Haven't bought a Volvo for about a month or so since the last one so decided it was time for another. It's been about a week since I got this so figured I should get a thread going. I have to say I wasn't actively looking for a car, but when this one popped up it pressed enough of the right buttons. Major thanks to Jordan for checking it out in person (it was up in Edmonton) and to Craig for giving lots of advice on what to look for.

It's a 1966 122 that was brought up from the states where it was titled as a 65 which is how it was imported. While doing some research I found that the VIN didn't make sense and realized it is actually a 66. It has had a restoration done which includes swapping a b20e and m41 from a 72 142e. Here's the cut and paste from the sellers ad detailing everything that was done to the car:

B20 2 litre engine bored .30 oversize with new pistons and rings, block machined and tanked
New bottom end bearings and seals(newer style main seals)
Injected head worked and injector ports plugged
Double valve springs and retainers
Isky VV71 cam and new bearings
New style lifters and pushrods
High-output oil pump
New water pump
Matched steel timing gears
Rebuilt SU carbs with chrome tops with KD needles, Ram-flo air cleaners
Header with 2-1/2” exhaust breaking into duals with Abarth rear mufflers and chrome tips
Bosch 55 amp alternator
Crane XR700 electronic ignition and coil
Accel 8.8 mm plug wires
IPD cast aluminum finned valve cover
New clutch kit(disk, cover, throw-out bearing, pilot bearing)
Rebuilt Laycock J-type overdrive(stronger than earlier d-type)
New hoses throughout

Suspension fully rebushed/rebuilt, with poly and rubber bushings, ball joints, tie rods
IPD sport spring front and rear
IPD front and rear sway bars and bushings
Bilstein gas shocks front and rear
Panasport alloy wheels 15x6” with Pirelli fronts, Bridgestone rears, wheel locks with key nut

Hella halogen headlights with clear stone protectors
Bumper overridder bar with Hella Classic 160 lights in stainless housings with bar clamp mounts
Front door window “bonnets”
New headliner
New floor rubber matting front and rear
Front bucket seats from Alfa Romeo Milano for better support in turns
Original style rear seat. Needs the top of seat back replaced, covered with a lap blanket currently.
Center Factory console with custom VDO Oil pressure and Ampmeter mounted plus O/D switch
New OEM dash pad(Not the crappy looking cap)
VDO tach in pod mount with foot on left side of dash
Custom steering wheel with Volvo horn button center
Blaupunkt stalk-mounted stereo with remote, trunk mounted amp/controller
Volvo rear deck speakers –ala 760 GLE
Rear fender mounted antenna in place of the typical front fender mount
Newer Volvo retractable type front seat belts(no more belts laying on floor in back seat)
New trunk matting
Much of the rubber body seals replaced as well as interior side panels and kick panels
Trailer hitch with cover
New battery with disconnect system
A cotton car cover will go to the buyer of the car also.

This car originally had “factory” air conditioning and the evaporator is installed in the car but the rest is not currently installed. I was working toward updating to R134 and a rotary compressor, but never got there. I should have all the other components available to go with the car.

During the restoration, the front fenders and nose section, while not in bad shape, were replaced with original Volvo parts. The car was parted down completely and painted inside the cabin, the engine bay, door jams, as well as the outside. The only speck of rust found on the whole car was a place about the size of an eraser head on the surface by the rear bumper. The color is defined as Lapis Blue, a Chrysler color. Car comes with spare starter, mirror, trim pieces, air conditioning system components that are not already installed and some misc bits.

First order of business is to deal with the brakes, the unboosted nature is one thing but the general lack of stopping power needs to be dealt with. The car is going to need an OOPI as it was never reg'd in Alberta, something I neglected to check in advance (duh) but shouldn't be an issue once the brakes are firmed up. Picked up a carpet set and some seats from Craig, not too sure when the seats might get used but the carpet and some Dynamat NEEDS to be installed. The car turns over ~ 3100 RPM at 100 km/h and with just the rubber flooring I was half deaf by the time I got it home. Also going to need to go through the carbs as the front carb's damper piston keeps popping out every time I drive it, and stop and go driving makes it almost undrivable. In spite of all that it managed 28.5 IMPG on the drive home.

Here's a link to the PB slideshow of all the pics from the sellers ad.

http://s637.photobucket.com/user/wooden ... lvo%20122S

Photobucket link doesn't work.

Album is private.

oops, sorry guys. I'm sure I have clicked on the copy link of private albums before and they were viewable? Oh well, it's Public now.

Was also checking to see which iPd braided brake line kit I needed and found out it already has them. Pretty sure the Master Cylinder needs to be replaced, found a brand new one in the box of stuff that came with the car.

Is still private.

Holy crap!

So which car are you having to sell to make this happen?

argghh, really getting sick of PB. Had to click on the change Private/Public setting button 3 times before it actually did anything... It "should" be good now?



Well the other wagon is definitely going, just need to get a couple things done to sell it. "Somebody" told me the GT has to go as well. So I will probably list it for $10K OBO, not return emails and claim to have done my best to sell it. In reality it makes the most sense as I have way too much on my plate, just not there yet...

Alright, it works now Jim. I'm not a fan of the colour but MAN, I think you did it right. Looks like a pretty well-sussed piece of equipment. I see a third motor mount that looks an awful lot like the one on my GT - IPD must have sold those at one point.

Congrats, that's a pretty nice looking car!

Thanks Matt!!!

Yeah, for the price I couldn't build one with everything that's been done to the car. I also don't have the skill or the energy to make that happen, so buying a car like this made sense for me. The color obviously isn't a stock color, but then neither is most of the car anymore. I'm kind of partial to blue, and the Lapis Blue works for me on this car. Never noticed the third mount till I saw the car in person, wish iPd wasn't abandoning these cars as there isn't much left on their site.

Was reading an article by our "buddy" John Parker on doing a Ford based rear drum brake parts swap on a 122. He used to sell a kit, that probably delivered in 2 years or so, to do the swap but doesn't anymore. I searched but can't find a listing of the parts required to do this. Anyone have the recipe for this, or know where to find it?

Hahahaha, really? While I was farting around with mine, I found that some Ford Rangers come with 9" drums and I bought one to try. I also tried a Jeep Cherokee as some of those got a 9" drum. I think the Ford ended up the better choice. You just need some studs and the drums, and some light modification to either the drum or the backing plate.

Volvo did offer a light blue metallic, not this shade but fairly close. It's not bad but as far as my choice of colour goes, it's way down there. Personal opinion, and for this car exterior colour is secondary to the beauty of a solid body.

The original color was the very light blue, color code 89.

My daughter came over to see the car and made a video with one of them thar smart phones...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAVpIKzp1PM&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Funny how dual twin tips exhausts look so good on a TR6 for example. But on this car it just doesn't work, at least not for me. I love the way the exhaust sounds, just need to go to single tips.

Sounds healthy...if I had a rear end in my car (and an ignition) - I'd race ya.

Nice find!

Booyah!!

You need to take it for a spin and tell me how it compares.



Thanks Alex, I'm liking it more all the time.

Sounds great! Not a fan of the twin pipes either, but if it sounds that good, I wouldn't complain.