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Well, for those of you who followed that nice Green 1968 122S Non-GT, I wanted to let everyone know that I picked her up this morning and have it under my garage now. I was under the impression that it did not run, but the owner came out and met me on dry ground to get it loaded onto my dolly. He swapped in the original glass fuel pump and she fired right up.
If you recall the photos, the rust on this car is fairly minimal. The passenger front fender has a few spots including a bad one on the top right behind the headlight. The rest of the body is excellent. There are two rust holes. A fist sized hole in the passenger side footwell right in the corner, and a golf-ball sized hole in the trunk.
And that's it. There may be a bit behind the reflectors, but it's in remarkably good shape. I jacked it up and looked at the underside. I can say that it's the most intact, undamaged vintage volvo underside I've ever inspected. I think I really lucky out on this one. And after my structurally rusted 1800ES experience last fall, I'm quite relieved.
Because the seller never registered the title to himself, I'm technically buying it from the original owner, which is a nice plus. The original owner kept the car in a garage from 1985 until 2002, when he put it out in the open and the dashpad cracked. It's never left Lincoln County, Missouri. It has 150,000 miles - supposedly original...
Here's where it gets interesting. The original owner replaced the engine after the original threw a rod. He saved the head and supposedly had it machined. But, before he could arrange from a new block, he found a complete 1968 B18 engine from another volvo. Weirdly this engine is embossed as a B18 (near the rear of the block) and has 1968 embossed up on the front. That's a bit strange in my experience. Is that really the year of the engine?
So, I've got another head, as well as a rocker, timing gear, and rusty cam shaft (worth saving?) There were a number of nice little sundries in the trunk.
Such as a small horde of trim rings. I got 4 slotted aluminum wheel covers (held on by the hubcaps), 6 black "V" hubcaps, and 6 very nice trim rings.
It also came with a new water pump, new master cylinder, several OEM brake rebuild kits and a couple short brake hardlines.
But as to driving it?
The engine is running really rough, and the choke does not work - because the #1 choke is frozen. Not the cable. The jet is stuck - really stuck. So, the car barely starts and dies quickly. It has a pretty bizzare vacuum PCV system with the PCV valve out at the booster. I suspect that wasn't helping...
There are a few electrical gremlins to chase out. e.g. the hazard lights do not work at all. front clearance light is out. Wiper switch was broken off. etc.
I need to get the carb issue figured out first, and then I can fault-trace the brakes. BTW: even with a new MC, there is no brake pressure. Weird. I swapped in my own working booster, but I'm not sure what's wrong - or even if the original MC was at fault. More fun to come.
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in case you are following my progress. A few hours each day is netting major improvements in performance and condition. All of my instruments and switches are now functioning. All headlights, signals, hazards, reverse, and brake lights work now. There was a small ant colony in the right front signal bucket, as well as some mud and crud in the rear lenses, but all are clean looking great now.
After several runs, extensive cleaning and lubrication, the carbs are almost back in tune. The choke mechanisms are almost perfect. The engine hums at a 800-1000 rpms depending on setting. I'm starting to think that this B18 really does only have 44,000 miles on it... I've never heard a B18 or a B20 sound this nice!
I thought my brakes were poor, but after a few runs around a nearby lot, they are beginning to perform like you'd expect. I still need to check the actual pads, but the travel I experienced at first is almost gone.
It's weird. I've been working on some things and other systems are just starting to work again on their own. I suspect it's just slight corrosion on switch contacts being worn away and old fluids being flushed out. It's like the car is waking up from a 22 year long slumber.
Now I have to tackle the cooling system. She began to run pretty hot after idling for a while. The seller/middle-man recommended that I install the new water pump that was in the trunk as well as a new thermostat. I've already asked elsewhere about installing an 1800E radiator. I also have a selection of 5-blade fans to upgrade the existing 4-blade fan.
as long as my exhaust system is intact, I could have this baby back on the road inside of a week...
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i think I posted that I got her running briefly yesterday. Aside from the sticky carbs (despite disassembly and cleaning) there is no fuel getting into the carbs from the tank. I topped off the reservoirs and it fires right up - dying once the fuel ran out. The car came with "new pump" and another glass dome pump. neither appears to work correctly, although I've not tried the "new" pump yet. I have a spare pierberg myself, so I've got options...
I discovered a few things maybe worth mentioning.
1) My stock AM/FM radio works.. Wow.
2) The front/rear fader knob that I found on my other dashboard is present and mounted under the dash on the far left of the driver's side.
3) There's a switch - probably for fog light there too.
4) the door trim is rather "different" No large chrome/SS pieces on the door shoulders. Just a strip of chrome trim on the edge... Minor change but surprising. Less rust I guess...
