First off hi from a new member, looking forward to learning a lot from the community!
So where to start with this one..
I've always wanted a fast estate as I find the whole concept totally perverse and never really found an excuse to have one until now.
I have a bunch of other cars including a Alfa Giulietta as a daily, but my favourite is probably my Clio cup race car - it is the definition of grip, corners like a house fly...
Anyway, I digress: I've been looking for a estate to pull my Brian James and to do tip / building merchant runs due to an ongoing house project, it will also be used every year for the run to LM with my mates. I looked at TDI vags and a few other marques but having had a V40 1.9 D a few years ago I really wanted another Volvo. Cut a long story short my friend linked me to an ad for the 850 which in all honesty I hadn't considered as an option due to age. Anyway, the price was sub £350 so well within budget, it had FSH, towbar and once I took it for a drive I knew it was a car I needed in my life - I was shocked at the performance, the 5cyl sound and the old school addictive turbo lag
Exterior wise is a little rough, but mechanically it felt sweet so I shook the chaps hand and away we went.
So, engine is healthy having tested it, going to repair all the broken bits, service everything then start some upgrades which are probably the common done thing around here so not particularly exciting. I've been looking for a new project recently anyway now the clio is reliable so this is a perfect excuse to get the tools out again.
It already has a absaloute (sp?) map but I don't really like the delivery (although there may be an underlying TCS issue there). I need a decat down pipe and cat back, a bigger turbo and some other supporting bits and pieces before having a live engine calibration. Have picked up some titans from @Ettienne on here (who mentioned the forum - hence I am here) which have then been refurbed, going to chuck on some eibachs and fresh dampers. Looking for an R front bumper (imaginative...) and then I'd love to get the car repainted in Radical blue.
Any recommendations on where to locate a reasonably priced straight flange downpipe, a 18T turbo (seems to be the best bang for buck based on research) and a R front bumper would be gratefully received!
Here it is in its slightly ghetto boxy glory.
Cheers!
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