I am in the northeast where Volvos rust faster than grass grows. Although I recently lucked into a '69 145, I haven't seen another old Volvo in years. Where are you guys that have the 140's and early 240's.

Faust: There was a guy trying to give away a bunch of volvos in your neck of the woods last year... If he still has the old chevy panel truck we need to talk...
He had the web page www.freevolvos.com
I tried that and got this:

http://www.122XS.com/

My sense of it is that he did not manage to give away everything.
The E-mail is the same one from last year.

I grew up around Salem, so naturally, I moved from the north shore to Boulder/Denver to keep the rust off my cars... Too many of the 60's and 70's cars I was driving kept breaking in half from rust.

Sold my '74 142 of 9 years to a guy in Seattle- no rust, some bondo.
'62 P1800 from San Jose, CA- no rust
'78 245 from Falcon, CO. -sage brush stuck behind one mudguard

"Where are you guys that have the 140's and early 240's."

Good question. I've been looking for a rustfree 145 for over a year now and still no luck. I do have some requirements though, it must be white, blue interior, low miles, and, as I said, rustfree.

I had those requirements for my 1973 1800ES and found the one I have in Phoenix within one month of looking - white, blue interior, 37K miles - a really pristine car.

I also read your thread on the r/p steering and would like to do same for my 1800 to have more efficient steering and more engine-bay room.

Joe K.

7inches of the greatest snow on earth this week

Fox Island, Washington. Baby blue 142E with a 1800ES parked right along side. Out here on Fox Island there is: 1 1800E, 1 1800S, 4 1800ES, and plenty of 240 onward. Not bad for a little island of only 4000.

Chelan Wa.{north central Wa.} 72 145 The most expensive free thing I've ever received. There's another 145 in town {pop. 3500 or so}

I've finally achieved motorhead Nirvana-my garage will be bigger than my house!

Mike M.

Hi Tom,
I am in Oxford, MA, just south of Worcester. I have yet to see another 140 in MA except for my 71 142E.
I did see a 145 but it was in Cambridge, MA near Harvard and MIT so I do not count that as a normal sighting.

Mine is going under a tarp in a week or so to protect her from the elements. I drive the beater 83 244 to work and back on the Masspike.
I heard from a couple of guys that there is a giant field of 122's somewhere south of Springfield, MA.

Anybody ever see it?

Later,
Jeremy

Whidbey Island, in the Puget Sound north of Seattle. Took my own poll of cars in parking lots in several towns here today -- one in six was a Volvo. 240s are the most common model, but the range goes from 544 to brand new.

Seems to me if you are in a major NW city you are stuck in a Volvo vortex. Cant go more that 1/2 a block without seeing 4 or 5. Thats a good thing though makes for a nice little Volvo comunity and lots of parts.

Marc

We are from London Ontario. Three drivers in the family at this point three daily driver 140 series Volvos. A 68 142 owned for about 12 years, bought back from insurance twice in the last three years one front and one rear end accident. Needs paint and some rust work again this spring. 1970 145 owned for about 10 years, was not too rusty when I got it. Never did get around to a complete paint job. Gave to daughter as her first car for three years. Recieved it back three weeks ago and started the body work. Virtually nothing left from the rockers into the transmission tunnel. Body work progressing well. Third, recently completed near restoration ( or as near as I may ever achive) 73 144 109 green, This one spent its first 20 years in British Columbia and picked up considerable roof line rot and throuout the last 10 years was subjected to the normal Ontario salt exposure. I do all the work on these cars myself and it is all I caan do to attempt to stay on top of them from a safety perspective but at this point its seems like I am on a roll! My goal is to have summer and winter cars. I own a 123 gt that is quite restorable and complete and a fairly good 67 1800 as well as a 67 220 that I love and several parts cars. Finding parts cars and any good candidates for restoration is difficult and has been for about 7 or 8 years. And in our city of 320,000 there are two other 140 series cars on the road.

Kevn,

I am just north of hamilton and have a 72 142s.

Hudson,
Send me an email some time and we can get together I am sure to discuss these cars.

