To Ray, Jennifer, Ed, Cliff, et al - following '66 122 (V*lv*) saga:
Too tired to write much. Except: Bought _the_ 1966 122 2d, light blue, no
rust (twin to mine, that I saw & told you about in August), 123K, better
interior (every item, I think, except lighter). 3 POs, all papers from day 1.
(One known minor accident, with photo taken before repair; all paint
oxidized, except there.) Warning: complex (but not run-on) sentence follows.
AT (no comments, now! - note that my "Deer's" rebuilt transmission needn't
go to waste! - when I was looking for a 122, the "Deer" AT was the best 122
body/engine/mechanical combo to be found) that needs an engine (sometime
within the next 0-50K) and would really appreciate shocks & new tires. Larry
(excellent, trustworthy mechanic) is shorthanded (has only 4, instead of
usual 6), so we're not sure which _month_ the engine transfer can take place.
Might as well wait until the insurance (gee, there was a reason to have
comprehensive!) settlement, anyway, before destroying evidence of claim. :)
Meanwhile, this week, he'll do what should be done as interim maintenance/
check-up stuff. We'll be needing to decide what else (if anything) other
than engine should be moved over, i.e. take what I want and part the rest, or
just take engine (w or w/o transmission) & sell the rest as a project.
"Deer" has better bumpers (many fewer dents, not necessarily shinier) than
"MacDuff" (named, by 3rd PO, for MacDuff/McDuff? of Macbeth re "Lead On,
MacDuff!") - except there's some splatter light blue paint on Deer's front
bumper. The rest of the chrome (& lenses) I'll have to evaluate
piece-by-piece. Deer has a very good whip antenna. MacDuff's windshield...
has... cataracts? ... mild, though looks like a foggy day, even when sunny.
:( As for under the hood... ?
Ed, re the story about "10 hrs" to take both engines out and put 1 back in
(not put the other back in, so it could be rebuilt by whoever buys it).
Manual explains about engine, that earlier/european 122s (B18A engine) had
easy bolt/change/mount, but later (mine, B18D engine) really is more complex.
At least, that's what the book said *last night* ... I can't find those words
now...;)
Haven't decided whether to take everything else I want (bumpers, XX?
mechanicals) from old car & part out rest, or whether to sell it as is as
project car. (Factor: No garage. The storage space I have for parts is
covered, but cool (unheated, temperature drops to, say, 14 degrees F.), not
airtight, not very dry. So, for mechanical parts .... how to store so
they're usable? Also, to pay mechanic to part out car...? (I don't have time
or tools or place to do it myself.) Think I should keep the things (advice
welcome here) that are NOS &/or expensive, especially if they are small
and/or lightweight (but not keep any body parts). Do I need to wrap/treat
them (in what??) before storing ? Someone suggested "Wrap them in newspaper
and label everything. It is best before you wrap them is get some 3812 enamel
reducer (at body shop supply stores) and clean them good." The label part I
had thought out. :) Want to wrap them in a way that's neither "spontaneous
cumbustible" nor rust- inviting. (Advice?) Thought of asking Volvo bone-yard
to swap body metal (skeleton) for them doing labor of parting out rest of car
(innards & trim) for me. Hmmm ? Wasn't sure which was better deal (if I
should pay them or they should pay me). Also, mechanic will part out anything
I tell him (pay him) to do at time of engine swap, but he doesn't want to
tell ME which items. Alternative: somebody local (Seattle-ish) could spend
a day with me, my car, their tools...?
BTW, for those of you enjoying ;*) Volvo numbering, the following is from the
manual for the V*lv* 121/122 S series: "On the USA market, 12234 and 13234
have designations 12244 and 13244 respectively."
Another gem: "If you are not sure whether the engine is functioning
perfectly and the fuel consumption is normal, you can save both time & money
by doing a thorough *overhaul.*" [Emphasis mine.] From the syntax of
"overhaul" elsewhere, it appears that they use the word the way that we
(left/west of the pond) use the word "tune-up." Correct me if I am wrong.
Looking forward to driving MacDuff this week (not quite the same as Driving
Miss Daisy) and getting an estimate of which _month_ we can/should do the
engine transfer. Most, but not all, of you have convinced me that MG will
not be good choice as a year-round, ungaraged, only-vehicle daily-driver.
SO, MG is for wishing & dreaming & future & admiring & vicarious & ...
passenger & ... drive someone else's!
As for advice (and/or requests for parts): speak now, or forever hold your
peace.
In connection,
Judith Winter
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