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From Swedespeed.com Feature Cars If there is a cliché among American families, it is that mom and pop’s worn out car will be passed down when the next generation becomes of age. It happened to Julien Pouliot, but this wasn’t the typical hand-me-down but instead a rare, manual-equipped V70 T5.
It did not take long for the modification planning to start taking shape. In terms of spirit, the original T5-R was Julien's initial inspiration, but other influences would come from his passion for Euro and JDM tuning as a whole. The Volvo community’s grass roots projects, such a P2 R six-speed swap into a P1 R (only offered with an automatic) and a S80 T6 swap into P1 S70, were also big influences as more hardcore modding possibilities and, to Julien, going extreme is at the heart of what turning wrenches is all about.
Since ball bearing turbos and external gates are quite common in anything outside the Volvo tuning community, Julien wanted to do something different. He chose to go with a GT3071 R turbo with a custom log-type manifold using an external waste gate and atmospheric dump. To help cool the intake charge, he mounted a Yonaka Motorsports 24x12x3 front mounted intercooler fed by custom two-and-a-half-inch aluminum pipes. The turbo’s huge inlet is fed by a four-inch intake pipe. A forged diverter valve, an Evolve upper engine torque mount bushing, and Siemens 630cc injectors complete the underhood modifications. The exhaust flows from a three-inch downpipe (with V-Band) through to a three-inch stainless-steel pipe and finally, the harmonics are toned by two three-inch Vibrant resonators. The system does not have a catalytic converter and while the single Flowmaster Delta series 40 Race Muffler may make this setup a bit loud for picking up the grandparents, the pulse of the exhaust is just right for enthusiasts that appreciate this kind of discord.
After overhauling the engine, Julien's focus centered on swapping out the aging suspension for a set of KW V2 coilovers, QBM Extreme front and rear performance end links and a set of QBM strut bar conversion inserts. The OEM Amalthea wheels are wrapped in a fresh set of Dunlop SP Sport FM 901s. Although some big brake kits bring absolutely nothing to the table but good looks, this ride keeps the proper brake bias with a set of fresh rotors, Hawk ceramic pads and a pint of super blue brake fluid. The brake setup is finished off with a trick set of stainless steel braided brake lines to eliminate the squishiness normally felt with rubber lines and to keep pedal pressure in check. A blacked out front grille and a clean T-5R badge on the rear hatch finish off the exterior additions to the car.
The project is far from complete and, on a scale of one to ten, Julien considers it a five in its current state. He has learned several lessons to get the V70 to its current state--for example, thanks to the online Volvo community, he was able to find his way through uncharted territory and save some money with a single-mass 1995 turbo flywheel conversion. The car is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, at least until the ignition is turned. The project has not been short on critics. His father says it’s too loud and his friends say it isn't loud enough. A local constabule thought the V70 had a broken exhaust system, but in reality Julien had accidentally opened the waste gate too close to the officer’s parked car. Fortunately, he got off with a warning to get it fixed.
We are looking forward to Julien continuing turning wrenches and telling tales of his unique T5. He has hinted that 25psi and 430 whp might go well with a fresh coat of paint.
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