1973 144DL Auto 15k miles only
 

Entered in Mathewsons March auction 15k miles from new! Guide £7-9k

https://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction...pp=96&pn=1&g=1

With the 'NR' registration mark that will be a Leicestershire car, probably supplied by Yeates' who had dealerships in Loughborough and Leicester. They were our local main dealers - always very helpful. It will be interesting to see the photos when they are put up. As a late model, it should have impact bumpers and later 240 esque dash. Depending on condition, the reserve doesn't look unreasonable, either.

Regards, John.

That does sound like a Unicorn 144 and deserving of a good home. I hope it doesn't have the big bumpers - I think they were introduced in '74 at the very end of 140 production. In my opinion the '73 grille with small bumpers and rectangular rear lights is the prettiest of them all. Obviously, just my opinion.

Matthewsons have been achieving some good results. This last week a superb 1800ES - showcased in Driver magazine - made £29500 and a very nice C70 £3800.

Although it states 'dry stored since 1982' the last tax disc expired in May 1977 so the 15k miles done in four years!

Think this one may have been posted before if memory serves me right.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126335133...3Avlp_homepage

Cheers
Steve

Aye, that’s been around before Steve.👍

How times change with advancing years! I remember when good, running and MOT'd examples changed hands for a few hundred pounds. My own first Volvo was a 12 year old '72 145E purchased on a whim, while on holiday in Bournemouth, from a dealer for £650. Both the supplying dealer, and later Yeates' in Loughborough, and the car treated us so well that we have seldom been without a Volvo since.

Regards, John.

Do we think 15k miles is genuine though?

Hard to say without the benefit of photographs which have yet to appear. I'd look for wear on contact surfaces, pedal rubbers, etc. With that mileage it should be minimal - although pedal rubbers can be easily changed.

Our cars are currently averaging 2 - 2.5K PA and my late MIL only did 1 - 2K PA in her last few years driving, so yes, I would say that it is entirely possible.

Regards, John.

P.S. It's also a 6 digit odo, so potentially more difficult to reset without obvious 'tampering'. J.

There is no reason to doubt that it isn't genuine. It hasn't been taxed since 1977, so 15,000miles in four years would have been reasonable back in the '70s. The odometer goes up to 999,999 before back to 0, so it is extremely unlikely it has been 'round the clock'

It will be interesting to see the photos when they are put up.

This one might have been one I was considering on eBay before I bought my 142. Looked in great condition but if the same one it was a orange/red, 4 door with big bumpers, automatic, base model so wasn’t what I was looking for.

Pictures are up
 

Looks a good one. I wonder where it's been stored.

Wow, wow, wow, what a beauty. Apart from a little rust on the corner of the boot lid, a couple of scummy looking wheels and a bit of corrosion on the front bumper, that could have rolled of the production line yesterday. Beautiful colour scheme and as I hoped the best looking iteration of the 140 series.

Interesting
 

Sold at auction for £8250 to the Bangers & Cash restoration team . Needs slight paint done to the top surfaces and then back to auction and a forthcoming star appearance on the tele.

My first encounter with Volvo was just like this one in 1973 when a family friend purchased a new one having discounted a Rover P6 for not having a big enough boot for all the garden bags of compost etc. It was a light green colour and within a couple of years was back having the boot repainted as it had faded. Seems the top surfaces may have been a bit poor that year and it only lasted about eleven years before the rot took it out. Still I've now had fifty years with the marque so it was a good start.

Good result for the 144. Not much restoration needed, a change of oil and fresh air in the tyres and it should be good to go :)

The 145 must have been something special. I had my first Volvo in 1973, a 1969 145S, loved it so much, I have been a continuous Volvo owner since.