Description
Regrettable sale after 10 years ownership, to free up funds and space for a house move.
I bought this Amazon in 2015 as an abandoned restoration, and spent the next 2 years sorting all of the rust, mechanical issues and paintwork. In 2017 I MOTd it and immediately drove to Derby for a friend's wedding.
Since then I've rebuilt and upgraded the engine, from B18A to B18B specification, added wider wheels with new Avon tyres, an Overdrive gearbox, twin SU HS6 carburettors and a full Simonz tubular sports exhaust - it's significantly more enjoyable to drive now!
Mechanically the car is in very good shape. The engine internal upgrades include a head skim to raise compression to B18B spec, aluminium timing gears, and a 'fast road' K cam. As such it's happiest on 99RON fuel, and is so much revvier than a standard B18.
It has a slight oil weep from the differential, and does 'breathe' slightly past the engine oil filler when driven enthusiastically. Swapping to a later B20 oil cap with a hose to the air filter would solve that. It starts happily (using a push button to start to prevent snapping the key, a common Amazon problem) and pulls well in all 4 gears plus overdrive - it's very happy at 70mph and quite capable of much more. The wider wheels and tyres give plenty of grip, however the steering is typical Amazon, and couldn't be described as sporty. The dampers are all Monroe and whilst not old, would be the next thing I would look to upgrade.
The bodywork is overall very presentable. I had the new sills, scuttle panel and inner wings painted in 2017. I believe the rest of the paintwork dates from the 1980s as amongst the historic paperwork is a receipt for a respray then. As such, there are a couple of areas which aren't perfect, notably one of the door skins has some paint cracking where the door skin presumably had a lower repair panel fitted, and the area below the tail lamps where the boot floor is welded to the rear wings has some blistering. None of this has changed in the 10 years I've owned it, as I've always kept the car garaged.
The interior is all original (apart from the headlining) and generally in good shape. There is a space in the dashboard where it must have previously had a radio fitted. The front seats were rebuilt with new webbing in 2016. The engine temperature gauge doesn't work - it's rare to find a working one on an Amazon as the capillary tube system is very delicate. I have an electric gauge and plans to fit the electric parts into the original gauge, but haven't yet. I added some acoustic matting to the footwells, and bulkhead areas which have reduced road noise at 60+mph nicely.
I have boxes of spares which will go with the car, including chromework, manifolds, gearboxes, interior parts, hub caps, rubber seals etc.
It's obviously MOT/ Tax/ ULEZ exempt - I am willing to put it in for an MOT for any serious buyers.
The car is at my home near Lockerbie DG11. Happy to collect from Lockerbie mainline station. I'm also happy to deliver the car anywhere in the UK or Ireland, just ask for a price. I grew up around family Volvos and ever since I was 21 years old, I have had at least one! I have had most models made since the 1950s, and last year sold my PV544. I am rebuilding a Volvo Laplander which should be on the road next year, and so the Amazon is the one to sell.
It has so much charm and an almost American style, scaled down to a European size. These were big cars in the 60s but they are tiny next to any modern family car.
This car will be 60 years old next year, but can cruise all day at motorway speeds, and put a smile on your face on a B road. To say it drives like a modern car would be a stretch - the steering is heavy at parking speeds and slightly floaty at speed, and the brakes do require some effort on the pedal, but they do stop the car smartly.
Everywhere I take it, the car gets admiring comments. The bright red paintwork especially stands out on a sunny day.
I'll miss it!
