Project 855 Gul Manual

[Ettienne]

Around march time this year I purchased a gul manual estate, showing 19k miles, (the speedo was replaced by previous owner although I have both its around 115k) from the back of harlow in Essex.

It had been parked up for 6 years on concrete in a garage yard / car park. The owner had used it for a few years and had some issues, firstly a head rebuild, then a turbo rebuild, then a smoking issue which myself and oblark believe to be rings.

He abandoned the car at the Renaults workshop after he moved to france to live, it took about 18 months to actually arrange the sale with the workshop and the owner (mark).

After the car was transported back to my house myself and oblark started the rebuilding process.

We pulled the old engine and replaced it with blackys engine from merc and many other jobs that needed doing:

new cambelt
water pump
rebuilt driveshafts with new joints and gaitors
wishbones poly'd
low mileage original suspension front leg replaced
1 hub replaced
new 302 hangers, pads,
stainless braided brake lines
anti freeze
brake fluid
gearbox oil
new 850r clutch complete with bearing
poly'd top mount
replaced the turbo for a lower mileage one.
one piece exhaust gasket fitted
driveshaft oil seals
inlet gasket
new rear main seal
new pcv system fitted
new drop links
new cat back exhaust system fitted
new rear bumper hanger brackets fitted
4 x new tyres and refurbed (powder coated wheels)
under sealed / rust prevention all 4 wheel arches, floor and underside of the subframe basically anywhere possible
mopped the paint
cleaned and leather fed the interior

The car passed the mot with no advisories, so we must have done a few things right.

The exterior has a few scabs around the window rubber, which ill get addressed once steve has finished with my 854 gul manual.

I have covered approx. 500 miles in the car since may, so its well used.

oh it used to belong to the flying banana and has had 3 previous owners, it was very much boarder line if it was going to be scrapped, but luckily we found it was all superficial bits that needed doing.

ill just upload a few pics of the work we did, not that i'm much of one for taking pics, i'd rather just get the work completed.

[Ettienne]

The suspension legs were rotten all the bolts had to be replaced with gen volvo items

[Ettienne]

A pic a month or so ago at the southern meet.

[jdavis]

Wow, great work there. Looking good

[Ettienne]

Thanks it's getting there.

[MIKESC70T5]

Very nice. Miss my T5r sometimes

[merc85]

Looks fantastic buddy

[Ettienne]

The mot being passed, and a pic before it was started.

[Hybusamini]

[martybelfastt5]

looking good!

[The Flying Banana]

That had a very low mileage when I sold it, belonged to an old lady who paid a fortune for it when it wasn't too old from a dealership, it's great to see it back on road again, good work !

[Ettienne]

That had a very low mileage when I sold it, belonged to an old lady who paid a fortune for it when it wasn't too old from a dealership, it's great to see it back on road again, good work !

I don't think it would be the same guy as 3 previous owners when I got it, it came from Scotland from a trader, who may have bought it you.

[The Flying Banana]

it defo came from Scotland from me and I'm not a trader, maybe he thought I was because I had 2 of them maybe...I bought it in Scotland from the lady who had many years, the guy who bought it from me did say he was going to use it in France...I will try dig up the original chat about it

[Ettienne]

yes please, his name was mark, if that rings a bell