JayDiesel Volvo Stories and Wife's Own Motor Replacements

Jaydiesel · Post by **Jaydiesel** » 03 Jan 2026, 19:36

So I am starting this Topic to keep the long story out of another Topic I started about what everyone's goals for their Volvos for the year is. I will try to post things in order as I remember things but a lot has happened. So I may have to backtrack with updated dates.

Ok, so I got asked the question about how long I owned my 854 T-5R and which owner I was. Here is my reply.

So I bought the '95 in 2014. 5th owner. It was sitting for awhile at a construction supply warehouse. It was parked under a awning in their backlot. I saw it with the corner of my eye, just knew the color since I worked for Volvo when they came out and always went to find one when I got older. Ran back into the Supply House, found the employee that owned it. He said, he was thinking about selling it because his mechanic was telling him it needs a rebuilt motor or fuel pump. He just didn't want to pay anymore money for repairs. Car had 130k. He told me to make any offer I wanted because he knew I was going to probably get it tow to a shop and spend some real money. Well I offered $1200 and he said sold. Gave him the only cash I had in my wallet ($20 bucks) as a deposit. Told him I be back in a week with the rest and a tow truck.
I got it towed to my friends house. Got a new battery, tried to start it. No go. Check a few things out, asked my friend for a paper clip. Popped the fuel relay and installed the Paper clip trick. Car started right up. (My Friend was shocked with the Paper Clip Trick). Went to the Junk yard found a few fuel pump relays for $1. Worked like a charm. Then started stage 0.

Fast Forward 6 months later, former owner called to see everything with the car was going. and to ask how much I probably spent on it. Just told him he needs to find a new mechanic. Because it only cost me $1 to get the car working again. That guy was cussing up a storm and telling me how was for sure getting F$#%ed. lol

When I bought the car Oct 17, 2014

This pic was taken in 2017 when I would drive to the hospital, my girlfriend (Now Wife) was staying at waiting for her first Heart Transplant. She like it when I drive the T-5R up because she could see where I parked and reminds her of all the help she did on the car with me.

Jaydiesel · Post by **Jaydiesel** » 03 Jan 2026, 21:31

OK, I am going to leave a lot details out about why she needed a Heart Transplant at the time. The Short version is drowning, cardiac arrest. All well we were on like our second date together.

So day of Official Heart Transplant Day in Aug 2017
(which we had two dry runs a few days before, which just breaks you because you know time is not on her side. Meds are just keeping her going. One of the Meds she is on was Nicknamed "JetFuel" to keep her heart going, but burning her heart up in the process).
We had all her family hanging out in her room just understanding more of want is going to happen from team of doctors. We find out the New to her Heart ( I like to refer it as her Motor Replacement) is being flown in and should be getting to the hospital within a hour. I decide to find the Medical Flight and track its landing. " I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS!" Why? Because I told my brother this info and he wanted to make sure the heart made it to the Hospital after landing, per Him "Extra Security or if they need someone with a fast car."

My brother took this pic right after he had them roll their window down to ask if they needed help. He didn't understand at the time those guys in that van call the police to stay a guy is harassing them or may try to steal the organ. The van guys took off well before my brother because he was in a different lane still waiting for the light to change. The Van Organ transport team made it to the hospital and told the hospital staff about it. My brother arrived at the hospital with two police officers waiting to chat with him. After some time he walked out with a warning to never do that again. Him being a Smartass, he told them make sure she doesn't need another one.

Well New Heart look like its going to fit and work out for her. So its go time in the OP Room. The Doctors told us its going to be maybe 12 hours before she get out of Surgery and in ICU. Its going to be a while before I get to see her again. The Doctors have a nurse in the OP Room that would call my Phone and give us updates on the different stages of surgery they were doing and how she was doing.
So when you have 12 hours in a waiting room and your brother next to you that's a huge car nut with you. What else do you do to waste time, Look at Craiglist for cars and car parts. My brother and I were having fun, its the middle of the night, feeling a good vibe and sending low ball offers to people on Craiglist. Then around 3am. My Brother found a Black 854 T-5R with 200k great condition inside and out. Front Bumper had a huge broken piece off on the lower lip. Also had the original Titan wheels (which my Yellow didn't have). Car was located right outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan. So this was right outside where I lived most of my life, but moved to Florida In 2008.
Check engine light bulb goes off in my head. Buy the car so we could his and hers T-5R for car shows. Problem is now my brother and I are in the corner of the waiting room like two school boys causing trouble, well my soon to be In-laws are asking if things are OK with us. I tell them yeah just looking at car things. My Brother tell them "ITS VOLVO TIME!" Loudly. They look confused and freaked out what is going on with these two. At this point in the middle of the night I stop caring and fire up sending a email to this Criagslist ad for his T-5R.........

