WHAT TO LOOK FOR
MAKE SURE IT STOPS SAFELY
The brakes tend to be problem-free, although the remote Girling servo on the B16 (1.6-litre) and B18 can suffer from a perished diaphragm, leading to brake fluid being sucked into the engine. A Girling re-build costs about £400 but a new Lockheed replacement is £216. Not all Amazons had a brake servo before 1967; it’s worth installing one if yours doesn’t. The B20 got one as standard along with dual-circuit brakes; earlier cars featured a singlecircuit design.
HOW’S THE GEARBOX?
Amazon transmissions are amazingly durable. Clutches, drive shafts, rear axles and propshafts are all strong, but the rubber centre bearing of the latter wears out eventually. Replacements are available, although three designs of propshaft were fitted – the first two of which are interchangeable. The B16 and early B18 featured one type, the later B18 had another and the B20 used a different type again; budget around £350 to get any of them reconditioned. Oil can leak through the hubs, but the differential units are bombproof. Failures are pretty much unheard of, although worn units will start to whine until addressed.
SEE HOW IT RIDES
The double-wishbone front suspension is straightforward and requires little maintenance. The key thing to check is the state of each bush in the wishbones where they’re attached to the front crossmember. It’s best to fit polyurethane replacements at less than £20 a set – an easy DIY job. Also make sure that the springs are intact; cars on their original coils can snap at the bottom, but replacements are available (for £300 per set of four) and are easy to fit.
IS IT ALL WATERTIGHT?
A leaking front or rear windscreen can wreck an Amazon, so these need checking carefully. Oldfashioned mastic must be used to ensure that the apertures stay watertight. The corners of the bulkhead rot if the screens have been leaking – check this from the engine bay, and if you find leaks you’ll need to budget around £400 per side to put it right. The walls of the footwells – visible from behind the cardboard trim panels – are also vulnerable to moisture ingress. A soggy driver’s footwell might also be the result of a failed heater valve; new ones are £180 but replacement is quite an easy job.
LOOK OUT FOR CORROSION
Start by checking the front and rear wings and wheel arches, plus the front panel. Floorpans and chassis rails survive well but rust can crop up in the rails at the top of the inner wings. Repairs cost around £1000 per side. The wings themselves can rot, especially around the headlamps. Repairs aren’t usually cost-effective but new wings are available at £600 apiece. The front crossmember (behind the front panel) can also corrode, which is a £400 fix. The rear quarter panels and rear wheel arches are further weak spots, harbouring mud and rotting from the inside out; allow £1200 per side for repairs.
AVOID EXPENSIVE REPAIRS
The spare wheel well can rot when the drain hole gets blocked; repairs cost around £600 and new wells are available. Other potential rot spots include the lower edges of the doors (£600 per side to fix) and the rear section of each sill (£700 per side). Amazon estates don’t suffer from rotten spare wheel wells, but the split tailgate can corrode, so inspect both halves carefully. Repairing the bottom section isn’t difficult but the top is full of curves so you’re almost always better off replacing than repairing. However, used panels are scarce so you’ll pay at least £1000 for both halves in good condition.
CHECK THE INTERIOR TRIM
Interior trim lasts well, but the seats do sag. Webbing kits are available for £25 per seat and new foam is £160 per seat. Replacement front seat covers are £300 each (vinyl) or £500 (leather), while a new headlining is £200 and a carpet set around £350. The electrics give few problems, although the 30 amp fuse in the engine bay can fail and replacements aren’t available, but repairs are possible.
LOOK FOR ENGINE ISSUES
The B18 and B20 engines can easily rack up 500,000 miles with regular oil changes. Oil pressure should be around 40psi at idle on a warm engine and 50-55psi on the move. Ensure that the oil filter is the correct non-return valve Volvo item or the bearings will be starved of oil from cold. A thump like worn big-end bearings at cruising speed is probably worn timing gears; upgraded replacements are £400. Camshafts wear after 100,000 miles; budget £1000 for a new one with new timing gear (usually needed at the same time) plus a water pump.