Volvo 66

[foggyjames]

There aren't many threads about 66's on here, so I thought I'd start one.

I've been darkly considering getting a 66 (1.3) until I can afford the insurance on my 360. Any advice to be offered? There was one for sale on eBay a few days ago near me, but it was MOT-less...needed welding, etc.

How often do these cars come up for sale? Are they ever in decent condition these days, or is welding more or less a given. Any advice on common faults / problems / things to look for?

cheers

James

You must live in a very bad area for the insurance on a 360 to be too expensive. I grew up with a real Daf 66 and they are horrible little cars. I would rather walk than drive one.

George

[link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/imm021.jpg]

'95 940 Polar LPT (B230FK/AW71; 130k)
'92 940 SE Turbo (B200FT/AW71; 115k)
'87 740 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler (D24TIC/ZF22; 210k)

[Peter Milnes]

I thought you knew that I have one of these lovely little cars. It is one of my two restoration projects and is a Volvo 66 GL Estate with Renault 1300 cc engine. The car has only done 47,000 miles in it's over 26 years of life. I also picked up one of very similar age which had 76,000 miles on it's clock but was in very much worse condition bodywise than mine. I rescued the engine, gearbox, vacuum control gear, electrical gear, instruments, most of the lights and the two rear quarter panes (glass) which replaced the perspex ones someone had put in mine. The exterior bodywork is virtually waterproof although it needs a left front wing (hanging in the roof of my garage in pristine condition and waiting for me to remove the old one and weld it in. This car is driveable and only needs some play in the steering column to be adjusted out to make it roadworthy again. My other project is a 164, 31 years old and on tax exemption. Needs a bit of body tidying up and derusting but is a basically sound driveable car (tax due January).

However 66s are available but are just about rarer than hen's teeth. I have the DAF manual and a Haynes manual for it and quite a few spares. Basically it depends on how hard a life the car has had as to whether it is a viable proposition to take on. Of the two (both free by the way) mine has had a better life as the other one was a virtual rust trap, particularly around the window seals where the metal framework was almost eaten away.

If you decide to get one than keep in touch as we might be able to help you out.

All the best, Peter

[foggyjames]

Thanks for the info Peter - remember that I got you one of those cars? :)

George - a decent quote this year for the 360 is £1200...I'm 19...You'd think it was fast or something ;)

cheers

James

[SteveP]

Hi James,

I haven't seen many 66's for sale really apart from the odd one on ebay. If you were still considering one, this might be useful:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...&category=2192

It looks a lot tidier than others I have seen on ebay before, maybe worth a look, if you're near there!

It's ridiculous how little 300s seem to be worth, I saw a red 360GLT with a mere 77k go on ebay the other day for £142.. if it hadnt been a saloon I would've been very tempted!

Steve

[foggyjames]

I think I've given up on the 66 idea for now. My folks are passing the 360 on to me soonish, and I need something of that kind of power and size really (if not bigger).

I totally agree about the 360 pricing, although if anything its worse with other cars. My friend has a Cavalier, and the seatbelt clasps started malfunctioning. Because of the pretensioners, few dealers will touch them, and those that will charge a fortune...It was almost looking like being worth buying a new car instead...We fixed it by spending half an hour on a scrap car figuring out how they worked, so we could safely remove them.

A perfectly good car was going to be scrapped over a £10 fix. All it needed was some skill. Same goes for welding on 300s....many get scrapped because modern-day garage men (used to just condemning mildly rusty cars to the scrap heap) can't weld properly anymore! Just read what Pettaw's struggling with...

Sorry for the rant - I'm tired!!

James

[pettaw]

I know, welding eh! Soon enough I won't be an impoverished student, (rather I'll be an impoverished working man :)) so I can get another car as a daily drive and keep the 360 as a project car. I'd rather not sell it as its quite fun to drive.

[foggyjames]

I'm having the 360 next year as a student, and at 20, the insurance is the only major problem. As I'm sure you're well aware, my intention when the insurance comes down is to sort out its lack of power!

cheers

James

ASFAIK the 360 is only group 8, which makes it pretty cheap. It is being 19 that is the problem. Have you checked the insurance on the 66?

I don't think you could get much cheaper than a 340 1.4 for insurance. I had loads of fun in a 1.4 340, 360s were luxury cars then, they are quite nippy if you rev them and the lack of weight makes them sprightly handling, with decent shocks and tyres etc. Disgarded 3 series BMW steel wheels made perfect (free) substitues for 14" alloys, and a cherry bomb made a great sound (better than 360). The simple little engine is more reliable than the 1.7 and generally havn't been abused as much. Also if it properly serviced can be very economical.

[foggyjames]

Hi Tony,

Trouble is that a grp 2 car is still £800 a year (although I didn't get many quotes....but that seems to be about normal). I got a (not sensational) quote on my 360 at £1200....it's not that much more money that I wouldn't pay it. 340 isn't a bad idea, but there's the expense of buying one, then its not likely to be as plush inside...
I won't get the policy til I'm 20 (not long to wait anyway), so it'll only be pricy for a year before it falls a lot at 21 (hopefully).

Also a 340 1.4 is only one (or maybe two, for base models) group lower than a 360 carb (grp6-7 vs grp8).

What takes the p*** is that is costs that much even for a cheap car. I've held a full license for 2 years, been driving for 3, and haven't made a claim or had an incident worthy of note. Yet a little old lady could pass tomorrow and get a quote for a quarter of the cost of my insurance.

Who is more of a danger on the roads? Me, simply because there are a bunch of young morons out there who drive crazily. Don't get me wrong...I'm young, and I drive fairly damn fast...but the number of chumps i've seen in recent weeks is unbelievable. Sadly, its usually Saxo's (I hate to stereotype, but its true), although the worst one of late was a hotted-up Rover 200...did a violent swerve to change lanes, then tried to squeeze past at the lights when there wasn't room. Thankfully, he thought better of a tussle with a very solid lump of swedish (well....dutch...) metal. Having said that, he was gone in a flash when we hit the dual carriageway.....now if I had my turbo...what were we saying about insurance...:(

It comes back to the camming of the B200 (relaxed is putting it mildly). That rover was probably only a 216...but he had the power at high RPM.

cheers

James