Yes, old Volvos are the official car of Eugene, the posterboys of everything that defines a true Curbside Classic. They’re everywhere, at least a couple per block, in the right parts of town. But although old Volvos are seemingly immune to the ravages of time, that’s not the case with traffic accidents. So this is where many of them end up, in the boneyard behind Eugene’s Volvo institution, Trackside Auto Repair. And there’s one of my long-time favorites, that rainbow-hued blue sedan. I’ve been wondering what became of you!
Does this make you Volvo lovers sad or happy? At least their vital body parts are going to a good cause: to keep all those other old Volvos on the road, for another half century, at the current rate .
All the major Volvo generations are on display here, except of course the PV444/544. Good luck finding junkyard parts for those.
Coupes too: here’s a 780 Bertone.
True confessions: here’s where I found the last 242 Bertone Coupe for the CC I did on it.
Trackside Automotive has been keeping Volvos on the road here for some 27 years, so it stands to reason that having one’s own parts yard out back makes more than a bit of sense.
Oops; who let you in here? Well, it certainly is brick shaped.
I can tell your eyelids are getting heavy; sleep in peace.
I’ve said it before, but Volvo had a market share of 30% in Sweden alone. For a long long time, Volvos were the cheapest cars to drive, just because of the overabundance of parts and parts cars, and the fact that every single gas station owner had worked on them. I would go as far as to say that the running costs were half of that of any other car in Sweden. So, that parts yard will come in handy keeping all those other Volvos in Eugene in running order.
Is that the official Ken Kesey volvo in the first and second frame? And yes, I recognized the Bertone.
Also, that Amazon is a rare find and looks to be in good nick!
I call for a comparison test: battle of the roaches
1990-1996 GM A-Body (Century/Ciera)
1975-1993 Volvo 2 series
1977-85 Mercedes W123 Series
And for the Sunbelt reader
1960-69 Ford Falcon?
Otherwise, look what I’m writing this weekend….
Valiant A-Body with slant six
GM B-Body 77-90
Volvo 240-series
Mercedes W123
Well, given the Falcon had more longevity in its absolute original form in Argentina, I would still say the Falcon is more roach like.
Another thing about Roach Cars, I think, is some of their annoying tendencies make them endearing: The epic slowness of a 240D, The untamed float of a FWD-A body, The less slowness of a 240 Series with an automatic, the genuine nerdiness of a 170 Cube Falcon with a Fordomatic. The Valiant was throughly competent from a Mechanical Standpoint from beginning to end. It seems more like a Camry than something more roach like.
The GM B-bodies were too large and thirsty as a whole to be roaches (all of the mention roaches are around-ish the same outward size), plus they’re definitely within more of a traditional enthusiast bracket today. And they came with that wretched 200 Series Hydramatic that ate itself alive… Plus, outside of the Arab States and an occasional import here and there, they aren’t staples of other cultures either. Plus I just think they’re completely overrated.
My $ is on the W123 Benz.
I’ll add the XJ Cherokee for the AWDland division.
As my good mechanic friend said when I was considering the purchase of an XJ Cherokee: “The earth is littered with them.”
In Iowa City, all brick Volvos seemed to make a smooth transition from “suburban family hand-me-down college car” to “hipster vehicle of choice”…sometimes in the hands of the same owners.
The shop I worked at helped keep a lot (A LOT) of these on the road. ‘Course, we also shipped quite a few of them down the road to the local equivalent of Trackside Automotive (White Dog Auto in Iowa City) when the Volvo-knowledge required was too deep for us to handle.
They just never die.
Love the Rainbow warrior colour scheme a friend in Cygnet TAS could be up for copyrite infringment over the paint job on his Holden very similar. These things do die usually the list of repairs needed get too great to be financially viable and the car is put out of its misery and becomes an organ harvest candidate like these. One 240 for sale online locally had a list of repairs needed that was quite daunting judging by the lowball offers but here the dearth of parts is also a problem.
Theres a Forrester in there Paul no doubt you spotted it, Stephanie might be driving hers for some time yet. Having spent several days chasing around New Zealand trying to get a 2nd hand outside doorhandle for my Citroen I wish there was a decent French car graveyard about I had to go new $ 164.00 for piece of moulded plastic yet I drop into the local vintage car club and emerge with a parts carby for my Hillman and a pancake sports aircleaner for it $5 no more late model cars for this black duck.
Subie and black cat….
this picture is very scary!
Bryce, I had read of some Citroen dealers in Pennsylvania that kept parts for many years, and I found this one that might be of help to you…
http://www.bradnaussauto.com
Thanx but the parts I needed were specific for my model and year nothing else fits the mechanicals of my car are generic 1905cc PSA turbo diesel though my car is the very las to use this engine prior to the HDI being fitted. The only reason I looked for used parts is the horrendous price for new.
