Bike Ride 25

David: This bike ride was unfortunately cut short after I got cut off by a car turning into a gas station. I was unharmed, walking away with only a few scrapes, but my bike unfortunately absorbed most of the impact, and recieved a bent tire and messed up front suspension. Fortunately, I lived and the owner of the car who cut me off was very helpful and gave me a ride home. Anyways, due to that unforeseen circumstance, I was only able to find three cars on this ride. Two thirds of the finds are new, while one is a revisit. However, I think you might enjoy this smaller haul of finds. I promise once I get a new bike, I'll make up for what was missed on this ride. 

Above: 1966 Volvo PV-544 Sport Revisited

To start off this bike ride, I decided to revisit a car I photographed around the same time as last year in the Bike Ride 14 entry. With my recent new ownership of my Volvo 240 wagon, I've found myself becoming more and more of a Volvo enthusiast, and decided it was necessary to revisit the car. Looking back at the old Bike Ride 14 entry and these new photos, not much has really changed on the car. With some more angles, you can get a better idea of what these old '60s Volvos looked like. 

As discussed in Bike Ride 14, it is very clear that the post-war era Volvo models took heavy inspiration from the popular American cars of the time. The PV-444 (1944-58) and PV-544 (1958-66) models mimic the pre-war and early post-war American "fastback style" sedans, which earned its nickname "The Ford Volvo," famously dubbed by Sam. The Volvo 122 Amazon series of cars, which were in production from 1956 to 1970, took inspiration from the 1955 Chrysler 300 and other American sedans of the time. According to famous Volvo designer Jan Wilsgaard, a big influence for the Amazon series was an early '50s Kaiser sedan he saw in Sweden. Although these cars wouldn't prove to be a breakthrough success for Volvo until the introduction of the 100 series in 1965, the PV-544 and the Amazon would serve as the basis and inspiration for what Volvo would become known for in the 1970s, following the success of the 100 series and introduction of the 200 series. 

Above: A Closer Look at the Volvo 

You can't talk about the success Volvo had in the 1970s and onward without discussing the B-18 engine. Most Volvo fans know about the indestructible "Red Block" engines found in the 240, 740, and 940 vehicles, which could last hundreds of thousands of miles with general maintenance. But Volvo didn't just arrive at the perfected design of the Red Block engines. 

The B-18 engine was introduced in 1961 to replace the B-16 engine. While the B-16 was a reliable engine, Volvo thought they could build a better engine. The B-18 improved on the B-16's design, introducing a large cam shaft with five bearings, similar to a truck engine cam shaft, timing gears, instead of a timing belt or chain, and two overhead valves per cylinder. Volvo conducted extensive testing on the new engine, which included running the engine at top speed for 500 consecutive hours, revving the engines past redline, and testing the engine durability through various terrains and environments. The final result was one of the most durable and under-stressed engines ever produced. 

Above: 1993 Volvo 240

Here is the final form of Volvo's pursuit for producing a car that could withstand almost anything thrown at it. A car that needs no introduction, and a car that's been enjoying its time in the spotlight this spring, the one and only Volvo 240! It's always a pleasant sight to see a Volvo 240 while out and about. We've been photographing many 240s lately, but seeing one of these simply doesn't get old. I hope you enjoy the 240 content as much as we have!

Above: 1989 Porsche 928 S4

Feast your eyes on the car that Porsche almost replaced the 911 with. It would be tough to imagine a world without the 911, as its influence in car design and performance continues to leave its mark. Even imagining a world where the 928 actually became the 911 replacement is hard to wrap my head around. But why would Porsche want to replace such an already iconic sports car?

Introduced in 1977, Porsche's new 928 was sold as a grand touring car, combining elements of luxury and performance into one package. Porsche thought this would appeal to a larger group of customers than the 911, which was slightly smaller and designed to truly accommodate two people. Porsche felt that the days of the 911 were slowly coming to an end, and decided a refreshed sports car was appropriate to replace it. Since Mercedes and BMW were finding great success with their sports sedans (C107 SL-Class and 2002 respectively), Porsche wanted their new sports car to be similar in that regard. 

