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145/Amazon Rescue Operation - Saving Seven Volvos From the Crusher

TouzinFish

TouzinFish

Active member
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Location
Boise, Idaho
January 2023 - Introducing the Cars

I've been wanting to throw this crazy saga on Turbobricks, but it's quite the web of pictures and information. I'm finally feeling motivated, so buckle up!

In January 2023, I'd officially gone a whole six months without owning a Volvo... something I'd never done before, and it sucked. My wife could tell I was going a little stir crazy and was cool with me browsing Craigslist and Marketplace. At that point, I was determined to buy an Amazon (I finally got one in March 2024, see that thread here), but then something caught my eye: a 1968 Volvo 145S!

https://imgur.com/a/wGlgN6y
https://imgur.com/wTyvsaH
https://imgur.com/wd01o2E

A 145 is difficult to find in Idaho as it is, but a '68 is practically unheard of. I'm a sucker for patina, wagons, and rad vibes, so I caved and scheduled a time to go check it out.

When I got there, I learned that he had dozens of Volvos (mostly 140's and Amazons) that were all parts cars, and all were getting crushed. He'd felt some compassion for this '68, hence why he took a chance at throwing it online for sale. By the time I'd arrived, most of the good cars were already crushed and gone, like this 144:

https://imgur.com/Xi6XI2e
 
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January 2023 - Introducing the Cars, continued...

Naturally, I panicked for the impending doom of the other cars in the yard. So I went home and made a sales pitch to my wife about possibly buying a few. Luckily, I have a pretty cool wife, and she said I could buy five cars. Yeah, I couldn't believe it either! At that point, there were 10 cars left in the yard that were on the chopping block, all in various states of decay:

1968 Volvo 145S in Ice Blue (the one I initially saw online). Clean title, non-running. This car came from Whidbey Island, Washington, hence the stickers. Parked in 1999 or 2000 due to a leaky water pump. B18 with dual-SU's, linked to an M40. Pop-out windows (one was shattered), roof rack, great patina, largely intact and original. Appears this was an air conditioned car, though that was deleted a long time ago. 159,000 miles.
https://imgur.com/6d0iDDb
https://imgur.com/ocFuyBX
https://imgur.com/r5EK0JX
https://imgur.com/YjxZg9w
https://imgur.com/XCxVPKZ
https://imgur.com/OaTPtpO
https://imgur.com/fu7pElU
https://imgur.com/MaiPnbm
https://imgur.com/0fw1tnf
https://imgur.com/JHzpetR
 
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January 2023 - Introducing the Cars, continued...

1971 Volvo 145S in California White. Quirky teal interior. Clean title, non-running. This one was crashed in 1997 or 1998. Looks like someone attempted to begin body repairs and quit. B20 with a Weber, linked to an M40.
https://imgur.com/TM9MrJN
https://imgur.com/1xXzGzF

1971 Volvo 145S in its original Turquoise. Super cool color! No title, non-running. Missing its dashboard, pedals, steering column, keys, etc etc. Missing its engine bay wiring harness, and missing its rear springs. B20 with a Weber, linked to an M40.
https://imgur.com/M4l5JOM
https://imgur.com/OHUoDGK
https://imgur.com/nzsbVtR
https://imgur.com/I0IjJC7
 
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January 2023 - Introducing the Cars, continued...

1972 Volvo 145E in Dark Blue, though it looks like it may have been resprayed in Mediterranean Blue... hard to tell, but it's definitely a respray in a different shade. Missing title. Incomplete D-Jet, unsure if it had an M40 or M41, but it had the shift linkage extenders. Interior mostly gutted, missing its steering box (pain for moving). Oh, and a tree growing through the door. A cool detail was that the car was wearing an original 1972-ish Grateful Dead sticker, "Goin' where the wind don't blow so strange."
https://imgur.com/meePWSQ
https://imgur.com/QDc5sA0
https://imgur.com/oqEx1iq
https://imgur.com/MmoP8y8
https://imgur.com/sOu4kgo

1973 Volvo 145 (Dark Green / Cypress Green). No title. Lots of rust, though the patina's cool. Dismantled and messy engine bay with D-Jet. B20 with an automatic transmission. Pretty nice interior. Odometer showing less than 80,000 miles, but I know these odometers break.
https://imgur.com/iJTz85m
https://imgur.com/L25IEEc
https://imgur.com/gtQ4OLa
https://imgur.com/cX0TZRN
 
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January 2023 - Introducing the Cars, continued...

