Volvo 240 DL
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
You can instantly feel Volvo’s legendary solidity from behind the wheel. The car feels heavy on the road but the engine is smooth with a gentle rasp from the exhaust. It has a good amount of torque, although the well-behaved and unobtrusive three-speed auto ‘box delivers the power in a leisurely manner and acceleration is hardly brisk. The ride is comfortably soft with plenty of body roll in the corners, but the suspension feels tight and new. The assisted steering is light, but accurate and feels like new with no play or slack. The brakes are strong and while there is long pedal travel, they stop the car very effectively.
BODYWORK CHECK
The red paint is free from major blemishes and has an incredible gloss to it. There are no stone chips or marks to be found and the panels are near-perfect, looking factory fresh with no sign of dings, corrosion or damage anywhere. The lamp lenses and window rubbers are original but all are bright. The headlamps are equipped with washers and wipers and the exhaust is new. The paint on the original steel wheels is in superb order and they are fi tted with fresh Firestone tyres.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
The heavy tweed fabric seats are in very good condition. They are fi rm with thin-feeling foam but well sprung, and so feel quite bouncy. The tough fabric has no wear at all and the foam fi lling hasn’t deformed or collapsed. The carpets are also superb with no marks or heel wear. The dashboard is immaculate, with no UV cracking and no marks anywhere. The big dials are clear and switches operate nicely. The steering wheel rim is totally unworn, though the silverpainted Volvo logo in the centre is slightly worn. The interior is rather basic, though – there’s no radio and the windows, door mirrors and choke are all manually operated.
UNDER THE BONNET
It is incredibly clean under the bonnet with no oil or fluid leaks and the plastics still have that new sheen to them. There is a new-looking battery and the car has just had a full service, including cambelt and general recommissioning, having been stored for some time by the previous owner. There is no sign of accident damage – just some surface scabs on the lower chassis legs, which could be easily tided up if required.
THE CCW VIEW
This is an incredible opportunity to get hold of an as-new
240 that has been kept and maintained meticulously by its last long-term owner. It is basic – though you could argue that this means that there’s less to go wrong – and not exactly quick, but it’s less obvious than an estate and an increasingly rare sight, even at classic car shows.