safeandslow’s 1982 Volvo 200-Series

My hometown of Portland, Oregon from the banks of the Willamette River. This town is so cool I couldn't begin to describe it. Try reading Chuck Palahniuk's (author of Fight Club book, A Walk in Portland, Oregon to get an idea of what I mean. Kristine on the beach at Pacific City, Oregon at sunset. The sandy coast is long and scenic here and the Pelican Brewpub is right on the beach, serving up microbrews and great food. The pinnacles of the fossil beds in the desert near Fossil, Oregon. this area doesn't get too much rain, as you can tell. Yep, that's me, scanning the horizon while the sun sets beyond Mt Hood, Oregon. This is the view from my favorite secret camping site so I won't tell you just where it is - you'll have to find it by yourself. Yet another view of Mt Hood taken outside Parkdale, OR. It's hard not to take nice photos of the mountain, so I don't.

On the left, Crooked River, flowing through Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon. This park is famous with rock climbers who love it's many faces that range from super challenging to "great for beginners". On the right is the view from within Oneonta Gorge in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. You can walk right up the creek until it ends at a waterfall that's deep enough to swim under. This is about 30 minutes east of Portland. On the left is my friend Sarah hiding amongst the huge redwood trees in Jedediah Smith State Park in Northern California. You haven't felt humble until you've walked amongst these giant trees that were fully grown even before Jesus was born. Some of these trees are over 2,400 years old and are the largest living things on the planet. On the right is Multnomah Falls just 30 miles from Portland and a stopping point for Lewis and Clark. A trail winds it's way to the top to an observation deck with a view of the Columbia River below.

Okay, enough all ready! You can only have so many photos of a boring old Volvo station wagon and I think I've covered it from every angle. These next few pages won't have any cars in them but are of various sights I've run across while on road trips. I'm no photographer but I always keep a digital camera in my glovebox (Here that, thieves?) for when I see something cool along the way. Mt Hood rising above Trillium Lake in Oregon. This is an hour away from my hometown of Portland. Motorboats aren't allowed on the lakes up here, so the water stays pristine, the fish plentiful, and the air quiet enough to hear yourself think. An arroyo winding through the dry, harsh desert south of Tucson, Arizona. Saguaro, prickly pear, and barrel cactus dot the region. This is the former site of Helvetia, a mining town that is now in ruins, and still contains many deep mines that are favorites with drug and human smugglers from Mexico just 20 miles away. Out in the dry, expansive high plains of Eastern Oregon, things rust a little slower. I ran across this old dump site while exploring around one day. On the left is a 1940 Ford pickup, the other vehicle is a 1959 Ford Galaxie 2 Door hardtop. On the ground were old vending machines, appliances, and other Atomic Age trash that I find so interesting. To we Twin Peaks fans, it's the Great Northern Hotel and where Laura Palmer's cousin's body washes up after she's been murdered. In reality it's Snoqualmie Falls and Salish Lodge in Northern Washington, about 30 minutes east of Seattle. The original Strip: Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada, now covered by a crazy light show and seedy casinos. It's not as glamorous over here but you can still find cheap rooms and free drinks without all the weird theme park atmosphere of the new strip on Las Vegas Blvd. Some of the casinos in this area are closed and empty but their lights still shine outside. A "walking museum" of vintage neon signs reminds you of how this area looked when the Rat Pack still ruled this town.

I've been the proud owner of this 1982 Volvo DL wagon for several years now. When I first bought it I racked up 25,000 miles on the odometer in just 14 months! These days it gets driven only about one day per month, usually when I have to haul something large that won't fit into my little roadster or when I need to carry more than two people. As a result, I've only driven it 370 miles in the last 18 months; the rest of the time it just sits on the street and collects dust. It has seen me through many camping and road trips, as well as been able to haul everything I've ever needed to move with it: couches, a bar, a washer/dryer set, a king sized bed (on the roof), and other large items. Though rarely driven, I can't imagine getting rid of it because it's just too practical and reliable! And yes, it's just a slow, ugly utilitarian box of a car but it does what it was built to do and it does it exceedingly well considering it's 23 years old! View of the left side. Yeah, that's a bowling trophy hood ornament (I'm an avid bowler!). Though still almost stock, I've added a few cosmetic improvements, including 7-series alloy wheels, driving lights, a GL grille, an IPD front air dam, the Yakima rack, and a huge 54" x 38" sunroof (I'm one of those al fresco people that's gotta be in the open air all the time!). The right side of the car. The paint, transmission, and engine are original and the car has never been wrecked. Despite almost 23 years and over 223,000 miles it still looks showroom new! The only damage on the car is a small dent on the tailgate where it got hit by a stray shopping cart years ago.

