I bought the cheapest Volvo 700 in Britain - and its AWESOME!
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- čas přidán 21. 02. 2020
- Browsing for a £500 Car Challenge, I found the greatest advert - a 1988 Volvo 740 GL for peanuts - cheaper than the cheapest non-runner but with an MOT, how bad could it be? I had to have it, and I am not disappointed! Look around this one owner gem with me!
Volvo 740 stuff - www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/613...
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Now that's what I call a car, it's beautiful, look after her.
Volvo didn't mess around when they claimed these would last a lifetime.
Real volvo
Back when that was still a thing to be advertised..! I wish it was still that way!
Reddsoldier:
Spot-on. I have a 1992 960 24v and a 1993 850 GLT. Both great cars, especially the 960, and superbly built.
@R A You talking about BMW i think
Got on of the last RWD Volvos sold in Australia, badged as a S90, though is really just a major update of this model. OK, a pretty major update, but still the original Volvo quality.
In the late 1980s and most of the 90s I owned a company in Arizona called Group 6 Performance. We made high performance parts for Volvo and SAAB cars. My personal ride was a 1987 740turbe, which very unusually for the States had a manual transmission. The car was featured on the cover of European Car Magazine, I think in 1989. The subtitle of the article was rhe same as on of the first comments on this post. "Boxy, but good." The car was capable of just match a 5 liter Mustang from a stop light, and as it was lowered 3 inches with higly modified suspension, if the road curved at all, which is fairly common in mountainous Arizona, the Mustang would soon be left with nothing but a fading look at my taillights. The car won the 2 wheel drive class at the last Atlantic 1000 rally. All that plus safety, too! Probably the best car I ever owned.
Thanks for re- igniting the memories.
This is amazing! I'm Swedish and I have been trying to find one of these for a long time but the only ones I've found so far have been turned to junk by teenagers, "styled" beyond the point of recognition, or turned into a heap of rust. Take good care of it, I'm happy for you!
These Volvos may be the sturdiest cars ever made, I mean they're practically built of armoured plate! Take care of her she deserves it.
Basically the car equivilant of an old labrador. Old, friendly, loyal and nice to be with. Sure she's got a few niggles over the years, but the moment you say "walkies" she perks up like a puppy ready to go!
Absolutely right! A faithful companion.
I daily drive a volvo 745 that is 32 years old and it just works and if it doesn't it's a easy fixe.
I love it!
My grandfather had, I think, a 760 GLE estate a long time ago. I loved that car: blue velour seats, blue dash, nice auto box and enough space in tha back to house a family of 17.
The 760 had such an enthusiastic fan noise on startup: like a industrial fan. Very memorable. Wish I had been able to buy that thing.
Fun memory: christmas time late 90s, I was at my GP's house and looking out of my bedroom window. I saw a random half brick fall from beneath the gutter, directly onto that car. As chance would have it, the half brick fell directly onto a roof rail, broke in half and made no damage to the car. We couldn't believe our luck.
£175 and it looks almost brand new, what a bargain!
Please please keep this one , get rid of that merc and replace it with this Beautiful Volvo it won’t take much to make it a show queen
i would be inclined to agree with you i think the merc is a demon - keep the volvo i bet in 10 years it will still be on the road
But the Mercedes Is such a beautiful car!
@@editname2181 it is but i think the volvo is more of a classic
The merc is just a money pit and will probably never get back on the road
@@superseven220 any car is a money pit if it's not looked after well, this guy clearly looks after his cars so it will be a good runner for years to come
What a great car! Proper car, not like all the boring modern cars that all look the same. Absolute tank.
V DUB totally agree dude
Agree and also its 30 years older
740 best steel
Funny thing is this was considered a very boring car in its time, I remember as a kid laughing at a friend becuase he was driven to school in a 940 lol
Yes, all look the same. That's i have a 740! haaa
I'm excited to see what you're going to do with this car, can't wait to see back to its full glory
I really liked these big Volvos, this was built when you could still recongise cars by their shape. The green growth is everywhere now, one of the drawbacks of not having acid rain if you ask me!
