Volvo 854 T-5R Olive green

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One side complete.

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That’s one more job ticked off, S60R rear brake conversion.




Not sure it will make much difference on the rear but certainly looks nice!

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I think these are quite rare? It was fitted to my other T-5R but I think it will be more suited to the green car with the way I’m going with it.

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Thought I’d have a go at making a heat shield for the cone filter. Whether it actually does keep the heat out a bit I don’t know but was good fun knocking it up. I put a direct cold air feed into the bottom of heat shield. Just got to paint it and make a couple of brackets.

Template



Used 0.6mm steel sheet which was just the right thickness and easy to work with.





Air feed in the base

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Pupbelly said:

Decent acoustics too?

It’s been running like this for about 3 or 4 years which sounded very good, lots of induction and boost dump noise.



It’s a fair bit quieter with the heat shield but still sounds purposeful.

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AJB88 said:

Need one of them for the SAAB.

Came back home after a bit of spirited driving and popped the bonnet to check things and it’s definitely cooler within the air filter heat shield than just the other side of it in the engine bay, quite a noticeable difference.

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The old air filter had seen better days!



Painted satin black

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rm163603 said:

That looks great.

I've been looking for something similar for my S60 T5. I'm fitting a bigger maf and it doesn't fit the factory airbox.

There are some premade ones but they are $500.

1m x 0.5m steel sheet from B&Q £25 ( I’m sure you can buy cheaper elsewhere )
Rubber edging trim 2m large and 2m small £17 including postage.
Paint I had lying around.
Cheap and easy to make.

My MAF is a BMW E39 540 V8 one so too large for the standard air box. It helps that the battery has been relocated to the boot to give plenty of room for cone filter/heat shield.

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Finally got around to fitting a pair of Cobra Nogaro Circuit seats.

Bought a pair of old manual seats and stripped off the runners/base and then mocked up mounting brackets in MDF so I could get the seat angle how I wanted it. A bit of cutting and drilling plus fabrication place to make some brackets for me by copying my MDF template. Have still yet to paint the runners etc and finish off the brackets better.
It has made the car feel so much better, can really feel what’s going on more. Really pleased with how it looks as well. Took the opportunity to remove the carpet and give it a good clean.

Renewing the headlining is the next job.

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Carlososos said:

Crikey me those seats are a bit tasty.

Thanks.
I specifically chose them as they have low sides so easy to get in and out plus you can use factory seat belts or harness. They really do suit the cabin, one of the best mods I’ve done to it.

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I can’t take the credit for this pic, I think it was taken by B Unique someone who was taking a few shots at a local Retro car meet.

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Pupbelly said:

Interesting to read - what made you go with the BMW MAF, and how did you know it would run happily? Part number? Asking out of curiosity for my T-5R.

It was already fitted to the car before I bought it. It’s a well known mod. It’s a much larger diameter housing at 3.25 inches. It was fitted by Shem Green of Shemtek along with a few other bits and tune. The stock MAF is fine up to about 300bhp or so and beyond that you’d probably want forged rods first. Stock pistons ok up to about 400 bhp.

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TheJimi said:

Thing thing is bloody awesome.

Hey thanks. I’ve got a Gul ( yellow ) T-5R as well which are more sort after but tbh I prefer the Olive green one as it does look quite aggressive.

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Jester86 said:

Great seats!

I thought this was the car I spotted at the Hazzard meet but wasn't 100% sure!

I’m a regular at Hazzard, sometimes in my other T-5R Gul ( yellow ). Although I’ve not been since the May meet, I’ll be at the September meet.

What motor have you got at Hazzard?

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Spinakerr said:

This continues to be incredible. The red calipers also really work as a complement on this car - rather than being something done to draw attention, red/green works perfectly.

Lovely stuff.

Thanks, I’m trying to create something that isn’t over the top but also a little different. You just don’t seem to see modded 850 T-5Rs that much. Ones I have seen haven’t been to my taste with tacky st on them, I’m not a fan of egg crate grill etc or wind deflectors.

