My project : Volvo 850 T-5R (Olive)

[Kerry_T-5R]

Thought it was about time I put my project up on here! Some of you may have seen it on other forums, so the first few posts of this will involve a lot of pasting..

2007 - how it was just after I bought it and cleaned it up :

The only modifications on the car when I bought it were a Re-map and a BSR stainless steel exhaust.
Here are some pictures I took at the end of January 2008:

[Kerry_T-5R]

February 2008

Next I decided to get the car fully serviced. The car has had two previous owners. The car has been serviced at Kings Volvo in Southampton by the first owner (the garage it was first registered) and then exclusively at BPC Volvo service specialists by the second owner - where it had a brand new engine fitted in 2004.

Here is a list of the work carried out:

1. Complete breather system.
2. Mobil 1 fully synthetic oil & genuine oil filter.
3. Genuine plugs.
4. Genuine Volvo Strut brace.
5. BSR optiflow air filter (induction Kit).
6. n/s fog light & fitting.
7. powerflex poly top mount.



The strut brace is one of the best value for money modifications, really stiffens up the car at the front and stops the car rolling as much when cornering.
Im also pleased with the induction kit which is hardly any louder than standard - except for a nice air sucking noise and a "dump" when changing gear.

[Kerry_T-5R]

May 2008

In May, some of my friends and I headed down to the nurburgring for a holiday. We had a fantastic week and I did several laps with my T-5R. I didn't really time myself, but on my quickest lap I managed just under 10 minutes (9 min 55ish) which I was quite pleased with - not bad for (as then) standard suspension.

I met someone down there from Belgium who also had an Olive T-5R - he took me for a lap of the ring which was under 9 minutes!!! We overtook several Porches, Impreza's etc (**EDIT** Turned out to be JC Viggen..).

My car was fantastic and covered a total of 957 miles and averaging 27 mpg - including the nurburgring laps which brought the average down to 17ish before heading home! The only thing I noticed is that smoke pourred from my pads after I did 4 laps in a row! There was however minimal fading, probably because they were genuine Volvo discs and pads. Goodyear Eagle F1's dont half squeal on most bends!! Grip fairly well though...

Here are a couple of pics:



Fully loaded in Le Shuttle : 5 people, 6 man tent, 5 sleeping bags, 5 peoples clothes etc for a week!



At the camp site.



Queuing for a lap (taken by a friend from the nurburgring cctv).



On the circuit.



Nearly on 3 wheels - shame you can't see it just after this one!



Finally, this one which was found on a german photographers website - my car was 5 up at the time!!

[volvo]

Very clean looking motor you have there! And only 2 previous owners with a new engine too!

[Kerry_T-5R]

August 2008

After getting back from the Nurburgring, I had a couple of modifications ready for my car.
Firstly I bought a set of blue samco's from Don at Kalmar Union. I replaced the coolant and turbo hoses. I also bought a forge dump valve and blanking plate from him.
Secondly, I bought a set of GAZ coilovers. Absoluteley fantastic. Outstanding quality, and the car handles like its on rails.
They are fully adjustable and the car can retain its original ride height if desired. Worth the extra money over some of the other brands in my opinion and as a bonus, they are made in England. They are LEDA coilovers, which GAZ bought the design for when LEDA went out of business a few years ago.
Here are some pictures: I will take some more of the car on a sunny day to show how low I have gone.




New hoses and dump valve.



Coilover kit as received.



Fitted.



Slammed!

September 2008

Time for new tyres:



Some lowered pictures :



This one shows the new colour coded panels below the headlights.



BEFORE : Taken before the coilovers were fitted. Also shows front mud flaps.



AFTER : Taken after the coilovers were fitted. Also shows front mud flaps removed.

[M-R-P]

Nice, very tidy job. Any plans for body styling, colour coding etc?

[Kerry_T-5R]

Nice, very tidy job. Any plans for body styling, colour coding etc?

Cheers, still a fair bit more to paste - its changed a fair bit since the post above!

[Kerry_T-5R]

NOVEMBER 2008

The car has been in for a major service, the work carried out included:
- New lower control arms.
- New front wheel bearings.
- New track rod ends.
- New fuel filter.
- New crank shaft positioning sensor oil seal.
- Tracking and lazer alignment.
- Uprated IPD drop links.
- Oil and filter change (Mobil 1 0w - 40 fully synthetic).
- 2 x Yokohama Parada Spec 2 tyres - I now have a set of 4 on the car.
I also found some S70 door handles on ebay and had them painted in my cars colour!



