Volvo P1800 - Wow!

[Neil4Speed]

Any of you guys familiar with this car? I was just randomly browsing around and came across it, and wow. What a stunner, its like DB5 good looking! Seems like a good candidate as a future collectible.

"966 Volvo 1800S and its owner Irv Gordon of East Patchogue, New York, USA own the Guinness world record for highest mileage in the same vehicle he has been driving since 1966," ... "As of June 2013, the car had reached a little over 2.996.012 million miles, VCNA launched an unprecedented PR campaign valuing the performance (volvocars.3millionreasons.com) and the car surpassed the 3 million miles mark in Alaska in September 2013. [15]"


https://carancestry.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2863674420_ab472574c4_o-1024x586.jpg

http://www.classicargarage.com/common/pictures/mozes/2011/0511/volvo-p1800e-blue-03.JPG

[Sugarphreak]

...

[whydontchathen]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I believe that Jay Leno has one of these that he did a spot on, really neat episode


EDIT: I might be thinking of the Honda S600
http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/plugins/PostviaEmail/images/1965_Honda_S600_Roadster_For_Sale_Front_resize.jpg

Naw, you're right, Jay has a P1800. I wish I'd seen that episode! I used to own one of these, red w/ black leather interior. Great looking car imo.

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by whydontchathen


Naw, you're right, Jay has a P1800. I wish I'd seen that episode! I used to own one of these, red w/ black leather interior. Great looking car imo.

You used to own a P1800? Care to share the story?

[Rat Fink]

.

[whydontchathen]

Here's a great pic website:

Volvo P1800 Picture Gallery (http://volvo1800pictures.com/)

OK, here's my story:

Well the P1800 was my one and only dream car from the first time I ever glimpsed one, Centre St and 16 Ave N, way back in the mid-80s. As I was coming up beside it at the red light, driver’s side, “wow, niiiice car”! And that was before I saw the hood of it, the full profile, the front view. Then I was like, WOWWWWW, WOW WOW WOW, WHAT A NIIIICE CAR!!!

FF to 1990, and I took an extended holiday touring the States to the south of here. It was not in my plans, but I came upon and ad in a Salt Lake City paper at the coffee shop, “P1800, low low low low miles, $2100 (or thereabouts)”. I called it, thinking “well it couldn’t be a red one”. But it was a red one and I was hooked. The seller was motivated in order to pay for his daughter’s wedding and he agreed to deliver it to Calgary (on a flat bed), I don’t remember exact figures but I think all in I paid $2700CAD??

Now this car had been sitting for years and years, the mileage I can’t recall but I think under 40K. You could still see the red paint on the underneath of the car, there was zero rust. That was one of the motivators to buy it. So my holiday came to and end as I returned to Calgary to pay for and await my new dream car.

Now it was old enough to qualify as an antique so I had no problems getting it across the border and registering it in Alberta. Then, to get the car on the road, I came across a backyard mechanic whose name I still remember, and he was supposed to get the car running and ready to drive, and he did, but he did stupid things, like put dents in what was pristine chrome trim, by simply pounding them on with a hammer, dented it all to shit. Anyway, typical screw-up doing a shitty job. I think he just started the engine cold, without pre-lubricating the valves. Dumb.

And so I drove it for a couple of summers, but not a lot. I didn’t finish restoring it, the dash was all rotted out, but the car always drove fine. It was a 1965 model, and didn't even have headrests. It was only 90 or 96HP, and the VIN was five digits long. Volvo made the P1800 from 1961 to I think 1972 or so, and the P1800ES wagon they only made for two or three years, ending in 1973? Now that’s the real collectible, the ES wagon.

Anyway on the web I’ve seen a few websites about P1800’s, there are a lot of P1800 enthusiasts out there and hundreds of P1800’s restored, pics and all. I will search again for the site with all the pics, there were a ton of them, beautiful! If I find the site I’ll come back and post the linkie.

Volvo P1800 Picture Gallery (http://volvo1800pictures.com/)

[whydontchathen]

check this out:

P1800 VIN NUMBER ONE IS STILL ON THE ROAD! (http://www.v1800reg.org/VIN1.htm)

[soloracer]

I have a black P1800ES and people have mistaken it for a Jaguar. Drove it up from California with no trouble.

[90_Shelby]

Killer build thread on a Pro Touring P1800:

http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/64658-PROJECT-CHANGLING-1966-Volvo-P1800-Toyota-Supra-build

It's not complete yet but it should look similar to this:

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll255/Iamtheonlyreal1/volvo/volvoconcept.jpg

Here's a wagon version. This is what the Volvo C30 is modeled after.

http://p1800gt.se/index.html

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmpflswac51qememno1_500.jpg

[01RedDX]

.

