I am looking for some suggestions on where to possibly get a header for my '72 P1800E. Does anyone know of a manufacturer that still makes these for this car? I know IPD used to carry one years ago, but no longer. Any help would be appreciated.

Carm

Hello Fellow Volvophile,

I have two items for you:

1. VCOA now has their own URL although the page is not up and running yet: http://www.vcoa.org/ You may want to update your link.

2. We have an enthusiasts page on the web we call the "Swedish Embassy". Would you consider putting us on your links page? http://www.connix.com/~wkwas/volvo2.htm

Your site is great. We'll be coming back.

Wendy Kwas

1. We are eagerly awaiting the VCOA site, but, for the moment, there is more useful information about the club and how to join it on Kirk Houser's VCOA page at http://home.earthlink.net/~khouser/vcoa.htm. We will update the link when the new site is operational.

2. "Swedish Embassy" is a nice job, and there is some really useful information there. Our compliments to the chef! Your link is added.

At least 9,000 were produced. A friend of mine picked up a '81 262C with 170,000 miles for $800.00. Wasn't running well, and has some problems with exhaust and other things. He was able to get the car running to his satisfaction just by giving it a tune up. Runs pretty nice for the B27/28 engine...

John H. Laughlin

Hello,

I have recently started restoration of a 1974 144 Grand Luxe. My first question is about the GT steering wheel. Is this normal? Or is it more likely an aftermarket thing? Is my Volvo a GT? I'm also having trouble finding any info specific to my model and year. Can you direct me to any resources that may help?

This is my first Volvo, so forgive me for asking what may be dumb questions. I've had the car for 3 years and have grown to love it majorly. It is orange with black stripe and rare rims that I haven't seen on any other Volvo (but I know they're stock). It has a beautiful black leather interior and gorgeous lines. My only goal in life is to restore it to it's original beauty (well...almost) so please help me find any info there is, and if there is a way of hooking up with other 144 owners, please let me know.

Thanks in advance,

Todd Fowler

If your questions are dumb, then I'm dumber -- I don't know! I suggest you go to our Links page and read the part about joining a mailing list. I also hope some of our other readers will contact you -- good luck!

Hi,

I am 17 and want to take the trip of a lifetime, across the country and back...

I have a 1967 Volvo 122S, red 2-door in pretty good shape with just over 100,000 miles. I want to take this car from Buffalo, NY to California and back, and am wondering if Volvo of North America might sponser and/or assist me in my journey. Also if you have any input on making my trip better, let me know...I plan on leaving in early-mid August.

Thank you,

Sean Bernsohn

Sean, we're rooting for you! You're going to run into some hot weather, so be sure your car's cooling system is in top condition. You're also going to be taking the car to at least 7,000 feet elevation, so check out how to lean out the carbs for altitude and richen them again as you return to where the air is not so thin. Most of all, don't try to go too far in one day -- be safe! Of course, we expect a full report when you get back...

Does anyone know how Sean can get sponsorship?

Dear Phil,

My father has given me a 1979 Volvo 262C. I have had it less than 6 weeks, and believe I have possibly found mechanics to help me with it. When I took it in to get the odometer fixed, and a lens replaced in the tail light, the service man came out and sat in it, petted the seats, fussed over it. Spent about 15 minutes telling me how special this model is, and seemed delighted to have the opportunity to see the car.

It was about $17,000+ new, and my father was second owner in early 1980s. It has a hand-done black leather interior. In 1979 I was an RN and earned $12,000 -- so I suspect this was a very nice car when it was new.

I would like to learn more about the model, because, quite frankly, all the words he used were very unfamiliar to me ("pooh-joe" engine in it?). My other car is a Sentra -- if that tells you anything.

Any ideas on where I can get information on or off line about it? I'd like to understand what I have, why it is special, and be confident enough to know if what I am being told about possible future engine repairs make sense. (At present there are no recommendations)

Any help you can give would be appreciated. I looked through your magazine, but again, I don't understand what I am looking for, and so far don't see anything about this model.

It is indeed a rare model, and I don't have so much as a picture of one in the mag (hint, hint). The 262C differs from other 200-series Volvos of the period in having a cut-down roof line and interiors crafted by the Bertone studios in Italy. The V-6 "pooh-joe" engine was common to Peugeot, Renault and Volvo and was carried over into the Eagle line when Chrysler bought out AMC's share of Renault (intricate, isn't it?). It is known to have a problem with early camshaft failure if the oil and filter are not changed religiously every 3,000 miles or less -- be sure you have maintenance performed regularly and you should be OK. The cars were a limited edition produced for the US market beginning in 1978 and ending in 1981 (???? help me out, folks -- how many were built? 5,000 or so?).