Here's the car showing what it does best! In the next two pic's I have four bicycles and one 13' kayak on the roof. Though a truck would be filled at this point, I still have room for five people and all our camping gear! All loaded down (that's an all original, unrestored 1951 Schwinn Panther up there: my restoration project this Winter)... The enormous (and dirty!)interior with 76 cubic feet of cargo area. It's so nice to hit garage sales on the weekends and know that anything I find will fit in the car! When the lower half of the back seat is removed it's possible to sleep comfortably back there. There's also a hidden cargo area in the foreground, where my amp is kept. I get all the cargo room of an SUV without the poor gas mileage, monthly payments, and danger to other drivers (and I've probably driven off-road in it more often than the average SUV owner ever will)! The engine. I replaced the stock K-Jet injection system with a more reliable & slightly faster 2.2LH system from an '87. I run NGK plugs, MSW wires, Mobil 1 synthetic oil, a K&N air filter, and Bosch everything else. Though slow, the car runs like a dream and plods along at 75 mph fully loaded down.

Another view of the car loaded down. Aside from the kayak, everything fits a full foot behind the sunroof and the tailgate still opens freely! The dashboard. Pretty much stock except for a Sony deck I had installed up near the top (for much easier, safer access), a couple little Alpine's up front, and a pair of Rockford Fosgate 10's in back. Gotta rock out on the road, ya know! Like I mentioned earlier, I very rarely drive this car anymore. I started feeling guilty driving around in a big box that usually has 72 cubic feet of nothing in it. My daily driver is this tiny (only as big as the Volvo's interior!) Geo Metro convertible that can haul 2 bikes, a pair of inflatable kayaks (with their paddles, seats, and jackets), and a friend at 70 mph while getting over 40 mpg! The price of both cars was a mere $2,400: that's less than I paid for my mountan bike! No monthly car payment equals money for more important things: Vacations, toys, and going out drinking! Here's a rough drawing of what the future holds for Doris after I've applied vinyl flooring material, whitewall tires, and window tint to her someday. And yes, there'll be longboards on the roof and Link Wray in the CD changer! My little sister's Volvo - a mint, all original, 72,000 mile 1969 144S daily driver. Though show-quality, it's just too nice to leave in the garage collecting dust! There could be a large canvas sunroof and whitewalls in it's near future...Thanks for checking out this site - don't forget to sign my page before you take off! To non-members, I can be reached at: jaymes@linuxmail.org.For a full review I wrote for the wagon at epinions.com, cut and paste this link into your browser: http://www.epinions.com/content_97724763780To view my Metro's cardomain page (filled with road trip pic's), cut and paste this link: http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=411420&page=1

My hometown of Portland, Oregon from the banks of the Willamette River. This town is so cool I couldn't begin to describe it. Try reading Chuck Palahniuk's (author of Fight Club book, A Walk in Portland, Oregon to get an idea of what I mean. Kristine on the beach at Pacific City, Oregon at sunset. The sandy coast is long and scenic here and the Pelican Brewpub is right on the beach, serving up microbrews and great food. The pinnacles of the fossil beds in the desert near Fossil, Oregon. this area doesn't get too much rain, as you can tell. Yep, that's me, scanning the horizon while the sun sets beyond Mt Hood, Oregon. This is the view from my favorite secret camping site so I won't tell you just where it is - you'll have to find it by yourself. Yet another view of Mt Hood taken outside Parkdale, OR. It's hard not to take nice photos of the mountain, so I don't.