Big? These are kinda small
@@alexstromberg7696 If you ignore the huge American cars they were reasonably big.
a 88 740 was my first car in 2015, still got it today and it's such a fun car at winter, but now it's becoming a track car and got a 93 240 as a daily
That is an epic deal for a car thats been so well looked after, great it ended up with a good owner. The engine bay cleaning will be great to watch lol
You either like them or hate them. I like them. They were an expensive car back in the day.
Well worth the money by the looks of it since it's still on the road 30 years +.
@R A No, Germans sold more cars by a large margin, that's why there are more on the road, if that were true. It's not though. Statistically, Volvo has always been above all the mainstream premium German brands in reliability.
Either way, not many 80s cars left on the roads but Volvo build some of the most durable cars in automotive history. So did Mercedes in their glory days.
What is junk is modern cars because every single one is unreliable and a nightmare to fix.
@R A Yes, I'm so clueless I have a 23 year old Volvo for a daily driver and I start it every morning in the winter at temperatures of -30 Celsius and it starts every time. Also, you are wrong, Volvo is far better than any of the German brands. Only Porsche is currently near Volvo in reliability.
@R A Keep talkin'
RA everyone has opinions, but the Volvo of that era were not junk, I was selling the things when you could still buy them new.
Simply stating German cars were superior to the Volvo, is not correct by any means, think Trabant, Wartburg, Ford, Opel, sure VW were getting things to right after virtually going bust, BMW and Mercs were building decent cars but not perfect , when it comes to rugged construction and safety both the Swedish makers, Volvo and Saab were building some tough cars, in fact around that time Volvo UK had a car which had encountered a London bus head on, the Volvo was repairable the London bus was a write off, front end caved in and chassis twisted.
This is the first video of yours I’ve watched twice, this Volvo is definitely a game changer for your channel 👌👍
She's a beauty and you don’t see these that often, even in Swedish urban areas. *proud swede here* ☺️
Really great car at a great price. I'm super happy for you and I'm really glad it went to somebody who will look after it. Hopefully it made the passing easier for the previous owner. One thing.... I think you should definitely put some front fog lights on it. It'll look amazing.
I promised to today it up and not banger or break it which I think swung the deal
Congratulations! The owner must feel reassured it’ll be looked after so well. Safe travels! 🇸🇪🇸🇪
It will be a bit like that Top Gear £100 Car Challenge in that we have an R8 Rover versus a 700 series Volvo! Mind you, we do need someone to find a really cheap Audi... We very much aren't intending to kill either, though, merely enjoy them and improve them and sell them on, which in both cases is going to be quite hard. I also love old Rovers and old Volvos!
"this owner did not skimp on anything"
.... except the tyres
the radiator
the temperature sender unit
the roof lining
.....
.....
Nice! I have driven old Volvo's for 5 years. One of the great things: parts are easily available. There are specialists in for example The Netherlands and Germany that ship parts, mostly at a quite reasonable cost.
E plate car owned from new until 2020! Fantastic! Deserves a gentle resto after being sat so long.
It will be tidied to within an inch of its life, its had nice limited use for a while
Nice to meet you this afternoon. These old Volvo's were the antique dealers choice in the 80's if you remember, particularly the estate model
And you, yes, thats how I remember them, you dont realise how huge they are until you park next to something you thought was big!
It's my dream car. It fits in square and rectangularly shaped openings with symmetry. It intimidates brick walls with its build quality. And, it is the only proper vehicle in which to listen to ABBA.
Congrats to a nice and solid car and you almost got it for free!
I own a 1988 Volvo 745 and my car got the exact same blue interior as yours.
Light blue metallic, power windows, sunroof, cruise control, 4-speed with overdrive.
Love it.
10/10 bangernomics, a fully serviced car with tons of history for next to nothing. Well done!
I absolutely love these things. Had a number of 240s and 740s - personally I find the 240 more charming though i'm not quite sure what it is about it - I think the styling of the 740 is wicked. Once the Volvo bug bites, you can't help yourself. They're pretty rare over in Australia these days - especially with manual gearboxes and interiors that aren't brown or beige. Really hope to see this one stick around and receive the care and attention it deserves!