Post by **abscate** » 06 Jan 2026, 03:44

This is an epic tale…

Jaydiesel · Post by **Jaydiesel** » 18 Jan 2026, 17:37

So thru the Night, I am getting calls from the Nurses in the OP Room at different times how the surgery is going. Old Heart removed, she is on a blood machine, New Heart getting sized up and installed. Plumbing getting connected, and etc. Its all like pulling out a old motor and installing a rebuilt one in. So in my in my texts to my car friends this is the only way I can describe to them what is going on. At this point I keep checking my phone for a email back from the Craiglist Ad nothing (probably because its still very early in the morning or late at night as how you look at it). About 2am I get a call from the Nurse, Her New Heart is working on its own. She said "It started up by itself, we didn't even have to jump start it with the paddles. We are going to let it run a bit and sew her back up. Probably be 2 hours before you can see her in the ICU." Told her that's awesome news and thanks very much for all the updates and guess it went faster then they thought.

I get off phone and tell the Family we are super excited. We chat about it and enjoying the moment. Then my email goes off on my phone, its the seller for the Black T-5R. He states he can show the car in the afternoon. After his college game.Yep he was just getting home from a party. We exchange phone numbers to talk over the phone after his game to plan everything out. So fast foward, I sent my friend to check out the car. He states everything in the ad is correct, checks the vin for me "to make sure its a true T-5R". Deals done, money transfer and title in my friends hands. Car needs to be shipped to me in Florida from Michigan. No worries, call a awesome Shipping Broker I used before (Fisher Shipping Company in Auburn, MA. If you ever need to ship a car or truck, check them out, All 5 star reviews). I am doing all this the next day with no sleep. Just running on adrenaline of her New Heart transplant and a another T-5R score.

Pic from the seller of the T-5R getting loaded.

So Wife is doing great after Transplant. The doctors push her to get up a day after Transplant. She was in ICU for 2 days and moved to normal transplant floor of the Hospital. And they push you even harder to get up, walk around and understand you can do it. After 3 days on the normal transplant floor they tell us she is ready and going home tomorrow. I was like wow this is fast. But its normal. No time to waste. Plus she has to be there everyday for a few months for physical therapy and monitoring.
Now here is the PROBLEM with her getting out the next day, T-5R is getting dropped off too. and she has NO CLUE, I just bought another car. She doesn't need the stress of knowing that I got another Volvo. It would be less stressful if I told her it was a Lexus (she owned a nice LS460 at the time, we bought from my brother). I text the transporter and see what time he thinks he will be dropping of the T-5R. He says before Noon. I work my magic with the hospital staff in private and tell them I have a "Important Meeting" in the morning, that please plan to let me take her home after 2pm, they accept.

Well next day comes. I had a call from the Trucker he is very close, He looked on some street view pics, that the low trees will be a issues with his load. We agree to met at the shopping center parking lot at the entrance to the neighborhood about a mile and half away. Since I don't have anymore to drive me up there and walking would take to long. I aired up my Bicycle which I haven't touched in 3 years and use peddle power it down the road. Roll up to the Transport truck and saw my new to me Black T-5R off the truck and looking good. Load up the Bicycle in the trunk of the T-5R and head back to my house. Open up the gate side of the house and park the car. It's going to rest there for a week or two when I can spill the beans. Now off to the Hospital to get my Bride. This day is going well for me.

So about three weeks later I spill the Beans to her about the new addition. It went pretty smooth. I didn't have to go sleep in the dog house. Her only thought was she couldn't enjoy it for a few months since doctors limited her not to drive for a few months. So I needed to go thru the small things to fix around the car. Also with the front T5-R bumper having damage to it when I bought. I sourced two other T-5R bumpers one in Cali and other one in Rhode Island. I used Greyhound buses to ship them to a Greyhound station close to my area.

While things are going well for the next two months working on the Black T-5R when I had time. and enjoying my time with my Bride. I asked her to marry me before she went into the hospital to give her hope and something to plan. She was in the Hospital for 7 weeks. From when the doctors told her that she need to be moved in the Hospital and be moved up to the Highest level of the Transplant list to when she got as New Heart. Life was great.

Since we live in Florida, Hurricane season has arrived and a Tropical Storm is heading our way. I didn't have a garage, I had big tents over the cars for keeping the Florida sun off the paint. I have to get ready for the rain, wind falling tree limbs and flooding. Time to move the cars. Only place for the cars to go, is the front yard.

Yes I love my Chevy Avalanches too.

Well good thing I moved the cars. It was getting bad outback.

Now with the storms picking up. I told my Bride. The Lexus is going outside the carport and the most prized possession is going in the carport.

What do you all think is the most prized possession?