I've been the proud owner of this 1982 Volvo DL wagon for several years now. When I first bought it I racked up 25,000 miles on the odometer in just 14 months! These days it gets driven only about one day per month, usually when I have to haul something large that won't fit into my little roadster or when I need to carry more than two people. As a result, I've only driven it 370 miles in the last 18 months; the rest of the time it just sits on the street and collects dust. It has seen me through many camping and road trips, as well as been able to haul everything I've ever needed to move with it: couches, a bar, a washer/dryer set, a king sized bed (on the roof), and other large items. Though rarely driven, I can't imagine getting rid of it because it's just too practical and reliable! And yes, it's just a slow, ugly utilitarian box of a car but it does what it was built to do and it does it exceedingly well considering it's 23 years old! View of the left side. Yeah, that's a bowling trophy hood ornament (I'm an avid bowler!). Though still almost stock, I've added a few cosmetic improvements, including 7-series alloy wheels, driving lights, a GL grille, an IPD front air dam, the Yakima rack, and a huge 54" x 38" sunroof (I'm one of those al fresco people that's gotta be in the open air all the time!). The right side of the car. The paint, transmission, and engine are original and the car has never been wrecked. Despite almost 23 years and over 223,000 miles it still looks showroom new! The only damage on the car is a small dent on the tailgate where it got hit by a stray shopping cart years ago.

Okay, enough all ready! You can only have so many photos of a boring old Volvo station wagon and I think I've covered it from every angle. These next few pages won't have any cars in them but are of various sights I've run across while on road trips. I'm no photographer but I always keep a digital camera in my glovebox (Here that, thieves?) for when I see something cool along the way. Mt Hood rising above Trillium Lake in Oregon. This is an hour away from my hometown of Portland. Motorboats aren't allowed on the lakes up here, so the water stays pristine, the fish plentiful, and the air quiet enough to hear yourself think. An arroyo winding through the dry, harsh desert south of Tucson, Arizona. Saguaro, prickly pear, and barrel cactus dot the region. This is the former site of Helvetia, a mining town that is now in ruins, and still contains many deep mines that are favorites with drug and human smugglers from Mexico just 20 miles away. Out in the dry, expansive high plains of Eastern Oregon, things rust a little slower. I ran across this old dump site while exploring around one day. On the left is a 1940 Ford pickup, the other vehicle is a 1959 Ford Galaxie 2 Door hardtop. On the ground were old vending machines, appliances, and other Atomic Age trash that I find so interesting. To we Twin Peaks fans, it's the Great Northern Hotel and where Laura Palmer's cousin's body washes up after she's been murdered. In reality it's Snoqualmie Falls and Salish Lodge in Northern Washington, about 30 minutes east of Seattle. The original Strip: Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada, now covered by a crazy light show and seedy casinos. It's not as glamorous over here but you can still find cheap rooms and free drinks without all the weird theme park atmosphere of the new strip on Las Vegas Blvd. Some of the casinos in this area are closed and empty but their lights still shine outside. A "walking museum" of vintage neon signs reminds you of how this area looked when the Rat Pack still ruled this town.

On the left, Crooked River, flowing through Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon. This park is famous with rock climbers who love it's many faces that range from super challenging to "great for beginners". On the right is the view from within Oneonta Gorge in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. You can walk right up the creek until it ends at a waterfall that's deep enough to swim under. This is about 30 minutes east of Portland. On the left is my friend Sarah hiding amongst the huge redwood trees in Jedediah Smith State Park in Northern California. You haven't felt humble until you've walked amongst these giant trees that were fully grown even before Jesus was born. Some of these trees are over 2,400 years old and are the largest living things on the planet. On the right is Multnomah Falls just 30 miles from Portland and a stopping point for Lewis and Clark. A trail winds it's way to the top to an observation deck with a view of the Columbia River below.