I have had 3 Volvo 940 estates, all equipped with the B230FK/FT. It really does not get more reliable than this. Great buy!
They did register it correctly, it’s called pre reg/ex demo. This adds a keeper. Still done today, and sold at discounted prices.
Yes, Ive bought pre registered cars before, its all legal but a dodge so they can bump the sales figures for the manufacturer
Volvo content = a new sub
Returning to my car one day I once met a very old man who was admiring my 240 where it was parked up in town, We got chatting and he was telling me how much he like volvos, how strong and reliable they were and that he'd had them all his life, "oh yeah, how many have you had?" I asked. His reply "Two!"
Did someone steal the first one?
I am jealous! I was window shopping for a 740 / 760 here in the USA in the last couple weeks, and though once common here, are virtually non-existent anywhere across the country! I think owners hold on to them forever, and also the cars that are driven into the ground (if possible!).
It takes at least 2 owners to drive one of these into the ground!
BEAUTIFUL OLD CARS !!
They are all "cozy and snug" inside , like a Swedish Rolls Royce !
The GLE versions were just FANTASTIC and they even put a diesel in them
Yeah the D24 is a VW engine, it sucks. Only hillbillies drive them
Once you get one Volvo you will want to get another. My 140 is 48 years old with 140k miles and is in near mint condition in bright green. When i see Amazons/140/240/700/900's for sale i want to save them all. I don;t know why but i never warmed to the 800's for some reason. Well done for saving this one.
I once bought a 1984 GL for about the same amount of money in guilders, it was too much work to restore, ceiling, engine, interior, body, welding, but I did drive it for four years, the only thing I did was an oil change and clean the carb and the intake, I loved it so much.
These are fantastic cars. Redblock motors last forever. Transmission is rock solid. Easily 500,000 mile vehicles with just routine maintenance. Extremely safe. I had one with 400,000 miles on it. A woman in a brand new bmw 7 series, ran a red light at 50 mph. I was doing about 50 mph. Tboned her just behind the drivers seat. Totaled both cars. I walked away a little sore. She was ok, but shaken up. She was checked by the paramedics, then arrested for dui. 3x legal limit. I drove my 740 across the u.s. twice in every kind of weather imaginable. It never stranded me or asked much in the way of maintenance. This one is a solid ride. Take good care of it.
What a great car. Lucky you got it instead of the banger boys. Looking forward to seeing you get all those little jobs sorted.
You got a steal buddy, i got my fathers old B reg Volvo 740 GL when i was 19 such a beautiful a car (Tank) the fuse board melting i think must be common it had the same issue. cant wait to see a follow up video. and Greetings from ireland :)
I am from Australia & had a 1978 244 GL sedan & after it an '83 240 wagon. Sold both cars with over 350000km on the clock. The first was sold because we wanted a wagon when we started our family and the second as we moved to a very hot climate & the Air Con with R134A (for which the system wasn't designed) and didn't cool the car like the earlier refrigerants did (R22).The fuses only melted if plastic bodied fuses were used instead of the ceramic bodied fuses
That is by far the bargain of the year. You really are lucky. I’m a BL man myself but my Mrs loves old volvos I will be more than happy to chuck in a cheeky bid when this is up for grabs. Great content my friend.
I had a 1986 740 GLE estate with B230K engine and red interior. Cost me £425.00 My first car. I loved it. Upgraded the sunroof to electric with 940 parts and fitted 240 GLT alloys. Moved to France in it and had it for 5 years.
Then on our return had a 1989 240GLT auto estate bought for £350 10 years ago and covered 76,000miles. Sold for. Recently new owner sold on ebay for £1200 Had 234,000 when sold.
Now have a 1996 940 SE LPT auto estate for 4 years bought for £250. Again super reliable and my workhorse.
James.
Exactly what I'm after for a daily commute up and down the M5 , think these finds are 1 in a million lucky fellas 👌
It's a beast! And with fully working K-Jetronic fuel injection. I've always thought a good modification to one of these would be to take that power sapping viscous fan off and replace it with an electric one. Or fit a Rover V8.
