Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Elevated Volvos

No, I'm not talking about lifting the car; if you know anything about me, you know that I am all for the lowered lifestyle.  What I'm referring to is the Elevate performance software tune.

Aside from buying a Volvo, a performance software upgrade is the 2nd best automotive investment that you can make.  Not that I'm biased or anything...

Please visit FCP Euro to read my recent guide and review on the Elevate tune: https://blog.fcpeuro.com/elevate-software-tunes-for-p1-volvos-s40-c30-v50

Maintaining consistency with my recent posts, here is a video showing the software tune installation process.



My recent years of modifying Volvos have frequently put me in contact with the owner of Elevate, Don Nicholson.  Elevate is a faith based company whose mission is to glorify God; those Christian roots are always apparent when dealing with Don and his utmost professionalism.  His willingness to respond to my random questions and his guidance with ordering parts, while not pushing every part in their catalog, make Elevate far outshine many other performance companies.  Don has obtained my loyalty both as a customer and as a friend.

Even if you plan on keeping all stock parts on your car, I definitely recommend the Elevate tune for unleashing its potential.  Of course, if you have the money to drop, Elevate is a one stop shop for everything you need from performance and suspension to cosmetic upgrades both inside and out.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Porsche 911 Throttle Body on a P1 Volvo

I have Focus SVT rear shocks , Mazda 3 front calipers, Focus ST front rotors, Jaguar Super V8 rear rotors, a bolt pattern which is shared with Ferrari, a Mustang GT500 hood vent , a Mustang GT coolant reservoir , an Acura shift knob, and a chassis which is covered with Ford Motor Company stamping.  There is a Volvo badge in there somewhere... But why not include a part from a Porsche?

As it turns out, the 2005 Porsche 911 GT2 throttle body is a direct swap with the P1 Volvo unit.  Plug and play, no extra wiring or software updates are required!

Please visit FCP Euro to read my recent article: How to Install a Porsche Throttle Body on a P1 Volvo

For those who are modding on a budget, a refurbished Porsche throttle body can be purchased off ebay for $50-$75.  Just search part number: 98660511501

Below is a video with the step by step instructions for throttle body removal from the Elevate intake manifold.  Even if you are not installing an upgraded part, I still highly encourage removing the throttle body for a routine cleaning every 60k miles.