Here's the car showing what it does best! In the next two pic's I have four bicycles and one 13' kayak on the roof. Though a truck would be filled at this point, I still have room for five people and all our camping gear! All loaded down (that's an all original, unrestored 1951 Schwinn Panther up there: my restoration project this Winter)... The enormous (and dirty!)interior with 76 cubic feet of cargo area. It's so nice to hit garage sales on the weekends and know that anything I find will fit in the car! When the lower half of the back seat is removed it's possible to sleep comfortably back there. There's also a hidden cargo area in the foreground, where my amp is kept. I get all the cargo room of an SUV without the poor gas mileage, monthly payments, and danger to other drivers (and I've probably driven off-road in it more often than the average SUV owner ever will)! The engine. I replaced the stock K-Jet injection system with a more reliable & slightly faster 2.2LH system from an '87. I run NGK plugs, MSW wires, Mobil 1 synthetic oil, a K&N air filter, and Bosch everything else. Though slow, the car runs like a dream and plods along at 75 mph fully loaded down.

Another view of the car loaded down. Aside from the kayak, everything fits a full foot behind the sunroof and the tailgate still opens freely! The dashboard. Pretty much stock except for a Sony deck I had installed up near the top (for much easier, safer access), a couple little Alpine's up front, and a pair of Rockford Fosgate 10's in back. Gotta rock out on the road, ya know! Like I mentioned earlier, I very rarely drive this car anymore. I started feeling guilty driving around in a big box that usually has 72 cubic feet of nothing in it. My daily driver is this tiny (only as big as the Volvo's interior!) Geo Metro convertible that can haul 2 bikes, a pair of inflatable kayaks (with their paddles, seats, and jackets), and a friend at 70 mph while getting over 40 mpg! The price of both cars was a mere $2,400: that's less than I paid for my mountan bike! No monthly car payment equals money for more important things: Vacations, toys, and going out drinking! Here's a rough drawing of what the future holds for Doris after I've applied vinyl flooring material, whitewall tires, and window tint to her someday. And yes, there'll be longboards on the roof and Link Wray in the CD changer! My little sister's Volvo - a mint, all original, 72,000 mile 1969 144S daily driver. Though show-quality, it's just too nice to leave in the garage collecting dust! There could be a large canvas sunroof and whitewalls in it's near future...Thanks for checking out this site - don't forget to sign my page before you take off! To non-members, I can be reached at: jaymes@linuxmail.org.For a full review I wrote for the wagon at epinions.com, cut and paste this link into your browser: http://www.epinions.com/content_97724763780To view my Metro's cardomain page (filled with road trip pic's), cut and paste this link: http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=411420&page=1

My hometown of Portland, Oregon from the banks of the Willamette River. This town is so cool I couldn't begin to describe it. Try reading Chuck Palahniuk's (author of Fight Club book, A Walk in Portland, Oregon to get an idea of what I mean. Kristine on the beach at Pacific City, Oregon at sunset. The sandy coast is long and scenic here and the Pelican Brewpub is right on the beach, serving up microbrews and great food. The pinnacles of the fossil beds in the desert near Fossil, Oregon. this area doesn't get too much rain, as you can tell. Yep, that's me, scanning the horizon while the sun sets beyond Mt Hood, Oregon. This is the view from my favorite secret camping site so I won't tell you just where it is - you'll have to find it by yourself. Yet another view of Mt Hood taken outside Parkdale, OR. It's hard not to take nice photos of the mountain, so I don't.

I've been the proud owner of this 1982 Volvo DL wagon for several years now. When I first bought it I racked up 25,000 miles on the odometer in just 14 months! These days it gets driven only about one day per month, usually when I have to haul something large that won't fit into my little roadster or when I need to carry more than two people. As a result, I've only driven it 370 miles in the last 18 months; the rest of the time it just sits on the street and collects dust. It has seen me through many camping and road trips, as well as been able to haul everything I've ever needed to move with it: couches, a bar, a washer/dryer set, a king sized bed (on the roof), and other large items. Though rarely driven, I can't imagine getting rid of it because it's just too practical and reliable! And yes, it's just a slow, ugly utilitarian box of a car but it does what it was built to do and it does it exceedingly well considering it's 23 years old! View of the left side. Yeah, that's a bowling trophy hood ornament (I'm an avid bowler!). Though still almost stock, I've added a few cosmetic improvements, including 7-series alloy wheels, driving lights, a GL grille, an IPD front air dam, the Yakima rack, and a huge 54" x 38" sunroof (I'm one of those al fresco people that's gotta be in the open air all the time!). The right side of the car. The paint, transmission, and engine are original and the car has never been wrecked. Despite almost 23 years and over 223,000 miles it still looks showroom new! The only damage on the car is a small dent on the tailgate where it got hit by a stray shopping cart years ago.

