myself. I do mean that because the car's blueprint is in my head. I would update the front end with a 2015 R/Design scheme. I already had paddle shifters, TFT upgrade for years, etc. I'm not concerned about the residual value the vehicle would have. I'm already thinking that the head would be coming off for a port job (if I do keep the car). I mean pre crash I think I had one of the faster p3's.

Below is a picture in its former glory. This was the lowly P3 that ruled with not-so subtle burps, wicked pulls, and screaming sinister turbo whines. If I came back into the fold, I would be upping the game a bit. But I wonder though if anyone is still in the performance aspect of this. The sub-forum is overwhelmingly TFT upgrade related. The 04lss's, the former cmods, the bunspeeds, etc, of the world. Have you all faded into other platforms or are you lurking? Did the term 'performance' completely shift to the polestar guys? Is it worth bringing back the madness?

[limey]

A few of those guys are still around, myself included. I’m slowly picking away at the speed mods and heading to the track when it’s finally open. I’d say buy it back and see what you can do with it. Port and polish sounds good, have you swapped the compressor wheel in the turbo yet?

[emgrock1]

While fairly new to the world of Volvo, I certainly fantasize of a high horsepower V60.

These vehicles are tough though... And not in the sense that they're durable but in the fact that they really aren't that capable. If you're able to get some nice power out of the engine VIA costly speed parts, what do you do with driveline? The transmission is basically rated for stock output and at the moment I'm not aware of any support mechanisms relating to it; I'm sure the rest of the driveline is no better.

For me, this car was meant to be a practical, sleepy yet fun daily driver. Nothing more. I would love nothing more than to crank the boost up and dominate some M3's but I just don't think this platform is up to the task. I think your money would be better spent on a more developed platform, unless of course you want to spend the money on the R&D and durability testing; in which case I will gladly buy your parts.

EDIT: Grammar

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[p.rico]

While fairly new to the world of Volvo, I certainly fantasize of a high horsepower V60.

These vehicles are tough though... And not in the sense that they're durable but in the fact that they really aren't that capable. If you're able to get some nice power out of the engine VIA costly speed parts, what do you do with driveline? The transmission is basically rated for stock output and at the moment I'm not aware of any support mechanisms relating to it; I'm sure the rest of the driveline is no better.

For me, this car was meant to be a practical, sleepy yet fun daily driver. Nothing more. I would love nothing more than to crank the boost up and dominate some M3's but I just don't think this platform is up to the task. I think your money would be better spent on a more developed platform, unless of course you want to spend the money on the R&D and durability testing; in which case I will gladly buy your parts.

EDIT: Grammar

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

I concur with this, I didn't buy this platform for modding (in the sense of power modding, since I've done a lot of interior/exterior items and am the OP of the aforementioned TFT thread), but since out of the box it checked the high horsepower highway cruiser with AWD need combined with the comfort and interior upgrade from the black sea of plastic and technologically inept WRX interior.

I would have stayed with the Subaru WRX/STi platform if I was still looking to do go fast bits and modding due to the large availability of new and used parts, and the ease of tuning through Cobb Accessport and local tuning shops. With a used $300 Accessport V2, Accessport Race (free), and some street runs, I could modify the maps on my own, or pay someone a few hundred bucks on a dyno to create a protuned map in an instant.

Sure, it would be nice to have a somewhat quicker S60, but at what cost? I guess there is a certain bragging right to have the fastest of a certain platform, but (and this in entirely my opinion) can think of several other platforms I'd buy first to do that with.

[Sir Harmony]

A few of those guys are still around, myself included. I’m slowly picking away at the speed mods and heading to the track when it’s finally open. I’d say buy it back and see what you can do with it. Port and polish sounds good, have you swapped the compressor wheel in the turbo yet?

A long time ago in a compressed galaxy far far away: compressor AND turbine wheel were swapped into my custom sized housing. Plus new bearings and seals = new turbo

[Sir Harmony]

...If you're able to get some nice power out of the engine VIA costly speed parts, what do you do with driveline? The transmission is basically rated for stock output and at the moment I'm not aware of any support mechanisms relating to it; I'm sure the rest of the driveline is no better.

Thus far, the transmission and driveline have held. On the transmission side, I'm running a high performance fluid plus the addition of a large tranny cooler. The differential and rear end saw the changeover to high performance fluid as well a long time ago. With these 2 minor improvements, I haven't had issues. Sure the transmission might lag shifting at high boost, but with the exception of porsche's PDK units, I think nearly all transmissions have that issue when power is increased. I ran 9psi on a VQ30de motor in a nissan maxima and the tranmission held. I would have to lift the throttle slightly to command a shift. Shift times are my issue with the TF80SC. I had some calculated mods to do on the transmission before shifting focus to my other 'nightmare'. If I move forward with restoring this car, I'll have easy access to opening the transmission and trying 'something'.

I know people often quote that 'one guy' that blew up his transmission (Bunnspeed) when he was modded, but Bunn was launching that thing like a maniac. It was only a matter of time before the clutches burned out.

[Sir Harmony]

The deal with cars and I has always been to take on them as a challenge. I think I've left a small mark with mazda, a larger one with Nissan, and despite having a heavily modded car, a lesser mark with GM only because that field had been played with for a long time before I got there and anything that could have been done on a car had been done there.

