1974 Volvo Other

Sedan

B30 3.0L in-line 6 cylinder

M410 4-speed manual plus electronic overdrive

1646363129573

Clear

Gasoline

Year: 1974 Make: Volvo Model: 164E Mileage: 82k Transmission: 4 speed manual + Over Drive Condition: Pretty darn good Location: Fayetteville, NCUp for sale is arguably the nicest, best-running & handling 164 in America. As a former Volvo Certified Technician, I have spent the past 7 years going over this vehicle with a fine-toothed comb, while simultaneously using it as my daily driver. Mechanically, the car is bullet proof. The car is a great looking, fun-to-drive daily driver that has never left me stranded, and frankly refuses to die. It is not a show-quality car (though you probably could enter it into a show and win something). I am selling only because I now have three young children, can't fit three car seats across the rear bench, and an upcoming military move makes the time right to find a new owner for this vehicle. I purchased it with the intent of restoring it into a reliable, fun-to-drive daily driver, and I certainly achieved that goal. Background info:I purchased this vehicle from the original owner's nephew in 2006 with 58k original miles. The car was purchased new by Jonas Hilton in Hickory, NC, and spent its life in Conover, NC until 2001, where it was moved to VA when the nephew took possession of the vehicle. I have an entire 3-ring binder filled with a plethora of documentation on the vehicle (I have the original window sticker, bill of sale, credit application, pre-delivery service inspection, and a host of other documentation, to include parts receipts for the upgrades I've put into the vehicle). I also have the following NC State Inspection Receipts that show the mileage on the vehicle at the time of inspection:1976: 10,3241983: 31,3101984: 32,3271985: 32,7811986: 33,0981988: 33,4381989: 33,7391990: 34,2391993: 36,4861994: 36,9681995: 37,1561998: 37,6522000: 37,8652004: 57,157 (this repair receipt is the first record under the ownership of the nephew that depicts the mileage)2006: 57,602 (this repair receipt is the first record under my ownership that depicts the mileage)The car will come with the original owner's manual, warranty and service records booklet (which has all services documented through 30k miles), a "driving tips" brochure, an accessories brochure, the aforementioned 3-ring binder chock full of history/documentation on the car, a host of spare parts, and a Volvo green service manual. The highlights of the spare parts bin include a new-old-stock (NOS) never-installed Volvo OEM cruise control kit, and a rarer-than-a-hen's-tooth 8-bolt B30 flywheel. The car will also come with the original steel wheels w/ not-so-great Michelin tires -- the tread depth is ok, but due to age the rubber is really hard and the new owner should give consideration to replacing the tires. NOT included in the auction, but available for an additional $800, are a set of pristine condition 17" IPD R Replica wheels with Dunlop Direzza Star-Spec tires that are in fantastic condition with 7/32" tread remaining on all four.The title is clear.Body: 9/10Extremely shiny, no dents/dings. This is a really, really good 5-foot paint job done by Maaco in late 2009. For what it's worth, the paint job also came with a 5-year gloss & shine warranty, which won't expire until the end of September, 2014. The thing about Maaco is that they actually use decent paint, and they do a decent job of spraying cars (after all, that's what they primarily do). What they're not so good at is prep-work, and prep-work is what makes or breaks a decent paint job. So, I set about to do the majority of the prep work myself. Of note, I did not have the door sills, engine bay, or trunk interior repainted since I was only interested in making this car look good for daily driver duty.I stripped the car completely. I went through all the stainless steel and aluminum trim and meticulously hand-polished it all. All told, I've probably got about 100 labor hours in polishing the trim alone. If there were dents in the trim, I hammered them out as best as I could. Any scratches were sanded down and smoothed out, then polished to a mirror shine. The polishing turned out so well that the polished stainless steel looks like chrome. I also polished all the plastic lenses, and they turned out looking pretty close to new as well. I had the car completely sandblasted, and all surface rust (some minor rust spots near the windshield) was removed and treated at that time. Before:After:At the same time, I also replaced the windshield. So the car has a very nice, clear windshield with no pitting. All lights work, all windows (manual) work.Issues: As is typical with these cars, there's rust in the butt cheeks, and rust in the trunk floor due to clogged drainage ports. The clogged drainage ports have been cleared and the trunk seal replaced, but I never got around to replacing the butt cheeks or replaced the trunk floor. Again, it's not a show car, but a functional daily driver. Door jambs & trunkInterior: 7/10The previous owner had the interior re-done in a nice light grey cloth, and re-carpeted with a nice black carpet. There are no rips or tears, the seats are fully functional, comfortable, and supportive. The headliner is a light blue cloth (not stock), and is beginning to come down in the very rear (but not hanging down). Dash: