I am considering a job offer in the Anchorage area. Has anyone / is anyone driving old swedes up there? Trying to assess the feasability of having my newest car a 68 volvo in the tundra.

Thanks all.
-Erik

I don't think it will be a problem. Many people living up north in Sweden uses vintage volvos as their daily drivers, even in the coldest part of the winter.
But you should probably invest some $$$ into a coupe heater or a couple of blankets ;)

I don't see why it would be any harder to find parts up there than anywhere... just might take a little longer.

And... install a block heater if you plan to stay year 'round.
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-Matt I ♥ my ♂

Yeah - we usually have to order parts in anyhow - they don't stock 40 year old Volvo parts in the corner parts stores any more. (With rare exceptions)
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I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.

It seems as though the 'routine' items like plugs, brake parts, belts, etc. are all easy to get at the corner store. Beyond that, you better have a line on a source.

BTW: A block heater isn't neccessary; just build a fire under the engine!

I had 7 cars at one time when I lived in Nebraska. On those terrible cold days (-20F and lower) only my stock 6-volt 1946 Chevy sedan would start reliably! E..e..e..r! E..e..r! VROOM!

Erik:

There is a fellow on the Swedishclassics (www.swedishclassics.com) board who lives in Alaska.

"My name is Deric. I live in Soldotna, Alaska and own 4 Volvo clasics. Believe it or not, I have the first car that I ever bought which was a beat up '64 1800 back in 1972. It is restored and beautiful. I also have a '67 1800, a '64 122 4-door and a '68 122 station wagon. I don't know of any other Volvo nuts in my area so it gets a little lonely here."

He didn't post his email address but you can try to IM him over there.

Good luck,

Joe M

Erik;

Link to a favorite pic of mine:
http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t046/T046413A.jpg

Considering the fact that all this car needed was an alignment (and the driver clean shorts), I'd think you would be just fine...sure the car was new then, but that's what they now have FedEx for...

Cheers

The first time I noticed a 544 was here in Fairbanks back in the 80s. I thought it looked cool and, being of Swedish extraction, there was some genetic appeal there too. A couple years ago a decent project specimen appeared for sale and I snatched it for $650. The summers are short here, and I don't have a garage, so I built a big shed to house it last summer, thinking I'd start on it in the winter. Well, that didn't happen, but I do hope to yank the engine in the next couple weeks and get started. If I can do that and the brakes and suspension, I'll drive the ugly version for a year or two and then get on to the body and interior. Then I'll be able to let you know my experience, but I can say that I've seen a few Amazons up here too and people do drive them. I would expect Anchorage region (known here in the Interior as the banana belt) wouldn't be much of a problem, since it's at about the same latitude as Stockholm. I lived down there a couple years in the 70s and the climate is much warmer. In my opinion, Alaska needs more old Volvos, so come on up!

Victor Johanson