Just bought this running project and I'm sure I'll be asking a ton of questions soon but for now what's the best repair manual to pick up and is there an owner's manual downloadable anywhere on the internet?
If you can get Volvo's own service manual (maybe a dealer would part with one), that would be best. I'd search Ebay for both the owner's and shop manuals.
You really want the factory shop manual, sometimes called the "green book". None of the aftermarket manuals are worth a hoot for that generation of Volvos IMO. There are Clymer and Chilton books kicking around, but they are not of much value from what I have seen.
Check out ebay and do other 'net searches and you should be able to find a real factory book.
John
PS I love the 122 wagon. Very cool car!
Second that! I owned a couple, and they are great cars.
The Haynes manual is pretty good. It includes instructions to swap an engine, a tranny, both combined, an engine re-build, and carb rebuild, all your basic periodic 1million mile maintenance tasks and in between carb oil re-fills, brake shoe replacements, lubrications, etc. Any Autozone can order it for you for $14.95 US dollar. Probably you can find it even cheaper at Amazon.com or eBay.
The Volvo Manufacturer's book (or "green book") is actually several books, separated by the car's various sub-systems, such as Engine, Brakes, Steering/Suspension, Transmission, etc. These are not as easily obtained as the Haynes manual, and will altogether likely be more expensive and more difficult to collect the entire set.
There is no manual to show you how to re-build the temperamental blinker switch, or re-cover the cracked dash pad, or upgrade to overdrive, or add A/C, or convert from generator to alternator, or upgrade from 35amp to
55amp. But, if you found this newsgroup, you've got the right start. You should also check out the 1800list on Yahoo Egroups. Mechanically, the 122 and the 1800 are the same.
I believe that the multi-book sets came after the 122. At least I know that my well worn green book for my '72 1800 is fairly comprehensive.
john
Interestingly, the manuals for the 122 were in multi book sets. Then they went to the one book does all sometime in the late 60s or early 70s (maybe for the introduction of the 140 series?), then back to the multi books for the 240s. I had a single book for 1971 142e and 1800e, and a multi book set for a 1966 122s.
Dont limit yourself to any one manual, there were at least 5 publishers of 122/1800 d.i.y. books. I find it very usefull to compare and cross-reference between them. You will see the varitey on ebay, or keep an eye open for them in used book stores.
roll on, George
There's someone on ebay selling a cd repair manual for 122s around $25. Does anyone know if it's any good.
It's probably one of the already-mentioned manuals, that's been scanned to image files. That would mean that it depends on the quality of the manual, and the quality of the scans...
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