Famous Five - NOW SOLD

[eddyramrod]

Northern Monkey has already shown you what he was out in today; no doubt he will be showing you what he went home in too.  He's left me a somewhat battered Volvo estate, and for all the rude things I've said (and will continue to say) about this arrangement, it's FWD!  What this does mean, of course, is that Hot Wheels do a model of it...

Neil parked it in the first space he found in my street, and it can stay there overnight, I cba moving it.  Not that there's anywhere to move it to, really.  I haven't driven it yet, haven't even sat in it.  That's all to come tomorrow, with some daylight pictures.

1996 Volvo 850 GLT estate auto, ex-Snagglepuss.  Should be most suitable for my needs.

[eddyramrod]

One thing Northern Monkey said when he dropped off the Volvo yesterday was that he couldn't be sure how much petrol was left until the feed-me light came on.  Well lo and behold, it came on this morning after I'd been to the dentist. so later when I'm on the other computer, there will actually be a pez shot!

[NorthernMonkey]

Err, yeah, sorry about that. I actually put £20 worth in when I set off but then turned most of it into noise and momentum playing at being Rickard Rydell across the southern lakes after I’d come off the M6 ?

[eddyramrod]

I forgive you!  It's awfully easy to fall into that trap,as I experienced today.

[eddyramrod]

As promised...

And here's a walkaround of the rest of the car.

It's funny, isn't it, how the length of those rear quarter windows seemed to reduce steadily from the 240, to the 740/940, to the 850.  Yet there's still as much space as a man could need in the back!

I haven't yet braved the Chamber Of Secrets that passes for a glove box, but come the better weather, I suspect there will be a happy afternoon of fiddling there.

[Mrs6C]

Welcome to the Volvo Fivepot FWD Owners' Club!

[danthecapriman]

Nice brick Eddy! Should this have alloys as a GLT? I’m sure my old GLE had alloys.

They're a tad quicker than the old  RWD cars aren’t they!? 

[eddyramrod]

Yes it probably should, but this one is wearing a lovely set of winter tyres, which I suspect Snagglepuss put on.  I quite like it on the bare steels.

[danthecapriman]

Is that a CD changer in the boot?

[eddyramrod]

Indeed it is.  I'm assured it works, but I haven't tested it yet.

[Schaefft]

Is this the Volvo Estate I drove at the North East meet recently? If yes it seriously made me consider one of these, it sound absolutely amazing and was quick!

[eddyramrod]

I suppose that depends who was in attendance.  Northern Monkey?  Snagglepuss?

[HillmanImp]

19 hours ago, NorthernMonkey said:

playing at being Rickard Rydell 

Despite it being a Volvo you could also play as being Will Hoy from looking at the number plate. 

[The Moog]

It's ex Bucketeer - he brought it into the fold. I think he extensively road tested it.

Interesting fact was he used it to camp out somewhere, popped out for a wee and it slammed shut and locked behind him.

Cue a semi naked Bucketeer trying to open the car with all the twigs and sticks available to him. None of it work so he then spent 20 mins trying to break the window with a rock!

He finally managed it, so if you hear rattling in the rear passenger door it might be some loose glass

If the ABS light come on you can pull out the abs module and give the electrical contacts a clean and that should sort it.

It's got a set of winter tyres on steels as the alloys were properly shagged and vibrated hugely.

The locked box of treasure is yet to be opened....

[Six-cylinder]

While Mrs6C has a pretender in the shape of a V70 I used to have the real thing a 850 GLT Auto.

Strange my 850 GLT did not have alloys either.

 

[robinmasters]

On 3/11/2020 at 9:54 PM, eddyramrod said:

Yes it probably should, but this one is wearing a lovely set of winter tyres, which I suspect Snagglepuss put on.  I quite like it on the bare steels.

Black steels are for winners. I don't claim to be in that category, mine are a combination of faded grey and rust.

[eddyramrod]

Up close, these really want rubbing down and painting.  I might do that in the warmer weather.

[paulplom]

On 3/11/2020 at 10:17 PM, Schaefft said:

Is this the Volvo Estate I drove at the North East meet recently? If yes it seriously made me consider one of these, it sound absolutely amazing and was quick!

No that was mine and it was a T-5. I've since swapped with @GeordieInExile for a bini cooper s.

[GeordieInExile]

@Schaefft - this one.

[eddyramrod]

I've done two jobs on this today, as it's so nice outside.  Well started them; when or even if they will get finished is another matter.  I took off one of the wheels and gave it a dose of drill-mounted wire brush action.  It's now sitting in my back yard in primer. 

The other job is the permalocked glove box.  I got it open!  Not sure it'll close again, especially as one of the hinges is broken, but I will probably be fiddling with it for a while yet.  Mystery contents?  Zero!  There was nothing in it but air.

[Ghosty]

Ah EPJ, my old T5, I miss that bugger. If/when the Jag sells I'm tempted to try and get it back. 

850s are wonderful cars that do everything perfectly except mpg (lest you find a tdi). Enjoy! 

[GeordieInExile]

You can't have it back, I'm enjoying it too much...! Aircon and an electric sunshine roof is the best summer combination of luxuries.

[andy18s]

My old turbo,bought from Billy a good few years ago

Used to love upsetting the local boy racers with this "grandad car"

[The Moog]

18 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

The other job is the permalocked glove box.  I got it open!  Not sure it'll close again, especially as one of the hinges is broken, but I will probably be fiddling with it for a while yet.  Mystery contents?  Zero!  There was nothing in it but air.

That is disappointing ... I was hoping for some type of treasure*

[reb]

18 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

I've done two jobs on this today, as it's so nice outside.  Well started them; when or even if they will get finished is another matter.  I took off one of the wheels and gave it a dose of drill-mounted wire brush action.  It's now sitting in my back yard in primer. 

The other job is the permalocked glove box.  I got it open!  Not sure it'll close again, especially as one of the hinges is broken, but I will probably be fiddling with it for a while yet.  Mystery contents?  Zero!  There was nothing in it but air.

I might have hinges for it, I'll have a look at some point. Every 850 we've owned has arrived with a fucked glovebox of some description. Unfortunately I'm not that good at fixing them, but I may have parts!

[Ghosty]

Glovebox is TADTS, Volvo were shit at them. 240 and 740 gloveboxes also lock themselves shut, my 740 broke its in my ownership too, and I had to replace it as it borked. 

I have a spare glovebox and an undamaged grey trim piece for the face of the lid. 

[eddyramrod]

Thank you gents!  Meanwhile, remember this view?

Looks a bit scruffy, doesn't it?  Admittedly I've washed it since, but it showed up just how rough the wheels were looking.

You see what I mean.  So I've started doing this...

Yes, I know, my masking isn't the best, but just look...

In fairness, I've only done one side so far, but I'm now on the other side too.  I was going to do them black, but didn't have enough; then I thought of white, but again, couldn't get my hands on enough white either.  So I've ended up with this pale sage green, which I'm quite pleased with.  When I can find my tyre black I'll go round the sidewalls.

[Jazoli]

Top tip for masking wheels is to use a pack of playing cards and tuck them in round the edge of the wheels.

Congrats on the paint job, you've made it look worse   

[eddyramrod]

Playing cards, never thought of that!  I made a ring mask out of cereal boxes, but as you can see it's not the best.  Never mind, I know I've got some tyre black somewhere.

[danthecapriman]

Looks much tidier. Rally style!