Olav Kvipt's 1967 Volvo Amazon
1967 Volvo 122 Amazon restyled by Kjetil and Olav Kvipt of Fyresdal, Telemark, Norway. The car was brought to Norway on April 19th, 1967. It was sold to entrepreneur Johan Hvarnes of Hedrum, Larvik, Norway. It was painted Ice-Blue, sported a B18 engine, and was equipped with a black upholstery. Johan used it as his workcar until he sold it to his brother Julius Hvarnes on June 20th 1977. Julis also worked in the entrepreneur company, and the car was still in work use. His son, Torger Hvarnes bought it on march 29th, 1989. He worked for entrepreneur company Håkon Skuggedal in Larvik. Torger remembers they used the car on hunting trips, and stuffed the back with their catch. The car received newer license plates in 1990, with the number LS-24245. The car was de-licensed in 1995, and sold to Ken Håvard Reinskås of Larvik the same year. It was sold to Kjell Andre Ringdal of Larvik in 1996, and then later to Per-Eivind Lia of Skien. When he went to pick up the car, it barely ran home. Per Eivind replaced the rusted out front clip, except the door. The front doors were also replaced, and the innerfenders were replace along with parts of the floor. He installed a healthy B20 engine, and a new windshield. He owned the car until december 2000, when Kjetil Kvipt of Sandefjord bought it.
Kjetil used it as his daily driver, this winter, but he also restyled the car, piece by piece. In the evening when he finished work, his spare time went into customzing and fixing up the old Volvo. One night, he could as an example french a headlight, primer it, and drive away. Next day he would do the other headlight and so on. The parking lights were also replaced with a set of frenched 1959 Cadillac taillight units. He also frenched the grille, making it appear a tad smaller and smoother. The hood had its corners rounded, and the door handles were shaved. The rear reflexes were removed, and the taillights were stretched at the bottom, so it would match the slope of the D-pillar. The side trim were also removed, along with the rear bumper guards. Once he was finished with the bodywork, he primered the whole car white, and added a set of green scallops on the sides. A little while later, he painted it flat black and applied seaweed flames over the entire body. It rolled on a set of early Volvo 121 rims, painted red and trimmed with painted white sides. The interior was rendered as well, he stretched white vinyl over the original ones and painted black vertical stripes on them to illustrate tuck & roll. He used the car for daily basis, both summer and winter until 2004. It stood parked in his garage a couple of years, then brought out again for use. It stood outside his garage for two seasons. Olav Kvipt bought it in the autumn of 2010 for 15000kr.
After a long life in hard duty, it was time to get the car back into shape. Kjetil and Olav tore the whole car apart, hunting for rust. When all the rustwork was done, it was time for some custom work. The plan was to convert it to a 2-door Nomad, by using components from a 2-door sedan. Door and B-pillars were bought from Oddvar Lauvstad in Seljord. The B-pillars were cut of a woodwreck that had no bright future in becomming a car again. The C-pillar on the wagon was pushed forward and used as the B-pillar instead, so the post on the doors were slanted to match the pillars. Kjetil frenched the headlights by welding the stock rims on to the fenders, and adding a strip of sheetmetal on the inner rings. The door handles were removed again, and the body was nosed and decked. The doors and rear hatch were now electrically operated The license plate was relocated to the center on the rear bumper. Kjetil had bought a right 1956 Dodge bumper guard at a swap meet a few years back, and discovered it fit the contour of the front bumper real good, but at the same time matched the shape of the front real well. A set of 1956 Dodge bumper guards were bought from eBay and installed. In the spring of 2012, Olav was poking around in the woods of Telemark looking for old cars abandoned in the woods. A 1955 Simca Arronde caught his eye, or rather its rear bumper guards, as the were formed almost like the taillights on the Amazon, he cut them off, and they were cut to shape and installed on the Volvo. The orange Cadillac indicators were swapped for a set of clear, and the three colored taillights were replaced with the older red kind, found on the 1955-1962 models. A grille from a 1963 Volvo Amazon was also cut and installed, to achieve an older look to the front. New glass for the sides were cut by Bø Glass, and the windshield was replaced with a brand new one. Stainless bumpers from Harrington Group was installed as well. The nose on the front hood was heightened, so it would match the lines of the fenders when viewed from the sides. The inside was painted white, including steering wheel and knobs, and it was fith with a new black Tuck & roll upholstery. It was fit with a new Pioneer stereo, and the subwoofer was hidden in an old Telrad amp from 1958. The engine was painted gold, and equipped with headers, Misab intake and a Weber 36 carburetor. The dual exhaust was made from thick gauge 1,5" stainless steel. It was also fit with new brakes and a lowering kit. The car was painted white by Tom Jørgen Lund of Lund's Billakkering in Sandefjord, and the top was laced by Kjetil. In the summer, the car is sported on Firestone 5.60-15 tires with old Volvo hubcaps.
On the easter of 2013, it was shown at display at Elmia Custom Motor show in Jönköping, Sweden. Olav and Sondre Kvipt drove the car to the show, with the bias-ply tires stuffed in the rear. Right before entering the hall, the fuel line started leaking. The problem was fixed at LeBeef Kustom Metal Works on the way home to Norway. The car won a Top 20 award, in the custom class.
During the autumn and winter of 2012/2013, Gasoline Magazine had a Volvo contest, where they would pick out the nicest "Volvo Custom". Olav's Amazon climbed to the top and won the contest.
Magazine Features
Bilsport Nr 19 2001
Gasoline Magazine Oktober 2012
Gasoline Magazine April 2013
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