Hi Kevin,

I'm in Hamilton, Ont., and have a nice '67 123GT as my daily driver, a solid 122 wagon that I'm looking to sell, and my wife drives a '93 240 wagon. The salt is a killer, but with skinny snow tires on, the Gt drives like a dream in the winter (and always starts!).

I'm in Fort Collins, CO... a bit north of Denver. Gotta rust free'70 145, fairly OK '66 122, rustbucket '65 1800s (what do you expect after 750k), and a semi-rust bucket '72 164e. Used to be lots and lots of 140s running around town. Now its me and one other fella best I can tell. Only a couple 122s do I see. I did see a nice wagon for the first time last week. And almost never a 544. There are still a few good 1800s (mine is not).

There are, however, still lots and lots and lots and lots of 240s of all vintages. Probably due to the fact that we have two independent world class volvo specialist shops in town.

-Matt

So Cal USA 1970 144s

I have a 72 142 in Ontario, Canada. Had to weld in the section of frame directly under the drivers seat after I got it on a hoist for the first time and started poking at things to get started on the safety. The rear inner wheel wells have been replaced at least twice, ditto with some sections of the floor pans. The A pillars are terrible too. The PO was using it as a daily driver in the winter it seems. Despite all this it's pretty solid for around here and having spent all it's life in the area. I think most of that is due to volvos
?double? uni body design. I hadn't even noticed that the frame rail underneith me was nearly entirely roted out when I was initially driving it.

There are 122s and p1800s on the road around here in the summer (few people are insane enough to drive old cars in the winter here) but you hardly ever see a 140 series or 164 on the road.

I live in kennewick Washington with a 74, 145 that has no rust. Bought it for $150, tore the auto tranny up un a week...replaced it. Then a week later I blew the engine up. I dunno what it is about the car but I like it and I keep fixing it. Other than mine I can't say I've ever seen a running 140 series around here. There are two I've been able to lacate in the junkyard but thats about it.

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Have a dark blue '73 142. Little surface rust, but that's it. My family has had the car since '78 and it still runs, shifts and drives tight. I just found your board and this is my first posting. Hate to say it, but I need to sell 'old Blue'. I've registered, but for some reason, I can't list the car in the classifieds. Will I get in trouble if I list it in the forum?

I'm in West suburban Chicago, and my '74 is from Oregon 5 years ago, with surface rust but no rust through. Debating on the various treatments, considering a spot sandblaster, then treating with a convertor to soak into the subsurface, then a sealer (POR-15 or something) then paint.

My previous locally sourced Volvos have decayed rapidly. Even 740's seem to lose it at the seams. We have rotten potholed roads with aggressive traffic. Cars get beat up so bad here it's laughable. Ever see a Lexus 400 with a collapsed suspension? I have.

I spend lots of time in Western Michigan, which has also the problem of severely salted potholes and maniacal drivers. I know there are several enthusiasts and one really good RWD mechanic with a big inventory of vehicles.

But the Volvo has gone several years here in probably the worst road salted environment possible, and shows very little worsening. It appears to me that the rust on the Volvo works like anodization and protects the deeper surface, at least to some extent. It may be a steel quality or compound issue.

Any chemists or metallurgists out there know anything about that?

I live in SW Maine. Until recently, my father had a 140 in his yard. Bought it off a family friend. It had tranny troubles (I think). He sold it to his brother for $250 or so, who said "I'll be back in a week to pick it up." 15 years later it had grown roots & become a rather large hornet colony, when the local junkyard hauled it off for scrap. Too bad. I haven't seen any on the road around here lately.

My buddy Dana has a '74 164E which will be back on the road in spring. Pretty mint except for typical tinworm damage in the trunk. I'm totally jealous! Another guy here in town has an '80 242 w/ 330K +, real nice... but I guess my $200 '78 244 is the oldest around here. (Looks it, too)

Matt
'78 244 DL (Katharine)
'84 244 DL (Gretchen RIP)

Hey Matt, bring your 244 down to Owls Head in Oct. next year. It qualifies as an "antique" and you might win the "Road Warrior" award. I'm in Freeport.
Bob S.

