As your resident CC Volvo guy, I have to chime in every now and then on these Swedish boxes. We have already done the early and mid-cycle 240s on CC (here, here and here), but I had to share this circa-1986 DL sedan due to its striking color: Smurf Blue, as it was known in my family back in the ’80s.
In 1986, the venerable 240 got a number of cosmetic changes. While the “240” nomenclature had disappeared from the flanks of Volvo’s tried-and-true sedans and wagons in the early ’80s (they were badged DL, GL or Turbo), it reappeared for ’86, in rather plain 240DL and ritzier 240GL forms.
The 240 Turbo was gone, as the 740 Turbo, introduced in 1985, replaced it. That left DL and GL sedans and wagons, all equipped with the 2.3L “redblock” inline four, now providing 114-hp @ 5400 rpm and 136 lb-ft of torque @ 2750 rpm.
While the exterior got new black rocker cladding, flush composite headlights, “aero” wheel covers and a new grille, the interior was about the same as 1985. DLs got cloth seats (vinyl upholstery was standard in wagons), while GLs received standard velour and optional leather.
Ah, but what about the color? I don’t know what the official factory name for this color was (probably “Medium Blue,” those Swedes are so sensible) but our family always called them Smurf Blue. The color appeared on 240s sometime in the early ’80s and continued as an available color up to 1989 or ’90, as I recall.
It was not a rare color, but it wasn’t exactly common either. I remember us kids going “Look Mom, a Smurf Blue Volvo!” when we’d be driving to the store or swimming lessons. It was kind of an in-joke in the Klockau household.
I noticed this one just a couple of weeks ago; although there are still quite a few 240s around here, they are no way near as numerous as I suspect them to be in Eugene. I hadn’t seen one in this color in a long, long time, so I had to stop for a few pictures, despite sub-twenty-degree weather and high winds. This one looks rather well-kept, too. One backup-light lens and one wheel cover, and it would be good to go. Drive safe, little Volvo, and be well!
That shade of blue seemed to be very popular with Volvo drivers, new and old – my ’91 740 is almost that same color, as is my mechanic’s ’90 240 DL.
Now that’s a car! His 240 has well over 400k miles on it and he has no intention of parting with it. It even has the original transmission and wiring harness! (it’s an auto)
Anecdotally, it seems that every surviving 240 in my area is this color, which was never a favorite of mine. A neighbor used to have a wagon version – this color.
I had a 1980 Volvo DL 2-door in the medium blue color, but it wasn’t as intense as “Smurf Blue.” IIRC, the color was intensified starting with the 1985 model year (the same year some Canadian-built cars with the earlier 5 mph aluminum bumpers made their way into the U.S.). Mine had the dark blue “terry cloth” interior. Who knew that I’d only have one other car with a blue interior afterward; then all the rest would be boring gray or tan on the inside?
I’d characterize my Volvo’s exterior color as more of a Wedgwood blue; I really liked it and it was quite common.
I never thought I’d miss army-green interiors. Today’s “50 shades of gray” leave a lot to be desired.
It really is a Wedgwood blue; but as an 8- to 10-year old at the time, I knew nothing about Wedgwood china or Jasperware!
You can’t fool me. That’s a Volare’
Good one! But I called mine the Swedish Checker.
Still see the odd one about in the UK,they were a great favourite with caravan owners.My neighbour had a hearing aid beige one that lasted for years.
One of my friends used to drive an ’89 DL wagon with blue vinyl seats in this same “smurf blue”. It was the family hand-me-down with every driver leaving their mark in the form of college window decal. It finally died at nearly 300,000 miles last summer.
I like the “smurf” blue. I had a light beige ’88 240DL wagon that I sold awhile back. That beige is a color that I really miss and think would actually look better on some modern cars. I miss brown too. I think I can speak for many here at CC that the whites, silvers, and blues that are now everywhere on the road are getting very played-out and boring.
Just saw a really-close-to-smurf-blue Dodge Dart on the dealer’s lot tonight.
Bet it didn’t have a blue interior.
Charming cars and so Swedish. I loved how much room there was around the 4-cylinder engines.
The evolution of the headlights on the 240 was interesting to me. The single and double round sealed beams looked ungainly for the most part. The big blob composite ones like on the feature car were only slightly better.
The Goldilocks years on the 240 (and 740) were those with the four square sealed beams. Like the fifth photo down. Just worked so well with those sheer faces.
Volvo fans in the US tended (I think the trend has stopped) to swap over to the composite Euro lights and in Europe the four square lamps are more sought after.
Here’s my old 240:
I owned it for five years and put quite a few miles on it. My friend has it now, and it’s up to 287k.
And here’s both wagons after an autocross this past summer. The hubcaps were off for the autocross.
That pic wins at least a few Internets.