While design started for the 928 in the early '70s, it wouldn't be until 1977 where the car would be released. The 928 debuted, and had a design very much ahead of its time. Despite being a car from the '70s, it looked like a car from the late '80s. Also upon its release, it had the distinction of being the first Porsche to be powered by a V8 engine and later on, the only Porsche to be powered by a front mounted V8. The car found success as Porsche hoped, beating out the BMW 7-Series in 1978 for the European Car of the Year award.

However, despite success of the 928, the 911 continued to be Porsche's most popular offering. 1981 would be the year Porsche had in mind to cancel the 911, but after a last minute decision between Porsche executives, the 911 was saved, as it was very clear having 911 around would be a necessity. The 928 ended production after nearly 20 years and minimal styling changes.

Today, the 928 has become a similar introductory sports car for those looking to get into Porsche without breaking the bank. It also holds a very unique design, unlike most Porsches. Mechanically, its also the only Porsche to be powered with a V8 and a front engine, rear wheel drive set up. Despite being a car set out to replace icon, the 928 has become a great alternative, offering a great back story and plenty of '80s European car quirks. 

Above: Saab 900 Turbo Convertible Revisited 

Another car featured in Bike Ride 14, this Saab 900 Turbo was only seen from two angles, as it was parked in between two other cars. Finally, this classic Swede has been let free for your eyes to see its beauty. As you can see, this Saab is still in the same spot it was last year, and in the same condition as well. I really hope the owner of the garage saves it, as these classic 900s are really starting to increase in value on the used market. The convertible has especially seen a rise in value. 

Above: 1985 Volvo 244 DL

More Volvo content for you! Also at Tomasso's was this '85 244 in dark brown. It may be hard to tell from the sunlight, but this car had a mocha brown color, pretty uncommon for a Volvo. Aside from the brown paint, another aspect making this car unique is its model year. 1985 was the final year for the quad rectangular headlights, before the commonly seen "cinderblock" style headlamp phased out the quad headlamps the following year. You can see an example of the cinderblock style headlights in the entry below this one. There's a bit of Volvo history for you!

Above: 1989 Volvo 240 DL

As luck would have it, I was passing by a side street, and happened upon another 240 sedan. This time we have a 1989 240, the last of the 240s to be equipped without an airbag. I know I photograph the 240 a lot, but I'll never run out of something to say about them. Being over 2 million of these cars produced, I can assure you we'll find more!

Above: 1986 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Country Squire 

Here's a breath of fresh air for you American car lovers! This is an unbelievably clean '86 Ford LTD Country Squire, making it one sweet find. I'd seen this car around my neighborhood a handful of times, before I eventually found it cruising around today. 

The LTD Country Squire was produced alongside the LTD Crown Victoria throughout its production from '79 to '91. Although popular at first, sales of the Country Squire and its sister, the Mercury Colony Park, began to decline in favor of the mini van movement of the 1980s. Nonetheless, these old Ford wagons went out in style, staying true to form. Like the wagons in their 1970s hey day, the Country Squire featured many of the noteworthy features of a traditional American wagon. You could get your wagon decked out with a third row jump seat, dual hinged doors (allowing the tailgate to drop down or swing out), and wood paneling. 

Sadly, when the Crown Victoria was updated in 1992, and became its own model, the wagon was dropped altogether, along with the Mercury Colony Park. While not the same as seeing a decommissioned Crown Vic Police Car from this era, these old wagons remain a symbol of the last of the classic American station wagon. We may never see wood panels or jump seats ever again, but these old family haulers will remain a reminder of an era gone past. 

Above: The Ford in Focus

Seeing this wagon was certainly a cool sight. Because these Crown Vics were so popular for fleet vehicle use, those decommissioned vehicles tend to be more common than the regular civilian vehicles. That makes seeing this wagon all the more cooler, as you never see these, more so in this great of shape. I hope whoever owns this wagon continues to preserve it, as it is truly a driving time capsule of the 1980s and the last of the classic station wagons.