1966 Volvo Amazon 122S

With just three former UK keepers since being built in 1966, ‘MGH 339D’ is a Graphite Grey Volvo 122S, aka a Volvo Amazon.

The seller commissioned a sympathetic restoration in 2020 when he bought it, and while this might have included a bare-metal respray the work was carefully planned to build on the bones of a car that was so original it still had the factory protective plastic film on the offside rear door card and both B-pillars.

Apparently, it’s never been welded either and the only new panels it’s needed over the years are the two front wings and front panel.

Still showing just 19,000 miles on the odometer, this is a rare opportunity to buy an utterly solid example of what’s pretty much an everlasting car anyway.

Given its history, it’s no surprise that the body panels align as well as they do. With excellent shutlines for the period – no robot assembly back then, just skilled craftsfolk with hide mallets – it’s clear that just as much care went into fitting the new front wings and front panel as the factory took when they assembled it new almost sixty years ago.

The chap who wielded the paint gun did a hell of a job applying the Graphite Grey finish too. Interestingly, the actual paint code is ‘80-1’, which denotes a lighter shade of the named colour than a simple ‘80’ would,.

It’s got a helluva shine to it, and we searched in vain for any traces of orange peel or runs. Even our in-house assessor, a man known for spotting even the most insignificant of blemishes said: “it’s very clean [and a] ... fantastic opportunity.”

Rare praise indeed but then the job was done by one of the best in the business; we can’t put his name up here as it was done after hours as a favour but we’re sure the seller would be happy to tell the winning bidder who he was.

The white roof, which was commissioned by Kim Cairns before the seller bought it, is an artistic flourish as only the early cars were finished in two-tone colours, but it suits the car so well we can’t see many folk objecting to its presence.

The seller also tells us that it hasn’t been out in the wet since being finished, and it’s been stored in an air chamber inside his garage when he wasn’t using it.

A pair of period Lucas ‘Sealed-Beam Quartz-Halogen’ spot lamps sit above the very good front bumper, while a pair of black-and-silver numberplates join badges from the AA, Volvo Owners’ Club, and Volvo to complete the look.

The Volvo sits on four 15-inch steel wheels that were powdercoated during the car’s restoration. They are set off by a set of very good chrome hubcaps and new, period-style Volvo mudflaps have been fitted behind the rear wheels, with shallower ones having been installed behind the front wheels.

These protect the car’s sills and any cars that might be following from stones and debris that are thrown up by the four matching 165/80R15 Maxxis Victra 510. All have good tread on them, but they do date back to 2018.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The overall condition is very good indeed, with what flaws there are being minor. There are some microcracks in the indicator element of the nearside rear lamp unit due to sun damage, but the rest of the lamp lenses are all good.

The screws and fasteners that hold everything on are free of rust and corrosion, all the apertures are clean, the factory badges are in a fine condition, the door-mounted mirrors have the Volvo logo etched on their chrome, the fuel filler cap is still the original chromed item the factory fitted, and the Lucas spot lamps even still have the ‘12V’ sticker on their glass lens.

Oh, and the chromed rear bumper is new, and the rest of the chromework is every bit as good as that we’ve detailed.

If the coachwork is somewhat staid, the cabin reeks of understated Scandi cool.

It is also very original and in a very, very good condition.

In fact, it’s probably now in much the same sort of condition as it was when it was around six months old. Just look, for example, at the remnants of the protective plastic that linger on the B-pillars and offside rear door card.

This is a startling degree of originality, and it’s further underpinned by the stickers that remain on the front seatbelts.

The Dark Red (colour code 175-523) leatherette seats and door cards are still excellent, with the former still being plump and very comfortable. The seats have attractive ‘woven’ centre panels too, and these have survived as well as the more vulnerable outer sections.

Neither seats nor trim has any damage whatsoever, with the driver’s seat barely showing any signs of wear.

