What is there to dislike about the Swedish bricks? A square Volvo can be the quintessential first car, daily car, race car, drift car, off-road car, and just about anything else your Forza-fueled brain can muster. Some say that once you Volvo, you can’t go back. The addiction to the blue and yellow flag is so strong, you swear allegiance to your local Ikea and only consume surströmming.

Matthew is that kind of guy. Maybe not as crazy, but you get the idea yeah? His first car was a 1991 Volvo 740 Sedan, an automatic, $200 project car that he was kind enough to save from the grasp of his local pick and pull.

“I instantly fell in love with Volvos for 3 simple reasons: they’re fun, reliable, and safe. It’s the best mix you could ask for, ” he told me.

So naturally, he wanted more. A 1993 Volvo 940 Turbo later joined the fleet and the addiction grew stronger.

“The sound of a Volvo red-block is one sound I will always love. Whether it’s NA or turbo, Volvos just go and refuse not to. They take any beating you give to them, and when it’s time to fix it, parts are very cheap and easy to replace.”

Even the potential his 1996 Honda Civic housed could not drive him away from the allure of the brick, something that might get him kicked out of the house of some JDM fans.

“I would always think about how I wanted another Volvo. I’d see them driving around and just drool for a second, wishing it was me again. It’s a hard thing to explain but the best way to understand is to go buy one. You won’t be disappointed.”

He didn’t buy another one, but he did RECEIVE another one. Someone who knew of Matthew’s kärlek (that’s love or passion in Swedish) for Volvos and reached out offering to trade a 1979 Volvo 245 DL for his Civic. The best part about the whole situation was that the trader didn’t actually have the car yet; he was trading his car for the Volvo so he could trade the Volvo for Matthew’s Civic. A trade triangle, if you will.

The car even came with a few free goodies in the form of black widows, cobwebs, and contaminated paint! Three signs of a well taken care of a car that was very well taken care of. It did, however, have a B230F engine swap from a 1986 Volvo 240 along with a 5-speed M47 transmission so that hopefully made up for the spiders.

Now under new ownership, the 245 received a replaced ignition and cooling system, a timing belt, front engine reseal along with a list of mods: Kaplhenke Racing coil overs, Koni shocks, Eibach springs, a Kaplhenke Racing angle kit, ipd sway bars and adjustable end links, ipd adjustable torque rods, ipd adjustable Panhard bar, PBBrakes 4-pot floating rotor big brake kit up front, and stainless braided lines from front to rear to round it off. All of that pushes 114 hp through a straight pipe and a DC Sports Muffler.

While all this was going on, the quest for the original owner began. Many Facebook Groups and forums later, he accomplished what many of us enthusiasts are unable to. The story goes that the original owner, also a Sacramento resident, had similar intentions of turning it into a drift beast but when life got in the way and he had to move to North Dakota, he was forced to sell it. That person then used it as a daily for a few years before offering it as a trade to Matthew’s friend.

Future plans! Matthew wants to paint match the front end, which yeah that makes sense. A rooftop tent or rack/box is also in the works along with more go fast bits that may or may not include turbo parts from a 90s 740/940, a new camshaft from ipd fairly soon, or hell, maybe even a Lexus 1UZ swap if things get really crazy. Even in its relatively stock-looking form, it still gets the attention it deserves on the street.

“From younger kids to older men and women, everyone seems to love this car. From simple waves on the highway to full blown conversations in random parking lots with complete strangers who just so happen to love the car as much as I do. It’s not common that people know what car this is, so a lot of times it’s a compliment mixed in with the question of ‘what is that thing?’, but nonetheless, it’s always nice to hear what people have to say about it.”

Cheers to Matthew for bringing this beast out and sharing it with the world! I love shaggin’ wagons and if they’re a Volvo brick, that just makes them better in my eyes. Hej då!