At the recent Bicester Scramble, I spotted a car that I hadn’t seen for a while – a cream Volvo 164, which set me thinking I should try to find one for our Prime Find slot, not least because we have had only one Swedish Prime Find over the last several months. That car was a SAAB 90, coincidentally another Swedish rarity that I spotted at the same Bicester Scramble.
The 164 is not a common car here in the UK, though doubtless there are many more in Sweden and the Nordic countries in general. According to the howmanyleft.com website, fewer than 60 remain on our roads, and of those, there is currently just one for sale, and that one is our Prime Find this week.
Volvo’s reputation for making strong, durable and comfortable cars had been well established in the post-war years with the PV444/544 and its successor, the Amazon. These were stolid, staid and unadventurous designs, with an emphasis on safety, and this philosophy continued with the Amazon’s successors, the 140 series (142 2-door, 144 4-door) and 164 models, both of which were designed by Jan Wilsgaard, who was also responsible for the Amazon.
While the 140 series were middle-market family saloons, the 164 aspired to be a contender in the executive segment. This meant taking on the likes of the Rover P5 and P6, BMW E3, Citroën’s still advanced DS, Ford Granada and the Mercedes-Benz W108, among others – there was stiff competition for senior management’s money.
To achieve this aim, Wilsgaard created a car that while based on the 140, had a number of unique body panels and engine, a 3-litre straight-six. This larger engine necessitated a longer front end, which was the main point of difference structurally with the 140. In other respects, the 164 was physically the same width and height as it’s junior stablemate. You could say it’s basically a bigger and more luxurious 140, with interior appointments including leather seat facings and simulated wood-grain fascia. Besides it’s greater length, the 164 was further distinguished from the 140 by it’s large, almost square radiator grille “inspired” by the Vanden Princess R.
The sincerest form of flattery.
Transmission was through either a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic ‘box, and performance was reasonably brisk, especially when fuel-injection was offered in 1972 as an option and then made standard two years later. The improvement was certainly worthwhile – the original twin-carburettor engine pushed out 130 horses, fuel injection added another 30, taking top speed up to 193kmh from 181kmh.
Over time, the 164 received upgrades such as electronic fuel injection and even heated seats – one of the first European cars to do so, and doubtless a big selling point in Sweden. Unlike the 140, the 164 was only ever offered as a four-door saloon, something which Volvo rectified with its 264 replacement.
The motoring press seemed to like this Swedish interloper into the executive sector – Motor magazine tested a standard 164 in June 1969 and praised the “refined six-cylinder engine; fair performance and roadholding excellent gearbox……spacious interior and huge boot; superb construction and finish” and only had criticism of the car’s “excessive pitch and road noise”.
In the US, Car and Driver also enjoyed the 164’s refinement, performance and accommodation, leaving their main criticism to what they felt was the Swede’s “undistinguished styling” – to be fair, it is a pretty plain, square sided three-box, although others might call it restrained.
Volvo built the 164 for seven years from 1968 to 1975; production statistics are unreliable, with between 146,008 and 153,189 being built, depending on which source you read.
Our Prime Find is a 1971 example on sale with a dealer in Bedfordshire, so a pre-facelift twin-carb model. It’s finished in Dark Wine Red paint – or burgundy, if you prefer – with a red leather interior, and according to the dealer, it presents in “very good condition” externally, with the interior being in “exceptional condition”. Based on the photographs on the dealer’s website – some of which we have borrowed – it certainly looks very tidy, with the interior in particular looking like a very civilised place to sit.
It’s an automatic, which will make it a little less of a sparkling performer but with a car of this type and age, I doubt that a few mph off what is at this stage in its life surely a top speed in theory only will make any difference to the new owner. It also comes with power steering to make the driving experience even more relaxed, and a manual sliding sunroof.
This Volvo has had just two previous owners and covered 106,149 miles in its fifty-year life, not that many and for the legendarily durable Swedish marque, it’s just warming up. There is a good history file with the car, full of invoices and old MOT’s to back up the mileage, and although not a legal requirement, this Volvo has been given an MOT that will last until the end of September, and it will also be sold with a three-month warranty.
These executive Volvo’s can still be bought for well under £10,000, as can this one; it’s on offer for £8,995, which represents pretty good value for money to me, considering its condition – perhaps a reflection of the 164’s status compared to its contemporary rivals, or perhaps it’s just a car that is relatively under the radar. You can see the full dealer advert here, as well as a video presentation of the car. If you like the look of this now rare – in the UK, at least – and understated Swedish classic, we recommend arranging prior inspection if possible, of course.
With our Saturday instalment of Prime Find of the Week, we’re offering our services to the classic car community, by passing on our favourite classic car for sale from the week that passed. This top-tip might help a first-time-buyer to own his first classic, or it could even be the perfect motivation for a multiple-classic-car-owner to expand his garage with something different. We’ll let us be inspired by anything from a cheap project to a stunning concours exotic, and hope that you will do the same.
Just remember – Any Classic is Better than No Classic! We obviously invite our readers to help prospective buyers with your views and maybe even experiences of any given model we feature. Further to that, if you stumble across a classic which you feel we ought to feature as Prime Find of the Week, then please send us a link to primefindoftheweek@viaretro.co.uk