One of my mother’s lady friends had an 82-83 Volvo 240 GL sedan in a light metallic blue diesel. It ran great for years until one day it didn’t and that was it.
Here is a picture of a Volvo 245 coupe that a local gentleman in Charlotte, NC converted with a 302 Ford V8. He is an engineer from Siemens and really did a nice job on the setup.
Of course during most of the 1980s and 1990s (and even a little bit today), Volvo wagons were the chic ride for upper middle class women in many suburban areas.
The teal blue Volvo! Tom Robbins makes a passing reference to blue Volvos in his book, Jitterbug Perfume. I recall that one of the characters speculated that Volvos had a reputation for safety due to special upholstery that sucked the toxins out of your body. And I thought it was the crumple zones…
Love these 240s. To me, they seemed like the Western Lada: unchanged for decades, tough as nails, not refined, and far from speedy or precise to drive, but always gave the feeling they’d get you home no matter the conditions.
I’ve never owned one (though I had two 740 Turbo wagons), but drove lots of them. In hindsight, their reputation for safety was sort of ironic, given that they cornered on their doorhandles and felt like their tires were greased with margarine.
Ah, but they’re pretty easy to control, especially in the snow. Unfortunately, my Caprice Estate is still quicker than my old 240, and that’s really saying something.
From my (mercifully) brief period of 240 ownership, I think the GL/DL was used to specify auto or manual transmission.
BajaBusta has a great old Volvo ad up today.
How did Swedish cars gain such an enduring reputation for doing well in snow, considering their RWD layouts?
Tall, skinny tires. Good weight distribution. With a set of snow tires, mine was beautiful in the snow. Then again, I’ve always preferred RWD in the snow.
I think that most of the people who don’t think well of rwd in slick conditions have been influenced by people who drove 1960s Mustangs and 1968-72 GM A bodies (and to a lesser extent, the 73-77 A bodies). So, with as many Mustangs, Cutlasses and Monte Carlos out there, no wonder rwd has a bad rep. After my mom replaced her 64 Cutlass with the 72 Cutlass, we got a teeny early snow. She had not put snow tires on yet, and she came home from a hair appointment one Saturday almost traumatized by getting stuck 3 times on the way home. This had never happened with the 64. The 74 LeMans was not much better. On the other hand, my 67 Galaxie, my 63 Cadillac and my C body Mopars were all pretty good in the snow.
A well balanced rwd car does pretty well, with proper tires. In my experienced, most full sizers of the 1960s and 70s were not bad at all. The best snow vehicle I ever had was my 94 Club Wagon with ABS and the Traction Lok axle. I have always liked the way with rwd that you can steer the rear with a little goose of the throttle if the front of the car is not coming around fast enough in a turn. All fwd does is mash a whole lot of weight over the front tires, which soon become overwhelmed if asked to do any turning in addition to acceleration or braking.
Why is it that Volvos of this vintage always seem to have a busted backup light? I’ve been wondering about this for probably 20 years now.
I love the smurf blue- but (as with all the non-metallic 240 colors) I think it suited the 85 and earlier models better with the steel wheels and square headlamps. I think the 86+ looks better in the dark metallics.
I’m all sad now…
Violet was my first car. ’89 240DL sedan, identical to this one but with the later hubcaps, rear headrests, and a Panasonic tape deck that was somewhat more modern. Took me from 195k to 210k before everything went bad at once… in the car, and in my life.
She sat for two years before I had to move and had to sell her in the process. Needing a timing belt and with the rear window shattered, but with a rot-free body, she awaits her rebirth as a serious LeMons contender.
(Here she is making a friend in the parking lot outside the ’10 CT LeMons race. There’s tradition in this.)
I couldn’t fight off the bug, though… I had a 740 Turbo and an 850, but I traded that 850 for another 240 sedan… Serenity’s newer, and a manual, but otherwise similar, and at this point, I’m not sure I’d trade her for the world.
Chris: DLs were either manual or automatic; I suspect GLs had to be special-ordered with manuals, as I’ve never seen one. Tom’s got it right… GL meant nicer upholstery, sunroof, ugly 14″ ‘Corona’ alloys.
FromaBuick6: They fall off, particularly from wagons. Oddly, that, and the also-near-legendary glove compartment that won’t stay closed, are two problems I’ve never had. The turn signal lens flew off of my aftermarket taillight, though… alas.
GLs also added a tach (thru model year ’89), upgraded door trim panels, and pinstripes. At some point, the GLs also gained headrest cushions. When rear headrests became standard in ’89, the GLs also got cushions/covers for them.
I believe the manual transmission stopped for the GL sometime between 86-88.
GL was discontinued after 1989. It rejoined the lineup for a single model year in 1992, but with less standard equipment.