When searching for a classic car, finding one that has been in the possession of the same owner long-term can provide a degree of confidence and reassurance for potential buyers. That’s the case with this 1966 Volvo 122 because it has been owned by the same person for the past 29-years. In fact, the car has only had two owners during its entire life. The time has come for the Volvo to find a third person to appreciate a true Swedish classic. If you think that you could be that person, you will find the Volvo located in Olympia, Washington, and listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding on the Volvo has reached $5,350, and the reserve has been met.

It appears that the Pearl White paint that you see on the 122 is original. The owner emphasizes that the car isn’t perfect and that it does wear a few dings and scratches, which is not unusual for a 54-year-old car. What he does say is that the Volvo is rust-free, and that is something that I don’t find to be very surprising. For a relatively light car, the body of the 122 has proven to be very robust, and of all of the classics that the company manufactured, the 122 seems to be the one that is least prone to rust issues. The 122 was not a car that carried a huge amount of exterior trim and chrome, but all of the original components appear to be present, and all seem to be in very nice condition. Continuing this theme, all of the glass also appears to be free of cracks or significant scratches.

Powering the Volvo is the 1,778cc B18 4-cylinder engine, which has its 95hp sent to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. The 1966 model year also marked the first that saw the 122 fitted with front disc brakes as standard. The engine and transmission combination as fitted to this car is not going to set the world on fire, with the owner readily admitting that the 0-60 time is somewhere in the vicinity of 18 seconds. However, at 2,200lbs, these are a relative lightweight. If the next owner is not fixated on complete originality, slotting a manual transmission into the Volvo would make a significant difference to performance. Having said all of that, this car is original, and apparently, it does run and drive extremely well. Added reassurance can be gained from the fact that the car comes with comprehensive service records that date all the way back to 1971. Talk about confidence-inspiring.

When ordering a new 122 finished in Pearl White back in 1966, buyers found themselves with fairly limited choices when it came to interior trim. While some were finished in either Dark Tan or Black, the vast majority were finished in the same Red as we find in this car. This one does have some interesting touches, including the original rubber floor mat. Over the years, many owners chose to replace the rubber with carpet, so finding one not only intact but in good condition, is actually relatively rare. The original radio has gone, and this has been replaced with a CD player. To accommodate this, the door trims have been cut to allow for aftermarket speakers to be fitted. The upholstery on the seats is beginning to show its age. There are some repairable seam separations on the front passenger seat, while the rear seat has experienced some deterioration. However, additional material has been included in the sale, and this should allow the next owner to fix this problem. Rather typically, the dash cap has developed some pretty significant cracks and would either require a cover or a replacement cap. The headliner also has a single seam separation over the rear seat, but a good upholsterer would have no problems fixing this. Of course, if you would like the interior to really stand out, there are some options that are relatively easy to find out in the market. A replacement dash cap and padding can be found quite easily for around $95, which is pretty cheap. If repairing the existing seat covers doesn’t hold a great amount of attraction, it is possible to get a complete interior trim kit. You could even go the whole hog and specify this in leather. It would certainly add a touch of class to the inside of the vehicle, and the entire kit can be purchased for $1,400. That has to be a tempting proposition if you are after something really special.

This really is quite a cool old classic. I have a certain amount of affection for Volvos because they are a car that can be made to provide some surprisingly impressive levels of performance quite easily. They also tend to be notoriously long-lived, because they are more often than not beautifully designed and engineered. This one is a special car because it appears to have led a pampered life in the hands of a dedicated and meticulous owner. My personal feeling is that the next owner of this car is going to be a person who should get years of enjoyable and reliable motoring out of a true Swedish classic.