the dash has minimal, but typical, cracks. Steering Wheel: the stock steering wheel was replaced because the plastic cracked, and I could not source an uncracked steering wheel. I replaced it with a very nice condition 242GT wheel, covered in a supple leather wrap -- feels really nice in the hand, and works well with the interior. A/C: The system has been converted to R-134a. The system works, however the York compressor leaks refrigerant at a rate of about 1 lb. per month, despite having been rebuilt twice (I think the pulley shaft is worn, since that's the location of the leak). Replacing the compressor would give you a fully functional A/C system. I currently don't have it filled with refrigerant considering it's the dead of winter. Heat works like a champ, and the blower blows very well. The vacuum-operated air diverters function normally. The rear defrost works.Instrument Cluster: stock instrument cluster with the rare tachometer option. Everything works.Radio: the car did not have a stock radio in it when I purchased it. I have since replaced it with a nice AM/FM/CD deck that has an aux-in so you can play tunes through your smartphone. I installed some 6x9 Boston Acoustics speakers in the rear deck, and some Boston Acoustics 4" speakers in the front door panels. It's a decent quality sound system for a commute, but if you're some audiophile who's into amps and subs and whatnot, this won't meet your expectations.Entry: I installed power door locks on all four doors, and also installed a remote-entry system. You will receive two remotes that enable power lock/unlock. Note: this is not an alarm system . . . it is simply remote keyless entry. The car will come with a door key & an ignition key.Issues:The A/C leaks, as noted above. The elastic webbing on the back of the front seats disintegrated, and I never replaced it. The dash is cracked.Drivetrain: 9/10Engine: This is an exceptionally smooth-running B30 engine that is entirely stock, with some very minor modifications. Upon receipt of the vehicle, I went through the engine and replaced the majority of seals, timing gears, spark plugs/wires/rotor/points, adjusted valve clearances, etc. I had the fuel injectors professionally rebuilt and flow-matched. I replaced the engine control unit with a NOS unit. To get the engine running right, I even exchanged a few emails with the Volvo engineer that wrote the green service manual for Volvo. Needless to say, no stone went uncovered. The headers are stock, and the rest of the exhaust system was replaced due to the original system rusting out. The engine leaks no fluids.As a side note, when I originally purchased the car I figured the engine would give out, so I'd planned on throwing a LS1 V8 in it. Obviously that never happened, because this engine just refuses to die, much less hiccup. It's strong, torquey, and accelerates quicker than you'd think it would.Modifications: I upgraded the ignition system to the electronically-controlled ignition system that came stock on 1975 164 models. I also installed a K&N high-flow air filter.During my ownership of the vehicle, the oil has been changed every 3k miles, and the valves have always been adjusted at the same time the oil change was performed.Issues: The auxiliary air slide takes a while to warm up, so when you start the car cold it idles high until the air slide warms up and adjusts, then the idle goes to normal. Occasionally during the summer the car will exhibit a hot-start issue where you'll have to crank it longer than usual for it to start. I've replaced the phenolic washers on the injectors, but that hasn't impacted the issue. The car will still start, it just takes some extra cranking, and it's only during the summer, and only if you’re trying to start the car after you've just driven it for 30 minutes or so.Suspension: 10/10This is the bread and butter of the car. EVERY suspension bushing has been replaced with new polyurethane bushings. I've installed IPD sport lowering springs, Bilstein HD shocks, and SUPER rare IPD anti-sway bars (with polyurethane bushings). This car is comfy on a long-distance drive, and equally at home on curvy backcountry roads. The ride quality is excellent, and the handling is superb. Issues: None with the stock wheels. Should you elect to purchase the optional 17" wheels for an additional $800, the inside of the rear tires will rub on the inside of wheel well (next to the trunk lining) under EXTREME cornering conditions. Under normal sporty driving, there are no rubbing issues.Transmission: 10/10This car has the very rare M410 manual 4-speed transmission with fully functional electronic overdrive. Clutch actuation is smooth and linear. Shifting is smooth and positive, with no grinding between gears. Overdrive actuation is initiated with the OD stalk on the steering column; engagement is near instantaneous and smooth. The driveshaft was balanced at the time of the swap, and the clutch cable was replaced with a new one. When I purchased the car it had a 3-speed BE35 automatic transmission that subsequently exploded shortly after I purchased it. I sourced a parts car and converted the car over to manual -- it was an extensive swap, but it was done right, down to correct ignition immobilizer wiring. The transmission leaks no fluids.Issues: the rear-end is the stock automatic rear-end, which has a taller ratio than the rear-end