Hey Bob--

What's the deal with this "Road Warrior" thing? I don't think that "Katherine" is really show-worthy, though... her mileage isn't remarkable for a Volvo, only about 150K. I don't even know for sure, because (of course) the odo is broken.
My expert application of bondo and rivets in the rear quarter might impress them, not to mention the mismatched '84 front fender and 4-tone interior! What the hey, I just started, and I picked her up for (this is embarrasing) $175 with a set a snows thrown in. Anyway, get back to me if you can, or e-mail at: juniorsgarage@yahoo.com- thanks.

Matt in Limerick
(commuting distance to the Middle of Nowhere)

I have: 1968 1800S; 1972 164E; 1975 164E; and will soon have another 1972 164E - can't get enough spares you know. I too don't see many 100 series or 200 series for that matter, out here in South Dakota.

Kent

I'm in SoCal. My '74 came from Alaska.

FWIW, the only SoCal car is the '86. My '64 spent it's past in New Mexico (not so bad) and Pennsylvania (bad!), and my '91 came from Missouri.

-- Kane
--
Blossom II - '91 745Ti/M46 ... Bubbles - '74 144GL/BW35 ... Buttercup - '86 245GL/AW70 ... The Wayback Machine - '64 P220/M40

I am in Chandler, outside Phoenix AZ. Down here sun damage is a bigger concern than road salt. I got a '74 144 last July that I picked up outside Chicago, although it had spent most of its life in Tucson, AZ. It had a 4-speed and A/C which were two of my prerequisites. Absolutely no rust holes, but some surface rust from its short stint in the rustbelt. The undercarriage is totally covered in this thick tarry stuff, which must have helped quite a bit.

Kåre

but, my car('68 142) has an unknown history, and is quite a rustbucket of its own... Fred Flinstone style... and other places too, bad sealing mostly, doors and trunk lid... And then the windshield leaks in hard rain too. :) it's all good, it's under a carport right now anyway.

Peace!
Kyle - now in Corvallis, from Portland...

My 122 4 door and the recently aquired 75 244 with 73k original miles are both NW cars, I'm pretty sure the 70 164 has been here most of it's life. The rest I have no history on, but they're not rusty.
I see lots of 140's and early 240's here in the Portland area, no salt on the roads in winter.
--
Lee Boerner, Lots of old Volvos, Little hair.

I have a 71 164 4sp. It has a little rust in the trunk, under the gas pedal and along the inside driver rear door. It was in vegas for 4 years and Portland before. It ran great before the piston slap started, next motor is on the way. I don't see many 160's in portland, alot of 200's and 140's.
Tim

I just bought a "71 142 fixerupper here in Maine -- also have a "62 544 and a "93 240 Classic wagon.
Bob S.

I have a 69 164 and a 73 145 here in Oklahoma, buth there aren't many
around here either. More 240s.
--
George Downs, The "original" Walrus3, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

I'm in northern California.I didn't have much for trouble with rust but 4 years ago I moved a few hundread yards from the ocean EVERYTHING rusts fast here also but not as bad as Michigan (I'm from Kalamazoo) or NY or anything.I use to go to the junk yards here (8-10 years ago) and would literally find 5-6 140/164's per junkyard.Most had straight bodies and NO rust,those days are over but I must say right now there are 4 (count em) FOUR 73-74 145's sitting a few feet apart right now at one yard so all hope is not lost! I have a 1970 142 that I bought from the original owner in January of 2002 that's sitting here rusting,it's a shame

Hey Volvobub, I live in Santa Cruz, and was a few hundred yards from the ocean but I recently moved closer to Highway 1 in the banana belt so the salty fog should be less of an issue.

I just got a '73 142 with a little rust, mostly around the front window for 400. There are some surface rust spots, mostly from door dings. The floors are good.

I've seen a few other 140's around here, more 122's I think. I once saw 5 different 122's in one day once driving around, not including the one I was driving, that was fun. Loads and loads of 240's.

shane
--
'66 122s, '60 PV544, 73' 142s

Shane is that 66 122 sky blue with spoked wheels? I'm close to you,we gotta hang out sometime,what exit are you at? Bub

Nope, my 66 122s is red, stock wheels. I'm about to start a semi-restore on it. That and a 60 544. I just picked up a '73 142 earlier this month to drive around while I work on the 122, which is why i'm hanging out on this part of the brickboard.