Actually k-jet ended in '85 or thereabouts, these later ones have LH-jet which is slightly less fiddly and more robust.
@@Blueblur444 The car in this video has K-Jetronic,at 19.23 you can see the rubber plenum chamber under the inlet manifold and the hard fuel line going to an injector on number one cylinder. I owned a 1989 740 GL which had K-Jetronic. From memory I don't think K-Jet has an idle control valve, The KE-Jet on my 1987 Audi 100CS Sport did though.
@@Blueblur444 K-jetronic is actually a good early electric fuel injection system, and they are reliable, i have the same system on my E30 325i from "86. The only problem with this system, is that it don't like to sit. If the car sits to long, it will clog up very easily. Other then that, it is a reliable system.
Hi Matt,what a bargain at £175,that's alot of car,load of history and stuff,this shape they are pretty strong,a few things to sort out and it will a enjoyable car to drive.awesome video.
What a great find, so envious, always loved these, own its son, the S80 (I think that's the next generation). Now I want one! Please video all your work on this, I'd love to see you fix it up.
I had a Volvo 740GLE Estate many years ago and it took me up and down Britain when I was doing contract design work. The con point was the poor headlamps, eventually I found some bulbs that were 100 watts on main beam and 75 watts on dipped which fixed the problem as they were essential when driving through the Scottish Southern Uplands in the dark. The headlamp washers never worked as they had been plumbed wrongly but I never fixed that as it was too big a job. The tailgate struts went weak but I managed to get some correct Volvo replacements. Mine had a 4-speed box with overdrive.
To add, I also had a toy version of this. I think it was a Matchbox larger scale model. Had a reg plate on it too 'RMM100'.
I had this toy and it featured a functional, shock absorbing front bumper which like the real car, set it apart from everything else in the toybox or on road.
The view at 1:03 has something of the 1980s Aston Martin Lagonda look about it, particularly around the C pillar. Its a keeper.
I remember fishers of horsham that Volvo would have been brand new when I lived in horsham west Sussex in my teenage years
Back in the mid to late 80's, my father in law was assistant to the guy that was running Volvo UK. the company vehicle (used for taking his boss to and from the airport) was a 740 Turbo. Because it was the bosses car, it wasn't an ordinary one. It had Swedish police spec engine, 4 speed manual with the fifth on a button (overdrive but not really) and it ate spark plugs. F i L said that it was 280 horsepower and he wasn't given to exaggeration. I used it a lot as he also had another company car and he knew I was car mad, and I was young and enthusiastic back then. I once got into a race with a 944 and as I passed him, the look on his face was priceless, being shown up by a Volvo estate was a first for him. Giving it the beans was just like that feeling you get when the jumbo jet you're in lifts off the ground. It was really well made, and after his boss left Volvo UK the next car was a Mercedes. It was sadly nowhere near as fast but the quality was equal, and it drifted around roundabouts so much better than the Volvo.. Young in the 80's was fun.
Wonderful, I've had several 740 estates over the years and they were all indestructible. Despite my car budget now being higher than then I still hanker after another. I'll be watching your upcoming vids with great interest (and envy) as you work on this wonderful big box!
Thats the thing isn't it, its not about the budget its about the fun and love for something interesting - this entire car was less than a monthly PCP payment for most people!
@@furiousdriving Nail on the head here. I would love to see this car detailed with everything working again. I can't really see anything that can't be done on this car to make it look and drive like almost new. It's a lovely example, it's obvious this guy absolutely loved it.
Love that blue interior as well, so eighties yet completely stylish!
Mamma Mia!
I absolutely love this car already. Best of luck with getting this thru the MOT and with the challenge. Volvo 740: “It's boxy - not sexy“. (paraphrasing Dudley Moore's character in the film "Crazy People").
Excellent! My boss used to have one in the mid 90s. I used to love getting the keys to move it in the car park at the office
Got no money for swooning over cheap retro cars. But if i saw this first!
The GL was all you needed in the UK. I remember being slightly amazed when i first saw one!
Great find. Hope you keep it. But you just got more in debt to hours of work and money honey.
Lovely Jubbly, keep it, you don't see many of the saloons now, up north you do see the estates still.
