So Swmbo stumbled across a flyer at a local car show this past weekend for a 71 Volvo 142. Almost her dream car (she really wants a 144) and is really considering picking it up. I fully support this idea, but I know nothing about early Volvos.
What should I look out for?
142S, or 142E? S should have a pair of Strombergs in 71, I think, but the odds are pretty good its been changed to SU. Might have SU originally, too. E will have D-jetronic Electronic fuel injection. E stuff is getting pretty hard to find, but most of it didn't work very well in the first place... I always enjoyed the E cars.
Seepy. Not leaky, but always moist.
Camshafts are pretty soft.
Manual transmissions are pretty robust under normal circumstances. The Laycock overdrive might need a reseal to work well. Automatic is a Borg Warner 35, which is an English invention to transform rotary motion into a stream of oil on the ground.
Driveshafts sometimes have tiny u-joints.
Diff was basically a Dana 35, and was used with minor changes until they quit building 940's.
Rust is typical for the vintage.
Heater motors and cores have been out of production since the 80's.
Exhaust has always been a semi-annual replacement.
You need to know about this place:
By 71, it was probably SU. 69-70 was Stromberg, I think now. 71 still has the swan neck manual shifter. 72 had the remote shorter shifter. Automatic might have still had a column shifter...maybe...
Lots and lots of compression, with old cylinder head design. E was 11-1. Lots of ping, lots of run-on with the carbs.
I think they're well built older cars. If there's no rust, any other problems can be readily addressed. But rust is the main gremlin to look for!
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