Safety pervades the cabin; as well as the seatbelts we’ve already mentioned (and let us not forget that Volvo gave the patent for three-point safety belts to the world for free in 1959) there’s even a cover over the end of the handbrake lever, presumably to prevent the button being accidently depressed as the driver gets in and out of the car.

The headlining is taut, clean, and undamaged. The elasticated pockets on the front doors are still tight and free of sagging, the padded dashboard top is new, and the steering wheel, with its Art Deco trim and stylised ‘Volvo’, is as nice in the hand as it is easy on the eye.

The floor mats are simple rubber items. Tough and easy to clean, they join the simple painted dash panel in being in keeping with the Swedish form’s no-nonsense approach to design. The mats, like the dashboard, instruments, and controls, are all still in fine fettle.

The mats in the boot aren’t up to the same standard as those in the cabin. They’re still usable though and are covered by a piece of carpet. The boot contains a full-size spare wheel and an indoor car cover.

That’s the extent of the problems on the interior though, and you could live with the boot being like this until you can source a replacement mat, couldn’t you?

The engine is the original and has had no significant work done to it, despite any impression the fresh paint might give. As you can see, it starts easily and idles and revs very smoothly. It’s quiet too yet still has a nice bark from the single exhaust pipe.

The seller did arrange for an overdrive to be fitted to his beloved Volvo, something he says has made a huge difference to the way it drives. It is otherwise standard.

The engine bay is as clean and well-preserved as the rest of the car. The engine was painted when the car was restored, so only a small amount – and we do mean “small” – of road dirt sullies it and this could be cleaned off easily and quickly.

If you’re of a fastidious nature, and the fact you’re thinking of bidding on this means you probably are, then you will have noticed that some of the fasteners and brackets on components like the carburettors have some surface rust.

These too could be easily and cheaply replaced, and it would make for a lovely job over the winter when the roads are too polluted with salt to consider using your pride and joy.

As for the underside, it is in exactly the sort of condition you’d expect given the car’s history and refurbishment. The car’s MoT history might be limited but no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural rust in their comments.

As far as we can make out, the Volvo was with its second owner for 40 years, during which time it covered a scant mileage due to him having a bump early in the car’s life. He lost his confidence as a result and left it, unrepaired, in his garden for the next 37 years…

The third owner had it in their care between 2012 and 2015, and we believe nothing was done with it other than to bring the number of years it was in storage to a round 40.

The fourth owner, who bought it in October 2015, put new sparkplugs, points, and fuel in it, changed the oil and filter and fitted an exhaust. It fired right up and was, he says, “the quietest Amazon engine I have ever heard.”

It was then displayed on the Volvo Owners’ Club stand at the 2016 NEC Classic Car Show and later featured in Classic Car Buyer magazine in July 2018.

Kim Cairns, the guy many of us remember advertising in classic car magazines when we were kids, is still in business and sold it to our vendor in 2020.

The car’s current owner commissioned work to make the most of his purchase, with the aim of bringing it up to a standard he was happy with while honouring its originality.

It’s a tricky tightrope to walk but we think he’s done a good job of navigating his way past any potential pitfalls – but then he does estimate he spent £18,000 in doing so.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes a large number of invoices from Brookhouse Volvo Parts for the restoration in 2020, as well as bills from The Cotswolds Garage for (mainly) labour.

There is also a spare set of keys and some photos of the bodywork being undertaken.

The Volvo doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

However, it only expired in May 2023 and the three previous passes were all free of advisories, so getting a new ticket might be straightforward.

If you’re in the market for a Volvo Amazon then you can call off the search right now because we doubt you’ll find a better one, no matter how hard you look.

Utterly solid, beautifully painted, incredibly original, and running like a dream, its interesting history only adds to its already considerable charm.

And yet that charm is only likely to translate into a winning bid of between £25,000 and £30,000, which doesn’t feel like much for a car that could still be running this well and looking this good in another sixty years.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.