Hampshire Police Volvo 850 T-5 Call Sign MA17
P112 LTP MA17 Stationed at Aldershot & Farnborough
This Volvo was one of that last batch that were ordered by Hampshire Police. 28 were ordered in total before the phase 1 V70 was introduced. P115 LTP was the first V70 so this was one of the last three 850 T-5 cars that Hampshire had.
The car had been in private hands for a number of years and used as family transport. Luckily though, the interior remained as standard in the base blue trim. Police 850 T-5 cars are easily identifiable, No Sunroof, No Aircon, No Spoiler and Base trim interior (no leather). So when these cars reached the public market they weren't the most sought after T-5 models available as they looked so basic.
The car came to market in late 2023, the owner knew of its police history and had been in touch with Steve Woodward for more info.
The car had been displayed at the Hampshire Police families day, a request for more information on its history went largely unanswered. The owner decided to sell the car on. It appeared on eBay and I added it to my watch list. sadly on the night the auction finished I was at a business meeting. I wanted the car, I had served in Hampshire, I remembered the cars arriving but I had never been allowed or indeed qualified to drive them. I contacted the seller and sked that in the event of the sale not going through could he contact me and we could work out a deal.
A few days later and it hadn't worked out with the purchaser and the car was offered to me. We agreed a price, which, from memory was £2250. I arranged to go across country to collect the car, but then the seller explained he couldn't find the V5, on Checking with DVLA I could see why, he hadn't had it that long and the last V5 was issued 13 years ago, Logic suggested that he had never had one. It was agreed that he would get it delivered on a low loader, and a few days later it arrived.
The car ran OK (or so I thought) and I parked it up on my driveway, there were a few rust patches that would need seeing to, but given the previous MOT had only noted two tyres close to the limit it seemed that the car should sail through an MOT. I took the car to my local, and very well respected in the Volvo community, Specialist for an assessment. The list I received back was extensive and suggested that perhaps the last MOT had missed a few items, Seized brake callipers, Buckled Wheels, Extensive and serious oil leak, lights not working, excessive smoke, etc etc The list ran to one and a half pages of line items.
I arranged with a mechanic friend of mine to take the car and work through the issues. I took the wheels away and got them unbuckled and shod with new tyres. I also started gathering equipment needed to bring the car back to life, the list was long and thanks to PCUK, Facebook Forums etc I started to make headway with the items. I took the roof lining out as it was disintegrating and dropping wet bits of old foam backing out all over the passenger seat. Once the headlining was dropped I could see how bad the roof was from the inside, the antenna holes had been sealed with silicone and were leaking. The headliner went off to a local firm who recovered it for a very reasonable cost.
In the meantime my mechanic, Gavin, had been getting new brakes fitted, new hoses, discs, pads, callipers all round, he was working on getting the cars engine right as it smoked a bit and it had a shocking oil leak. To make it easier to see he dropped the engine out. Then it was clear to see, there was a crack across all five cylinders in the block, and to add insult to injury, someone had tried to hide this by sealing the block with liquid metal, it had failed and this was the source of the leak. My only option was to find a new block, for a near 30 year old Volvo, at a reasonable price, and if possible, locally!
You would imagine that this is near impossible, but a scan of Facebook market place not only turned up a short engine, but locally too! (well less than an hour away). I set off to Romsey to pick up my latest purchase and arrived at the home of a Volvo fan, an odd 850 sat outside, with a V70 front end and an all wheel drive conversion. The deal was done and the short engine came home with me for a smidge over £100, BARGAIN!
Now the benefit of hindsight is great and at this point this is where we should have had the engine fully rebuilt, BUT!
We didn't! We built the new short engine up with the parts from the old engine. I had a deadline, Families Day at Hampshire HQ, and I wanted the car ready. I got the car back the night before families day, I was so excited, I took it to be cleaned (Car Wash) to fuel it up and to give it the beans as I had barely driven it since I bought it. I got back home with a full tank and as I reversed on to the driveway all I could see in the rain soaked roads was a huge oil spill. It wasn't going to make it to Netley, in fact, it was going straight back to the garage.
Upon arrival, Gavin said to leave it with him and he would go through it and see what was needed, long story short It needed an engine rebuild. There was just too much wrong with this engine.
Its important to highlight here that Gavin was doing my car in between other jobs, as and when time permitted and at mates rates, it was with him for months before he could do much with it. Out came the engine and off it went to Sean, who ironically was currently building an 850 T5 engine for someone else. This was convenient as everything would be fresh in his mind. Parts were difficult, Volvo pistons weren't available, certain tensioners and other parts were in short supply, and the conrod bolts had to come from California as Volvo Europe were out of stock.
About six weeks passed by, the wrong piston rings had been sent at one point delaying the build but finally we had a fresh engine to go back in the car. In it went and she sounded lovely. The car made it to families day 24hrs later, on a trailer but almost roadworthy and only a year late.
I had barely been back two weeks when the Bodyshop phoned and said they were ready for the car. It was going to a shop recommended and used by our local Volvo dealership, I dropped the car off knowing I had just spent a good few thousand getting it to this stage and the bodywork was going to need a lot. I had opted for a full glass out respray, I was going to take a few months, again it was agreed that it could be done as and when time allowed and this would mean the cost would be less. It was agreed that i could pop in periodically to take photos etc and drop off parts as required. I knew it would need a new front wing as the one on the car was creased, rust free but creased.
I found one in Warwickshire, drove up to collect and met a wonderful man called Nick whose knowledge on Volvos is encyclopaedic, He was then and has continued to be a huge help in this build.
I might need a new rear glass as well as a glass out respray may leave us with the need for a new screen and they are £1600 new! A tailgate was located but luckily not needed.
There was some but not too much rust, the rear bumper mounts were very crusty but this is standard. There was also some serious rust around the windscreen and one other window, this required replacement metal and the costs were just going up, its at this stage you realise you are in too deep and you just have to keep going as you have more to lose than to gain.
At the end of 2025 the car was ready, and wow what a job. She looked amazing.
The car was now running as it should and looking like it should and so after two years of contact with PVL I was finally able to get back in contact and agree a date for the livery to be applied. I set off in February on a three and a half hour trip down to Sussex, I hadn't driven the car this far yet so it was to be a real test, but she handled it without issue and we arrived and handed over the keys on a Tuesday morning. We were to return on the Thursday to collect her. Oddly I didn't want photos or updates, I had wanted the big surprise and that was exactly what I got when I was shown in to the warehouse on Thursday lunchtime, stunned, she looked fantastic. I prepared her for the journey home, covering up all reference of the word "Police" and headed back for the three and a half hour trip, again there were no issues.
The car is now home and yet there is still lots to do, the lights, siren and associated electrics need doing, the boot needs the custom build tray and stock that would've been carried and I have two months before it is shown for the first time.
For now the spare and empty Whelen 9000 light bar I have will sit atop the car until the electrics are done.
For details of the suppliers and specialists I have used please Visit our resources page.
Owned and Restored by: Matt Goodall
