• Wanted

  • 140 series, or 242, 245 manual. Pre 1979. Or the Grail...a 245L.

Vee_Que;99635 wroteYou are aware they are 30-40 year old cars, and all need work. What's wrong with the interior on the 244 berry's have? Not your speed? We'd?
Nothing wrong with the interior on the Berry car. It is a 265 they'd convert to a 4cyl 4speed for $6k.
Not original then.
There are good cars out there which don't require full and immediate restoration.
I've restored two complicated cars, a number of motorcycles to award winning standard and assisted in editing books on the subject in the past.
Not looking for a restoration project, am seeking that special example which has been preserved, well cared for, to be maintained in that condition, yet driven as often as practicable.



The interior referred to was in the link for a red 142 with a "race car" blue interior with race buckets.
Complete 142 interiors aren't quite accessible. I'm looking for an original car.


jamesinc;99639 wroteWhy not fly over to Perth and drive it home? Would make for a nice trip.
The car hasn't been on the road or driven more than 100 metres in probably 10 years.
That said, if the car is good enough and the preparation was thorough, it's a possibility, markc88 and I have discussed. Mark is a busy fella, there's only so much time for folly.

In the past have done similar things with 45+yo Citroen D series, hinterland QLD to Hobart via Castlemaine, the car having not been driven for a while. The 30yo tyres split their sidewalls and was nursed into Melbourne when incorrect sized replacements were fitted and the journey completed.
Driven to Blue mountains, NSW and cut down bush to create a track and rescue a car burnt out by bushfires 20 years previous, for a restoration.


To clarify, I'd prefer to buy a 145, pre 1980 245 DL or L wagon, (or a 142) if there's one out there, in original condition.
That's, not repainted, not mucked about with and modified to a point where returning to original is a Ben Hur experience in locating chickens lips and powdered unicorn horn paid for with drug money.

I'm appreciative for the help so far, sorry to bore you with part of my background.



272558359154 on eBay at the moment for another 23 hours may fit the bill. 144 with very low original km.
jackafrica;99641 wrote Not looking for a restoration project, am seeking that special example which has been preserved, well cared for, to be maintained in that condition, yet driven as often as practicable.
I sincerely wish you good luck. Many 140/240 Volvos were seen as appliances by their original private purchasers, or "just the company car" to others who used them as their work horses. There were enthusiasts of these cars, but not many, so examples of the kind your seek are very rare.

To clarify, I'd prefer to buy a 145, pre 1980 245 DL or L wagon, (or a 142) if there's one out there, in original condition.
That's, not repainted, not mucked about with and modified to a point where returning to original is a Ben Hur experience in locating chickens lips and powdered unicorn horn paid for with drug money.
My yellow 142 (Xoe) and my 145 (Chloe) were repainted very badly at some point in their past, so I can appreciate that. Funnily enough, my ex-Queensland white 142, which has the remnants of the original paint and looked the roughest of the lot, is surprisingly free of corrosion, compared to the other two. This car (aka Clyde) is presently at the painter's.

However, the 142s have had geniuses try and re-invent the electrical system - the white 142 had some needless butchery done to it because the PO was too cheap &/or lazy to fit the correct replacement indicator stalk. So he drilled holes in trim, added surplus switches and lights, and added an incorrect flasher relay can.
Xoe had her wiper and indicator stalks swapped around because the PO didn't like the standard Euro placement of wiper and indicator switches, so that also led to problems. So I appreciate your desire to find an unmolested example; they can be disaster areas when this is done by people who don't care.

Thank The Almighty Zarquon that we mere mortals still have places like CVI, VP Autoparts, and especially www.gcp.se around, who have many NOS and reman spares for 140s on their shelves. The P1800s have always had a good spares supply, even more so than 140s, which is odd if one thinks in terms of production numbers, but P1800s were more of an enthusiast's car.


Too bad you're not after a mid-80s car, as there's a chap on this board who's selling a very nice, unmolested example of the last run of 260 wagons. Only about 700 were made world-wide of that year model - making them even more rare that Walkinshaw Group A Commodores. It ticks many of your boxes... except, of course, the pre-eighties requirement.
Thanks, the 260 wagon was sold a week ago, after being on ebay, and yes, it didn't fit the criteria. It had been for sale for a little while.

Need to keep looking, looking.
Perhaps the 142s of the west will shine. It's aesthetic achilles heel is the trim. Common thread (sic). The nylon cloth had to be pretty toxic to outlast the vinyl on those '72 and earlier models.
I've looked into replacement trim, unfortunately not available from the usual OS sources, for the trim code of the car.
1971_144GL;99645 wrote272558359154 on eBay at the moment for another 23 hours may fit the bill. 144 with very low original km.
Thanks, yes, that has been for sale on and off via ebay for 3 months. Interesting that the price has not attracted a single soul. I suspect it is more than the early Volvo community is prepared to stump up for a plain jane 144s in pretty decent condition. Paint and bodywork rectification the most expensive consideration on any car.

They're only original once.