This shows the difference between a genuine Volvo drop link and the uprated IPD version.



Yokohama Parada Spec 2 road legal!



S70 door handles now colour coded.





Fitted to the car.

The car is now superb to drive. Since owning the car I have replaced almost every suspension and braking component as well as a whole list of other things...

In my opinion the parada spec 2 tyres are leagues better than any other tyre I have used in the dry. In comparison to the last set of tyres I had (Goodyear Eagle F1's) they grip much better than the F1's in the dry, but the F1's are better in the wet.
The S70 door handles were no bother to fit, and in my opinion look much better!

[Kerry_T-5R]

AUGUST 2009

Finished a couple more mods to my car this week. I had all 4 wheels re-furbed in TVR anthracite, I had the side strips on the doors and front wing colour coded to match the car, and I had the grey on the front and rear bumpers restored so that I dont have to smear bumper care on each weekend!

Here is a pic before with the side strips un colour coded and my old wheel colour :



And here are the photos from today :








I think it looks better now!

[Kerry_T-5R]

APRIL 2009



Did the torque arm with poly bushes.



General pic



Ultra racing rear strut brace.

I also bought a complete interior from an 850R owned by a member on another forum. I am really pleased with it as it is almost mint. The base and upright bolsters hold you in much better than the original 850 T-5R seats - almost did my back in changing the seats over though!!

Before :







Stripped interior :



New seats and door cards fitted. Only missing the 850R steering wheel now as I already had the grey gear knob! :













I got these 96 seat belts to match the new ones in the front. Volvo changed them in 96 so my 95 ones didnt match!



I also got this 850R handbrake cover for less than £40 from my main dealers :

[M-R-P]

Yep, like that. Are you gonna colour code the door trims (that's in the next photo isn't it)

EDIT Thought so!

[Kerry_T-5R]

MAY 2009

Me and my mates have been for another European road trip. 4 countries in 1 day, and of course another visit to the nurburgring:
T4Mark hadn't finished his T4 build in time so he bought a 940 turbo from Ebay.

Here's a couple of pics:



My car



In Belgium



Marks 940 Turbo on the ring. He did a couple of mods to it : 740 turbo alloys with 205/50/15 Hankooks, lowered 40 mm, MBC and he managed around about an 11 minute lap (not timed, but to the nearest minute). Not bad for an ebay special 1991 brick

[Kerry_T-5R]

Yep, like that. Are you gonna colour code the door trims (that's in the next photo isn't it)

EDIT Thought so!

Lol, good timing!

[Kerry_T-5R]

AUGUST 2009

My recent breakdown: I had my car booked in for its MOT, and I hadn't really planned to have much done. My car had been making a few clicking and scraping noises from the front left which was a bit odd but didn't sound or seem to be too serious, so I thought I would leave it until it was up at RT Mechanics to be checked out.
My girlfriend and I set off on a Friday at the beginning of August to go on holiday so we drove to brooklands where we were camping for the weekend. On the way there the noise got louder and louder but we had to get there before 7.30 pm. By the time we arrived, the n/s front brake was binding. I decided not to drive it to RT Mechanics on the Saturday as the problem was getting too serious.



Here's my car on the breakdown truck!
When we arrived at RT Mechanics it was about 3pm and I was lucky enough to be taken out in the Peril (Russ's project car). It was absolutely fantastic! Gives me something to aim for with mine in the future.. Thanks again Russ.

Heres a few pics of the problem with mine:



The disc and carrier have changed colour as they got so hot from the binding caliper! It turns out that the noises were from my c.v. joint which was beginning to fail. I had a new c.v. joint fitted, new discs, wheel arch liner, a carrier and also an abs sensor and at the same time I had a few mods carried out!







Carbotech xp8 pads.



IPD uprated anti roll bars on Russ's recommendation.



Brass gear linkage bushes on Russ's recommendation.
I have to say that my car has now been transformed. The car feels like it stops twice as quick with those pads! The work well from cold and are fantastic from hot.

The gear change is now silk smooth - can't believe the difference something so simple makes.

And to leave the best until last.... the IPD arb's are simply amazing! The difference they make even with coilovers already fitted is unbelievable. The stability, grip and feel are now superb. Pleased that Russ convinced me to have them done, didnt realise they would make such a difference as they have.

