Lyri’s 2003 V70R project.

[Lyri]

Well, hey there, folks. Figured I might as well introduce myself by showing off my sporty cow as I like to call it…

It’s a 2003 V70R M66 in Nordkap that I flew across Europe to pick up and drove home across 7 countries and 1200 miles or so (roughly 2000km). She's got quite the mileage and obviously needs some love and work put into her, but the chassis is solid, engine seems to be holding its' own and I'm trying to turn it into my vision of the ultimate grand tourer. Eventually down the road, who knows, we'll likely snag a '97 V70R with an M58 to go along with this so me and my old man can enjoy them together and go to car meets together.

[matthew1]

Classy R! Nice aurora borealis/R photo and avatar. Looking forward to reading more including your search for Atacama.

[scot850]

Well, welcome to the MVS forum! I'm also looking forward to following your project. Good Luck!

Oh, and I know of a 98 V70R (manual) that needs recommissioning and has a huge number of new parts including a lot of rare ones. It is in Germany. I'm not sure if the owner will ever get around to getting it back on the road, but it has been dry stored for several years.

If it is of interest, let me know and I can ask him if he wants to sell it.

Neil.

[Lyri]

Well, welcome to the MVS forum! I'm also looking forward to following your project. Good Luck!

Oh, and I know of a 98 V70R (manual) that needs recommissioning and has a huge number of new parts including a lot of rare ones. It is in Germany. I'm not sure if the owner will ever get around to getting it back on the road, but it has been dry stored for several years.

If it is of interest, let me know and I can ask him if he wants to sell it.

Neil.

Thanks! Appreciate the comment a lot, but that's out of the budget right now. Some people will likely throw stones at me and call me a heretic, but I plan on having my V70R repainted flash green. Buying a door and a wing from a salvage Flash Green V70R across europe so I can have them for colour reference once the car is painted. Currently having two minor bumps in the bodywork straightened out and then having the car coated against rust, the wheels have a lot of curb rashes on them, so I will have those straightened out, refurbished and powder coated in anthracite or graphite grey, gonna keep the full Nordkap interior I have as a spare, but likely going with a facelift Atacama interior for the V70R. Also thinking of doing US Spec headlights and keeping the European ones as spares. Same treatment goes for taillights - going the facelift approach. Also gotta source a V70 subwoofer, installing a GROM since I want the ability to play spotify, but I do not want to install some 6 inch ipad in the dashboard that looks out of place, so the HU 803 stays where it is. What else, what else... Oh, yeah, need to get the sun shades retailored. I have the OEM rear passenger sun shades, but one of the sides has been torn out and is missing since the previous owner had it.

All in all, my car might have a bland "bucket colour" as they call it and only a Nordkap interior, but the specifications and package on it is stellar. It has a sunroof, navigation that works, headrest TV's that actually work, an AMP/audio signal splitter for the TV's that works. Wireless 2003esque Philips headphones for the passengers to listen radio on with the transceivers worked into the trunk, the premium audio package on it, as well as a parking sensor, the sun blinds and the folding dog cage. Some of it might be standard for them, some of it definitely is aftermarket, some of it comes from the original factory specification, but it was definitely done in a tasteful, non intrusive way and blends together well, so it adds to the charm of the vehicle. I plan on keeping it that way.

So yeah, this car's been good to me so far and besides the fact that it has a minor oil leak from the oil filter cap that started recently (ought to check PCV), I did the drive belt and timing belt, water pump, oil filter, air filter and cabin filter service three weeks into my ownership of this car. Flushed the engine, switched her over to 10W40 Liqui Moly given that it has seen some life and racked up some mileage already (I know some people might like to give me a lecture over not sticking to the recommended 10W30), did compression tests and they came out alright. Obviously not stellar, but pretty good considering the 200k mileage on the engine. Previous owner serviced the 4C and brakes a year before selling the car, no cracked cylinders so far, either, as the oil consumption is minimal so far and the coolant reservoir is clean, no oil.

Still learning mechanically and it's gonna be a lot of ground to cover, but I have no regrets whatsoever for buying this car or undertaking the project. I was advised to buy something cheaper and more accessible, but instead I bought exactly what I wanted and this thing puts a smile on my dad's face everytime he drives it or hears the bellowing engine notes. Then again, he always was an Audi Coupe or Volvo 740 kind of guy. Always a sucker for a good 5 cylinder engine.

