Volvo Amazon/120

[wkilleffer]

Hello,
I've been asking questions about Volvo's in the Pub, and hope the topic isn't done to death. The information people shared there was very helpful.

Now, has anyone out there owned one of the Volvo's known as the Amazon or B18? A girl I knew in high school drove one everyday, and her father still owns and drives it alot. Just for that, they seem durable and have a classic look to them.

This type of car might not be realistic for me at this point. A Volvo 240 might be closer to reality, but I would like to know more about the classic Amazon, such as prices for good but not perfect, driveable examples, as well as what to expect with regards to problems, parts availablity, etc. Just from what I've read thus far, they seem to suffer from rust like a British car.

Any information/entertainment would be appreciated.

Thank you,

 

[Steve]

Never owned one, but I have done a lot of reading about them.........they have an outstanding reputation in Europe and the UK. The epitome of the practical classic! Very tunable, decent handling,reliable, rugged, and an all-round great car! The 240 was a good car too, but never measured up to the Amazon. Parts availability is very good.

 

[wkilleffer]

[ QUOTE ]
Never owned one, but I have done a lot of reading about them.........they have an outstanding reputation in Europe and the UK. The epitome of the practical classic! Very tunable, decent handling,reliable, rugged, and an all-round great car! The 240 was a good car too, but never measured up to the Amazon. Parts availability is very good.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's kind of the impression I have from a limited amount of internet research. That girl's car always looked good and sounded like it was running properly. They wouldn't have kept it if it wasn't a good car.

The fact that these cars are seen as collectable and classic would be what kept me from getting one now. There aren't many that I know of around here. Volvo 240's are more common and not considered to be so collectable. But even a good one of those might be more than I could take on right now.

 

[Paul Johnson]

Great cars. Girlfriend had a '66 that I spent much time in and with. At the time I was a Volvo dealer parts manager, so learned a bit about them. Very comfortable driving, very durable, mid 20s fuel and nice handling, at least for a fairly large sedan. The B18 engine is a rock. It was introduced in '64 I believe. In '72 or '73 a customer ran without oil long enough to require turning the crank .020. We had to get bearings from Sweden as there had never been a set in the country to that point. The B20 had some soft camshaft issues, but not the B18. The only weak spot on that engine was fiber timing gears. They're not expensive though, and when they do break do not harm the engine (pushrod), and are easy enough to change. There are steel gear replacements that most people have probably put on. If you drive an MGB, the engine will be very familiar to you, as the design concept is just about identical. Good strong gearbox and third member as well.
The ignition switch is odd, being an anti-theft arrangement that could be expensive, so be sure to check that.
If you get it, I'll be jealous.

 

[JamesWilson]

Great cars, very well thought of. Reliable and decent enough performance. If you find a good one at a fair price it should be a nice acquisition.

 

[Jerseygirl]

A Volvo club member up here in NJ is currently looking to sell his '65 122S. I saw the car at a show last fall. It’s in original condition with the exception of the paint. It has been resprayed at some point, but the important thing is, there’s no rust. It runs and drives well. Heck, the original Volvo/Bendix radio is still in the car and still works (wish I could say the same for the one in my 1800ES). Pale yellow (almost a cream color) exterior with saddle tan interior. 4 speed manual, 129K miles.

 

[wkilleffer]

[ QUOTE ]
A Volvo club member up here in NJ is currently looking to sell his '65 122S. I saw the car at a show last fall. It’s in original condition with the exception of the paint. It has been resprayed at some point, but the important thing is, there’s no rust. It runs and drives well. Heck, the original Volvo/Bendix radio is still in the car and still works (wish I could say the same for the one in my 1800ES). Pale yellow (almost a cream color) exterior with saddle tan interior. 4 speed manual, 129K miles.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any idea how much he might be asking? Sounds quite nice, but probably outside of my range after shipping is factored in. Something good to aim for, though.
Thank you,

 

[Jerseygirl]

The post on the club forum says $6500 OBO. If you're interested, PM me and I'll send you his phone number.

Edit:
On an interesting note (at least in my mind), the guy bought the car from someone in Tennessee and then proceeded to drive it up to NJ. Kind of funny if it were to turn around and head back down south.