Could anyone comment on South-->North conduits for used Volvos, formal or informal?

Here's what I mean, an example:

1. In my small corner of the Rust Belt I trundled to the U-Pull recently. Most Volvos there show 175-200k miles, rust, and oil-blowing engines. But, Shazam!, there was a newly-arrived 1983 244 that had obviously been cared for, with only 113k miles on it. It had a nice-looking B23 and M46+OD.

2. Today on eBay a 244 in Dallas, with about 140k miles, and a bad A/T (HOW can they go bad so quickly?! Short trips and lack of fluid changes?) went for $650. I have been practicing making foolish bids on eBay, but didn't go for this one. ;-)

Q: How can these 2 items (or items like them, I mean, of course) be mated?

I feel like a lecher. I want rust-free BODIES! In the slave trade. Will pay for bodies. Does anyone have experience using scouts, friends, to find cars... and figuring best driving/transport. (There's where you could blow time and money!) For whom has this worked? Etc.

Thanks!

Gregg