5) Most of my switches and knobs do not work, and the chrome switch bezels are small and lack labels. Since my spare switches are an earlier style, I'll probably have to put on my spare labeled chrome bezels just to make it look right.
6) different hood spray nozzle.
7) top of the washer reservoir pump is silver instead of blue/red/black.
8) still got a generator, but has an ear for easy alternator upgrade.
9) some water leakage found when I washed the car. A little trickle in the trunk and (as I've come to expect) a little trickle under the dashboard - sigh -
look like I'll be doing a new seal on this one too
10) passenger side door only locks/unlocks with key, knob is jammed. driver's side only locks/unlocks with knob - key does nothing.
11) still has a floor high beam switch - looks to have been "serviced" and works fine.
12) original rubber floor mat and *and* brown volvo mats in the rear. Bare metal in front.
13) multiple cracks in the dashpad along the "seams"
14) upholstery near perfect, but long top seam of rear set is split.
15) no tool kit or tire tools (I have spares).
16) seats are "fallen" I feel like I'm 8 again!
Once I get this fuel pump issue sorted out, I'll be able to attack some other problems and get it closer to "ready"
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sounds like you scored with the body, it running is a plus too.
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Well.. it *was* running, but the thing became very difficult to start when I went to unload it... I suspect that aside from the choke, the double-butterfly manifold is a problem...
Too dark and too tired now to mess with that.
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Sounds like a pretty nice car.
I think you will find the number cast in the block is actually 4968, which is the first four digits of the part number of the motor---the final 2 should be stamped in a flat surface immediately after the 4968. (on B20s, the cast in numbers are 4969 on early blocks, and just 49 on late---last 4 digits are punched) From this number you can find out the exact spec of the motor, and what it was originally installed in.
Try soaking the stuck jet with plenty of PB Blaster, from both above and below. If you can get it to move at all, you should be able to work it free, then clean the bore it rides in with a small round brass brush (like the ones for cleaning gun barrels) and carburetor cleaner, and clean the outside of the jet too. (might be a good idea to do the other one as well, just for good measure) If worse comes to worse, you can remove the dome, piston etc., and drive the jet out with a punch. This will almost certainly ruin it, so have a replacement on hand, and remember, this is the last resort.
Which front light is out? A quirk of the 68 models is that they have what appear to be side marker lights, front and rear. They are the same lenses as found on later US model 140s, but they contain no bulb or socket, and are simply screwed to the fender with sheet metal screws. I guess they considered them to be reflectors, and therefore sufficient to meet the standards of the time.
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Ah, sorry, I should have been clearer. I wasn't referring to the reflectors on the fenders but the turn signal bucket running lights. I suspect that it is just a bulb. Which would be one of the easiest things to fix...
There are actually a number of electrical issues. My turn signals are barely/non-functional. Some crawling around revealed that they are setup rather differently than my 67, with the hazard relay serving some function of running the signals... I got my hazards working after I found a disconnected wire on the back. The right signal started working then, but very poorly. The left signal does nothing, but I suspect it's due to the tail bulb being out.
Speaking of that. I found my reverse lights don't work. But, I hear a click when I put the car in reverse. The problem? The bulb holders are *gone* from the tail light housings. There's a sniped-off wire and an empty socket. Since I've never acquired any socket housings from either amazon purchase, I guess I'll have to find some aftermarket solution.
I found that my heater switch does nothing. Probably the switch since the other systems on the circuit work and the fuses and fusebox voltage are good.
Aside from the #1 carb choke being frozen, I think the running issues are a consequence of the double-butterfly manifold this thing has. There might also be a fuel pump issue again, but I'll look into it tomorrow.
Best news so far is that after bleeding the brakes, the brakes work fine. Of course I replaced the master cylinder and the girling booster at the same time, so I'm unsure what the real problem was (multiple variables). And... being unable to drive the car, it'd hard to test brake function. I think replacing the brake hoses is probably a good idea, but I'll wait a bit for that...
I'll attack the carbs tomorrow and let you guys know how it goes.
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Congrats Nathan.
My Volvo Mentor has alot of 120
stuff if you need something.
Lit side markers came in 1970 for USA 140's,
'69's and before had reflectors.
It is fairly simple to retrofit the 140 buckets
to modernize the lighting.
--
71-145-S ; 72-145-E ; 72-1800-ES
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Thanks for the offer. I do have a lot of stuff myself. This particular purchase put a number things I had no spares for into hand. Similarly, my existing parts stash provides several nice repair and upgrade parts for the new car. A near-perfect match.
Only trouble is that the 68 has some unusual parts and all the switches have the names on the handle instead of on a chrome bezel. So I'll need to get creative.
