[vintagerust]

Yeah, all of the Volvo "white" engines to present are interference. You have to make sure you change their belts at 100k, or you're playing with an expensive valve bender.

By timing correctly, do you mean just properly setting the stock timing on the belt change, or did you have to adjust the valve timing with your cam gears to get proper valve clearance throughout the opening and closing operation. I know you have valve to valve interference due to your higher lift cams, but because you're running more duration than stock, is the stock valve timing no longer correct for your application?

 

[vintagerust]

Just taking a guess, but it's probably the fact that he runs a 7lb. flywheel and unsprung clutch, had to figure out the idle control for the itbs, tuning tuning tuning just to get the engine to behave like he wants it to (idle, throttle tip-in, mid-range, etc.).
It takes a bit of time and fiddling to get a package like this to work harmoniously.

 

[vintagerust]

Add the lumpiness of cams that are not happy idling below 1100 rpm and the stench of a catless car that needs more fuel to idle those cams and you get this. This car, while I do maintain a full interior, is way more race car than my Spec Miata is.

But you've created something special, because of that. You have created a car that delivers "theater". lol
It's quite entertaining every time you take it out, it makes you grin and laugh while driving it, and makes you look back at it with admiration when you leave it.