Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Did I mention I love turbos?

It's true, despite my ramblings about Tracers. I love turbos. I have some talk about the Mustang SVO ahead and my drooling over a Volvo 850R. The Tracer is fun in itself because it's basic and uncomplicated, but when everything comes together on a turbo car it's pure bliss. It's a peformance car working undercover, so when you really mash it it's like the car was all along taking a sunday stroll and now it's coming to life and breaking out the full-steam sprint.

Enter the 1984 Mustang SVO. I had it long before the Tracer but it often takes a back burner when major changes have to be made to it and so it just sits at my parents' house a lot. A lot of the work was already done when I got the car but I've made many improvements and repairs to clean up some of the work that was done and make it better.

Philadelphia 2009

The wheels were my choice, I bolted the lower wing back on, and I switched to single turbo with a header and exhaust of my own design. The car is also running the Megasquirt Engine Management taken from another nonoperational car of mine.



P1010978.JPG



Click any of the pictures to see my albums.

The Mustang is up for sale with a laundry list of modifications, but it is very hard to sell such an intensive project that is unfinished. My intention lately is to get rid of it in favor of something still fast, fun and turbocharged, yet luxurious, quiet, and visually appealing. Thus, the Volvo 850R with a 240 hp turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, sport suspension, beautiful OEM wheels, and many creature comforts. The main drawback is its front-wheel-drive layout and standard automatic transmission (no manual available in the 850R or T5 models). Though a manual can be swapped in from other models. I'm seriously considering getting one and we'll see if I can tolerate the automatic transmission. The whole point of course is to stop having so many projects and to just enjoy having a nice car. Well enough with that long paragraph, let's have some pictures!

The 850R was offered in both estate (wagon) form:
850R Estate

and in sedan form (the yellow is especially rare):
850R Sedans

I hope that in a few weeks or months I'll be posting up pictures of my own!

(Pro-Tip: The Mustang has a Volvo cylinder head. More info here: SVO CarDomain Page)

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