By Glenn Goodspeed (March, 1997)
Of the several workshop manuals I have for the Volvo P1800, the Haynes manual is by far the best. The green cover describes it as an Owners Workshop Manual for the Volvo 120 & 130 Series Plus 1800 Sports, 1961 thru 1973, 108.5 cu in (1.8 liter) and 121 cu in (2.0 liter). There is a ghosted picture of a Volvo 122 on the front.
I like the Haynes manual so well, I bought a backup copy. My first copy stays out in the garage. It's the one I work with. Many pages are covered with grease, and many are no longer attached to the binding, but they are all there in proper order. The backup copy stays in a bookcase in the house, where I consult it whenever I'm planning a project.
The Haynes manual is copyrighted 1976, which is about the time many Volvo owners were getting desperate for a comprehensive workshop guide that was reasonably priced.
What I like about this book is the depth of the descriptions of procedures, parts and assemblies. Numerous photos and diagrams have helped me put things back together when I couldn't remember how I had taken them apart, and the index makes it easy to find things quickly. In particular, I find the "general descriptions" very valuable not only for understanding the Volvo, but for understanding cars in general.
An excellent example of this is in the beginning of Chapter 4, where there is a whole page describing the operation of the ignition system. Once you understand this, you can figure out problems and test procedures quickly and easily.
The depth of the information is accompanied by a broad scope. For instance, the Haynes manual is the only one that includes the procedures for rebuilding the rear axle. Granted, this is not a job for the fainthearted, but there are a few of us who will tackle anything if we have the tools, and knowledge is one of those tools.
Since the Haynes manual is written in British English, the novice American Volvo mechanic might be mystified occasionally by the wording, but the context usually reveals the meaning. In the unlikely event that there really is a language barrier, there is a glossary of British terms with their American equivalents at the front of the book.
Of course, no one is perfect, and the Haynes book has a few problems. The diagram of the electrical system is difficult to use, because the components are numbered, and you have to turn the page to view the key. I resorted to writing in the names of components on the diagram until I found a copy of Mitchell's Wiring Diagrams for Imported Cars at the public library. The Mitchell wiring guide is the best I've seen, with the names of components written on the diagram and even the colors of the wires noted.
Near the front of the Haynes manual, there is a discussion about buying tools, where the author recommends buying a set of "millimetric A/F spanners," meaning metric wrenches. Of course, almost all of the nuts and bolts on the P1800 are SAE, not metric.
Apart from the few minor blemishes, the Haynes manual is the most comprehensive workshop guide for P1800 and 120 series Volvos. It is better for the novice than even the official Volvo manual, which is aimed at the experienced mechanic. The Haynes manual may still be purchased new at imported car parts shops and from IPD for about $16.