I love stuff like this (coming from a Volvo 850 owner), can't wait to see how the project turns out!
Lovely to see you so happy!
This car is an ideal candidate for a full-fledged restoration to showroom condition. If you do sell it, please sell it to someone prepared to do that.
Rust developing in that main member is quite common on the older 700 series - might want to get some later front plastic inner fender liners and retrofit them after cleaning any surface rust that has developed. If the heater motor is not working you can replace it with an inexpensive GM version, it looks as though that burnt/melted area on the fuse holder body is from a high current issue such as the heater motor, quite common as well because of leaves etc. getting in from a broken cover under the cowl panel where the wipe shafts are situated.
Make sure you use a Volvo or Mann oil filter, they are better constructed and also have a flap inside that keeps oil from draining away. Also, the control arm has a stay with two large rubber bushings on either side, they never last very long and might be quite old, tends to create shaking or vibration when braking.
If you keep it the internet is your friend, a site such as Brickboard is a great place to start.
I actually worked at the Volvo factory here in Göteborg in the winter of 87/88 when these cars were being built. Thanks for the video. Brings back memories.
You had an utter bargain!, we have had a few 740-760 saloons and estates in our family fleet over the years. Have not a bad word to say about them.
You're the luckiest donny around to have one of these for 200 quid. These beauties are usually found around my area for at LEAST £3000 quid.
I see Volvo, I like immediately. If only we could find a 760/S90 Executive Royal at that price!
The problem with Volvo mudflaps (don't know for other brands) is they are rivetted to the wheel well which means water comes in too easily and rust to hell.
For the tail lights, replace them they are very cheap for a 740/760, like 70 GBP and probably less in a junkyard!
I recently bought a set of rubber mats for my Volvo. I had trouble carrying them to my car : more than 10kgs. They will probably survive me.
The blue interior is so posh and well kept ! I'm so happy you're going to save a 700s, they're definitely the most famous family car Volvo ever made.
What a great find and a wonderful old car Matt. that will make a terrific project. Look forward to further Volvo installments. Well done.
wow, dont know how you do it matt, what a beautiful car and bomb proof. My uncle was volvo 700 product loyal, he had 3 in the 80s gl,gle, and 760 gle which did 14mpg, love it!! I wanna see you race joseph in his rover that will be interesting, although you might not win the mpg challenge. Oh and please dont sell it, it will look nice with you other cars, ( or just sell it to a mate and buy it back off him, there's nothing in the rules that say you cant do that)!! A true classic for very little money, impressive.
I owned one of these in the early noughties, a 2.3GL GLE with tan interior & the trademark saggy headlining. Engine & gearbox were both indestructible though. The only real issue I had was a failed heater matrix so I ran it through the whole winter relying purely on the heated seats for warmth!
I complained about the sound a while back. I didn’t want to. I see that it’s much improved. I appreciate the hard work you put into these videos. Thank you sir.
Genuinely looking forward to this challenge. Your good self with a 740, Joseph with a 216, James in his Alfa. Love those older Volvos :D
Spent my childhood going from Bristol to Newquay twice a year on holiday in the back of a 760 GLE. Lovely car.
"I find it quite hard to not buy junk that I don't need" I want this on a t-shirt or poster and to put it in The Shed! - Trev
Looking forward to watching this, I love those old Volvo's. Also you definitely needed another car you don't own nearly enough!
I know! Im not even into double figures!
Stupendous cars. I've owned six of the 2/7/900 series cars and love them. I currently tank around in a '96 940 2.3 turbo estate. Paid a grand for it, 75k miles and full history-an absolute minter. It's comfortable, quick, huge load capacity, drives beautifully and is so easy to maintain, I love it. If you're handy with spinning a spanner or two, these cars represent insanely good value motoring. They'll go on forever (genuinely!) if properly maintained. Fuel economy isn't bad for the era and isn't really too much of a worry, especially bearing in mind that maintenance and insurance is pence.
