Volvo Amazon Type Information

The Volvo Amazon was series produced for 15 years in 14 model years in three different bodies and in several different editions. In order to be able to distinguish these, and their combinations, from eachother Volvo used type designations. To understand the structure of the type designations on these cars it helps to first look at the different bodies and editions plus the combinations in which these were manufactured.

Sections: Bodies Editions Type designations Type designations 1957-1960 Type designations 1961-1970 Other designations Other information S-codes

Bodies

The Volvo Amazon was manufactured in three different bodies. From the beginning only as four door sedan, which is called P 120 (sometimes also P 1200, but then only for the very first model years). From model year 1962 also as two door sedan (or coupe), which is called P 130, and the Estate (or Station Wagon), which is called P 220.

Editions

The Volvo Amazon is available in four different editions: the standard edition Volvo Amazon Favorit, the special editions 121 and 221, the sports edition 122 S and the top of the line model 123 GT. There were also a few thousand cars (all 122 S) that left Jannesson's famous Smitty in Rally Sport or R edition for the competition scene - please refer to the power train section for more information on these cars from Volvo Competition Service. Volvo Amazon and Volvo Amazon Sport early change names to Volvo 121 and Volvo 122 S respectively due to trade mark infringement with Kreidler, but these name changes takes place at different times on different markets (Volvo was even allowed to continue to use the name Amazon on some markets). In addition, there are a number of other special models, including police and other authority vehicles (see the section on S-codes further down on this page). If the order volumes were big enough Volvo would equip special editions at a separate production line. With a self-supporting construction, the Volvo Amazon was not available as delivery chassis and certain kinds of special editions (for instance funeral cars) were therefore completed outside Volvo after being sold. As a side note here, the Volvo Amazon was rarely used as taxi as it was considered to be too small on most markets.

One edition, for instance 121, can have more than one body and - the other way round - one body, for instance P 130, can have several editions. Normally, the edition is used to designate a particular Volvo model. Volvo 122 S or Volvo 123 GT is referred to more often than Volvo P 130. This is apparently difficult for many, including Volvo...

* The Volvo 221 is a P 220 body in 121 edition and was only badged 221 this model year.

As a combined denomination for these combinations Volvo has consistently (well...) used the 120-series. But not all combinations were sold on all markets. The Volvo 121, for instance, was not sold in the USA and Canada as the output in the A engine of the 121 was considered to be too weak. The Volvo Amazon Favorit was also sold only on a limited number of markets. Also time matters as some combinations, for instance P 130 in 122 S edition, were first sold only on some markets to later become available on several.

Type Designations

Volvo changed the type designations on the Amazon between the model years 1960 and 1961. For model years 1957 to 1960, therefore, there is a different interpretation than for the following model years. It should be added that it wasn't until the mid 1960s that Volvo managed to both structure their model years and to consistently use this structure. It might therefore be a good idea to also look at the list with the differences between the model years. Up to approximately 1964 half model years were common, where for instance model year 1962 was followed by model year 1962/1963 which in turn was followed by model year 1963 and so on. Not rarely, authorities like the National Road Administration (NRA) have registered the car on the first model year, which simply is not always correct. On a side note, it seems logical that when the NRA registers were computerized in the early 1970s the model year field in the computer database contained four digits and hence the registrar had to choose. During the first years of production many details were changed at a certain chassis number rather than between two model years. The type information of the car can be found on the plate next to the fuse box in the engine room (see picture further down on this page).

Model year 1957 - 1960:
Since the Volvo PV 444 was designated "110" it felt natural to assign the Volvo Amazon "120". The first model years had type information that was based on these numbers and on the principle of adding more digits and characters as seen necessary. Generally speaking, model year 1957 and model year 1958 up to and including ch.-no. 12082 have type designation P 1200. At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1958 the Volvo Amazon Sport is introduced and for the first time it becomes relevant for Volvo to distinguish it from the standard Volvo Amazon. The type designation for Volvo Amazon Sport is initially stated as P 12105. At the same time the standard car, Volvo Amazon, is assigned the type designation P 12004. The third digit - P 12105 and P 12004 respectively - separates the Sport from the special edition *. The fifth digit - P 12105 and P 12004 respectively - indicate what equipment level the car was delivered from the factory with. The 5 indicates that the car came with windshield washers, mud flaps on all four wheels and front seat belts. The 4 indicates that the car lacks this equipment. In September 1958 Volvo choses to "due to certain special circumstances, especially on our foreign markets" (the settlement with Kreidler) change the type designations which from now on starts with 121 for Volvo Amazon and 122 for Volvo Amazon Sport. This change takes place from ch.-no. 12083 and was continued through all model years. At the same time, the fifth digit 5 is replaced by 6. 8 also occurs as fifth digit which indicate an equipment level deemed appropriate to meet or exceed the demands and expectations on the American car market (intended for sale in the USA) with differences in among other things the interior.

Late in the model year 1957 the letters H or V are introduced to indicate whether the car was right hand drive or left hand drive (Right is Höger in Swedish and Left is Vänster). For model year 1958 a model year character B is introduced, although this B is not changed until the 1961 model year... For model year 1959 a U is introduced on cars treated with underseal, an option that the customer up until now had to pay extra for.