[malbadon]

Hmm, soloracer was yours at the European car meet at Stanley last year? If so I drooled all over it while talking to you.

I fell in love with the 1800 a few years ago, it had everything I loved about an old classic car, wasn't a "dime a dozen" car you see everywhere, and they aren't some crazy $50,000 collector car.

I bought mine a year ago and its been sitting neglected ever since waiting to get some nagging electrical issues fixed so I can out of province it. I neglected to realize just how much reno work I had lined up... So now it just torments me every time I go to the garage
:bigpimp:

http://i.imgur.com/8RZcJUM.jpg

[whydontchathen]

Originally posted by malbadon
http://i.imgur.com/8RZcJUM.jpg

wow, nice colour! How many miles? D'you know where it "grew up"? ie: what's the undercarriage/rust situation?

Get it goin' man! I haven't seen a P1800 on the road in many many years :(

[soloracer]

Originally posted by malbadon
Hmm, soloracer was yours at the European car meet at Stanley last year? If so I drooled all over it while talking to you.

I fell in love with the 1800 a few years ago, it had everything I loved about an old classic car, wasn't a "dime a dozen" car you see everywhere, and they aren't some crazy $50,000 collector car.

I bought mine a year ago and its been sitting neglected ever since waiting to get some nagging electrical issues fixed so I can out of province it. I neglected to realize just how much reno work I had lined up... So now it just torments me every time I go to the garage
:bigpimp:

http://i.imgur.com/8RZcJUM.jpg

Nope, not mine but similar. The one at the show is actually dark green - I also thought it was black. It was painted a Lexus color. I too had a good talk with the owner. Your 1800 looks great!

[slinkie]

Some guy in bridgeland has/had a nice red one.

[roopi]

Originally posted by 90_Shelby

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll255/Iamtheonlyreal1/volvo/volvoconcept.jpg

[/B]

:drool:

The roof on that looks ridiculously thin.

[diamondedge]

Originally posted by roopi


:drool:

The roof on that looks ridiculously thin.

It's a render...had me fooled the way the wheels look. This thing is hot.

[sneek]

haha I swear I was telling you about this car. There are a few okay condition ones floating around from a collector in Volcan. There are a bit low on power, but if you were so motivated there is a super charger available for it. These cars are totally under rated though. From what I know the carb'd ones seem to have less issues than the fuel injected models, but I am not certain on that one. :drool: I will get one some day...just need to find the garage space for one first

[malbadon]

it has 112k miles and was last owned by a Volvo dealership owner in Montreal (thus the nice re-paint). Due to its east coast time its a daily driver and I bought it as such. In my head I'll drive it until I get the hankering for a mint copy, and then get that. An actual full restoration is way beyond my skills, rather buy someone elses handiwork :)

However if Volvo ends up building the new Estate concept they showed off a few months ago, the 1800 might be out the door faster, cause the thing is sex on wheels.

http://esd.volvocars.com/site/concept/concept-estate/widetall/widetall-banner.jpg

http://www.volvocars.com/en-ca/all-cars/concept-cars/concept-estate/pages/default.aspx

[soloracer]

No kidding, the concept looks great. Love the seats. If it's also AWD I would consider it. Porsche also had a killer looking estate concept but still have not put it into production.

[malbadon]

Neil if you're still looking it seems a guy I bid against on ebay two years ago has decided he doesn't want his 1800 anymore.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/calgary/1971-volvo-coupe/593215213?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

Was done by a Vancouver seller that seems to do 2 or 3 1800's a year on ebay. Whoever the seller is offered an amount that caused him to end the auction early. Talked to the ebayer and confirmed it sold to someone else in Calgary, then saw it on Crowchild later that summer.
So, no clue why he's re-selling it already.

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by soloracer
Drove it up from California with no trouble.

That's not how I remember the story ;)

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by malbadon
Neil if you're still looking it seems a guy I bid against on ebay two years ago has decided he doesn't want his 1800 anymore.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/calgary/1971-volvo-coupe/593215213?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

Was done by a Vancouver seller that seems to do 2 or 3 1800's a year on ebay. Whoever the seller is offered an amount that caused him to end the auction early. Talked to the ebayer and confirmed it sold to someone else in Calgary, then saw it on Crowchild later that summer.
So, no clue why he's re-selling it already.
thanks fo posting! Very very interesting. Unfotunately not in the maket for a classic right no due to garage space, but thanks for the link.

[soloracer]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2


That's not how I remember the story ;)

Car RAN fine....just had no heat...or wipers....in November..... ;)

[R-Audi]

For sale in Wagon form..

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/calgary/1973-volvo-1800es/603559034?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by soloracer


Car RAN fine....just had no heat...or wipers....in November..... ;)

:nut:

I've always really liked these cars. Would be a fun project that's for sure.