Volvo 121 1968 LHD

[windaelicker88]

Hi all... Not posted before but have been watching the forum for a while.
Have taken on a new project and thought i would share it with you guys.    She is a 1968 volvo 121 Amazon with Overdrive and left hand drive. Originaly a Dutch car brought in to GB by the guy i bought it from who is a Nuclear Physicist at Edinburgh University.
Lovely man but not much of a scooby when it comes to car maintenance!! He thought that if corrosion reared its ugly head he would cover it in fibreglass and underseal.
That is why i now have a huge amount of work before me. 
Contemplated breaking it for parts when i discovered just how bad it is but am slowly convincing myself to sort it out. She had been stored in a council lock up since buying it and went to move it to the big shed and fired right up after a year lying untouched
Have some photos to let you see what i'm dealing with






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And this is where i'm at so far...Started stripping it down

[stonio]

Its only metal anything can be sorted if you have the passion and inclination to do so
Goodluck l will be watching this one..

[jpsmit]

That's a lot of work. Sacriledge I know but I vote a reshell or breaking for parts. It's not that rare. (Runs and hides)

[windaelicker88]

Dec 20, 2015 21:09:07 GMT jpsmit said:

That's a lot of work. Sacriledge I know but I vote a reshell or breaking for parts. It's not that rare. (Runs and hides)

I had the very same thoughts... But any Amazon i have looked at within my budget has been patched to death with a fair bit of filler so i thought sod it.
If i do it i know its done right and it's another one saved from the crusher.

[highvoltage]

Lot of work for sure,but worth it i think.At least you have a decent dry space to work in!
Perhaps it's a better starting point than sorting out someone elses dodgy "resto" you have a clean slate.
Dare i say the inner wing areas don't look too bad.

Will be watching this one,i like these old Volvos.

[cesarbarbosa]

Mine is taking a bit to repair the tin worm and it wont be perfect but it will end so much better than the other ones because everything metal will be srtipped and repainted...

Would love one of those but mine is better... hehehe

Keep up with it...

[07lilredwagon]

wowzers!....its only metal...and only rust...but we have faith in you!

watching...love these cars...I can remember them over here in the states when I was a kid...always thought they were cool..

JP

[peter96]

That's a lot of work but it would be worth it. Nothing much cooler than an Amazon. Good luck.

[07lilredwagon]

incidentally....was it an amazon that beat the Ferrari a few years back?....you tube, I think...



lowered, body cleaned of trim, nice wheels and tires, these things look awesome.

JP

[yorkebar]

That opening post made me scream a little.

[windaelicker88]

A couple of shots after fibreglass is chiselled away.

[fer4l]

That's brave with a capital 'B' (or possibly 'F'!)

Cap duly dofficated!

Cheers

Matt

[Paul H]

Ouch! At least being a saloon, pretty much all the repair panels are available. Btw, worth posting this up in the Amazon section on the Volvo OC forum too - plenty of people on there who would love to see this.

If it's of any help, I can confirm that the front floorpan and the more expensive option for the rear floor sections that Simon at Brookhouse sells are very nice panels. Ignore the basic ones for the rear - the expensive proper pressed ones are well worth the money and whilst they need trimming down to install, they do fit very nicely. One of the Dutch or German specialists does sections to repair the outer bulkhead at the base of the screen too - can't remember which website, but they weren't expensive given the complexity of the shape. No doubt someone on the VOC forum will be able to confirm as to how well they fit. Btw, worth emailing Simon to see what part and panels he has / can source, as what he has listed on his webshop is the tip of the iceberg...

Also, do you have a copy of the factory manuals and parts books? If not, they can be found online here: www.volvoamazonpictures.se

With patience, you may also be able to find a NOS rear quarter panel - they do turn up on ebay.

Looking forward to seeing more on this!

[shielsy68]

lovely job looking forward to watching it happy new year as well

[windaelicker88]

Thanks for the info Paul H,found the windscreeen repair panels you were talking about. Looks like they would save a whole lot of grief.

Not done much over the festives but stripped more bits off and found even more rust. Had a lovely road trip down to the borders to collect a couple of used wings and doors from Airspeed who got in touch through this forum.
Great to meet him and his old man lovely helpful guys.
Dropped of their latest addition
 

[07lilredwagon]

wow...Ill be following this one for some inspiration!...best of luck (and skill) to you, sir!
JP

[windaelicker88]

Not got much done to the Volvo in the past couple of weeks..removed this floorpan last night which was pop rivetted on top of the corroded original!!


Will get back on the case this week as i have been trying to finish off another project thats been lying about for over a year now. Really need to get a heater in the shed

[keekster]

Well, what a surprise. For years I've parked my Carina in close proximity to that Volvo, as part of my commute to work. I had wondered what had happened to it. I remember how much filler was pumped into it. I suspect that the professor has bought another Volvo to replace it, because it appears from time to time. Its the same colour but is RHD and four door. And there is no rust....yet!

[windaelicker88]

It's a small world Keekster... He mentioned he was on the lookout for an estate but was surely tempted by something else.
Have his e-mail and will contact him once something positive happens!!
So far all i have done is strip it to the shell and continue to find holes...He must have spent days fibreglassing it.
The worrying thing is it had a valid mot on it when i got it and he drove his kids about in it.

[keekster]

His new car looks nice and as mint as a humbug on the floor of a toothpaste factory. Its a two door car as well, but I couldn't see what model in the dark.

I had noticed the kiddy seat. Bonkers given the rusty condition. Best of luck with the project by the way, very cool cars. Not many around these days. A serious rally weapon in their day the top spec cars.