I picked up this '81 DL Wagon a few months ago for $200. It had been sitting for a few years beside this guy's house after it developed an intermittent starting problem.

I got it running, and was having fun with it until the aforementioned problem cropped up again. Dang. It wasn't getting an ignition signal for some reason. I took the ICU to a reputable Volvo shop to see what they could tell me. They said they had never seen one of those go bad, that the problem was probably in the distributor. So I replaced the pickup coil. Didn't fix it.

I finally bit the bullet and purchased a new Mallory ignition system and bypassed the Volvo ignition, also fabricating a relay setup to run the fuel pumps when the key is in the "run" position. Presto, it works great.

I also used brickboard info to fix things like a corroded fuse problem and rear tailgate wiring. Now I'm having fun driving the thing, foiling my original plans to sell it and make a few bucks.

It rides nice, has comfy seats, and enough room in back to haul the Hindenburg. Dang. It's lacking in power, but it's kind of fun driving like I'm in a race whilst never breaking the law.

It's gonna eventually need a clutch, and I have a rebuilt A/C compressor to install next spring when it gets warm again. I don't need this car, but I like it. I never thought this would happen to me. I'm not a Volvo guy.

I'll have to counter the Volvo stigma with my proposed bumper-stickers for the back window:

OLD VOLVOS NEVER DIE.
THEY JUST IMPEDE TRAFFIC.

OLD VOLVO OWNERS DO IT AT FULL THROTTLE
AND STILL GET THERE LATE.

I'M NO LEFT-WING WACKO.
I JUST GOT A DEAL ON THIS VOLVO.

VOLVO. #1 CHOICE OF NERDS, GEEKS AND PhDs.

OLD VOLVOS ARE VERY SLOW.
DON'T GET BEHIND ONE. OOPS.

VOLVOS ARE VERY SAFE--
BUT ONLY IF YOU'RE IN ONE.

CIGAR-SMOKING REPUBLICAN
TOO CHEAP TO BUY AN SUV

LESBIANS FOR BUSH IN '04

Okay, that last one was tacky. Actually drove around with that one in the window for a while. I replaced it with:

10 out of 10 Terrorists Agree:
Anybody but Bush in '04