The Volvo Amazon has always intrigued me, although not enough to buy one (yet). Extremely tough, with pleasing lines and robust mechanicals, I know many enthusiasts see these as great daily drivers, historic rally cars and just fun to have. These two have popped up here on craigslist in Regency, Florida for $3500 for the pair.

Over 650,000 of these Volvos were produced over a 14-year period. I was surprised to learn that four-door models like this one were rarer than the two-door models, comprising about 35% of Amazon production. I’m more than a little worried about the underside condition of this example considering the obvious moistness of its resting place – I wish these HAD been in a barn! Based on the rust trails from the rear screen trim, it’s been outside for a while. Dents in the door remind me of a similar one put there by a previous owner of my Spitfire, and once that metal is stretched, it’s very difficult to get it back smooth again.

The seller tells us that the four door has a 1.8 liter engine and a 4-speed; no overdrive is mentioned, unfortunately. Apart from the taillights, the car appears relatively complete. Why is it that people frequent remove taillights and headlights from project cars and then stop?

Moving on to the more common two-door, the ad tells us that this one starts and runs, and the body looks a little more solid, although I hope that hood hasn’t been left up during its outdoor storage period. We can only hope that the missing grille and lights have been stored somewhere out of the elements.

We can learn several things from the underhood picture of the two-door. It’s obvious that the car was painted green previously, and the lack of overspray indicates that it either was originally green or it was a decent quality respray. SU’s are present, along with the air cleaners (missing air cleaners are frequently an indication of attempts to start a car). I’m curious about the large component in front of the radiator—is it an oil cooler or part of an a/c system? I’m guessing the black tank on the driver’s side wasn’t there from the factory either.

The owner explains that the interior will need work, and the cracked dash certainly indicates it. What we can see of the passenger seat doesn’t look bad, though, and an original steering wheel adds charm. Is that underdash vent on the passenger side the remnants of an a/c system?

Obviously, some inspection is in order, especially with the rust possibilities. What do you think – are these worth going to see?