that came with the manuals. As such, the speedometer reading is inaccurate, but fear not! I have a conversion factor for you: 1.1268. Simply multiply the indicated speed by 1.1268 to get the actual speed. Ex: 60 mph indicated X 1.1268 = 67.6 mph actual. I flew past, and had subsequent arguments with, many an officer of the law before I figured out this oversight. And I'm passing this hard-earned knowledge on to you for free, and I will remind you of this knowledge prior to you driving the car away. Brakes: 8/10The brakes are in excellent working condition: no sticking, smooth, progressive operation, the rotors are not warped and do not have lips. The rear pads are at about 50% wear; the fronts have about 20% pad life remaining, hence the 8/10 rating. I had some custom stainless steel braided hoses made for the car, and replaced the brake fluid with a high performance fluid. The pedal feel is fantastic, firm, and responsive.Wheels/Tires: stock = 5/10; optional Pegasus = 9/10.The stock wheels have been repainted, and come with mostly dent-free beauty rings and extremely hard-rubbered Michelin tires that, if you're going to drive this car much, should probably be replaced. The stock wheels are what come with the car.The 17" IPD Pegasus R-replica wheels are in pristine condition. I mean quite literally, not a single scratch, and not even a hint of a defect of any kind. The Dunlop Direzza Star-Spec tires are excellent, with exceptional grip, and have 7/32 tread remaining on all four. These wheels/tires ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE AUCTION, but are available for an additional $800.DISCLAIMER:I have tried to represent the car to the best of my ability, highlighting both the many good points and the few negative points of the car. I do not claim to have covered absolutely everything in this ad. If there is information not addressed in my ad, please contact me and I will answer. It is NOT a perfect car. After all, it's an almost 40-year-old used car. That said, it is a very good looking, incredibly reliable daily driver that is a nostalgic example of great Volvo craftsmanship. On Dec-09-13 at 06:14:09 PST, seller added the following information: So the stars have aligned and the three people in the US who actually own a decent 164 all decide to sell them at the same time. Why should you buy mine? Here's why: 1) My car hasn't been in storage for 15 years, so you don't have to worry about deteriorated engine seals, performing a tune up, dilapidated suspension bushings/components, or all the other myriad of things that can go wrong with a car from simply sitting in storage. 2) I know every nut, bolt, and system on the car better than any mechanic in the US. I know the CO levels have been adjusted correctly; I know the cylinder head is torqued to factory specs; I know the timing is spot-on. This means you can have confidence knowing you are purchasing an active daily driver that is known to run correctly and reliably. 3) My car's suspension has been thoroughly upgraded with polyurethane bushings, Bilstein HD shocks, IPD Sport Springs, and IPD anti-sway bars (not to mention new ball joints, etc.) and properly aligned, so that you can have a fantastic ride with exceptional handling to stay safe in modern traffic. While the stock suspension is reminiscent of a sea-going cargo barge, the IPD suspension sets the standard. And did I mention that you can not even purchase the IPD components any longer? 4) My car comes equipped with a bomb-proof M410 4-speed manual transmission plus electronically controlled overdrive, giving you the equivalent of 5 speeds. This means better acceleration to keep up with traffic, a lower rpm at highway speeds, and overall better fuel economy. Do you really want a car with the ticking time bomb of a 40-year-old BW35 3-speed automatic transmission? 5) What you see is what you get. I've documented not just the good points of my car, but also the negative points as well, so that you can have confidence in what you are purchasing. Beyond that, I have a host of documentation on my car to back up my claims -- I can prove the mileage on my car is accurate, which is better than saying the mileage is what the mileage is because my mom drove the car. On Dec-13-13 at 15:33:31 PST, seller added the following information: Edit 13 Dec: To answer an ebay member's question, I took a quick video of the car: http://youtu.be/o58RRnsp5Rk. Please note the caveats concerning the video as listed in my response. To reiterate, the wheels depicted in the video are NOT included in the auction, but are available for an additional $800. On Dec-14-13 at 10:11:26 PST, seller added the following information: Due to the large number of requests, I have uploaded two new videos: 1) http://youtu.be/4wuDafKnLWo 2) http://youtu.be/-Om8eHY-oEMOn Dec-15-13 at 05:50:50 PST, seller added the following information: Forgot to mention in the original listing that in preparation for this auction I installed a brand new battery & replaced all the fuel injector lines. The only maintenance item that will need to be performed on the car in the immediate future will be an oil change at 85,000 miles --the vehicle currently has under 82,800 miles. Included in the spare parts bin mentioned in the ad is a new oil filter & 6 quarts of oil for the oil change. Keep the bids coming and get yourself a nice present for the holidays!