As for the cost, p.rico, one person's coilovers = me with $400 lowering springs and engine mods. I wouldn't say that I've spent a lot more than others to attain this unattainable feat; I've just diverted funds from certain things and put them into others. All maintenance & repairs for example that others pay for (cost of maintaining a CPO car), I do 100% on my own which furthers my understanding of these platforms. The volvo was almost as I would have wanted it in the end. I mean to say that the money was already spent over the years. I just needed an ECM management program that I could manipulate myself so that I could sort out an issue where engine output wasn't translating to power at the wheels. I'm(was) about 85% there.

[drdonkey]

I certainly fantasize of a high horsepower V60.

This!..... But also the rest. These cars do not seem to be cost effective to bring into the high horsepower game or mod into a true track car like other cars either come close to out of the box or have the support to do it right/well/cost-effectively.

However if you were able to fabricate and pull something like their ETCC car off that would be amazing....

https://youtu.be/8qKdVx15yOw?list=FL...1aSpBs1Url8INA

[Bunnspeed]

Bunnspeed here, lurking hard on a daily basis and posting somewhat less often given the lack of conversation around topics of interest to me. I would love to see you back in the game, Sir Harmony! If you continue modifying your car in earnest, you will have my full attention and I would love to have your ear regarding a lot of modification ideas. I’ve kinda stalled out on my own build given the costs involved and relative lack of gains for the money spent. Also it has been hard to do much given the time and cash restraints of having a house with a variety of needs, a
The good news is I haven’t given up hope or interest, I’ve just slowed down on the work for a minute. I did run a 12.9 at 109 in my T6 about a month ago, which was a major milestone for me and my car. I haven’t seen any other P3 cars in the 12s, so high 5 to me, lol.

Hope you stick around! I very much enjoy your posts.

[duty]

my hat off to you sir i think you yourself have made the most accomplishments of all and have nothing but the utmost respect for you sir ! and im sorrry to hear of the fate of your car as well !!

[Bunnspeed]

ttt

Hoping for updates...

[WagonMafia]

I hear you on the whole "is this platform worth modding due to cost" aspect. I came from the Subaru community as well, and have entertained modding my V60 but the cost has really stopped me from progressing, plus this is my daily driver. Would love to see others try, though! You had a solid start, so I say if you still have interest buy the car back and continue.

[MidnightSnooze]

I hear you on the whole "is this platform worth modding due to cost" aspect. I came from the Subaru community as well, and have entertained modding my V60 but the cost has really stopped me from progressing, plus this is my daily driver. Would love to see others try, though! You had a solid start, so I say if you still have interest buy the car back and continue.

They are good daily drivers, awesome daily drivers. I dont think there is anything wrong with owning this niche.

[duty]

ttt

hoping for updates...

car is gone went to the crusher grrrrrrrrrrr

[Bunnspeed]

ttt

hoping for updates...

car is gone went to the crusher grrrrrrrrrrr

WHAT?!???! Is that a fact?

[duty]

WHAT?!???! Is that a fact?

yup its gone grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[14XC606A]

So sorry to hear that. I have also been lurking for years after almost lemon law-ing my XC60 due to transmission issues. I have been hoping the price of tunes and various parts would go down over time as R&D costs were likely paid for long ago. Unfortunately that hasn't been the case. Tunes for other cars routinely run in the 3 to 500 USD range while Volvo P3 tunes from RiCA, Hilton, and Polestar remain near the 1K USD mark. Now that my XC60 is paid off I plan to install a TDI box, a downpipe (not sure which one yet), and a higher flow exhaust system. I may also look into better brakes and suspension components when the time comes, right now I have 58K miles on the car so that will be a ways off. Hopefully Sir Harmony will get into a car that satisfies his thirst for speed. I agree that the Volvo P3 platform had so much potential. It's just too bad that companies felt it necessary to go the boutique route by pricing parts above market rates rather than embracing a low margin/high volume approach that would have ultimately worked out better for everyone.

[Bunnspeed]

So sorry to hear that. I have also been lurking for years after almost lemon law-ing my XC60 due to transmission issues. I have been hoping the price of tunes and various parts would go down over time as R&D costs were likely paid for long ago. Unfortunately that hasn't been the case. Tunes for other cars routinely run in the 3 to 500 USD range while Volvo P3 tunes from RiCA, Hilton, and Polestar remain near the 1K USD mark. Now that my XC60 is paid off I plan to install a TDI box, a downpipe (not sure which one yet), and a higher flow exhaust system. I may also look into better brakes and suspension components when the time comes, right now I have 58K miles on the car so that will be a ways off. Hopefully Sir Harmony will get into a car that satisfies his thirst for speed. I agree that the Volvo P3 platform had so much potential. It's just too bad that companies felt it necessary to go the boutique route by pricing parts above market rates rather than embracing a low margin/high volume approach that would have ultimately worked out better for everyone.

Can’t really blame the manufacturers for pricing things to cover the production costs of very low volume parts where the buying public hasn’t exactly jumped to make their efforts to R&D and produce parts financially worthwhile. The biggest impediment to going fast with these cars is a lack of software options enabling you to get big gains with those expensive hardware changes, which probably cools demand even more than the high price of those parts. These cars are very expensive to modify for some, but not much, gain. It’s still worthwhile to make those upgrades, but the results can be disappointing given the costs and work involved. Still an improvement that you’ll feel, but not necessarily worth the cost and effort for many...especially for those people who find stock power to be adequately stimulating.