Volvo 850R for $850

You can take the man out of the 850R but not the 850R out of the man...

130k (ish) miles, 2 owner, last driven by the guy's college daughter who nearly ran it into the ground. Advertised poorly on Atlanta CL with no pics as a non-runner. I went there as it was 10 minutes away and almost turned around when I first saw it. Jumped it and it started! It kept dying because of vacuum leaks and had a flat battery so couldn't really drive it. I did hit 40 MPH in reverse, trans works great and axles are good.

Guy put a new Duralast Gold battery in it, nice dude.

Needs: A GOOD detail Power antenna motor (they all break...) Remove old tint Hose from airbox to TB Timing belt and tensioners Transmission flush with Toyota 3309 Oil change and BG Engine Cleaner Coolant flush Brake fluid flush, inspect lines, inspect pads and rotors Tires (want 17s, there are Volans on CL for $400) Radio (still has OEM harness thankfully) Hood & Grille (will go JY white) Right fog light Trim under headlights...undecided on headlight wipers PCV system Bumper rattlecan Composite radiator support Left front corner lamp (aftermarket in there, want OE Hella) Left fender (will go JY white) Right doors (PDR wishful thinking?) Roof trim...plastidip or S70 plastic... Mud flap replacement Floor mat replacement Second key OE remotes Left outer tail lamp Dashboard pad (they all warp) Shift knob (will find S40 replacement, matches the wood perfectly) Steering wheel (might do 960 and airbag but will lose the grey bottom unless I dye...)

And that's it before really driving it. No idea of leaks, fluid usage, shakes, shimmys, etc. It's a long project so don't expect anything.

Here in the UK these are getting rare - I bought mine 7 years ago or so, when they were ~£2,000 for a good one, now they are ~£4,000 for a good one and climbing as the total number of cars diminishes.

Of course, I've spent ~£20,000 on the car in the interim.

In reply to Dammit:

Cheers mate.

Just picked it up from seller's house. Absolutely smitten, this neglected example pulls harder than my old 850R. Unbelievably, no check engine light and yes, all the cluster bulbs are there. Front suspension is all bad. Temp needle didn't budge past halfway. Can't believe it was advertised as a non-runner but it started with a battery and stop, steers, and brakes with nary an issue.

Did a highway pull from 70 to stupid, it's fast. Uploaded a video on Youtube, not sure I want to post it LOL.

24.8 MPG on the way home, mostly highway. Nuts.

Now we start cleaning what Mighty Car Mods calls "human slime". It's accurate. http://mightycarmods.com/blogs/news/12300645-money-pits

Good man for saving an R!

Yes Volans!

Triton or Propus would be acceptable, but the Volans are the "right" wheel for an R/T5-R.

The T-5R's came on Titans, the R's on Volans, I do have a hankering for a set of two-piece BBS Propus to go on mine, but they don't come up that often.

What are your plans for this long-term OP?

In reply to Dammit:

I used quotes for a reason, I personally don't like Titans/Pegasus, and people seem to want to put them or IPD's replicas on everything.

Ah, gotcha- yes, Pegs are played out I agree, really heavy also.

Thanks guys. I do want to keep this car but eager to find the actual miles, as the owner said he swapped the cluster before. I don't have the computer needed to find the miles. This would be my classic Volvo for kicks but I like having a newer, reliable, warranted DD.

This is the second 850R I have saved from death, first was a 609 Red 855R.

Placed an order from RockAuto yesterday for Brembo 302mm front rotors, Stoptech front and rear pads, Fram oil and air filters (closeout). Unfortunately the larger caliper carriers were discontinued last year so need to find a junkyard set.

I'll probably grab those Volans tomorrow. I'm an OE guy, and the Volans are right on this car. I do like Propus as well, sucker for BBS wheels. There's a pair of decent 850R seats on CL as well.

Went to Wally World today to get windshield washer fluid to see if the tank leaks, took a chance on 3M 82 headliner adhesive to reattach the ends of the Alcantara door panel inserts, and Woolite to clean the floor mats (850R mats are rare and NLA) and will thoroughly douche the interior. It's just filthy. Also possibly wasted money on WipeNew, there are surprisingly good testimonials on how it works on faded bumper plastic.

Need to buy aircraft stripper and nitrile gloves to try to remove tint, I hate tint, I hate this tint, and it makes the car look terrible.

I borrowed the 'rents finicky Snap-on electric pressure washer to clean the exterior, I keep running into roadblocks. When I removed the broken headlight trim I realized the front panels are just cobbled together on a prayer. The headlight lens fell out, the whole assembly was FUBAR. The passenger headlight isn't much better but I'm leaving it in as I might need to drive the car around the block.

Going to the salvage yard tomorrow to look at snagging front fenders, hood, headlights, corner lights, radiator fan shroud, right doors, and taillight from a white 850 GLT. I removed the peeling roof strips today, will try to find S70 plastic strips which work better with diverting rain anyways.

I have a rattlecan of VW Candy White paint which is pretty close to Volvo 189 Polar White, probably going to do a quick and dirty spray job on the front bumper to not piss off the neighbors.

A good dude on VWVortex offered me NOS foglights for the cost of shipping, so taking him up on his offer.

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Georgia4Runner/media/Volvo/BFE18EC1-296D-49B1-94BB-33598C259E5E_zpsuphm8lrz.jpg.html][/URL]

Debating finding a 960 wheel/airbag or recovering the top of the 850 unit as I want to keep the signature grey bottom from the R. Need grey for shift knob as well.

