My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Here you can talk about the joy owning a Volvo 480 brings. Non-technical discussions take place here, like what is the difference between an ES and a S version.

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JohnTurbo
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My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by JohnTurbo » Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:05 pm

So I joined the club in 2004 after my father's childhood friend gave me a Volvo 480 Turbo.
I'd had a ride in this car when it was three weeks old, in spring 1994...aged 11! I even have a photo of me in it somewhere.
This 480 was a 235 red Turbo manual (Mk2).
I had it for circa 5 years, until I eventually let it go to my friend James (also a long time 480 club member).

He drove it for about 4 years, until it had a couple of issues and was laid up in a unit - where its been since.

James moved south and now needs to get rid of it - and i'm giving some consideration to its resurrection; and as such I went to visit the car...

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Last edited by JohnTurbo on Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:36 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Past:
94 Turbo - Red
94 Turbo - Black (Converted from NA 2.0)
92 Turbo - Red
90 Turbo - Silver
Now:
00 Exige
15 GKD Legend
16 Skoda Superb

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by jamescarruthers » Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:11 pm

Can't see the pictures as they are hidden by Google‎
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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edie_fox
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Location: Lincolnshire

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by edie_fox » Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:22 pm

You're very....brave. :)

How do you feel about it? Are you leaning towards 'I loved that car, do it' or....'let's just buy another'.

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JohnTurbo
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by JohnTurbo » Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:05 am

Can you see them now James?

Hmm - Good question Edie.

The engine I can sort out. The interior isn't so bad.
The arches are nothing unusual for a 480 - I've seen worse, even 15 years ago.

The front panel is more worrying - as if the chassis displays a similar state of decay its dead.
James was thinking of a reshell even in 2013.
I guess I need to get it out of there and cleaned up, then take a look.

Its a shame the report on the TT you guys looked at was not better, I'd have been very tempted by that (at the lower price) if it was as clean underneeth as it was inside.

A weird thing has happened to me since I was 'here' last; back then there was no 480 except the Turbo to me. Celebs were lovely and all but they had the wrong engine.
Now I'm not fussed so much.
I think its because I have a couple of cars that are over 300bhp/tonne that box is checked. And also I'm getting old....
Past:
94 Turbo - Red
94 Turbo - Black (Converted from NA 2.0)
92 Turbo - Red
90 Turbo - Silver
Now:
00 Exige
15 GKD Legend
16 Skoda Superb

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2500
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by jamescarruthers » Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:56 am

I'm afraid not
Image
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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JohnTurbo
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by JohnTurbo » Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:02 pm

Some photos from happier times:-
(Can you see these James? - Different linking method)

Image

Image

Image

Image


I'm not sure if me or the car has aged the worst....
Past:
94 Turbo - Red
94 Turbo - Black (Converted from NA 2.0)
92 Turbo - Red
90 Turbo - Silver
Now:
00 Exige
15 GKD Legend
16 Skoda Superb

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2500
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Location: Cambridge

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by jamescarruthers » Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:13 pm

I can see the later pictues
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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brinkie
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by brinkie » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:03 pm

It is all a matter of how badly you want this particular car back on the road, or is it just that you want to drive a 480 again? Then you should take the unobtainium bits off. get a better car (with possible niggles and rust) and bring what's left to the scrapheap, because this one is really far gone. That is the short way round, the cheapest and fastest option.
If the long way round is what you prefer, you should go all the way. Strip the entire car and the engine, get rid of all the rust (there is a LOT more hidden than you could imagine), respray and rebuild everything. This can take years, but you'll end up with something that's going to stay in good condition for many years to come.
Good luck :)
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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jamescarruthers
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by jamescarruthers » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:14 pm

Whatever you did worked and I can see the pictures now. ‎
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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JohnTurbo
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Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2004 8:02 pm
Location: Fixin' Engines NR Burnley
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by JohnTurbo » Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:26 pm

Whats considered unobtanium these days?

In looking through old pictures I found ones of Silver and Grey Turbos I scrapped that were much less rusty than poor FCW. - Which I guess makes your point!
Past:
94 Turbo - Red
94 Turbo - Black (Converted from NA 2.0)
92 Turbo - Red
90 Turbo - Silver
Now:
00 Exige
15 GKD Legend
16 Skoda Superb

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2457
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by jifflemon » Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:56 pm

JohnTurbo wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:26 pm
Whats considered unobtanium these days?
go here to download the 480 parts book.

Study it hard, because every single part you'll need will be unobtainium! :rofl:

whilst not the greatest source of truth, howmanyleft.co.uk reckons there's a 162 480 turbos left in the uk.

so technically, they're becoming unobtainium too...

cranna21
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Location: Aberdeenshire, Huntly

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by cranna21 » Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:01 am

Alot of owners have a stash of parts (myself included)
Alot of owners don't like to give up spares (myself inlcuded)

BUT. Alot of owners will sell/trade/barter etc parts if its for a good cause and not for someone going to waste the parts! so you could well be in luck that way of it if you really do want to return the car to its former glory to keep/enjoy
'91 480 ES 2.0l 16v 'Williams' Conversion - 212bhp/230nm
'90 940 GL 2.0l Estate
'08 XC90 D5 SE Premium

Rachel
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by Rachel » Thu Nov 21, 2019 4:35 pm

do it John, that would be such a happy ending/new beginning for it!
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

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dcwalker
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Location: York

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by dcwalker » Fri Nov 22, 2019 8:43 am

I have to agree with the sentiments here, especially in the last two posts - go for it!

I think in your heart you want to; it'd be a serious challenge but so, so, worth it if the car could regain her former glory (she looks lovely in the old photos :D ); and I know that if one of my old 480s turned up again in whatever state, I'd desperately want to have her back again!

As has been said, for a good cause people on here are always ready to try to help with spares and encouragement.

Good luck!!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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JohnTurbo
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by JohnTurbo » Fri Nov 22, 2019 3:31 pm

Spares should be less of an issue....

Theres actually a second 235 Red 2.0 up for grabs, and the balance of spares from a fully stripped THIRD 235 Red I gave James years back. Dunno how much of that he kept!

The 2.0 was in generally better condition back in the day and is complete bar a headlining.
Past:
94 Turbo - Red
94 Turbo - Black (Converted from NA 2.0)
92 Turbo - Red
90 Turbo - Silver
Now:
00 Exige
15 GKD Legend
16 Skoda Superb

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Murf
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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by Murf » Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:57 pm

Was this the car that you converted to a Turbo?

I think you need to save it just for nostalgia and what it's history means to you. Any other car would be "just" a 480.

The front panel is a common/easy place to rot and doesn't necessarily mean the rest of the chassis has gone the same way.
Kia Pro'ceed GT 1.6 Turbo
1992 480 Turbo
2007 Focus ST

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Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by 480 Lancs » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:22 am

Hi John

Whatever became of poor FCW did you manage to save it?

Cheers

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2457
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: My Old Turbo (L904 FCW)

Post by jifflemon » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:15 pm

MOT expired Nov 2013 but still on SORN.Is used for an Ad for a "sleepy eye kit" on eBay.

Sadly I think it's beans tins by now. :(

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