1976 Classic 242 in Every Sense! 2nd year 242 - BULLETPROOF!!

1976 Volvo 240 242 DL Description

Let me tell you about my boy Blue. Blue was born in Sweden in 1976, moved to the US soon after, and set up residence in Arizona where he’s lived a nice long life. Blue turned 40 last year. He’s reliable and dependable, and it’s doubtful he’ll ever leave you stranded.
While not the best looking Volvo on the road, his original owner made sure to keep him running and maintained even when it wasn’t needed. But the mention of any bushing or engine component needed was never too much for the little old lady from Tempe to pass up, and thus the work was done. Once the little old lady was too old to drive, she decided Blue needed a new owner and left her mechanic sell him. Blue’s got good shoes (tires) and can likely take you from coast to coast if needed. He has a newer timing belt, pulley and water pump. He recently had a timing issue solved with some extensive (and expensive) distributor work that will never need to be done again. Blue now sounds and feels like his old self. With a slight touch of the gas pedal and a turn of the key, he roars right to life!
Blue's recently undergone an interior renovation. All his seats and interior door panels were removed, all interiors (doors included) were sprayed and cleaned well to remove the 40+ year old grime and dirt build up. This revealed no rust at all! The doors and windows were lubricated and doors were prewired for installing the speakers of your choice. At the moment Blue is mute, but he’s waiting for the installation of a proper stereo system (preferably with Bluetooth) so he can again rock the classic 70’s and 80’s music he’s used to. Blue also has an affinity towards Abba. All Blue’s seats were replaced with nice comfortable, newer 90’s model 240 seats which are Blue. His door panels were also replaced with better door panels that the old rotted and ripped ones. Blue is truly looking like his old self!
As Blue doesn’t like to show his age, his odometer stopped at 42,000 miles a few years back. As I originally bought him from my trusty Volvo mechanic of over 20 years, it’s unlikely Blue has more than 100,000 miles total. His 4-speed automatic transmission works perfectly, shifting smooth and correctly. Blue has minimal leaks, and with new belts pretty much everywhere, there’s not much else to do. I’m working on getting the last few things to make Blue the way I’d want him to be if I were to keep him. He needs trunk lid shocks. Then I can have my 9-Iron that keeps the trunk lid propped open back, for when the weather in Phoenix drops back below 100 degrees. Blue comes with a dashboard cover. Time and sun has gotten the best of his dashboard, but with the cover in great condition, you never have to worry about looking at it. From what I can tell, Blue has only been in one fight in his life. As a result, his driver side front fender and bumper have minor scars. Just a little character and a good story, if I knew it.
Two or three pieces of chrome trim are missing I believe. These, and the dashboard can be sourced from numerous Volvo sites. Blue would be ever grateful. But even if you choose not to, he won’t mind. Blue still has his commando style bumpers, flip out rear windows, chrome hubcaps, and single chrome mirror. Blue’s speedometer, temp and gas gauges still work (most of the time). And yes, Blue’s blower motor still blows. And this time of year, he blows nothing but hot air. There’s nothing like the warm breeze of 115 degrees in the summer in Phoenix driving down the road with the windows down to remind you of what the inside of a blast furnace feels like. On the bright side, Blue feels right at home no matter the temperature. And remember, it’s the heating element in the winter Blue is known for. Blue lacks really any sort of modern technology. I don’t even know if he has a brain, but really, it doesn’t matter if he’s as simple as Lenny from Of Mice and Men, he’ll always be there and loyal, no matter the situation.
Now that you know a bit about my boy Blue, let me tell you what he’s good for. He’s good for not getting your late teenager laid in any sense of the word. In fact, if this does happen, I’m pretty sure this is the person your kid will end up marrying. So I’ll expect an invitation to the wedding for weeding out the losers. Speaking of weed, the more places that legalize it, the less you have to use Blue’s stashing compartments to hide it while on your way to your friends’ homes. Blue has a “don’t ask, don’t tell policy. But, Blue’s also good for getting you out of tickets. I mean, what sober judge would expect your boy Blue to run over 45 MPH downhill with a stiff wind behind him? That said, our secret is Blue launches from a stoplight or stop sign with a high compression engine and light weight chassis so you won’t have any trouble getting to speed in needed situations. Blue’s insurance is dirt cheap. Generally, if you get rear ended, you can file an insurance claim, get your money back you spent on him, and he’ll barely have a scratch on him. Meanwhile, whoever does hit you will likely be in physical therapy for months after their airbags deploy on whatever non-Swedish piece of Playschool plastic hits him while their driver is texting, checking their email, or looking up fidget spinners on their mom’s Facebook group. Next, many states exempt emissions certification on a car as old as Blue. So, you can use regular unleaded to feed Blue, spill a few gallons to spite the tree huggers, and never need to worry about a buying carbon offset to make up to society for spending money on something new.
Last, registration is dirt cheap. In Arizona the five year cost on registering Blue was $65. Literally. So for a night of beer and wings you can drive Blue legally for 5 years, not have to worry about emissions (outside of Phoenix or Tucson), and dream of being sideswiped, rear ended, or have your brakes go out and still be in the positive. Trust me, Blue won’t mind. Sometimes when I park, I let him kiss the car in front or behind just a tap to keep him in shape and on guard. Something I would encourage is adding a rear hitch to Blue for some added protection. I did this for his younger brother Carl, a 1977 242. The last few times someone rear ended me I had zero damage, while the other cars had to be towed. Go figure.
In total, the price you pay for Blue will be well worth it. I can’t imagine Blue will cost more than a thousand bucks over those 5 years in maintenance. All he really needs at this point is gas and some oil changes and he’ll roll along just fine. Blue’s breed are getting more and more sparse. Not many Volvo 242s remain. They were only made for about 9 years (1975-1984) and Blue’s a first generation second year model. As I write this, there are only a handful available on the West Coast, and none are as unique or special as my boy Blue. While I’d rather him stay stateside, I’m willing to put Blue onto the shipper of your choice, or drive him to the docks in California for a trip back to the motherland. I’ve always dreamed of Blue being taken back to the motherland for one final road trip. One place he doesn’t deserve to be is in the rustbelt. But then again, if you have the money and you want to turn him into a rust pile, while it will break my heart, Blue is yours to do with what you please. If you don’t want to see Blue end up in the rust belt, please, help me help you by bidding high until the end.
PRICE AND RESERVE: I priced Blue to be the cheapest, rust free 242 on Ebay and on the West Coast. The reserve is lower than ANY Pre-1980's Volvo 242 on Ebay or the West Coast!!
SHIPPING: I will assist in any way possible to have Blue shipped pretty much all over the world. To my friends in Sweden, bid early and often! I will drive Blue to the Cargo ship in California for you to ship for a small charge, or if the auction ends over $4,000. Buy you'll has to pay for the transport after that.



Feel free to ask me, or Blue, any questions.
Best of luck in your bids. Blue appreciates the love and attention!