More support for my theory that Subaru has replaced the niche of Saab and Volvo in the USDM ecosystem.
For some reason, Volvos seem to be conducive to these kind of holding yards. Within an hour of my parents’ house, I can think of at least two such places. This is in usually domestic (and rust) friendly southwestern Ontario.
Volvos, especially the old ones, are really good cars. They are in fact very simple and easy to work on. Any 240 or 740 used the same basic everything for years and it was all very cleverly designed to be easy to work on. If you could work on a couple of Volvos, all the later ones you had were the same. You would know what parts to order and where to get them because you had done it before and most of the parts catalog was the same, forever. I remember ordering brake pads for cars like 144s and 244s and it was the same part forever. This makes maintenance mega easier, faster and cheaper.
Added to that is you will never see a cadre of people more loyal to their cars you will ever see. Old Volvos are a passion for lots of people and for a good reason. The cars are as tough as tanks. They want to keep their cars running so many end in scrapyards for a long time. It has been that way forever. It’s surprising how easy it is to source used stuff for Volvos since the wreckers keep the cars to make money on the parts. It is a win-win for both sides.
I recently found a very low km (like 100,000) 1990 744GL with leather and it was a very good, too. Drive away $2500, a screaming deal for a Volvo that nice, but you know, it really wasn’t much different driving it than an early 244. That means rough, crude and rather basic. The B23 was noisy and rough and the handling rather ponderous so I turned it down. I am used to modern contrivances but had I needed a good, cheap car in a hurry, I would have bought it for sure.
VW’s are the same, I’ve seen a couple of large yards of cars (same size as this I suppose). Strangely enough both have been somewhat cleaned out in recent times, I suspect ageing owners are selling up slowly
All good points. I’m potentially about to go into a job that will require extensive driving around a rural county. Mileage is paid, but I want something comfortable, durable, and big enough to put two mountain bikes into. I’m seriously looking at 240 and 940 wagons.
Like I have always believed, spend your time and get a good one. The extra money on a really clean, low-miler is worth every cent and minute you spend.
Some of those junkers still had their plates on them, which is odd. In New York you have to turn in your plates when you take a car off the road. I’m guessing that isn’t the case in Oregon.
Likewise in Virginia, however the DMV considers that amongst the lowest priority of all their duties. So, lots of time, it’s just ignored. They’re way more interested in dinging you if you manage to go 24 hours without insurance on a licensed vehicle.
It’s exactly the same way in NC. I found out about the insurance lapse the hard way.
looking at these pictures once again I’m shocked that every single one of these vehicles still have their tags affixed to them. I guess the State DOT doesn’t make you hand them back once you rid yourself of your car?
this is what happens when you don’t read all the comments..sorry, Dward
There are places where the 240s still roam? Around here it seems like the Prius completely extinguished them. I’ll start paying closer attention, but I can’t remember the last time I saw a Volvo brick.
I see a Volvo 122/Amazon in robins egg blue in the last photo and a PV444/Duett in blue in the third from the top photo!
I worked as a gopher/sweeper/parts washer at a local mechanics shop in AL — the owner loved old Volvos. I remember a tow truck dropping off a 240 which had snapped its timing belt. One hour later it was back running as if nothing had ever happened.
The same owner slid sideways in his 245 on a 2-lane road & got T-boned by an oncoming car, driver’s side right at the B-pillar. The other car was inop but he managed to drive the wag back to the shop. They cut the B-pillar off a junker as well as robbing its two doors & put them on his car — the roof didn’t buckle nor did the rocker panel/floor pan. The structual integrity of these cars (and the owner’s head) is amazing.
Weren’t the Bertone coupes known as 262’s? I’m fairly certain that the PRV V6 was the only available engine.
Found your website by pure chance 3 months ago. I read it everyday and I’m totally hooked. Better than some car mags. Way more interesting. I’ve owned many volvos, 1800s, 240s, 740s, 940s, Bertones…etc… They were all very dear to me. Although I do not own one currently, I do keep an eye on them and foreseet a Volvo in my future. Which flavor? Only time will tell. Lastly, that BMW 2000 wouln’t be for sale?
Welcome!
I’m afraid that Bimmer is not there anymore currently. Someone beat you to it, hopefully not the crusher. I doubt it.
Have you taken the tour of the official CC Junk Yard? It starts here: http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/the-official-cc-graveyard-tour-part-one-the-corvairs/
Searching for an A/C PIPE FOR MY 93 VOLVO 240 DL .Pipe connects from the firewall to the bottom of the condenser .2 pipes are connected in one.This is where the orifice tube goes.
This is the bottom with the black plastic cover