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$2,500 Amazon: 1967 Volvo 122S

Volvo lovers, this may be one to check out. This 1967 Volvo 122S is on Craigslist with an asking price of $2,500. Hagerty lists a #4 “fair” 122S as being valued at $4,700. This one is located in the Dallas, Texas area and the seller’s phone number is from the Ft. Worth area.

There doesn’t appear to be any rust-through on this car, just surface rust, at least from looking at the photos here. There are a few little dings and the cracks and crevasses are showing rust.

The seller gives the following super-detailed description of this car: “1967 VOLVO AMAZON ANTIQUE CAR FOR SALE,VEHICLE RUNS AND DRIVE”. You may want to check this one if you’ve been looking for a 122S, and a two-door is the one to have, other than the wagon, or the four-door.. wait, that’s all of them. It seems too good to be true, I hope this one checks out. These folks, VP Autoparts, will have darn near anything you’ll need for this car.

The “Insurance Auto Auctions” watermark all over the photos tells me that, most likely, this car was bought at an IAA event and is being flipped.  I mean, being sold.. But, the price is almost too low, isn’t it? You can see from the photos of the body how nice the exterior is and here’s the one interior photo showing a fairly decent place to sit. I’d take the seats and carpet out and look at the floors before doing anything on this one. Some underside photos would be nice. This car is cheap enough that it would be worth it to have an auto inspection company check it out, being $2,000 below the “value”. Here’s your new interior.

This is Volvo’s B18, 1.8L inline-four with twin carbs and around 90 hp. Again, this one runs and drives but no other info is given, unfortunately. This car has AC but I’m guessing that it isn’t working and it may be the least of your present worries with this car. Getting it back home and getting everything else working perfectly would be my first chore. Have any of you owned an “Amazon”? What do you think about this one, does that price seem too good to be true?

Comments

  1. Avatar Fred W.

    Book values and real life are two different things. This one is priced about right if it truly looks like the photos.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Rocko

    A buddy used to ice race this back in the 70s, he won all his races , i watched Tony cream the competition at the Edgewater Hotel in Pointe-Claire, thats in Québec for all you red necks . He used to drive to the races with the studded tires , man what a racket that made.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dean

      Gee Rocko, i did not know where Ponte-Claire is, i guess that makes me a red neck?

      Like 0
  3. Avatar RayT

    That “surface rust” bothers me a little more than it does Scotty. My guess is that holes will soon appear if they haven’t already. The interior would need duct tape, Indian blankets or new seat covers/door panels for sure, and it looks like this has an automatic.

    On top of the “insurance auction” status — does that mean a salvage title? Why did it end up with the insurance company? — those little issues should cut the price considerably; it’s worth less, in my opinion, than the seller/flipper is asking.

    Too bad. Amazons were neat little cars.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Dave Croydon

    I used to go to those same races. Mini’s ruled. Nothing quite like 3 wheeled cornering on ice. Back on subject I bought a new 122 in 1968 and drove it for 11 years through our tuff Canadian winters. Loved the car would go anywhere.
    Twin SU’s meant having a block heater to use once the temp went below -20 F was a good idea. Someone buy this car but check for floor rust through (easy to fix) you won’t be disappointed. With hind site I would have added an overdrive unit although even without these cars are happiest at 70 MPH on th e highway.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rocko

      I saw Paul Newman in his Mini across the lake in Beauharnois racing, he had Joanne Woodward there as well. When too many gathered around they would hide in the van till the crowd dissapated, Paul thought we would cause the ice to collapse with our combined weight.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Eric Dashman

    I’ve always wanted this model. A 1964 version was almost my first car, but the used car dealer didn’t do what he promised (anyone pass out with surprise at that?) so I wound up buying a 66 Saab 96 2 cycle. If this car was in my area, it would be mine (unless a closer inspection found too much of the tin worm).

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Scott

    Had an Amazon wagon. This car has some things going for it and some questions.

    The paint may come back with cut and polish. Looks mostly complete. These things are easy to work on and robust.

    Some parts are getting hard to come by.

    That motor looks like it got very wet. Will want to know the condition of the carbs, trans, steering column, and underside.

    Having the carbs rebuilt well can be pricey.
    The unfortunate auto trans, once under water is toast.
    Steering column looks torn apart, why?
    These puppies rust in the floor boards, have them checked out. Good thing is patch panels fit well and are easy to find from a number of vendors.

    As for the interior you can find replacement covers, foam and fasteners. What I don’t recall seeing is the seat covers in the green. I like that green interior and not sure it is available.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Howard A Member

    Pretty sure this has the BW automatic, which may or may not hurt sales. I heard it was a good, yet, slushy unit, compared to the manual. No air cleaners would make me worry. The A/C did strangle these motors a bit, but a very good car, nonetheless. Not the most popular model, although, fmr. Sec. of State, General Colin Powell collects these. https://static01.nyt.com/images/2007/03/04/automobiles/collectibles/04volvo_span.jpg

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Levi7777

    Are those aftermarket Hague’s under the dash, if so… Why?

    Like 0
  9. Avatar gene

    Insurance auction also resells donated cars.
    Chances are it has a clean title.
    Great cars for the most part.
    Automatic tranny is a big negative,

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Pete

    Ummmmmmm do ya’ll not recall the floods last year in the DFW area? You had to go over 100 miles away to be able to rent a car during that time. It was bad. It has had enough time to dry out by now though. Also no CPU’s on this old a car so getting it back to running wasn’t hard for them to do.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Rich Nepon

    I owned 12 at one time. Used to just move the plate to the easiest repair. Had a few two door, four door and wagons. Engines were super. Handling was great. But they all rusted and cracked on the inner front fender. Gave some shimmy to the ride. I braved a few closed. I did a lot of back road driving at high speed responding to fire alarms. Heck of a good time. Painted one two tone; called it the Rolls-Volvo. Miss those cars.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Rustytech Member

    I think this may be the only column mounted auto trans I have ever seen in a Volvo. Every Volvo I have ever had has been manual and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Bob C.

    One comment I remember about these cars is DRIVE IT LIKE YOU HATE IT, and they last forever.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Pete

    Don’t let the automatic tranny scare ya. I actually have a Borg Warner that came out of a 68 122 sitting in my garage if anyone needs it. :-)

    Like 0
  15. Avatar John S

    I had one of these and remain a fan.
    I agree, only auto I’ve ever seen in them, and aircon also scarce.

    I did many country miles and loved the performance of the B18. However it was only just there at 70 and I think if you added auto and air you would be looking for more power to compensate at speed which could explain the lack of air cleaners. A compression test might not return good news.

    As I recall on adding overdrive, while the B18 feels like it could use one, the OD was better suited to the B20 motor.

    These things are worth preserving,
    John S

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Paul Newbold

    I had this model when I lived in Toronto in ’73. Paid $200 for a 6 year old Volvo! Motor, transmission, brakes and comfort were 100%. Headlamps had to be gaffer taped in due to the headlamp tubs having been rusted away. As I was heading back to Oz, never fixed it, “just drove it like I hated it”. A quote from a Volvo advertisement from the time. A great car. I would buy this one if possible.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Goran Lundberg

    As I have stated earlier in a posting on another Amazon barn find: Being Swedish and born in the 50´s I grew up with (an literally in) these cars. But… fitted with AC?! That was never even ‘eard of in it’s native habitat!

    Lucky you over there…

    Like 0

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