Posts Tagged ‘swedish’

Blockhead – 1972 Volvo 142E

July 24, 2015

Volvos are not obviously sporty cars, nor are they really oddballs, but there’s something appealing about their spartan, durable design. There are plenty of cars known for a 3-box design, like the 2002, but this car defines the word boxy (too bad about the round headlights). The only thing that comes as close is the Fiat 131. It’s a little bit like driving an old pickup or a Jeep – they’re not sporty by a traditional, handling-numbers-based definition, but the simplicity and unfiltered mechanical-ness of the experience makes it fun in its own way. Check out this 1972 Volvo 142E for sale for $3500 in Portland, OR.

1972 Volvo 142E left front

(more…)

Ready for Battle – 1970 Volvo 142S Autocrosser

June 1, 2015

It’s been a while since a Volvo has shown up here, though they’re still one of the best deals going for classic canyon carvers. The boxy 140 and 240 series cars are iconic, can be made to handle quite well with some light modification, and are also pretty hard to kill. At this point, though, many of the older Volvos you see listed are either very high-mileage, or have suffered through the college years with the kids and been left to rot in the backyard. As it happens, the latter case is true for today’s car, but a kind Volvo-nut took it into foster care and did some rehab before sending it back out on the market. Check out this 1970 Volvo 142S for sale for $3200 in San Francisco, CA.

1970 Volvo 142S left front

(more…)

Ur-Type Four – 1989 Saab 9000 Turbo

December 31, 2014

Looking for a rare bird among the world of Saabs? You don’t even need to look as far back as the 1970s 99 – you can find it right up through the late 1980s in a series 1 9000. Even on enthusiast sites like Saabnet, it’s hard to find many first-gen 9000s listed there. And those that are available for sale are either miserable $500 projects or high-mileage drivers. Alfa 164s, surely the less successful platform-mate in America, seem to survive in greater numbers than these. So it’s surprising to find a nice, cared-for example of the model, with turbo and manual transmission. Check out this 1989 Saab 9000 turbo for sale for $3000 in Seattle, WA.

1989 Saab 9000 turbo right front

(more…)