[Kerry_T-5R]

SEPTEMBER 2009

Me and the lads went over to the Nurburgring again from 17 - 21 September. Great weather and managed to do a few laps. Car was brilliant, never missed a beat.

Thought I would post up a few pics :



At a Belgian petrol station





Next stop in Belgium



At the campsite


On the ring



One more shot before heading home

[Kerry_T-5R]

MARCH / APRIL 2010

PART 1

Thought I would post up my next big modification to the car :
I bought from caffyns Volvo :

1 x set of flywheel bolts
1 x set of clutch retaining bolts
1 x clutch slave circlip
1 x rear main seal
2 x drive shaft nuts
2 x litres of genuine gearbox oil
1 x aux belt for no aircon
1 x clutch release bearing
1 x clutch slave cylinder

And a set of Delrin subframe bushes from RT Mechanics :



Barrysc, T4Mark, my other friend Mark and I made a 240 mile round trip to collect the following :

1 x recon gearbox with new bearings and seals etc :



with one of these fitted :



An uprated 850R clutch :



All being well, next weekends jobs are to fit all the parts and ditch the heavy old aircon!! Cheers to Barry for the lift to Bournemouth and back (and for walking the gearbox to the car and then to my house single handedly!!)

PART 2

Update for last Sunday :

Barrysc and T4Mark got to my house at 10.30 and we started straight away on stripping bits off the car ready to get the gear box off. They have already done this job on Barrys T-5 so my main roles were bolt removing, nut loosening, tea making and tool passing!

Heres my car with a few bits stripped :



Engine bay is looking a bit less familiar :





Barrysc and T4Mark



Few more bits off :



Engine support on :





Engine bay looking very bare :



AndysR and Jim_S70R came over to see how things were going in the afternoon and by 5pm we actually got to the stage of removing the old box and clutch, but those pictures didnt come out too well so I will take some tomorrow of that stage before I start.

The plan is to crack on with it again tomorrow so I will post an update at some point next week....

[Kerry_T-5R]

PART 3

Started at 11 ish on Sunday, and made quite good progress. Here is an update from Sundays work :

Here is a pic of where we got to last week with the box off:



New rear main seal fitted:



Flywheel re-fitted with the new style bolts:





Gearbox and Quaife fitted:





Subframe back up, engine mounts re fitted, air-con removed etc:



This is where we left it for the day. Just need to bleed the clutch and re-fit all the hoses etc.

[Kerry_T-5R]

PART 4

We managed to get the diff finished on Saturday, im a bit rushed today so heres a brief summary with pictures :







Reblaced my drive shaft boots while off:





Barry working hard:



Looking a bit more complete :









Back together, but will it jump start?



Luckily was all ok :



Here is a pic from Brooklands on Sunday :



The Quaife diff is fantastic. I thought the IPD bars were my best mod until I got this. Grip is incredible and it is almost a joke how early you can put the power on coming out of bends and roundabouts!
I will post up how im getting on after a few miles.

[Kerry_T-5R]

APRIL 2010

No updates as such, but did a 140 mile round trip on Monday to the Quaife MSA British Rallycross championship at Lydden Hill and back and the car was absolutely fantastic. The diff really is amazing and the grip is incredible. One of the best things I found with it is that you can enter some corners in a higher gear than usual because you can power round and out of bends at a much higher speed. What was quick cornering before, is now no effort cornering with the Quaife installed!
There were 6 Volvo's competing (4 240's, 1 ph 1 S40 and one ph2 S40 with a 3.0 red block) on Monday, and every race that had a Volvo entry was won by a Volvo. Unfortunately there were no Volvo's in the top class but the racing was excellent as usual.
Here is a pic of my car taken by a photographer who was at the rallycross :

[Kerry_T-5R]

JULY 2010

Thought I would post some pics of my nurburgring trip from 7th - 15th July 2010. Managed to do a few laps and the diff is brilliant, makes so much difference to the car on the track. Up the hill towards the carousel my o/s front wheel would spin for example, with the diff there is no chance of that. Very pleased with the car although I think I need to get a JT racing exhaust as the soundtrack was lacking!

In Belgium on the way down to the ring



In a field below the mini carousel when we went to watch some of the publc trackday



Inside Marks 940, he didnt get his t4 project finished in time (again!) Next time it will be going to the ring!



Various pics of my car on the circuit

















And a pic taken on the way home