I'm trying to link up with people who are currently racing the older Volvos with the B18 engine. I would appreciate any leads.

Mike Denman

From the VCOA mailing list ... Stephane Lapointe posts some nice comments about this mag ...

Read all about the mod vs 100% stock controversy; VCOA mailing list member and friend [Fred Furnace] will like that one!

... and the reply:

There is no "mod vs. stock" controversy any more, Stephane. My B18D engine died, so the 122 has been modified with a spare engine that bolts to the car's hood. Got it at a US Government surplus sale -- does anyone know why the engine's cone-shaped and says "Rockwell International" on the side?

Wonder if Mr. Wentworth would like to try the car out at an autocross competition?

[Fred Furnace]
'64 Volvo model 122Saturn V
315k miles (1.4 round trips)

We don't usually lift stuff from the list, but couldn't pass this up. Thanks for the laugh, "Fred!" This has been done before, though -- see drawing of the Czech version.

Check out Duvall, WA. There are tons of bricks out in this area. One guy has four pre-'75 bricks. Two 140's ('71 142E convertible, '74 145E), one 544 that needs restoration (no front bumper, hasn't run in months), and a good 122S. Then, there are a few mid-late-'70s 240's, including my neighbor's '79 245DL (brick red with silver air dam), and a whole bunch of '80-on bricks, including my almond and rust '81 242DL that I picked up for $200 in Seattle.

John H. Laughlin

In the April/May issue, Arno Verbunt wrote:

Recently a friend of mine bought a Volvo P2104 4x4 StaffCar (1953), since this model is very rare in The Netherlands, he would like to get in contact with a Car Owner Club that can tell him more about this car...

Arno now sends:

For your info: I found some action pictures about this car!

http://hem.passagen.se/crown/sugga.html

Thanks for your response,

Arno Verbunt

Hello -- I have a tachometer to install in my '66 121 and I thought maybe the magazine could help.

That problem has been fixed -- but where did you get a 121???

The story on the 121 is that I bought it from the original owner in Washington, D.C. He was a retired "agent" for the CIA, and had bought it in Frankfurt in 1966! He and his wife drove it all over Europe for ten years, and had it with them in Greece while they lived there, and then shipped it back in the 70s when they moved back to D.C.

I like all the history, but it was pretty rough. There was an accident where the passenger door was hit, and right now I have the fender and door off to try and level/bend the lower hinge so that the door fits better and water doesn't come into the car...

I'm having a great time with the car, though. It's been reliable. Next project: the Mrs. forgot to replace the wiper blades (for a year, maybe), and I have to fix the windshield. Apparently, she became hazard-prone before they took her license. Anyway, have you ever heard of a glass polishing paste available retail? Turtle Wax has a "polishing compound," but it has done nothing for me. I'm going to try to talk a business into selling me a glob of the goop: the real stuff is supposed to have diamond particles in it. May have to replace the windshield. Ah well. By now, I've 1) replaced bearings in transmission, 2) re-bushed entire car, 3) re-lined brakes, 4) restored interior, 5) new u-joints, 6) new tailpipe, 7) bondo all around, etc.

The magazine has been a great find. I'm already an avid reader!

Regards,

E. Miller

We'd like the answer to windshield polishing, too. Please let us know what you find out.

We are the USA Distributor for Minilite Wheels UK. We can offer 15"x6.5" and 14"x6" 8-spoke wheels for the following Volvos...

• 120 series
• 140/164 series
• 240/260 series

Steve Francis
Main Street Motorsport

OK. Free plug on the house. Just this once...

The mag looks good. Keep up the good work. I have all three of the old-style junks... 122, 544 and 1800. Love 'em. The only way I justify [it] is to drive them, plus mechanically they are similar. I have 20 years of experience fixing/modifying. OD stuff... gotta have 5 gears, IPD HP stuff. Any questions, send me a note.

Joel LaBella

What's to justify? In addition to how much fun they are, these are the most economical cars on the planet, in terms of overall operating cost. Sounds good to me, anyway. Thanks for your note!