1992 Volvo 940 SE 2.0L Turbo Wentworth
(Featured on 5th July 2013)
Make: Volvo
Model: 940 Turbo Wentworth
Year: 1992
Mileage: 63,431
Registration: J439 EES
Sellers original description:
The Volvo is a top of the 1992 range SE Wentworth 940 with £5000 of factory extras including nappy changing facility (unused I might add)!
I bought the car from Tomintoul, Scottish Highlands from Iain Birnie, an elderly classic car enthusiast who had bought it from a good friend of his some years before. Iain told me the original owner, Mr John Mitchell from Alness, Inverness, treated it like a Ferrari. He spent £5000 on factory extras & never once took it out in the rain. The condition testifies to this. During Iain's time with the car, it would only be taken out for a little runs on dry days & the average yearly mileage increase was always under 1000 miles. For the last 2 years before my ownership, it was only stored in a heated double garage & waxed/polished & run up to temperature regularly; can provide pictures next to his beloved XJ-S.
The Volvo has covered 63,431 genuine miles although from the condition of it, it rather looks like it has covered only 6000 miles. According to the original service book it had covered 50,000 miles in the first 4 years of the car's life. Then it was pretty much preserved like new & covered 13,000 miles only in the past 17 years. The previous few odometer readings state;
Current ~ 63,431
26/08/10 ~ 62,762
16/09/09 ~ 62,122
09/09/08 ~ 61,094
During my time with the Volvo I have kept it in dry secure storage & have covered a total of under 2000 miles in the car, driving very carefully & only on dry days. It has been recently valeted & the valeter remarked that he has never come across such an old car in this condition. It really is remarkable to have been preserved so well.
The future for this car:
I truly hope the car is taken out of commision now & finds it's way into an expensive car collection or car museum as this is where I feel it deserves to be. The drive is quite magnificent, everything works as it should. The car has incredible torque the overdrive 5th gear is really a joy to use & I am not overstating it saying it drives smoother & tigher than most new cars.
The Factory Extras:
The original owner of the car kept a file of all the factory extras added to the Volvo which I was passed along with the rest of the history. In the folder there is the original authentic Goteborg Volvo factory installation instructions for every extra.
These include;
Rear Spoiler (lower)
Side Skirting
Lower Front Spoiler
Chassis Kit (Front ~ including uprated shocks stabilisers & springs)
Chassis Kit (Rear ~ as above)
Stabiliser for fixed rear axle (uprated)
Spoiler (rear upper)
Snow Cap (bonnet)
Hat Shelf Cover for Center Brake Light
Sun Curtain
Rear Door Sun Blind (x2)
Rear Trim Panel (full rear lighting panel, see photos of Volvo rear)
Rocker Panel (Door Sill)Trim Strip
Inner Wind Deflector (for inside with window open)
Wind Deflector for Doors
Wind Deflector for Rear Doors
Digital Ambient Temperature Gauge
Full VolvoTowbar with Electrics
There is also another folder with all original styling options with all the original brochure pages individually entered into this folder including all Interior options, Wheel options & basically all information is in there one could wish to know about the 940 Wentworth SE Turbo. A car when reading through was far ahead of it's time in terms of Safety & practicality not to mention looks to die for!!
Mr John Mitchell also decided on comination of Black leather upholstery & metallic silver which to my mind is perhaps the most striking & suited combination of the options.
Finally he chose the Polaris 7x17" alloy wheels & which were singulary the largest wheels available & able to take the 215/45ZR17 Marshall tyres the car was & is currently shod with. (including the spare ~ see photo)
All in all it seemed that Mr John Mitchell had fallen in love with the 940 Wentworth design & wanted the best one that money & imagination could afford. I think he managed, I doubt there is another 940 Wentworth any where in the world that will be a patch on J439EES!! Another reason why I would love to see this Volvo go to a car museum or other public collection.
Engine:
immaculate, both in it's running & cosmetically. The engine looks almost brand new, not 21 years old. The Turbo works perfectly, the clutch is light & faultless the gearbox too & changes up or down are seamless. The overdrive or 5th gear (by button on top of manual gear stick) is very useful indeed. The car uses absolutely no oil, there are no bad emissions & there are absolutely no issues whatsoever. The engine purrs whether in the city traffic or the mountains of Scotand. The climbing power is incredible & effortless.
Paintwork & underneath:
Stunning! no rot, the underneath testifies to the fact it has only been used in the dry & always dry heated garage stored. The paintwork is original & in simply beautiful condition, asides from the unavoidable stone chip here and there I would say near mint.
Interior:
Luxuriant, roomy & immaculately presented. The leather work is clean supple & obviously there are no tears or other nasties to speak of! The Saloon is deceptively spacious, inside it is akin to being in a small limousine. The boot is also very spacious & immaculate. With original tool kit, fire extinguisher & spare wheel tidily stowed away in there too.
Electrics (mechanical, lights & interior):
Faultless, all lights heated seats, electric windows, door mirrors, original radio/cassette player, electric ariel, original Volvo alarm & immobiliser perfect. Everything works as new.
Handling, suspension & running gear:
Perfect brakes, suspension & everything else. Firm but luxuriant drive. Rear wheel drive, with factory uprated suspension that can be pleasantly pushed through the corners.
Photos:
