Picture yourself living in Sweden in 1966 and you just bought a 122S. You sit down with your favorite motor magazine and there is Volvo’s press release: They have just released a new model: A Volvo 122 body with the Volvo 1800S sports car drivetrain!
Your 1966 122S is putting out a whopping 75 hp. This new GT car is offering 115 hp ! That’s over a 50% increase in power. I guess you would trade in the 122S in a hurry. At this time, Sweden had no speed limits.
Some folks say that there were only about 1,500 GT cars built, some thinks there were more, some less. This conversation will continue until the world ends or the internet explodes.
Some feel the 1967 GT is the only GT to own as it was so different from the standard 122. In 1968 the 122S had a very similar engine as the 123GT of the same year. (I would venture to say that it is only 1967 GT owners that thinks this way) Also, Volvo made even less 123GT cars for the 1968-70 model years.
There is quite often a conversation among classic Volvo enthusiasts as to what equipment the Volvo Amazon 123GT came with, and what is “correct”. Your editor has attempted to list and visualize the unique equipment starting with the 1967 GT. If you know of anything that is missing or is incorrect, please let me know.
A Swedish built / assembled 1967 Volvo Amazon 123GT for the Swedish market would have the following equipment:
115hp C-cam engine with M41 OD trans, and a 4:56 rear axle ratio. The Swedish built for Swedish market GT did not come with limited slip differential unless it was a special order or dealer installed. The Canadian assembled GT did however come with LSD. More on this car later.
1967 GT Engine with 496860 number. (why this particular engine was painted blue, I don’t know.
“KD” code on carburetor needles and the triangular washers on the carburetors should read AUD 230
Extra bank on passenger side for relays for the fog light, spot light and horn Also, fuse box for and alternator regulator.
The fuse box contained:
1 16 amp fuse for the horn
2ea 8amp fuse for fog and spot
1ea 5 amp fuse for trunk and hood lights
123GT specific wiring harness.
Loud Horns.
Both mounted on the passenger side.
Motorola alternator.
Alternator warning sticker under the hood in English and Swedish.
Transistorized Alternator Regulator
GT numbers on the type code panel
133351M (Left hand drive) 133352M (Right Hand Drive) in the Type code and beginning of the serial number is GT only. The “M” stands for 1967 year model. Note: This string of numbers plus the serial number will also be stamped in the metal above the heater box in the engine compartment. (picture coming)
If this is different, someone has transferred the GT plate only to a regular 122.
The second “3” stands for the engine and the “5” stand for the overdrive. Also, the s-code 5314 confirms GT status. I have seen GT cars with and without the s-code but the 13335 will always be present on a GT car.
Chrome tail pipe extension
Polished aluminum wheel covers held on by the hub cap and Pirelli Cinturato P3 radial tires in 165SR/15 on 4 inch rims. 123GT cars did not come with 4 1/2 inch rims that some folks think. However, the wagon and the P1800 of the same year came with 4 1/2 inch rims.
123GT suspension with springs and shocks from the P-1800 sport model.
Swedish nerd helmet not included!
“High speed windshield wipers”
Note: This has nothing to do with the wiper motor speed, it has to do with the shape of the arm and stronger springs to work better during high speed. I have not confirmed this but I think there were also able to be folded out for cleaning the glass unlike the 122 wipers who just came out a bit.
Fender mounted mirrors with Volvo logo. The forward parts of the base was “pointy”.
Hella 7 inch fog and spot lights. Bumper mounted on special bracket. Some folks tells me the brackets were chrome steel, some tell me they were raw stainless. The ones I have seen were chromed steel.
The spot light was on the drivers side and the fog light on the passenger side. Also, white “shower cap” covers with Volvo logo in blue.
Some other markets got two of the same lights to comply with local laws.
“L” shaped support bracket under the bumper for the Hella light brackets for stability and a longer bolts to accommodate the brackets. The forward bumper bracket was also drilled to attach the “L” bracket.
I think the same set up was used for support on earlier 122 cars with the overrider bar.
Two holes on the bottom left dash for pull out switches to activate the fog lights or spot each. (sorry, I am missing one of the switches and one knob on this picture.)
Swedish text on lights switch, wipers, fan and heat controls. Also, speedometer in kilometer per hour.
Overdrive indicator light, red.
123GT badge on both front fenders and on rear deck lid.
Under hood and trunk lights with mercury switches.