That’s an absolute steal at less than £200, in such good nick aswell. The MOT history is amazingly good seeing how long it’s been on the roads 😮👍🏻
Taking the bumper off my 13yo V70 (a mere 140k) and my friends 17yo V70 (240k miles) and behind they are absolutely immaculate. The 700 series really follows on from the 200 for toughness. I’ve had 740s ( two estates and an E-reg GLE saloon) and would love another. Fabulous video and I absolutely adore your 740 😍 if you still have it in March please bring it to the Volvo600 world record attempt! The more the merrier!
Some bathroom mould and mildew spray should sort that greenery on the bumper.
Takes me back, I had a 760GLE, loved that machine, nice V6, good auto box, for a big tank the thing cornered really well. One of the best old cars I have owned.
Now that's a proper car. A RWD Volvo is at the top of my 'would buy' list, the only thing that puts me off is its age when I've already got three cars that are as old that I should be looking after better than I am... The rear tyres will probably improve with use, but I'd be tempted to replace with new. Best of luck with your new project! :-)
I think she’ll polish up very nicely! Well done!
I was not into Volvos but a few years ago I bought a 780 because it was cheap for a rare car and the seller was close. I am very happy with it. At 250 000 miles the engine runs like new. Working on it should be easy because there is so much space in the bay. These solid honest cars deserve to be preserved in my opinion.
I really love these!!! The length can be a handful (my 99’ V70 is basically a landbarge and you haven’t had a challenge until you wanted to play a bit of hide and seek using a massive bright white Volvo estate), especially if it is your first car, but they are reliable, surprisingly powerful, comfortable, rather luxurious and really awesome!! I will never give mine away…
Wow. What a car! Great buy and video Matt!
Congratz mate,.. love the car and your project !
Wonderful! We had a 760 GLE a bit stronger than a 740! I still miss it...
I agree with the people saying the thermostat may be stuck open, and the temperature sender might be ok. Also, at 20:15, stickering inside the engine bay is something I've done for years and would recommend. I use white insulation tape and permanent marker, to make a record of oil changes, air filters, plugs, cam belts etc. Then every time the bonnet's open, the notes are there to jog my memory.
My brother has had 3 940s, 2 340s and then 1,360 and they are amazing please keep this and restore it
I got an '87 740 GLE, i dragged out my headliner coz it was so saggy, got some new fabric installed and it looks soo nice!
Superb looking Swedish Tank !
You will not regret it !
That front "splitter" lip!! These were ace when I was a kid!!
Here in sweden there are many young people who buy them to play with during the winter season.
Rear wheel drive is life!
I had both Volvo Amazon, 142, 242, 740, and 745 in my youth myself, wonderful cars ;-)
I love Volvo, over the years I've had several, from 240's to a Turbo charged, intercooled T5 - C30 SE...Awesome cars, probably one of the worlds most underestimated cars ever and I would pick one of these cars above an Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Lexus. I don't drive one at the moment but you wouldn't like to bet that I won't again before long.
fantastic condition car: used to have a 740 estate and have often thought about getting another one to compliment by Porsche 944 (which is my daily driver)
My parents had a 245 estate in the 80s/90s. Our friends had a 740, which I was very jealous of. It was a momentous day when we finally upgraded. Of course, our friends then got a 940!
Congratulations for getting such a great car. They truly don't make them like this anymore. Big. Kind of a Swedish Buick
Can't wait to see this gem restored!
Had that fuse box behind the ash tray out many times on our GLE estate before it finally gave up and caught fire with a car load of old ladies on board off to a local history fair. I did a roadside repair by jumpering round the daylight running lamp fuse and fitting a floating inline one. Nowadays, you could think of fitting low wattage leds as well. You'll get used to everybody flashing you to tell you you've left your lights on
Wow what an amazing car for the money ,looks perfect.
My dad used to Blitz BMW and Porche with us egging him on in his Rover V8 but varying, boxy Volvos generally sailed past us with little fuss and as a child I created a mental notch for later on in life.
I own a Volvo 740 GL 1989 Beige and she's still alive!
This is why I subscribed the last series of challenges was so much fun
This should be good again, the car should be easier to get ready but it wont be as fast!
I can't believe that chin spoiler is still there and almost perfect! Would be awesome to add the optional fog lights and dash switch.