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Jester86 said:

I've taken my 2 rotaries so far, my RX8 R3 and my FD RX7. It is a great little meet, but I don't think I can make the September one as im karting at Buckmore!

I remember doing a trackday at Brands about 20 years ago in my 330bhp 3dr Cossie which seemed pretty quick at the time and there were two FD RX7s which were insanely fast. Seemed like they were running about 500 BHP or so, sounded insane as well!

Enjoy your karting.

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Pupbelly said:

Thank you for that, I have a Shemtek ECU to go in my T-5R but not gone down that route yet, but something to note. I agree about keeping the 'standard' look, as I was told by a guy in a petrol station who stopped to look at mine - "Those who know, know". Most assume its just a clean old Volvo estate

Here's mine along with my Scoob wagon.

Nice pair of wagons!

Hazzard Retro car meet is Sunday 4th September 9am - 12.00. Over near Ashford. I’ll be at this one.

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thebraketester said:

cosworth330 said:

I can’t take the credit for this pic, I think it was taken by B Unique someone who was taking a few shots at a local Retro car meet.

Still looking great. I can’t believe how well these have aged.

I’m not sure if they have. If I compare my factory looking Gul 854 T-5R with this Olive one they look totally different. The Gul definitely looks a lot older with skinny wheels, mudflaps and smaller rear spoiler. The Olive one has S70 door handles and S70 side rubbing trims which are colour coded , seems to work well plus it has the larger 850R rear spoiler and carbon effect back panel where number plate sits. Headlamp washers removed. All small things but makes it look ever so slightly more modern.
I want to get rid of the electric aerial next on the rear quarter as it really doesn’t go with the look I’m trying to create on this car. Obviously need to come up with an alternative aerial that can’t be seen. I don’t think a shark fin would look right.

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The T-5R has been running well lately. I had the inner and outer rear mounts/bushes replaced at the end of last year and also swapped out the uprated front IPD bar for a standard one. Kept the rear IPD bar. I was finding that the front IPD bar was too stiff not allowing the front to damp independently. This was causing a lot of torque steer issues as well. With stock front antiroll bar the car handles much better.

Fitted IPD stud and nut kit.




When I bought the car it was fitted with a gearbox from a na 2.0 850 with a higher final drive. This gave better acceleration but revved high in 5th. Never really liked the ratios in the box compared with the stock M56H box in my other T-5R. Sourced a good secondhand M56H which is waiting to be fitted. Old box is out and I’ve sent the Quaife diff off to be checked over as I was getting a lot slack in the take up of drive, about 3 inches of play causing a noise when coming on and off accelerator and changing gear. We are pretty sure it’s play in one of the gear seats in the old box but getting diff checked anyway.
New genuine Volvo 850R 3 piece clutch kit going in. Also noticed slight play in lower front arm ball joint so renewing both arms.

Hopefully it will be back up and running in April sometime. Really hoping to get it on a trackday this year!

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The car has been up on axle stands since mid February when the old M56L with 4.45FD was removed. I never really liked this box with short ratios and higher final drive. Going back to standard factory box ratios and 4.00FD.

Replacing a few worn out items whilst it’s apart. There was play in one of the lower arm ball joints so decided to renew both front lower arms. The old arms were poly bushed but this was done back in 2009 so bought a new poly bush kit.

Also noticed slight play in one of the front wheel bearings ( I’d renewed the other side last year ). Took the bearing assembly off the hub carrier and it was most certainly sounding rough.

Also renewing/upgrading engine mount beside the crank pulley with one from MPRE of Sweden. I think this will increase noise vibration but handling will be improved.

Diff was sent away to Quaife for a service/check as there was a lot of play in take up of drive which was probably in old box but made sense to get diff checked whilst apart. Turns out diff was fine with no wear so one less thing to spend out on.

Even though I have been abroad for 3 weeks in March I’m really missing not being able to jump in the car and take it for a drive. Got my F80 M3 sitting here but I’d rather have fun in my old T-5R!
Hopefully it will back together in the next few weeks.


New 850R clutch going in. Old one wasn’t that worn but springs were rattling a bit.