When you think of collectible sports and GT cars from the 1960s, a number of British, German, Italian and even French marques may come to mind. But a Swedish Volvo? Sure, we remember the P1800 sports car, yet Volvo made a rally car suitable for the street as well, the largely forgotten 123GT. The Volvo 120 series (120, 121, 122) that birthed the 123GT was a staple of rallies and touring car races from the late 1950s through the 1960s. In 1963 alone, race-prepped 122s racked up class wins at the 6- and 12-hour races at Nűrburgring, a class victory in the 6 hours at Brands Hatch, and a first place in the European Rally Championship, among many others. The following season saw an overall victory earned in the Shell 4000 Rally in Canada, and 1965 brought a first place in the Shell 4000, the RAC European Touring Car Championship, the World Championship for Manufacturers, the Acropolis Rally and the Syd Rally in Sweden. Not a bad showing for a car known mostly for safety, economy and practicality. Introduced as a 1967 model, the 123GT was an evolution of the 122, with a host of factory-supplied go-fast parts. Despite Volvo's promise to the FIA of production of at least 5,000 units-the car carries Recognition Number 5152-the best guess is that only about 1,500 123GTs were made over the two years of production, and given a low survival rate, the car is fairly rare today. A press release from Volvo announced many of the new model's features: "This car has been adapted for hard and sporting driving since it is fitted with more robust shock absorbers and braced tread tyres. Furthermore, there is a brake booster and windscreen wiper blades of the high speed type." A bit more important than those wiper blades was its motor, a Volvo B18B unit lifted directly from the P1800, producing 115 hp at 6,000 rpm. All 123s were equipped with a four-speed transmission with an electronically controlled Laycock de Normanville M-41 type D overdrive unit. The 123GT was fitted from the factory with fog and driving lights-7-inch, pie-plate-sized Hella quartz iodine units complete with protective covers. The cooling system was sealed, a first for Volvo. Other features include twin SU carbs, front disc brakes, Pirelli Cinturato tires, chrome trim rings, special badging, and a chrome tailpipe extension. Inside, the 123GT was fitted with a special three-spoke steering wheel and a soup-can style, stand-alone tachometer, mounted above the dash pad. The dash itself was specially modified for the 123GT with a small shelf. The front bucket seats are fully reclining units built by Recaro. I purchased my 123GT in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, in October 2000. Canadian-built, it had spent its entire life north of the border. A factory in Halifax, Nova Scotia, assembled 122s (known there as Volvo "Canadians"), and the 123GTs built there appear to have been shipped from Sweden CKD or "completely knocked down." Owning a 123GT is nothing short of a blast. I drove mine cross-country to get it home to Virginia, a process that turned into a two-year affair-after each leg of the trip, from one friend's house to another's, I would park it or rent a storage space and fly home. Admittedly, the gutsy little car will never win a drag race, as an entry-level Kia will out-accelerate it. But its nimble nature made me turn off the Interstates to look for winding two-lane roads, the first time I have ever felt compelled to take the "Blue Highways" of my parents' generation. My car is close to bone-stock, with the major modification being a one-inch lowering suspension kit supplied by Volvo tuner IPD. As the 123GT shares its body and most mechanical parts with the 122, replacement parts are easy to find and reasonably priced. Volvo still carries a surprising number of trim items, as well as most maintenance parts. Everything else I have needed has been available from specialist sources like Swedishtreasures.com. Unfortunately, after its extended cross-country journey, my car was left for a checkup in a shop that caught fire. While mine was not among those toasted, the fire department did use the 123GT as a platform to put out the fire, resulting in dents and scratches in the hood, roof and trunk, where the firefighters stood, hoses in hand. After detailing removed the smoke damage, both the insurance adjuster and I were quite surprised when the damage total was quoted at a very reasonable figure of just over $2,000, including replacing lots of stainless steel trim and a rear window. (Imagine the equivalent bill for a '60s Ferrari.) I removed many of the dents myself by popping them out from the inside, as the heavy grade of sheet metal is forgiving. As usual, rust is the key thing potential buyers should watch for. I have seen corroded 123GTs suitable only as parts cars offered for less than $1,000. Well-restored examples generally trade in the $12,000 to $14,000 range. Interestingly enough, one trait the 123GT shares with Shelby Mustangs, Hemi Mopars and Bugattis of all eras is its propensity to be cloned. Since the car shares so many parts with other Volvos, making a clone is relatively easy. However, 123GTs can be identified by their type number: 133351 or 133352. Clones aren't bad cars; just don't pay true GT money for one. Owning a true GT car from the '60s is something everyone should experience, if not for the image or the feel then just for the fun. Owning a limited-production model for less than the price of a tune-up on a new exotic, well, that's the whole point of an "affordable classic," isn't it?Owning a true GT car from the '60s is something everyone should experience, if not for the image or the feel then just for the fun