P.S. I also just found a guy in Norway who has brand new, still boxed up Atacama door cards, so my money is going towards getting those right now.

[scot850]

Well it sounds like a very interesting project and you have a lot of plans. 200,000km is not a high mileage if the engines are looked after.

As for your oil leak. Have you replaced the oil cap seal? If you check it and it is really hard, fit a new one and the leak will stop.

You can do the 'glove' test to check the PCV system. Plenty of references here on how to do the simple test of a rubber/latex glove over the oil filler hole with the cap removed. You will need elastic bands to keep the glove in place. Start the engine and let it idle. If the glove stays flat, then you are good. If it rises or lifts slightly then the PCV is nearing a service. If you rev the engine and the glove does not lift, or ideally gets sucked down your PCV is good.

Neil.

[matthew1]

Thanks! Appreciate the comment a lot, but that's out of the budget right now. Some people will likely throw stones at me and call me a heretic, but I plan on having my V70R repainted flash green.

Oh my goodness you're going for the superunicorn Flashacama manual. https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/vol ... ama-259807 Good for you.

[Lyri]

Well it sounds like a very interesting project and you have a lot of plans. 200,000km is not a high mileage if the engines are looked after.

As for your oil leak. Have you replaced the oil cap seal? If you check it and it is really hard, fit a new one and the leak will stop.

You can do the 'glove' test to check the PCV system. Plenty of references here on how to do the simple test of a rubber/latex glove over the oil filler hole with the cap removed. You will need elastic bands to keep the glove in place. Start the engine and let it idle. If the glove stays flat, then you are good. If it rises or lifts slightly then the PCV is nearing a service. If you rev the engine and the glove does not lift, or ideally gets sucked down your PCV is good.

Neil.

Thanks for the reply, friend. Already checked out the details regarding PCV. Likely going to replace it anyway. Just haven’t gotten around to it yet since it will be another 500 EUR out of the pocket to get all of the parts shipped, so that’s being put off until Winter. They salt the roads here in cold seasons, so the VR has about 3-4 weeks left in this season before it goes in a warm garage until next spring.

Just to clarify, I converted the units, so we’re looking at 326k km on the B5254T4 in this one.

Oh my goodness you're going for the superunicorn Flashacama manual. https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/vol ... ama-259807 Good for you.

Well, not so much going for a rare car as I looked at the catalogue of colours that these came in and realised that while the Sonic Blue might be the most desireable and rare colour, it sure is nice, there are plenty of Audis, BMW's and Skodas, other brands rocking a similiar metallic blue paint scheme. Now, that metallic aqua green colour that we call Flash Green seems oddball and signature enough. Just fell in love with it. As far as the Atacama interior goes - I originally wanted the Nordkap as I thought it goes well with the Blue and aluminium DIM, but I have to satisfy my curiousity as to just how good the Atacama interiors are. Don't plan on selling the car, anyways, so this one is purely for enjoyment and to have an excuse to spend more time with my old man wrenching the beast rather than trying to make a buck off it. 99% of the youth here drive clapped out BMW's and Audis, so for them it is kinda rare to see someone their age (late 20's) driving a sporty Volvo.

/rant

[Lyri]

So far, I've found this...



Guy said he's willing to give me the full interior + center console piece for 1300 Euros if I come take the bits out myself... in Germany, 1300 kilometres (807 miles) away and he doesn't want to do shipping. Now, a rational person would have walked away from the deal. I, however, drive a V70R and want a brown leather interior, so guess we're doing a road trip to Germany and back at start of October. Already paid for the interior and he's holding it for me until I come pick it up.

Eh, I hope my trusty black LPG V70 handles those 1600 miles, cause I am not paying for all that fuel for the V70R. Last trip that was across europe was 1200 miles and that cost me 450 euros in fuel alone.

Obviously that's an S60R interior and I can only use the front bits, so the rear seats and door cards are going up for sale the moment I get them home. Still gonna need floor mats, the actual carpet and rear door cards, rear seats.

[scot850]

Rear carpets will likely not fit. The rear foot area in an S60 is shorter than in a V70 by about 2-3cm. I was told this and found out when I was lo0king for rear floor rubber mats for a V70.

Neil.

[Lyri]

Oh, floor carpet definitely won't fit, neither will the floor mats work. I am buying a whole set off this guy, keeping the front seats, front door cards and the center console. The rest of the back I am selling off. Will have to scavenge the rear seat and rear door cards, floor mats (possibly may have found them) and the carpet.