My Black Brick

Flaf has a sweet set of sketches of sedans, sport coupes and subcompacts in his Flickr stream. Can you find the Volvo?

Here’s a previous post of a 245, and a new image of a p1800.

Earlier this month Jalopnik took reader suggestions for the “Top Slow Cars to Drive Fast“. Our beloved bricks came in 5th. Quote from a Jalopnik reader:

You haven’t lived until you’ve gotten one of these sideways, steering by looking out the side windows as you listen to the rev limiter have an epileptic seizure and the only thing you can smell is tire smoke as your mind reels at the insanity of it all… At 14mph.

Jalopnik this week asked for suggestions for the “Top Car for College” and the Volvo 240 wagon won top honors, beating out the Buick Roadmaster Estate and Ford Crown Vic. From the editors:

You can move entire apartments in this thing, when it breaks down it’s usually capable of being fixed by someone with limited repair skills, and they’re fun at low speeds. And if you have to sleep in a car, it’s one of the most comfortable.

Wired’s Autopia came to the same conclusion last year, but they included 700 and 900 series as well.

I’m in the middle of launching a new blog about drawing and won’t be posting much on this site right now. My car is running great and luckily the only issues I have is with the pigeons in the neighborhood sitting on telephone wires above my car. I’m planning an interactive toy based on my car called “The Black Brick Experience” and hope to launch in the fall.

I post t-shirts as “Stripped Nuts” on Zazzle. I’m always drawing and post my images, like the truck above, on Flickr and I recently updated my portfolio at jayboucher.com.

This Ghost Volvo 240 was posted on “Scratch Made Cars” back in 2004 as a work in progress. Johannes Saar has more complete auto renders on his own site, including a sweet Dodge Challenger.

I’m working on an interactive version of the 240 engine compartment and have been combining photos to warp the perspective. I want to show the front of the car while also looking into the engine compartment from above. I collaged this together and am now looking to work on a model in Sketchup with the ultimate goal of animating this in Flash. I’m sure I’ll be able to find models for the chassis but don’t know availability of a b230f render in 3D. I’ll have to check the googles.

Is this a kit that’s available?

This Flickr stream by “Wagonized” features some great ink and watercolor drawings of older cars, including a bunch of 240s and Amazons.

Amazing shot of a moose diving for cover from a loose XC.

Via Jalopnik

I was contacted late last year to do a “Volvo Story” feature for the IPD newsletter “The Brick”. I happily obliged and am excited to see it online today.

The photo used on the site was taken at a chicken farm in NY state, before I installed sport springs. I may go back this month so I should take another shot to compare.