Low cost modifications.

[siamblue]

Right guys after York i was thinking what on earth would make a really quick Volvo T5 without breaking the bank,
We have all been there spending shed loads on the cars and getting a bit disgruntled because the £ v bhp is getting out of hand. I am getting too the stage where i cannot spend much more on the car for getting extra power, I know it is a lardy gay Gold barge, but what would make the best car for tuning and what mods.
I am seriously thinking about getting an old manual 850 T5 se without aircon and swapping bits over from my V70R, I know it would never feel the same driving it, but is power more important than looks?

just wanted your views.

Well you can pick up an old 855 T5 for peanuts now, but this has always been the question for me could i live with the outdated 850 interior? that is the whole reason i went 70 series because i didn't like the 850 interior.

Gary.

[claymore]

Well you can pick up an old 855 T5 for peanuts now, but this has always been the question for me could i live with the outdated 850 interior? that is the whole reason i went 70 series because i didn't like the 850 interior.

Gary.

But you're already changing the interiour on the V70....lol, and can't you change the dash and door cards onto an 850?

[The Flying Moose]

If its just the interior gary... I know its a big job and I have seen it done but you can change the dash, door cards and seats for 70 series versions.

I think if you are going to go down the 850 route though I would consider stripping it out too. That is providing you keep the saffy for everyday use.

[siamblue]

But you're already changing the interiour on the V70....lol, and can't you change the dash and door cards onto an 850?

Yes but the 855 T5 weighs 250kg lighter than my V70R, that's before anymore weight is taken off ;)

So you can see my V70R is never going to hit the 13s without more expense. whereas a transplant of bits over from my V70R to a 855 T5 is the way forward to making the car quicker without breaking the bank which is already broke lol.

Gary.

[claymore]

what about a pair of slicks?, or a bit of nitrous?

[T5frankie]

where did you get those weight figures gary? they are way off mate, look
on the road where youn are most of the time you wouldn't feel the power difference at all, why buy an old 850 when the time you spend on the track is minimal, i wouldnt get rid of mine just for a couple of tenthes on the track every now and then

v70r 2wd man.=1506kgs
850 t5 estate 1487kgs

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/pdf/presskits/850T5PressKit1993.pdf

i agree with claymore you can get nitrous fitted with a controller for less than a grand

[Wobbly Dave]

:stupid:

You've got to ask yourself the question - "how often do I go drag racing" & "How important is it to be competitive" vs "how important is it to have a nice car that I like driving on a daily basis".

Would you be happier in a heavier V70R coz you like it - or remove any sense of luxury and class to end up with an 850 that you might not be as happy with but goes a bit quicker?

I have spent a lot more than you & still end up shy of the 13s. Are you going to start coming to Avon on a regular basis?

[T5frankie]

i think you should get your car on the rollers and see what it's at

[Porcine_Aviator]

What ever you do don't let Pedro near it with his angle grinder. It will go faster but you'll have a lot less car :)

[t5_monkey]

get better at driving! Mine could probably do 14.2 with a really good driver at the helm.

[graemewelch]

learn to do as much work your self its the cheapest and best way. i managed to build a 100cell sports cat for mine for less then £100 god bless ebay. better than the £600 most companys charge

whats your mods that you have already. are you confident enought to open the ports on your turbo and manifold, just removing the cast marks will help. port and polished head is the cost of a headgasket set and bolts. same with the inlet polish the ports. whats your ic and piping like. try and reroute it so has less bends and the same diameter all the way through. water injection can be done diy style. im just new to volvos so cant realy say what exact mods are the best but i can go off past experience of other motors ive tinkered with

[JelT5]

I agree with Frankie and Wobbly- even an 850 will never be that quick on the 1/4, Gary...unless you spend serious cash on it or gut it (like Pedro has with BT) and even then...
I do an 1/8th mile competition here twice a year and I know that even a 9.5s 1/8th (half decent for a fwd Volvo) just ain't gonna hack it; I still do it though lol.
Just have fun, there will always be something quicker off a dig than our tanks!
They're just not made for the 1/4 mile- fwd, heavy, cr@p gear ratios etc etc.
They're a quick, comfortable, family car and for value for money can't be beaten IMO.

This is just an example, but, if you want a cheap 1/4 miler just get an M3 E36 (pre evo). I've seen a couple of stock ones clock 13.3-13.4 in Germany, despite what the book figures say!
Rwd, decent gear ratios, no contest I'm afraid :(

[T5frankie]

its the taking part thats the fun bit, although its no fun being the slowest like i was for a while lol

[t5 pete]

ive spent quite alot on myne for very little gain and still towning to get good times on the 1/4 mile but at the end of the day it feels great on the road and i am more than happy with the car.
As said above these cars are no where near built for the 1/4 mile unless you want to use one for lots of track days and quater mile runs then strip one out and improve from there but if your wanting a all rounder you will not beat what you have already got.
P.S. i didnt realise who you were and didnt get your deposit back to you so can you pm me with your paypal and i can refund the deposit.
Cheers pete

[Alan M]

Gary's got most of the parts on his car that many members would want on theirs so for parts its pretty well specced. The only thing next really before he starts breaking things is a forged engine and a different turbo and map with injectors to suit. The thing is with our cars is that they are lardy even when stripped so quick 1/4 times from a heavy FWD car isn't really going to happen. Just strip out what you don't need Gary and keep it looking as Standard as you can that way you may help with times and get to keep your car as you wanted to start with. You already have no interior lol.

[smithy]

850/v70 can be fast on the strip depends on driving abilty ,the is a nack in doing quater mileing mate.practice makes perfect and siamblue has got a fast car and sounds wild on full chat

[siamblue]

Yes you are right guys, how many cars can do a 500 mile trip in comfort and still do a track day with reasonable times.
I should get away from this quarter mile thinking and say "hey how fast is my car on a rolling start in 2nd or 3rd"
I will go to Avon on the 10th, maybe i should practise my starts lol as 2.5 was average.
As some of you say a second on the strip isn't actually a lot in terms of car lengths and i do love the look of the V70R.

There are a couple of more things i can do but i am on standard rods and i am very near the limit of these.

Gary.

[p fandango]

why buy an old 850
because everyone knows

850's rule :nutkick:

[p fandango]

What ever you do don't let Pedro near it with his angle grinder. It will go faster but you'll have a lot less car :)
whats wrong with a V70 convertible

[JT]

whats wrong with a V70 convertible

nothing if the roof fits back on!!:hidesbehi lol

[JelT5]

We've even got a specialist for that sort of work on the forum ;)

Picture no.5 lol

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35736 (http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35736)

[The Flying Moose]

We've even got a specialist for that sort of work on the forum ;)

Picture no.5 lol

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35736 (http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35736)

Only problem is I actually intended on putting a roof back on after I cut the old one off!

Here it is chopped off... ignore the unusually ugly bloke grinding no idea where he came from!

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k549/EMLYNT5/22542_1288169277109_1016512361_879368_855755_n.jpg

And after much fidly work the new roof spot welded on, smoothed and edges primed.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k549/EMLYNT5/DSC00168.jpg