Well, I'm starting a small progress log to kind of show off, but to also see what I need help with so I don't need to do so many new threads. It might also help a lot of the guys that are just starting and looking for modifications or looks to do.

Anyways! I'll just start off with a little history? My family bought this car back in I believe 01 for $5,500, take in mind I'm still 17, and since I started driving this back in semi-late summer of 08, I've started to pour some money into it. As my mom says, I've made "Boy-ified" it already. And I have no idea why its named Lola, my sister did it :P.

This is just a 1994 850-Turbo that I thought was a everyday car, until I actually started driving it.

I left it stock for a while untill I actually wanted performance. The first thing that came into mind was the sound. I kind of wanted a sound similar to his Neon. So while working with a family friend, he told me that he had an extra muffler lying around so I went and took a look at it. I saw it and it was just an OBX muffler, no markings other then OBX on it. Researched it a liittle, and just eff'd it and put it on there. Of course I don't have a full exhaust, but it sounds better the most other cars up here in Washington. At that same time I moved up to a K&N Drop-in filter, along with opening up the entire bottom half of the air filter box to try and get more air flow. Hopefully this will work, but I haven't actually realized the difference although I know it is there.





Next I had was HID's. So I purchsed a set of HID's with spare housings, although to my realization now I could have just spent money on actual Projector housings with the amount of time and money I put into these. So I moved from just normal HID's, to projectors. I got Hella E55 projectors, retrofit those, and now I'm selling them. Although here is how they look and a small progress picture of them.


Without ghetto shrouds


With shrouds


Close up of Projector


Dremeling


Stage 1

Along at that time I really wanted fog lights. Like REALLY wanted them. So i went to a junkyard and found some Hyundai Sonata Projector Foglights, which is exactly what I wanted. So i found the foglight template on the back of my bumper and started dremeling. I did this, drilled into the upper shelf, tapped it, bolted it up, and wired it. They started with Sylvania Silverstars, then I'm moving them up to HID's once the new pair comes in. I had a set but the ballast started freaking out.


From the front


How its mounted

I also got a spoiler mounted. Its from an Accord, I just drilled the holes mounted it. Although the LED's are not drawing enough power, so I just wired them in parallel with the normal 3rd center light, although its taped in my trunk so it lights up whenever I press the gas. I stripped the original paint, primed it grey, dyed it darker with Showroom new, and clearcoated it.







Just some small things. I got bored and made myself an antenna control switch out of a Pilot Foglight switch I took from my friend. I have also done a LED Guage swap. I'll get pictures of the Guages ASAP. I also got a few other things that I've done that I don't remember, but I'll post them asap!.


Antenna Switch.

This is a WIP

 

I just got done doing a $10 Reverse intercooler modifcation. Got it done with a hacksaw and a pair of Scissors. Works great! so far!

 

How did you do the antenna control switch?

 

Very easily. Most plugs you jsut need to find out which wire sends the electrical signal to the power antenna that tells it to stay up. When doesnt have the signal it won't even go up. So, i cut the wire, then put it on the switch there. I put the switch in one of the empty slots and it looks not bad!

 

Do you remember what color the antenna wire was? I want to install a switch as you did but do not want to just start hakcing into wires till I hit the right one. Volvo sells a switch/harness for this whick cost around $70 at some stealerships and $35 at others.

 

Blue I think? Just check here. Any switch will do really, you don't need THE switch.

http://www.tehnomagazin.com/Auto-rad...-Connector.htm

 

ok, i wasn't sure if you just plainly removed the power if it went down on its own. I thought you had to do something to send it a signal to go down.

 

Thanks for the info on the antenna wire. You very resorceful. Making all those mods with different parts and all. Sounds like you are having a lot of fun and the car looks good. Keep having fun.

 

With a switch, that is exactly what you are doing. You are causing a break in the circuit so the small electrical current, or signal, does not reach the end that it needs to to tell the motor to start raising the antenna. When you flip the switch, you close the circuit and allow the current to go though, thus telling the motor to start raising. When you cut the signal it does take a few moments for the antenna to go down though.

Thanks! And no problem. Yeah, it is amazing what you can do with a hacksaw, screwdrivers, socket sets, a bit of engineering knowledge and just with ideas. I just really take ideas on manufacturing and figure out a cheaper and more cost effective way on doing it. Fogs for cheap, RI Piping cheap. What more can you ask for? Anyone have any suggestions? I just ordered my angel eye Projectors along with some more HID's. I'll let you guys know when they come in. I hope they aren't too ricey, although I do have a few ideas on what I'm going to do to de-rice it.

 

Nice

up the boost a little.....

Get a full 3" exhaust when you can. It is awsome.

 

That is my plan. I want to get a MBC Before anything else.

I just used that Dynolicious app for an iPod, set the settings to 4000-LBS, which is what my VIN card says, and a 15% Drivetrain loss and I got 236-HP.

 

That car is not 4000lbs....
They are closer to 3400lbs with driver.

My 745 is ~2900lbs with me in the car right now (the car is gutted right now with some interior pieces in place).

I really need to get my cars weighed, so I can have an accurate number.

 

Wait, Really?! I thought they were way heavier!

 

nope...Volvos are pretty "light" The 850's supposed to have a curb weigh of ~3240lbs....
The newer Volvos like the newer V70's are like ~3850lbs....

 

Oh dang. Does this mean less HP or more HP? Maybe I should change that... . I always thought my car was 4000+lbs!

 

One thing I do not like about my 850 is something I knew before I bought it would bother me... The window switches being in the center console. I put everything there and no that I have an 850, everything is on the switches. Not to mention the fact that I have been putting things there for about 25 years.

So, to try to cure this situation, I believe I am going to try to install switches on my doors, like the rear doors have. Do you think this would be hard?

 

It is actually quite simple, you just run all the wires from the center console that go to the front door switches, and run them ALL THE WAY to the door and where you need. Then from there your going to have to find the spot you need and do everything. Simple, but just time consuming. All you are doing is relocating it, but still using the same circut, right? I'm guessing you're going to need a few feet of wire.

You just need to run the wires though the speaker wire holes and through that protective wire thing for the other wires leading to the doors and such. After that, drill and cut, place in, hope that it fits snug and its there! The most time consuming part would be getting the switch out then wiring. Cutting shouldn't be that hard. I personally like where they are, but I'm willing to help anyone that wants a simple way of moding.

 

Well, I want to install single switches like the ones in the back. I was thinking about checking the way the back door switches were wired and installed and just mimik that. Even use the same style switches.

 

Ahh, but then you would have 2 sets of switches in your front. IMO, if you are going to relocate switches, just make it so they are only on the door. You can leave the rear control ones there, but there should only be 1 set of fronts.

 

I was not planning to RELOCATE the switches, just add switches in the door. Yes there would be 2 sets of switches for every door but that is no big deal. right now i keep reaching for switches on the door and it's not there.