Unmolested Volvo 850 GLT

[47p2]

That's my 850 now 25 years old (delivered new at the end of Feb 1997). It's been tucked away in the garage since last September and with an MOT due at the end of March it will soon be time to awaken the beast for another summer of enjoyment. Nothing has been done to the car since September except to put the CTEK on to keep the battery topped up.

I don't believe starting an engine every week or two and allowing then to come up to temperature. It does them more harm than good, the carbon build up is horrendous, the water sitting in the exhaust does nothing more than rot it prematurely, therefore my engine will get started for the first time later this month.

I have put some of my favourite pictures into a Flickr album so if you want a look you can click the link... https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzC4Ui

If you click the 'Toggle sideshow' button the images will scroll through without the usual adverts...

[47p2]

I managed to get hold of another 'Special Delivery' keyring. This is an earlier all gold coloured 'Tourist and Diplomat Sales' one which is brand new, getting the chunky Volvo key on was a major task. There seems to have been several different versions of these keyrings throughout the years

[47p2]

Started the 850 yesterday for the first time since last September, it fired up on the first turn of the key. I gave it a wash and let it dry in the spring sunshine. Today I took it for an MOT, it went on the ramp at 08:05am, pass certificate issued at 09:02am. Happy days

[47p2]

@ sutts...
Thanks for your nice comments and glad you enjoyed the thread.

Carpet mats are no longer available from anywhere, I was lucky enough to find these for sale on none other than Gumtree at the other side of the UK from me, I just missed them as they were sold to someone else, but a week later the vendor messaged me to say the purchaser hadn't collected and I was given second dibs. His father had bought them for his 850R and never fitted them and they spent the next 25 or so years in the wardrobe...

The boot mat is still available direct from Volvo, your local dealership will be able to order one for you, they cost in the region of £60 and worth the money.

Enjoy your T5, they're becoming a rare car now and worth looking after

[47p2]

I bought Lanoguard whilst it was on promotion in the winter and I decided today I should apply it to the underside of the 850. Just need to let it dry for 24 hours and should be good to go. Not as smelly as Finnegan's WaxOyl but has a distinctive farm whiff to it...

[47p2]

Thank you for your kind words and glad you enjoyed reading about my 850

[47p2]

This morning I touched up the parts I missed yesterday and it's drying rather nicely to a factory finish look. Well pleases with the results and if can save a Land Rover from rusting it will preserve the 850 for another 200 years.

[47p2]

Tomorrow the 24th April is National Drive it Day so in preparation of participating in a local event the 850 has been washed, tyres dressed bumpers and door handles coated with Technic C4 (2 years since last done).

[47p2]

Spent an hour yesterday cleaning the 850 in preparation for taking it to it's first Classic Car Show
Over 600 cars there, only a handful of Volvos, Amazon, 240, 740, V70R, V70 Saloon and only one other 850 which was a T5

[47p2]

I decided to make a webpage for the 850 to document the history of the car

https://850glt.wordpress.com

Edited by 47p2 on Sunday 29th May 00:56

[47p2]

I've not done anything to the 850 recently except enjoy it and take it to a couple of car shows. It doesn't attract as much attention as my previous Classic but those who know know and appreciate what it is.

Speaking of my previous Classic of which there are many posts on this forum I have been contacted by numerous P2 owners asking if I could reinstate the website I built around 2005/2006.

The website was included as part of the sale of "Tilly' but the new owner being a bit of a luddite didn't want the upkeep of a website and I was left holding the baby. I kept it online a further 3 years before pulling the plug due to escalating hosting costs.

Since building the website for the Volvo I decided to try and replicate "Tilly's" website and am slowly working through the pages, so not all button links are functioning yet. I'll sort them out soon and update everything but thought some of you would like a sneak preview.

Tilly Website

Hope you enjoy reading about this amazing car

[47p2]

When the light conditions are just right the silver sand colour of the 850 looks just right. Most of the time it just looks silver but the sandy colour pops every once in a while

[47p2]

Went to a local car show today and it's the first time I've had to drive across a manicured lawn

Edited by 47p2 on Monday 29th August 10:57

[47p2]

@G111MDS Thank you

I managed to clock up over 420 miles the last two weekends attending car shows, the 850 took it all in its stride and without incident.
Glasgow - Bathgate (Saturday) Glasgow - Scone, Perth (Sunday) then Glasgow - Oban (this Sunday)

I filled up with petrol before heading to Scone, Perth and by the time I came home from Oban I still have around 5 gallons left. so 10 gallons for 350 miles which considering I sat in traffic for almost 1½ hours escaping from Perth wasn't too bad.

Scone Perth


We were caught in a monsoon coming home from Perth and decided rather than put the 850 in the garage wet I would leave it outside for the first time in my 2½ year ownership.


Oban


Route for the two weekends


Gave the luggage area a spruce up

Edited by 47p2 on Wednesday 21st September 14:36

Edited by 47p2 on Wednesday 21st September 14:37

Edited by 47p2 on Wednesday 21st September 15:07

[47p2]

Not sure why Volvo never put a stay in at the floor cover of the 850 estate. When reaching in to get something out from underneath it's a pain in the ass and when trying to get the spare wheel out it's a proper faff. So I decided to bolt a stay in to make life a little easier.

[47p2]

I've been on the outlook for a genuine Volvo load safety net for a while and managed to get hold of one today.

[47p2]

Thanks Loose_Cannon, but the net won't rattle as much as a metal guard

Thanks Brett748, These old girls just keep going (with a little TLC)



Today's news...

I managed to obtain a GLT badge. Saloon cars had them fitted at the factory but I've never seen one factory fitted on an estate car.

Temporarily stuck on with a little blue-tack until I decide if it will be a permanent fixture.

[47p2]

The reason I wanted the GLT badge fitted

[47p2]

The first series of the V70 was 1997-2000 and was closely based on the 850 with many parts being interchangeable between the two models. These were built on the P80 platform.
The Series-II V70 ran from 2000-2007 and were on the P2 platform

[47p2]

A rose between the thorns...

New headlamp retaining clip to arrive at my local Volvo dealership so I went in the 850 to collect it. This is probably the last time the 850 will be out until next year as the Scottish winter weather is not a good environment for old (or new) cars