My wife bought this really fun car for me around 1990 because I admired her 1967 Volvo wagon so much. Sometimes she would let me drive it to Santa Clara over 17 when my VW Bus was in the hospital, nd it was quite the change having four cylinders that could actually accelerate uphill.

The car was put together by a boyfriend of a woman, nd it looked great, as a sunroof, ut needed some suspension and engine work.

I had the work done by former Volvo racer and ace mechanic Joe Valle (he used to have a photo of him driving a 66 or 67 Volvo around a curve so hard, t was up on two wheels)! He rebuilt the engine, arbs, nd put in an overdrive, aking it quite the hot rod and enjoyable road machine. I drove it over 17 to Palo Alto for three years, hen up to San Francisco two times a week up Highway One from Santa Cruz for about five years, nd the ride was never boring in this car. We call it “The Road Dog” because it’s such a reliable transportation source and had to live outdoors.

It’s a classic car that always turns heads with its American Mags and all that bright-work. It just glistens. Fast-forward to 2015 and about 300 inches of rain, nd it is time to refresh a classic, ut my career in advertising has crumpled like a SmartCar, nd it’s not in the budget, o reluctantly I’m putting it up for adoption. The engine and trans are solid. Here’s everything I would fix.

In 1990 it came with a little rust, n a fender, nd a lot of rust on the passenger side door, hich is now reinforced with “race tape.” So a new door, nd new paint. The trunk lid on the drivers side has new rust this year from the weather stripping finally giving in. The wire in the drivers door that pulls up the window needs replacing (which the DMV Clinic said they could do with no problem). The floor high-beam switch needs replacing.

The wide Michelin XV’s that give it that low look, eed replacing with an equivalent, would have the brakes flushed and the lines checked. I have a new thermostat and hoses that should be switched.

No one knows how many miles are on it because the guy that originally restored it, ut in the wrong-ratio speedometer and odometer, o it always looks like your are going much faster that you really are.

The car has been started and moved around every week, t starts right up in rain or shine, nd with very little effort, ould be an excellent commute car. A friend that is into the racing world said these are becoming quite the popular race car over in the Silicon Valley. It’s been a pleasure to own, regret selling it. It has never left me stranded. It’s built like a tractor.

Check it out. Located in Santa Cruz, 1st and Highway 1.