Here's the car showing what it does best! In the next two pic's I have four bicycles and one 13' kayak on the roof. Though a truck would be filled at this point, I still have room for five people and all our camping gear! All loaded down (that's an all original, unrestored 1951 Schwinn Panther up there: my restoration project this Winter)... The enormous (and dirty!)interior with 76 cubic feet of cargo area. It's so nice to hit garage sales on the weekends and know that anything I find will fit in the car! When the lower half of the back seat is removed it's possible to sleep comfortably back there. There's also a hidden cargo area in the foreground, where my amp is kept. I get all the cargo room of an SUV without the poor gas mileage, monthly payments, and danger to other drivers (and I've probably driven off-road in it more often than the average SUV owner ever will)! The engine. I replaced the stock K-Jet injection system with a more reliable & slightly faster 2.2LH system from an '87. I run NGK plugs, MSW wires, Mobil 1 synthetic oil, a K&N air filter, and Bosch everything else. Though slow, the car runs like a dream and plods along at 75 mph fully loaded down.

Okay, enough all ready! You can only have so many photos of a boring old Volvo station wagon and I think I've covered it from every angle. These next few pages won't have any cars in them but are of various sights I've run across while on road trips. I'm no photographer but I always keep a digital camera in my glovebox (Here that, thieves?) for when I see something cool along the way. Mt Hood rising above Trillium Lake in Oregon. This is an hour away from my hometown of Portland. Motorboats aren't allowed on the lakes up here, so the water stays pristine, the fish plentiful, and the air quiet enough to hear yourself think. An arroyo winding through the dry, harsh desert south of Tucson, Arizona. Saguaro, prickly pear, and barrel cactus dot the region. This is the former site of Helvetia, a mining town that is now in ruins, and still contains many deep mines that are favorites with drug and human smugglers from Mexico just 20 miles away. Out in the dry, expansive high plains of Eastern Oregon, things rust a little slower. I ran across this old dump site while exploring around one day. On the left is a 1940 Ford pickup, the other vehicle is a 1959 Ford Galaxie 2 Door hardtop. On the ground were old vending machines, appliances, and other Atomic Age trash that I find so interesting. To we Twin Peaks fans, it's the Great Northern Hotel and where Laura Palmer's cousin's body washes up after she's been murdered. In reality it's Snoqualmie Falls and Salish Lodge in Northern Washington, about 30 minutes east of Seattle. The original Strip: Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada, now covered by a crazy light show and seedy casinos. It's not as glamorous over here but you can still find cheap rooms and free drinks without all the weird theme park atmosphere of the new strip on Las Vegas Blvd. Some of the casinos in this area are closed and empty but their lights still shine outside. A "walking museum" of vintage neon signs reminds you of how this area looked when the Rat Pack still ruled this town.

On the left, Crooked River, flowing through Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon. This park is famous with rock climbers who love it's many faces that range from super challenging to "great for beginners". On the right is the view from within Oneonta Gorge in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. You can walk right up the creek until it ends at a waterfall that's deep enough to swim under. This is about 30 minutes east of Portland. On the left is my friend Sarah hiding amongst the huge redwood trees in Jedediah Smith State Park in Northern California. You haven't felt humble until you've walked amongst these giant trees that were fully grown even before Jesus was born. Some of these trees are over 2,400 years old and are the largest living things on the planet. On the right is Multnomah Falls just 30 miles from Portland and a stopping point for Lewis and Clark. A trail winds it's way to the top to an observation deck with a view of the Columbia River below.