Seems like a lot of work to resurrect this one, should be interesting.

Harvey wrote: Seems like a lot of work to resurrect this one, should be interesting.

It is...but to be fair it has the rare bits like spoiler, front bumper, interior is all there, and it's a GA car. Low miles too.

Target acquired...even has updated centercaps too. Unfortunately tires will have to wait as I will do Michelin PSS and I need to get a job first. My father asked me how retirement is going :laugh: I'm 29.

Super nice seller on CL, has a nearly-identical 850R sedan but a 1997. When I get mine tagged I'll run up to his place and we'll poke around mine, he's done a lot of the jobs I haven't yet. He knew about my car on CL, couldn't believe I was the one who bought it!

Grabbed an SC-901 too, need to find an iPod adapter before I install it.

After I bought the Volans and SC-901, I swung by a local Volvo dismantler. I really, really, really am desperate for a pair of 302mm front caliper brackets but no dice, measured each C70 in the yard. A bit surprised.

I did get S70 roof trim, paid $40. Not sure what they're worth, can't be much. Not that pleased with the price because I'm a cheap bastard but I'm anxious to get rolling on this.

Back home, I used up all of my Simple Green on the window tint, haven't done the back window yet but removed the tint from the sides. Much better. I can't remember if Costco sells Simple Green in large jugs or not, I'll need a LOT more. Somehow the trunk floor/spare tire well has human filth too, amazing.

The amount of human filth is frightening. I've never seen it this bad.

More money!

among other crap:

Got tired of worrying about a botched aftermarket stereo install. Being that I'm de-ghettofying the R by removing the 15% tint, I wanted to strip the subwoofer wiring. Done.

Before:

After:

SC-901 in, I'll beg a Volvo dealer tomorrow for a code. Have the VIN of the donor car and the serial number off the radio.

That shifter who/what chewed on it? My lowly 850 GLT has a swanky R knob, adds at least 5 HP right?

How the hell do you lose a Scrabble tile inside a car?

You probably already know, but with the reputation the 850Rs have I'd probably move the PCV replacement to the top of your list before you drive it even medium-hard again. That (and the resulting carbon-choked mess of a head) are what killed a valve in my buddy's 855.

Ha, the shifter is terrible, isn't it? The great dude I sold my 855R to manual swapped it, so he's sending me the S40 wood knob I installed on that car. These grey leather shift knobs are terribly hard to find in good condition. I'll save mine as a core for a future project.

On the Scrabble tile, I just...uh...it's a head scratcher.

Funny you talk about the PCV. It was making me nervous, and I didn't do the glove test because I don't want to know (same reason I won't do a compression test haha). Bought a brand new, OE blue box PCV kit from a guy on Swedespeed for $100 shipped, it's $153 at IPD so happy there. Will likely install this weekend if it gets here in time. You're right about that, PCV is the achilles' heel and wreaks havoc on seals, valves, etc.

Also going to check timing belt this weekend and really give into the engine mechanicals.

Chinese water torture. That will clear out the crap

Progress, sweet sweet progress. Got lucky with a local yard having a minty Polar White on grey '96 GLT with a bad motor, donated right doors, both fenders, hood and grille, core support, top trim on front bumper cover, corner lamp, weatherstripping, drivers carpet, drivers floor mat that I'll cut a square out of to patch the hole in my R mat, '96 owners manual, and a few misc interior trim pieces. Fender and rear door need minor PDR but my right quarter, trunk, and roof need it too.

Waiting on NOS fog lights. Shop is painting my bumper and D/S side skirt on Monday.

Total cost at the junkyard, parts and labor for painting and mounting items will be close to $800, I'm ok with it.

E-code Hellas

Original radiator works fine, can see where the core support bent and the horns tapped the fins. The whole thing is shaped like a banana but not cracked.

The stupid washer tube with an intact cap is hard to find, broken on six out of seven 850s in the yard. Needed only one :)

Broken clip on a relay from the collision

850 Turbo wagon donated the fan relay and associated brackets since mine was broken.

Denton wrote: Need to buy aircraft stripper and nitrile gloves to try to remove tint, I hate tint, I hate this tint, and it makes the car look terrible.

Say what now? I need to know more about this. I have a rear window that's nothing but sadness and purple glue that I need to tend to.

Karl professionally installs tint in FL. Do what he says...
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/removing-window-tint/28121/page1/

Window tint was easy, it soaked in Simple Green, undiluted, in the sun. The not fun part is cleaning off the adhesive goop.

In keeping with the budget constraints:

Brand new BRZ takeoffs with 215/45-17 Michelin Primacy HP. Going to refinish the Volans, mount the Michelins, and sell the Toyobaru wheels on eBay. Paid $350 and will get that just for the wheels on eBay looking at completed listings.

I rule.

this is swank! Needs some above average TLC but mostly complete is nice. I almost bought one of these before I got my rx7. I wonder how my life would have been different with this instead from time to time.

Much appreciated!

Picked up the R today from the salvage yard and am $700 poorer. Looking at the front bumper, I came out on top...took the painter all day.

Need used corner lamp and get rid of that wiper stop

Snagged a mint mirror cover, this is the old one

New doors, little PDR on rear

In the Jeep rental going to Chattanooga to sell BRZ wheels