The 850T is an amazing blend of power, luxury and styling. When I first got the car and told my friends, they scoffed when I told them it looked cool and it was pretty fast. After they saw it and rode in it, they all changed their minds on both points.

I never thought I would drive a wagon or a front wheel drive car. It is kind of boxy but I think the hard edges are what make it look good. I am 35 and have hated the curvy body design of cars since the early 90's and thank god, the curvy crap is fading away again in favor of the hard angular body designs. To give you an idea of where I am coming from, I absolutely loved the Countach and purely detested the Diablo.

It must be because I am getting old but I bought the car because I can comfortably fit 4 golf bags and my playing partners and get to the course quickly and in style. Also, after I get the ecu upgrade and exhaust, I can put most of the ricers, with their fart cans, to shame.

I hate fighting with the steering wheel, because of torque steer. It is no fun but this is the only Volvo that looks this good and it just happens to be FWD.

This leads me to the other thing I hate about having a Volvo 850 Turbo. Automatic transmissions suck ***. As soon as I find a 5 speed donor car, it will go in my car and this auto will be for sale. Apparently, I am not old enough to like an auto transmission so that makes me feel a bit better….heh!

The engineering of the car puts it on par with Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen and BMW.It is a “machine” except for the retarded front spring seats which had to be designed by either a moron or someone on crack.

The car is classy, comfortable and relatively fast, for what it is. Considering the handicap of its weight and being FWD, it will never be really fast but, after enough modifications, fast enough.

This is just my everyday driver and is fun to drive but it is not my passion.

My passion is my 1980 Triumph TR7 convertible which I am restoring the body and doing a major conversion to the engine, suspension and brakes.

It is Thanksgiving and I had a bit of the good stuff(Crown Royal) so please indulge me a little rambling.

My first car, at 15, was a 80 TR7 that came with a very anemic 2.0 4cyl producing 85hp. I pulled it and replaced it with a 350HO from an 86 IROC and drove it throughout high school. I bought my second Triumph TR7 a few years ago and wanted to do it right this time but did not want to do the easy and lame thing of putting in a V8, which turned my first TR7 into a very fast “snow plow”. It was great in a straight line drag but could not make a turn.

This time around, I am using a rear end from a 90 Jaguar XJS which is a Posi-loc 2.87:1 that I had shortened and fabricated my own subframe for . The shocks are adjustable for preload, damping and rebound.
Front suspension consists of 280Z struts modified with coilovers and 8 way adjustable struts, 300ZX hubs and rotors and 4 piston calipers.
The engine, tranny and wire harness comes from a 1987 Mazda RX7 TurboII. I have rebuilt the engine and gone one step further with the ceramic apex seals. With the right turbo and supporting fuel mods, 300hp and 8000rpm’s are easily attainable and up to 375hp is within reach.
In a car that will weigh in around 2400lbs soaking wet, this will be one fast car and will handle and stop to match.
I have cut and flared the rear wheel arches to accommodate the 10.5-11in. wheels for traction and boxed the rockers which taper from the stock front fenders to the new rear arches.

All the fabrication is completed and now it just comes down to the tedious part of paint, wiring, interior, etc.
I hope to finish it in the next year. The lack of spare time and money might prolong this goal.

 

Things I love about my 850 T-5

1) That car is very fast. I have a turn and everything and I can pull away from a lot of cars when it is needed.

2) It is very very comfortable. You can't beat the volvo seats.

3) The look. It just does not go out of style.

4) The handling for a wagon is very good. A lot better then any other wagon I have ever driven.

5) I know there are more things I like about the car, but I just can't think of them right now.

Things I don't like.

1) FWD. This is a big one being all my other volvos where either RWD or AWD.

2) The autotragic. The trans on the T-5 is just bad.

3) The turbo lag. I have a 15G and I believe the lag is because of the autotragic.

4) It rattles. I know the car is 15 years old and all, but man does it rattle. My RWD volvos never rattled like this thing does.

5) Oil leaks. Enough Said.