There’s little in the automotive world that’s more forlorn than the project car that’s been put up for sale. Sometimes they’re being offered for pennies on the dollar, while other times the seller sits on the car for years trying to recoup their investment. On a few rare occasions, however, a project car presents a bargain because it’s not too far from the finish line, and this might be one of those cases. First-rate Barn Finder Curvette found this 1968 Volvo 122S Station Wagon (I’m using the American-market nomenclature) for sale here on craigslist in Yakima, Washington. It has fresh paint and a fresh interior, but it needs some assembly. Luckily, it looks like it has all the parts the new owner will need to reassemble the puzzle, and the price is a fairly reasonable $7,000.
The front end appears to be where all the action is going to be taking place, because it’s obviously missing a drivetrain.
But that’s OK, because there’s a B20 two-liter four-cylinder ready to be installed. It appears that 1968 was a transitional year in the Volvo world, but from everything I’ve read, the 1968 122S still used the B18 engine, so this may be an upgrade from a later model Volvo. The B20 also comes with what looks like an M41 four-speed with overdrive, and there’s a Painless Wiring kit, too. I don’t see any carburetors in the craigslist pictures, but American market cars had two SUs in 1968.
But who knows—the carburetors might be in there somewhere. There are certainly a bunch of other parts, including the grilles and front-of-engine ancillary components.
The upholstery has been replaced, and the dash pad seems to be missing the familiar cracks you’ll see in plenty of 122 dashboards. The 1968 model had a new impact-absorbing steering wheel (not the one shown here) and column, in addition to a dual-circuit braking system and power front disc brakes standard.
The craigslist ad doesn’t give us any information about the work that has been done or how much is left to do, but based on the pictures, it’s easy to piece together that all there is to do is piece the Amazon together; after all, things don’t look too bad from the rear, do they? Now, if you can just imagine the front in the same state of assembly, that could be enough to carry the project through to the end. A dedicated tinkerer could probably have this thing back on the road in a few weeks, and for the price of purchase, you could have a very nice 122S.
I like it! And looks like an easy project. But for me, I would want to flip it. And the asking price is too high to cover transportation, reassembly and miscellaneous needs. But the price is not crazy for some one to wants keep it. The other problem for me is the color. Blue paint is bad luck for me. (I don’t even have to be in the car and it will get totaled like every blue vehicle I have ever owned.,) I have a Ranger turbo project going now that I would love to keep. But the color prevents me from keeping it. GLWTS!
Paint it another color and pretend it was never blue?
Blue, eh? My bad luck with cars that got totaled was from getting to close to Bozos.
I preferred white or black for race and rallye cars when I had a choice. In the past. Sometimes the color was by what was on the mistake shelf. Long ago, I paintrd some cars. Then i realized that i spent a lot more time getting em straight than those that did it everyday for years. I was better off charging my rate for what I was good at. Now, paint and labor is so high, I’ll be painting.my own stuff. I have a selection of lacquar. Acrylic lacquar, Acrylic enamel and enamel paint. I bought 3 1949 HiWay round front trailers from the estate auction that had been a boneyard for many years. One had shelves full of paint, some full gallons and some not. Anybody want 5 gallons PPG metallic aqua lacquar from the AMC plant in Kenosha?
As bad as I am with spray cans. I’m still going to have to learn to paint. It’s just too expensive to have someone else do it. I’m going to practice on a couple of trailers I have around here with “tractor paint” that you can get from Tractor Supply or Home Depot. (About the same price) But Tractor Supply has a better selection. It’s industrial grade enamel. So it would not be as pretty or resilient as the current “car” paint. But good enough for a trailer/practice. I used to mix automotive paint when working at an automotive parts store and have been in several “automotive painting”seminars. I just need to perfect the application techniques. Thanks for the offer of the old AMC paint!
Wayne
It’s a 5 gallon pail! Lots of practice coats and old lacquar is pretty easy.
good luck with that number. 1 ugly car. if they are so much fun to drive why rip it apart? it is no fun to put together
From what I see in the photos, someone ripped it apart to change the color. It appears as they did a good job reassembling it with $ks in new upholstery, rubber seals and trim. If alls good under the paint and you like the color, this is a bargain. I don’t know know why the painless wiring harness* is included?
It has the required, in my opinion, m41 overdrive to drive on thr street with the 4:56 grears these all came with. It also has the 68 steering column that some on BAT value @ $1k or more. I wonder about some of the details that I see. Older narrower wheels than stock (my Amazons usually have 7 or 6″ wide wheels).
Heater blower motor and bell housing painted maks me pondering what I dont see. I’m not putting any value on the B20 till I tear it down. Top is open and some strangeness with the pushrods.
No volvo came to the us with b20 till 69.
My 68 Amazon Estate has been with me since 89. It was ready to paint and then damaged to get to a reasonable price. I bought it and updated and upgraded. Since then it has hauled, towed as I alternated between neglect and abuse but never on salted roads. It is fun to drive!
If I had the funds and knew when I’d be on both feet after recent installation of plate and screws in my leg and ankle, I’d buy this in case somebody hits mine.
*The coach builder that I sometimes did wiring and other things on ferraris asked me to do wiring work on 2 Lola T70s,1 open snd 1 closed. They were being converted to street cars.
This turned into a time that I did good work but was ashamed of it. When I got there the front and rear body sections were still at the paint shop for the open car. Behind the seats on the side of the center body was a blade type fuse panel exposed for all the world to see.
WHATS THIS?”
“It’s from the wiring harness that I thought my guys would install.”
I’m not sure if it was a Painless but was a pain in the ass to work with. I was required to retain the fuse panel and use the wiring that was applicable.
Wait it gets worse! Then the body came back and it was red with a big white arrow stripe. “Why this paint scheme?”
“That’s the way it was originally.”
Can’t remember now but I was sure it had some serious history. Often when I worked for him, i did 2nd/3rd shift to work in peace and locked up when I was done. One of those nights my wife came along and took photos and helped. I have an album somewhere with the T70s.
In college after work at the parts store and went to garage in back where they were working on a Lola Can AM car. (I never knew the model as I was not following the series at the time. But I have always prided myself on my electrical work. And I remember NOT being impressed with the electrical. A year or so later I got to know Carl Haas. I actually sold him a Honda Civic for their office run around car. (His Lola dealership was only a few blocks away from out Pontiac Honda store. ) In fact when we traveled far distances with our autocross/solo II Honda Civic I borrowed one of Carl’s trailer. I had forgotten about that until last night looking at slides from our 1974 Solo II run. Someone took pictures of me rolling down the highway with the Civic on the trailer. (We took second in the National run offs) A Vintage Formula Junior that I rewired, got an honorable mention for the electrical.