Dash mounted tachometer made by Smith. 1967 had a shiny smooth tach housing and back cover. The front bezel in chrome plastic. VOLVO text on fascia in white. 7000 rpm tach with 6000 red line. Designed for 4 cyl only. Rectangular foot and a steel tube in the dash to prevent collapsing when tightened.
In 1968-up the housing was textured and flat and the front bezel was brushed finish. Part of the new safety rules to avoid reflections from the dash. All Volvo models from 1968 got matte finish on inside trim moldings.
Reclining front seats with hardware made by Recaro.
Tray on dash pad
GT Sport steering wheel. Oh Yeah BABY !
(driving gloves not included)
123GT Supplemental Manual
According to a Volvo press release in 1966 the 1967 GT cars came in three colors:
46 Red
79 Pearl White
94 Dark Green
Also, Volvo released a few cars with some test colors:
Steel Blue Metallic (Stålblå) color code 53-102
Blue Green Metallic (Blågrön) color code 53-91
Steel Blue Metallic (Stålblå) paint code 53-102 Volvo 123GT
53 stands for test color. There are approximately ten cars left of the steel blue color and probably less of the blue green.
What?? This is the end?
I actually got all 1967 Volvo 123GT equipment listed?
I hope so. If you can think of any little thing (or big) let me know as I want this list to as complete as possible.
Swedish built GT cars for other markets had a variation of this equipment. For example, the fender mirrors may not have been installed as they were more exposed during shipping etc…Some markets got one mirror and some even got the Talbot style mirror.
Several markets got two fog lights with just one switch on the left side dash board operating both lights. The two holes are still there. This also changed the fuse box arrangement one the passenger side and one of the two 8 amp fuses were then listed as a spare.
123GT cars were also assembled in Halifax, Canada.
Canadian GT cars were also available in more colors like the dark blue above (code 96) and light green.
Type code: 133951M for 1967 models. I think this is the only year GT cars were assembled in Canada.
s-code: 5324 (not always present)
The Canadian assembled GT cars did not come with the Hella lights, loud horns or the fender mirrors but they came with limited slip differential and a 4 way flasher.
Canadian GT 4 way flasher, mounted on the left side kick panel above the hood release.
Canadian built cars also got some mid year changes like collapsible steering but that probably affected the whole P-120 series. Collapsible steering did not show up until 1968 in Sweden.
Also, some cars were assembled in Belgium.
Canadian GT type plate.
5324 is GT, 5145 seems to present on all Canadian GT cars. We think it stands for the limited slip and 4 way flasher.
Did the Swedish Volvo factory actually build GT cars specifically for US export?
We do know that several US customers ordered a 123GT thru the EDP (European Delivery Program) What I have seen so far is they received a 123GT with miles per hour speedometer and English text on the dash knobs. Was that still an actual US export version built by the factory or did they just grab a car in stock with the most fitting equipment? This may explain why some EDP cars arrived with two fog lights as that were the specs for some European markets.
If the factory actually built a GT for US export it should have several US only features and deletions:
One being the obvious: English text on switches and heater and mph speedometer.
High beam flasher on the blinker stalk disabled. All 122 cars had this feature disable for US market. The rectangle relay on the driver side would be missing and the wires taped to the harness below. This is the high beam flasher relay for most markets but not for US. I guess DOT wanted Americans to HONK instead !
The 4th digit in the chassis number should have been a “4”. This stands for export to USA.
It would had sealed beam inserts for the head lights, or shipped without inserts.
Volvo Amazon 122S shipping loops
Shipping hooks on the front and rear bumper brackets. This is from a 122S US model. The loops were for tie-down on the ship. I have never seen these on a 123GT.
License plate holder to fit US plates, front and rear.
The top bracket is for US export cars, the bottom is for domestic Swedish market as they only used two bolts located in the middle of the plate.
Possible white wall tires (heaven forbid!!) This picture is actually from my own 1967 122S US model wagon that was picked up by the owner in Sweden on the EDP program. Picture was taken when it was just a few weeks old. 1967 122S US market cars shipped with white walls.
Having said all this, I personally don’t think the factory specifically made a GT for US market.
There is another way a dealer at the time ended up with a 123GT. They did a EDP import themselves. If I were a Volvo dealer at the time I would love to have this Swedish racer on the showroom floor.
We did this when I worked for a Volvo dealer in the eighties. We could never get enough 245 DL wagons. Volvo kept shipping us lovely V6 powered green metallic 760GLE and they moved as fast as a turtle with broken legs.
I would go over to Sweden and see my parents and pick up a silver metallic DL wagon and I put less than 1000 miles on it. The car was usually sold before I came home.
That’s all I have to say about that!