Another view of the car loaded down. Aside from the kayak, everything fits a full foot behind the sunroof and the tailgate still opens freely! The dashboard. Pretty much stock except for a Sony deck I had installed up near the top (for much easier, safer access), a couple little Alpine's up front, and a pair of Rockford Fosgate 10's in back. Gotta rock out on the road, ya know! Like I mentioned earlier, I very rarely drive this car anymore. I started feeling guilty driving around in a big box that usually has 72 cubic feet of nothing in it. My daily driver is this tiny (only as big as the Volvo's interior!) Geo Metro convertible that can haul 2 bikes, a pair of inflatable kayaks (with their paddles, seats, and jackets), and a friend at 70 mph while getting over 40 mpg! The price of both cars was a mere $2,400: that's less than I paid for my mountan bike! No monthly car payment equals money for more important things: Vacations, toys, and going out drinking! Here's a rough drawing of what the future holds for Doris after I've applied vinyl flooring material, whitewall tires, and window tint to her someday. And yes, there'll be longboards on the roof and Link Wray in the CD changer! My little sister's Volvo - a mint, all original, 72,000 mile 1969 144S daily driver. Though show-quality, it's just too nice to leave in the garage collecting dust! There could be a large canvas sunroof and whitewalls in it's near future...Thanks for checking out this site - don't forget to sign my page before you take off! To non-members, I can be reached at: jaymes@linuxmail.org.For a full review I wrote for the wagon at epinions.com, cut and paste this link into your browser: http://www.epinions.com/content_97724763780To view my Metro's cardomain page (filled with road trip pic's), cut and paste this link: http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=411420&page=1

My hometown of Portland, Oregon from the banks of the Willamette River. This town is so cool I couldn't begin to describe it. Try reading Chuck Palahniuk's (author of Fight Club book, A Walk in Portland, Oregon to get an idea of what I mean. Kristine on the beach at Pacific City, Oregon at sunset. The sandy coast is long and scenic here and the Pelican Brewpub is right on the beach, serving up microbrews and great food. The pinnacles of the fossil beds in the desert near Fossil, Oregon. this area doesn't get too much rain, as you can tell. Yep, that's me, scanning the horizon while the sun sets beyond Mt Hood, Oregon. This is the view from my favorite secret camping site so I won't tell you just where it is - you'll have to find it by yourself. Yet another view of Mt Hood taken outside Parkdale, OR. It's hard not to take nice photos of the mountain, so I don't.

Okay, enough all ready! You can only have so many photos of a boring old Volvo station wagon and I think I've covered it from every angle. These next few pages won't have any cars in them but are of various sights I've run across while on road trips. I'm no photographer but I always keep a digital camera in my glovebox (Here that, thieves?) for when I see something cool along the way. Mt Hood rising above Trillium Lake in Oregon. This is an hour away from my hometown of Portland. Motorboats aren't allowed on the lakes up here, so the water stays pristine, the fish plentiful, and the air quiet enough to hear yourself think. An arroyo winding through the dry, harsh desert south of Tucson, Arizona. Saguaro, prickly pear, and barrel cactus dot the region. This is the former site of Helvetia, a mining town that is now in ruins, and still contains many deep mines that are favorites with drug and human smugglers from Mexico just 20 miles away. Out in the dry, expansive high plains of Eastern Oregon, things rust a little slower. I ran across this old dump site while exploring around one day. On the left is a 1940 Ford pickup, the other vehicle is a 1959 Ford Galaxie 2 Door hardtop. On the ground were old vending machines, appliances, and other Atomic Age trash that I find so interesting. To we Twin Peaks fans, it's the Great Northern Hotel and where Laura Palmer's cousin's body washes up after she's been murdered. In reality it's Snoqualmie Falls and Salish Lodge in Northern Washington, about 30 minutes east of Seattle. The original Strip: Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada, now covered by a crazy light show and seedy casinos. It's not as glamorous over here but you can still find cheap rooms and free drinks without all the weird theme park atmosphere of the new strip on Las Vegas Blvd. Some of the casinos in this area are closed and empty but their lights still shine outside. A "walking museum" of vintage neon signs reminds you of how this area looked when the Rat Pack still ruled this town.