A couple days ago at my mod shop, I saw a guy with an S70 T5 SE with a manual tranny.

To date, he has a custom made 2.5" cat-back, an open element air filter, a TIAL blow off valve, tinted windows, one spiral of springs clamped all round, and the SICKEST wheel set-up I've ever seen!

He is running 18x8" Borbet rims with 225/40ZR18 Yoko Parada tires. It absolutely looks like it'll rub. BUT IT DOESN'T!!! I repeat, it does not rub. Obviously, when we checked he wasn't moving fast enough to depress the springs, but there was a two finger widths space between the tire and the outer fender lip, as well as similar clearance to the inner fender lining.

The aproximately 1" drop and the 18" rims with low profile tires looks absolutely smokin'!

After doing the math, it isn't that incredible. The OE 205/55HR16 tire and 16x6.5" rim combo has an overall diameter of about 63.19cm. The 225/40ZR18 Paradas with the 18x8" Borbets have an overall diameter of 63.72 cm.

But coupled with the aproximate 1" drop and the clearance becomes VERY tight. But still enough clearance for a two finger width between the inner lining and the outer fender lip without suspension compression.

Man that car looks sweet! All black, and shaved signs on the rear end, with nothing but a T5-R sign from the legendary 850, iPd mesh grill, blue head lights, shaved head light wipers (a personal dislike of mine, but he likes it), I must say one more time, it looks good.

The racing scene in Toronto is just exploding lately. There was one HUGE meeting place every fri and sat night last summer. This year, there are already two confirmed large meeting places, and another rumoured 2 in the process of being organized.

And I LOVE the Volvo showing at these races lately. I can't wait to take my baby out for some runs after the chip is in.

From time to time, I run my 18x8 Anteras with 225/40 tires on my 850 (the rest of the time I run 17x7 OZ

Novas), and the 18's do rub the fender at full turn. This is with a 1.25" drop from Eibach sport

springs--maybe the extra quarter-inch drop makes the difference. Oh perhaps this guy rolled the fenders?

--Ping

I asked him about the fenders, and he said he didn't.

How much space do you have between the tire and the fender with the wheel straight? And how much with the wheel at full lock? Both with the 18x8 rims and 225/40/18 tires.

Maybe the S70 has more wheel clearance then the 850s?

> I asked him about the fenders, and he said he didn't.

> How much space do you have between the tire and the fender with the

> wheel straight?

Maybe a finger width between fender and the tire when straight.

And how much with the wheel at full lock?

I can't get to full lock because it start to rub about 3/4 lock, so you could say there is no space at full lock, or something before that.

Both with

> the 18x8 rims and 225/40/18 tires.

> Maybe the S70 has more wheel clearance then the 850s?

That's a possibility I guess, maybe a very slight difference there plus the .25 inch drop difference is enough...

That car sounds absolutely pimptastic... I regret that I never got the chance to modify my S70... either way, that thing was blazin' fast for a big 4 door :) I took out many an unsuspecting Camaro in the stoplight gran prix. I'd also like to see some pix of that monster.

Sin wrote:

> A couple days ago at my mod shop, I saw a guy with an S70 T5 SE with

> a manual tranny.

> To date, he has a custom made 2.5" cat-back, an open element air

> filter, a TIAL blow off valve, tinted windows, one spiral of springs

> clamped all round, and the SICKEST wheel set-up I've ever seen!

> He is running 18x8" Borbet rims with 225/40ZR18 Yoko Parada

> tires. It absolutely looks like it'll rub. BUT IT DOESN'T!!! I

> repeat, it does not rub. Obviously, when we checked he wasn't moving

> fast enough to depress the springs, but there was a two finger widths

> space between the tire and the outer fender lip, as well as similar

> clearance to the inner fender lining.

> The aproximately 1" drop and the 18" rims with low profile

> tires looks absolutely smokin'!

> After doing the math, it isn't that incredible. The OE 205/55HR16

> tire and 16x6.5" rim combo has an overall diameter of about

> 63.19cm. The 225/40ZR18 Paradas with the 18x8" Borbets have an

> overall diameter of 63.72 cm.

> But coupled with the aproximate 1" drop and the clearance

> becomes VERY tight. But still enough clearance for a two finger width

> between the inner lining and the outer fender lip without suspension

> compression.

> Man that car looks sweet! All black, and shaved signs on the rear

> end, with nothing but a T5-R sign from the legendary 850, iPd mesh

> grill, blue head lights, shaved head light wipers (a personal dislike

> of mine, but he likes it), I must say one more time, it looks good.

> The racing scene in Toronto is just exploding lately. There was one

> HUGE meeting place every fri and sat night last summer. This year,

> there are already two confirmed large meeting places, and another

> rumoured 2 in the process of being organized.

> And I LOVE the Volvo showing at these races lately. I can't wait to

> take my baby out for some runs after the chip is in.

From time to time, I run my 18x8 Anteras with 225/40 tires on my 850 (the rest of the time I run 17x7 OZ Novas), and the 18's do rub the fender at full turn. This is with a 1.25" drop from Eibach sport springs--maybe the extra quarter-inch drop makes the difference. Oh perhaps this guy rolled the fenders?

--Ping

Hey Sin,

If we are lucky we'll see the same 850 at the Canadian Volvo Club events!

July 29th is the date for one of the biggest Volvo events in North America.

Over 150 Volvos, many modified with prizes given by peoples choice. Hope to see you there...next time you see the owner of the modified 850, let him know as well!

To be honest, the majority of the faster Volvos are found racing on friday and saturday nights.

Yes, there are many very fast Volvos in the area that don't race on those nights, but then again, I have no desire to simply look and chat about Volvos and modifications for them. I want to see them in action. And I get plenty of it on the weekend. On any given weekend night, there are 150 modified cars, all rarin' to race.

Don't get me wrong, I'll do my best to be there. But, I'd probably have more fun watching ricers get spanked by Volvos.

How 'bout posting more details on this event?

Well my car is just a stock GLT, with window tinting at this point. Do you have any pictures of this car that we could drool over?

nick w.

I'll do my best. I've never seen this guy before, but since he and I go to the same mod shop to get work done, I'll see what I can do about it.