* Really the standard edition as this includes most cars sold on most markets (including Sweden but excluding North America). When the Volvo Amazon Favorit is introduced on some markets in 1966 this is labeled as the standard edition, while the regular Volvo 121 suddenly is labeled as the special edition.

Model year 1961 - 1970
From chassis number 54400 for the P 120 and chassis number 1 on the P 130 and P 220, Volvo introduced new type designations for the Amazon. Please note that Volvo changed the layout of the type designation plate after the industrial vacations in 1966 (i.e. from model year 1967). The changes are illustrated by the picture further down on this page. In the table below, the type designation P131341S is used as an example to illustrate how this is decoded into a left hand drive 1969 Volvo 121 in special edition with two door body, B20 A engine and M40 manual transmission produced at the Torslanda plant.

A P after the model year character indicates police edition, for instance P131341SP. Other characters after the model year character also occur, for instance P121341MAR and P221341SV.

Worth mentioning is that when the 122 S is equiped with the B18 B engine in 1968 (some already in 1967), both the 123 GT and the 122 S get 133 as the first three digits in the type information. By the same logic, the P 220 in sports edition get 223 as the first three digits. This is the case also with the B20 B engine in 1969 and 1970. Overdrive is still not available as option on the 122 S, making the 5th digit the distinguishable factor between a 122 S and a 123 GT in the type designation (there are of course more differences, primarily in terms of equipment level).

Other Designations

Volvo sometimes refer to a model using one of the following designations, that doesn't really say much except that it's a car from the 120-series and (most of the time) a specific model year. Mostly, Volvo doesn't bother to state the correct model but has a tendency to stick to P 120 x for all bodies. Further, the same model year character, B, is used for three consequtive model years which somewhat surprisingly is followed by model year character D, and also use the same inconsistent series for the bodies P 130 and P 220 when they are introduced. Not until 1967 do the three bodies get the same model year character but this is also the last model year for the P 120.

* Sometimes seen as P 120 A, but never in contemporary documents.

Other Information

On the model years 1961 through 1970 there are other relevant information to be found in the car than the type designation. Their locations are illustrated in the picture above.

1.2 - Chassis number
The chassis number is a consecutive number assigned to each chassis leaving the production line. For instance 324684. Each body type (P 120, P 130, P 220) has its own series of chassis numbers. Click on the link in the header for more information.

1.3 / 2.2 - Paint code
States the color code used for the paint. For instance 97. Click on the link in the header for more information.

1.4 / 2.3 - Upholstery combination
States color and material of the upholstery in the interior of the car. For instance 430-595. Click on the link in the header for information.

2.4 - S-code (Special model)
The S-code is used to identify what equipment level a unit had upon delivery. Such equipment could be standard on one market, but extra option on others. Examples would include headrests, limited slip differential, special upholstery, etc. and combinations of these. Also police and taxi editions, etc. for different markets as well as special models for launches, shows or certain sales activities. In some cases this equipment was installed by the marketing companies in the sales countries and hence not necessarily factory installed. Volvo's division for Technical Documentation is responsible for these S-codes, but the technical or commercial meaning of the codes are often only known by the orderer of the special model. Volvo state that they only have S-codes from and including the 240-series in their computer systems, and hence owners of the P 120, P 130 and P 220 are refered to eachother in trying to decode them. The chart below is therefore not complete. A sincere thank you to Per Mårtensson for the help with decoding the S-codes for Volvo Amazon in police edition.

In the absence of official documentation the chart above only contains known and verified examples, except where the equipment is stated in italic font - which indicates that a verified example is missing and that the most probable equipment is stated. Any given S-code can therefore exist on more model years and in combination with more type designations than those listed here. Some S-codes were also used on other cars; for instance are 5370 and 5577 also found on the 140-series and the P 1800. Please help by sending in the S-codes on your car together with model year, chassisnumber, color code, upholstery code and type designation.

3 - Type- and chassis number
The type designation and chasis number are stamped into the body of the torpedo wall inside the engine compartment on cars manufactured after week 33 1966, i.e. model year 1967 and on. The combination uniquely identifies the vehicle and is often used for insurance purposes; this is the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The chassis number (alone) also occurs stamped into the body of the torpedo wall on cars manufactured prior to week 33 1966.

4 - Body number
The body number is found stamped on a plate on the inside of the left fender, just in front of the relay for the head lights. The body number is a serial number assigned to each complete body and is generally not the same as the chassis number (which only is assigned to complete cars). Some bodies were removed from the production line due to quality reasons, others were used for tests, research or development.

5 - Engine designation
The engine designation (B18 or B20), part number (for instance 496900) and serial number (for instance 10919) are found on the left side of the engine block, in front of the distributor. The designation and the first four digits of the part number are molded in to the engine block, while the remaining two digits of the part number and the serial number are stamped directly in the engine block. Earlier engines have five molded digits and the remaining ones stamped. The part number is essentially all that is needed to identify the engine. Click on the link in the header for more information.

6 - Gearbox
Type designation (for instance M40G), part number (for instance 254584) and serial number (for instance 319047) can be found on the plate on the gearbox. Click on the link in the header for more information.

Rear axis
The reduction ratio of the rear axis is stated on the plate found on the lower part of the inspection cover (for instance 4.1:1). The plate can also state the number of splines (for instance 41-10). Both occur but not necessarily at the same time. Click on the link in the header for more information.