While there are many reasons as to why someone would abandon a car, there are also plenty of reasons to restore one to its former glory. You’ve heard the saying “you can’t keep a good car down” and this goes double for old Volvos. The things are built like tanks and in the case of this 1991 Volvo 240, they also look like tanks. This one has been sitting, exposed to the elements, for over 15 years, and it almost looks like an inseparable part of the overgrown scenery. The detailing specialists at AMMO NYC love challenges and this boxy Swede is happy to oblige.
Old Volvos, especially station wagons, have their own cult following. There are many examples out there that have been restored or tastefully modified to their owner’s preferences. There’s a lot you can do to a Volvo 240 because it is a lot of car. The detailing pros are no strangers to mouse droppings, spider eggs, acorns, mold, and whatever else you can think of that can be found in an abandoned car.
The Volvo 240 was produced between 1974 and 1993. This being a 1991 model, it is one of the last versions of the car, with square headlights instead of the round ones. The car was spec’d in black (we think) and has a beige leather interior that has held up surprisingly well over the years, minus all the dirt. The 240 station wagons also had optional, third-row seats, which were reversed. This one has them.
The Volvo 240 (the station wagon is also known as 245) came with a variety of inline-four, inline-five, and V-6 engines. This one has the B23 2.3-liter, inline-four with 114 horsepower (84 kilowatts). In case you wonder how much damage, mice can do to a car, they can easily cut the fuel-pump cable, as you will see below. This one also has the “Prancing Moose” badge, which is a must-have aftermarket mod if you are a Volvo enthusiast.
As someone who, briefly, dabbled in classic car restoration, there are few things as satisfying as seeing old machinery spring back to life. Apparently, the Swede has held up nicely after 15 years in the forest and there isn’t nearly as much rust as initially anticipated. This Volvo certainly deserves the chance to reclaim its former glory. Watching a car undergo the ultimate detailing procedure is oddly satisfying, whether it is a JDM icon like the Mazda RX-7 FD or even an old, neglected sedan like a Mercury Montclair. With that in mind, the video below perfectly shows Volvo’s transition from a discarded piece of machinery to a resurrected classic.