Im just off the morrisey exit (I'll email you my address so you can stop by if your in the area).
shane
--
'66 122s, '60 PV544, 73' 142s

Hey Bub!
Good to see you posting here!
I've bid on some of your auctions but always got sniped.

I coulda told you about the rust at the coast, having spent 22 years as a
rust&rot specialist with the Army in Panama. Another thing to avoid,
especially if you have cracks or blemishes in your paint, is parking
under oak, willow or (in the tropics) mangrove trees. All have phenolic
compounds or tannins in their rain drip. It renders surface rust soluble
and exposes fresh metal to rust again. I learned about it in a mangrove
swamp in Panama where things rusted sometimes 2 1/2 times as fast as on
the beach where it was considered some of the worst in the world.
My Panamanian paint job has been cracking in the temperature extremes in
Oklahoma (Zero or below to surface temps of 150 in the summer) and I'm
getting ugly black streaks coming out of the cracks, sort of like the
"ink" that you could make with your 1948 chemistry set using tannic acid
and iron compounds.

BTW on the coast, the wind makes ALL the difference. If the prevailing
wind blows onto the land from the ocean it's really bad, especially with
a lot of wave action. If the wind blows from the land to the ocean, there's
little or no problem because it carries the airborne salt particles and
droplets away from you. That is the difference between the Caribbean coast
and the Pacific coast in Panama. No problem except from moisture on the
Pacific side.
--
George Downs, The "original" Walrus3, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

George Don't ever give up on the bidding. It'll work someday I'm sure!I have a bunch of stuff here I still have to sell but don't have time to list and take pix,package etc.Just had our fourth (a girl finally,can I stop now?) so things have been crazy here.
I read with interest all the rust info,thanks.I typically find your posts worth reading even though I post very little myself (the time issue).
The surf is pounding and the mist IS blown on shore.I live at the top of a hill so it rushes up over my house (cars?) and then down a hill behind me.Last november it lifted a 2 car awning that was staked and dumped it 200 yards away.Taking out a fresh paint job on my 65 544 and banging up a couple 240's.I hope to get my 145 painted by next march and then hopefully store it elsewhere.

iam in pensacola fl. and i lived in sarasota fl for 19 yrs. well in south fl we started with a 70 144, no power steering. moved up to 74 164E(wifes) i had 2 164E's 74 and 75 both 4 spds. at the present i got 75 164E 145,000 on it, 84 240 2 dr with 202,000 and the wife just bought 95 850GLT with 126,000. all running the 164E need some tlc again. the 240 was wifes car since 98 when we moved here. hope the 850 is as good as the 240!!

In Edmonton Canada. Much salt and other 'melter' compounds on the road here. We had one environmentally conscious mayor who tryed to moderate the use of the stuff but no luck after she left...

The 544 had been rolled into a ditch in a winter white out when we bought it, and by dad arranged for it to be fixed by a local pastor who did bodywork on the side and his recently immigrated Phillipino helper. (this situation was ironic as my family and myself are non-religious). It rusted out again, and was redone by another fellow. Right now it looks good from a distance, but the rocker panels are entirely gone. Entirely.. as in there is no bottom to 'em. Don't think you could jack the car by the rockers at any point in the last 20-25 years. From 74-83 and from 99 to present, the rear fenders have been loose at the bottom front, as ther ewas no metal to attach to.

The 142 has the front longitudinal subframes completely gone, but I have 3/16" thick reproductions made to repair them. The rear inner fenders and fender lips have been redone and need it again. The trans cross member has fallen out of the car once when driving... It's sort of hacked together the past couple yesr in that area, but the new fabbed pieces will fix that. The lower winshield needs a repair panel....the hood hinge mounts have been redone at one point and need redoing again.

Really, we regard this as par for the course around here. My Dad's 1982 245, bought new, hasn't been wisely body-jackable in some time, and it got very little winter use the first several years. It's had the rear arches redone twice... The 73 145 we used to have had perforation in the rear arch area within 4 years.
The 700's do seem to last well and the new-nose 240 almost as well...