1974 Volvo 145 (Dark Green / Cypress Green) - no title. Neat patina, though there's a hefty amount of body damage. Engine bay largely damaged or disassembled. Engine seized and rusty. Manual transmission.
https://imgur.com/pXZv81F
https://imgur.com/48rZjei
Zoom in on the spider web on the thermostat housing - sheesh!

1966 Volvo 122S Amazon 2-Door. No title, some cutting marks. Missing a lottttt of stuff from the engine bay, along with some body panels. Surprisingly little rust.
https://imgur.com/U4BGpHf
https://imgur.com/6EdZVds
https://imgur.com/vjzJi7N
https://imgur.com/jhBnmrG
https://imgur.com/ZQUMKII

Tan Volvo Amazon Sedan (year unknown) - no title. Pretty much just part of a shell.
https://imgur.com/YMA3Ax3

Red Volvo Amazon Sedan (crashed, year unknown) - no title. Hardly anything usable here.
https://imgur.com/96TdAV9
https://imgur.com/qDb0I4X
 
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January 2023 - Introducing the Cars, continued...

I called a local friend who's a Volvo Amazon hobbyist, and he agreed to take the 1966 Volvo Amazon 2-Door and the Tan Amazon Sedan.

For me, I rescued the 1968 145S, both 1971 145S's, the 1972 145E, and the 1973 145.

The Camry Wagon got crushed (I'm probably dumb for letting that car die in favor of one of these rough 140's). As for the red Amazon sedan and the `74 145, the seller agreed to hold onto them while we harvested parts. Over the next couple months, the remaining bits from the red Amazon were saved by my friend, and I grabbed quite a few parts off the `74 for my new five 145's. We also paid to scavenge a UHaul box truck full of parts, and I even found a full set of Virgos in a trash pile that I got for free - score!
https://imgur.com/a/GeCpyuo

I didn't have a truck capable of towing or a trailer, but the seller was cool and delivered the cars if I covered diesel expenses, which was much appreciated since I lived 50+ miles away with no means of getting the cars home.
 
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Wow! :omg:

Good for you! Glad to see that your enthusiasm borders on crazy. Don't even know which side of the border. :-P
 
Toybox said:
Wow! :omg:

Good for you! Glad to see that your enthusiasm borders on crazy. Don't even know which side of the border. :-P
Click to expand...
Yeahhhhhh, I think I know which side I'm on. :run:
Love rescuing the oldies. Most of the 40+ Volvos I've owned have been situations like this.

Now if I could learn to keep a car, that would be good haha
 
fatcatbestcat said:
Uh, give????

145s are statistically the rarest of the 140s and I feel like a chump seeing like, four of them in one thread :lol:
Click to expand...
The guy had dozens of 140’s before he started crushing them off. One was a ‘71 Safari Yellow 142 with louvers, but I didn’t get that one in time.
As for this thread, you’ve seen six so far, but stay tuned for even more lol
 
Jack said:
That’s some slim pickings

140 the forgotten series but early ones are my favorite

Are you going to get the 1800s from the guy in Boise ?
Click to expand...
I like the early 140’s too. If I could find a ‘68 142, I’d be super tempted. There’s currently a yellow ‘70 wagon with pop-outs for sale in Washington that appears to be a solid deal.

As for the 1800s, which one are you referring to? The guy I got these 140’s from had three or four 1800ES’s, but someone was able to snatch those up. Otherwise know of an 1800E in a field down around Twin Falls and an early Jensen-style (don’t know if it’s legit) in Boise, but it’s not currently for-sale.
 
fatcatbestcat said:
TouzinFish said:
I like the early 140’s too. If I could find a ‘68 142, I’d be super tempted. There’s currently a yellow ‘70 wagon with pop-outs for sale in Washington that appears to be a solid deal.

As for the 1800s, which one are you referring to? The guy I got these 140’s from had three or four 1800ES’s, but someone was able to snatch those up. Otherwise know of an 1800E in a field down around Twin Falls and an early Jensen-style (don’t know if it’s legit) in Boise, but it’s not currently for-sale.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
That’s the same guy I’m thinking of
I wasn’t sure if all were es or a combo of es/coupes
 
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