It's had plenty of paint on the back half, paint lifting on the bonnet, boot, C pillars, poor repaint on left front guard.
Evidence of paint repair (possibly rust) on both lower rear C pillar sections where they join the boot section.
The seller has been quite helpful with regard to highlighting the paint and body deficiencies.
Of course it is 56,000 miles not kilometres, still very low.
bgpzfm142;99642 wrote
The seller has it wrong. That's a 72, not a 73.
Correct. Older style dash ( I wonder what is there in place of the strip speedo, something digital? ) and pull up door handles, older bumper.
The interior with the vinyl spray bomb applied to the door trims has my sensitivities and ageing spine wincing D:

But yowza, otherwise it does look attractive. A credit to the dedication of the owner creating what he desired.
What books have you helped with?

Ducati Restoration reference works by Ian Falloon.
One of my restorations is used in one and credits, credits for sub editing in another.

No, not Volvo, nor implied.
Old ducatis are sought after however and worth good money and never were low valued . The opposite is true of a boxy Volvo.
Oh yes, they (Ducati) had a low value point back in the '70s and even as late as the early '90s. Often despised, they broke the spirit of a number of good men, and strengthened others resolve!
Still consult on restorations, mainly for friends in the USA. Created a website 10 years ago as a free reference for owners and enthusiasts of 1972 Ducati 750GT Roundcase. A mate in Califooya hosts it for me now.
http://www.webgrafex.com/roundcase/
A link for the bike referenced in book....
http://www.webgrafex.com/roundcase/ducati/1968%20Ducati%20350%20Desmo%20Twin%20Filller.html

But I digress.

Boxy Volvos are a good thing, in my book anyway. Always have been, always will be.
Not keen on the late ones really. XC70 ... maybe, nah too fiddly for hands on.

Where's mine please sir :smirk:
Yeah... Get a 122 and you can get all the parts needed, but they will all need work. Original paint means worn etc.
Can't wait to see it when it pops up, and all original in good nick worth so much more than a rebuild.
I don't expect one to pop up, more to slowly make its way and surface. The owners as important and intertwined with the car, to be treated with respect.

Owners of vehicles such as I seek carefully consider their options of passing on ownership.
Whether I'm considered worthy, in the eyes of an owner to carry on the stewardship of a car that they, or someone close to them has cherished and cared for, could be the fulcrum.
To some, this reads as a load of wally, and so they are entitled to that view.

In the past, I have had the privilege to introduce owner and purchaser, watching a pleasant and assuring handover of keys and lifelong ephemera, money being a token only of what really has been exchanged.

Good nick? Often in the glazed eyes of the owner (and rightly, it's theirs), to the curator nearly always room for improvement.
You've now accepted the care of an important subject. A curator seeks to view beyond the obvious. To clean then inspect, lubricate, fettle and repair, ensuring continued reliability. Done with care to avoid damage and reveal flaws otherwise unnoticed.
The ball joint or tie rod which has slowly lost its tolerance, suspension or seats which have softened with the owner, once attended to, add new feeling and complement the assembly of which they are part. The heads of screws, the threads of bolts and studs scrutinised, paintwork carefully preserved and thoroughly protected.
On with the quest.
It's a 140/240, we are owners.... They are good cars, but not a xy gt falcon...
Vee_Que;99726 wroteIt's a 140/240, we are owners.... They are good cars, but not a xy gt falcon...
Fortunately.
Never had an interest in them, or the GMH equivalent, HG 350 Monaro. Never had to own a Ford...
That's why I'm here, not "there".
When cars became an interest, my schooling (40+years) has been almost exclusively French or Swedish.
Nearly always with models considered classic. That's me.
Well put, Richard! You're channelling Pirsig there on the themes of curation and quality.

I do think 140s are still much underappreciated for their simplistic purity and as the granddaddy of our modern bricks. My inaugural Volvo ride was in our trusty family 144s home from the maternity ward.

Barnfinding and cosseting an unmolested 142S would be nice – I’ve been looking for a while now. If you pass up Mark’s in Perth, I’m next in line (I think).
Being in the museum world I am following your search with interest. I also feel that there is room for a recognition of a car who's lifecycle is heading from common to rare at a rapid rate. I wish you luck with your search. I have not seen what you are after for at least 10 years, but it doesn't mean they are not out there. My Canberra origin 144 and 142 are close, but have suffered from the usual paint chemistry failure. It is a worthy search. There is an important place for this type of car as well as the modified and tinkered, both are worthy for different reasons. Unfortunately as far as Volvo goes, the last as passed down by time good survivors have mostly been overlooked. Volvo has for a long time been a model that people were willing to wreck many. To support one car. That practice seems to be reaching it's inevitable conclusion. We are still ready to wreck examples that if they were another make like a Datsun would be treasured in much worse condition. You only have to look at the rusty mess they valiently try to restore on the UK site to see what we take for granted. I will ask the network if they know of anything to suit, as the owner of the car you seek is, dare I say, not especially likely to be a social media user. Good luck with the search.
Thanks 1971_144GL, it is obvious you care for and about the cars.
Thanks for recognising the road I travel, seeking to curate a remaining example.
It was with some reluctance I'll admit, to joining the social media scrum, in order to seek out that car.
Being an unknown in these circles, establishing my bona fides and worthiness, seems akin to hanging out the laundry then inviting the birds to come and project their excretions upon it, whilst trying to remain discrete and polite.
Or bluntly, as when dogs meet, sniffing each others bum.

I'm not privy to those circles of folk whom may have such cars and welcome your offer to ask other networks.
Thanks once more.
Vee_Que;99726 wroteIt's a 140/240, we are owners.... They are good cars, but not a xy gt falcon...
Would rather my 145 anyday over those bogan machines.
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