Miss Seattle
Editor’s Note: Gary Ramstad is the President of the local PSVSA chapter and also the Vice President of the national parent club VSA. (Volvo Sports America)
Gary, despite being Norwegian (sorry, Swedish editor) is a die hard Volvo enthusiast who even drives late model Volvos as family cars.
This is his story about “Miss Seattle”
Our 1967 Volvo was purchased in February 1969 from Fox Auto sales in Burien, WA. with only 16,500 miles. This almost new Volvo was used as a workhorse to commute to work; attend college night classes; and bring our two 1971, 1976 new born children home from the local Shoreline Northwest Hospital; then used for family camping vacations; carpools for soccer, football, and baseball games and to pull a 21 foot family sailboat on trailer.
One night it was even stolen and then recovered hours later by the King County police in Shoreline, undamaged. It was discovered later that our Seattle Times newspaper boy stole the car for joy rides with his younger brother, since we had left our keys left in front door of our house, and they used them. The father was a King County policeman.
In 1984 and 15 years later, I started a slow restoration by myself to bring our 1967 122S Volvo back to its original stock condition. This restoration project was never intended for car shows, but just a restoration back to its original stock condition. The next years, with a growing family and lack of money, I worked overtime, cashed out my vacation pay every year to purchase new Volvo discounted parts at the past Bob Byers Ravenna Volvo Annual “Garage Sale” every May. Some major expenses were rebuilding the entire engine, transmission, and repainting the car the original pearl white color; and re-chroming the front, and rear bumpers; replacing front grilles, chrome strips.
This Volvo has been part of our family life for now 50 years (1969-2019) and now driven over 201, 200 miles. It was the first car our daughter, who came home from the hospital in this Volvo, and now 47, learned to drive. Our Volvo has never failed us and always brought us back home. This Volvo is the nearest thing to a family member without a heartbeat after 50 years of ownership. Our restored 1967 122S Volvo is a “Sweetheart” and a survivor.
This Volvo has many memories that I have left as a past reminder of our two young children growing up from LFP Elementary school to Shorecrest High school in Shoreline, WA. It’s now fun driving this restored 1967 122S Volvo each year after the annual winter garage storage.
The Volvo 122S models were great cars, since they were inexpensive, reliable, safe, daily drivers and the transportation for young families. I hope you enjoyed seeing my loved old 1967 122S Volvo.
Thanks, Gary Ramstad.
Text and Photo: Gary Ramstad