Speaking of true running lights, I saved the lighted "reflectors" from my 71 1800E. I had a full set, but I foolishly gave the red rear lights to my "good pal" Amer Khan, and I'm sure they got eBay'd. I still have the front (yellow) lights and might install them. I do have a pair of the more oblong red lights saved from a 1975 245 that was crushed... Maybe I can use those or trade someone for a better pair...
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I begged you to part that thing..
You know I wanted the antenna...
JK/LOL
The 1800 has the thick wedge shaped block of rubber
to align the lights due to the curvature of the body.
Those are probably a delete for the 220.
RPR has the reflector/lenses @ $25 for new ones.
Anyway; good score on the new rig.
--
71-145-S ; 72-145-E ; 72-1800-ES
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I didn't recall that you wanted parts from it. I guess if you did, I probably said that I wanted to sell the car whole as it's value was higher.
Hindsight being better, I should have kept that 73ES and taken the M41, rear axle, booster, front hubs and calipers, and all the D-jet stuff... but then I would have had another auto carcass to disassemble and sell.
But, at least I never would have been 'Khaned' into giving away all those spares for free. Not that I could have used them all, but at least I could have sent them to someone honest.
-sigh- Regardless, I have very limited space here in St. Louis. I'm in the city proper and have no place other than my circa 1925 single-slot garage and carport to store cars.
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I have a 68 heater control that won't fit my 66's....
Let me know the last two digits of the engine number (4968...)
and I'll czech which engine it is.
If the manifold butterflies are properly opened by arms on the carbs, they aren't
too much of a problem. It's when you don't have any way to open them!
One thing you can do is to pull the butterfly plates (they may fit your carbs)
and you can probably tap the holes or just permatex a short 5/16" bolt shank
into them.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!
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Well, the butterflies do seem to actuate properly with the throttle. But I'm not really clear on how the double-butterflies work. If the butterflies are closed when the throttle is at rest, then how is does the air/fuel mix get into the cylinders, and how does the engine run at idle?
My guess is that either the butterflies are not fully closed at rest, or the weirdo manifold has some sort of multiple cross-over flow thing... I seem to recall something about the later, but could not find any info in a simple BB search. Is this a stock manifold for a 1968 120. I thought only 140s had these things...
My present priority is getting those carbs off and cleaned. Until the choke works.
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There is an H-shaped passage with openings before and after the butterflies
that mixes the idle mix from both carbs together and heats it and then puts
it back out on the other side of the butterflies. In VERY cold weather it
really makes them more driveable and less sensitive to balance issues.
If the butterflies are FULLY opened at full throttle they probably have little
or no effect on max power. I've pulled them when installing carbs that didn't
have the arms to open them.
BTW the pipefitter's nightmare B30A manifold also has them. And the carb
spacing is exactly the same as the B18 and B20.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!
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In the US 1968 was the only year 122 had that smog control attempt manifold.
I found it hard to adjust the carbs before the thing heated up, that is it heated up before they could be adjusted. Rhys will get definitive, maybe Phil and Planetman as well.
Others, George has already chimed in, may have had better luck. The general wisdom seems to be to get a 67 one piece dual exhaust/intake without the knuckles/butterflies (or the aother option being a B20 dual exhaust and the aluminum intake, but then you're shimming the manifolds-to-head studs and nuts due to different manifold thicknesses.)
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Hello,
The purpose of the extra flaps is to cause the fuel/air mixture to flow though a pre-heat chamber cast into the manifold, before going to the intake ports.
Only when the gas pedal is floored (WOT or Wide Open Throttle) do the extra flaps open and allow direct flow from the carburetors straight to the intake ports.
This style of unified intake/exhaust manifold is used on B20 engines with carburetors in the USA.
My preferred method of eliminating the flaps is to remove the flaps and the associated throttle shafts and then plug the outer holes with the same plug that is used as the inner plug.
I used to be able to buy these plugs right from Volvo, but I think I bought the last one many moons ago as they went to NLA status.
So I have been cannibalizing old broken manifolds ever since to obtain plugs.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90501
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It's a smog feature. Ah, no wonder it performs badly... Fortunately I have spares of both a combination manifold and separate manifolds. Like I mentioned before, this car acquisition is an excellent parts fit for me.
Earlier this year I got a separate intake so that I could do my B20E d-jet conversion on the 220 (I wanted to keep my carbs for a while, but wanted to upgrade the exhaust). Sadly, I was not able to successfully get that vacuum plug out without making a mess of it, so even with cut washers, my choice appears to be limited to my spare one-piece manifold with a broken stud nut... Looks like some drilling and reaming is in order today. Once I get those carbs apart...
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