I can remember a few years ago when Irv Gordon’s (God rest his soul) Volvo P1800S became a household name in vehicles racking up huge miles. The retired science teacher hit 3 million miles on his beloved car in 2013, and after he passed away, Volvo placed it in its USA Heritage Collection. That left an impression on me, as this seemed like a classic car that could actually go the distance with regular maintenance and oil changes. The seller of this 1967 Volvo P1800S listed here on eBay acknowledges he will not have the time to restore it, so it’s up for sale with bids sitting at $3,700 and the reserve not met.
While many of us know about the P1800S, it’s easy to forget about its significance on the automotive landscape, especially for Volvo as a company. While the Swedish manufacturer had more or less been known for producing reliable, sturdy cars, a sports model wasn’t anything the general public was expecting. The P1800S began as a joint project with Jensen, produced within their own facilities, before production moved to Sweden and Volvo assumed full responsibility for the project. The P1800S offered striking styling, rear-wheel drive, and a torquey (if somewhat tractor-like) engine under the hood. Take note of the original hubcaps and mudflaps still present on this example.
The P1800S got a major shot in the arm visibility-wise when it became an on-screen star in The Saint, starring Roger Moore. Sadly, I don’t think anything in Volvo’s lineup these days will get much of a role beyond being a car parked on the street in the background. The seller’s P1800S certainly looks like an unrestored specimen in surprisingly clean condition. He mentions that the bodywork is near perfect, and from the grainy photo, you may be able to say the same thing about the interior. All in all, it looks like a terrific example to restore mechanically and drive.
The seller did begin the mechanical restoration, noting he “…replaced the carbs with professionally rebuilt carbs ($500), boiled out the fuel tank, replaced fuel pump, clutch master and slave cylinder, plugs and points.” When the car fired up, the B18B inline-four supposedly sounded healthy, with 115 b.h.p. on tap for the next owner to enjoy. The air conditioning even blew cold! That’s remarkable in my eyes. While the photos leave a lot to be desired, the a clean P1800S is always worth a closer look, especially from a seller who seems to know what he’s talking about.
Got some history with these cars and it was a lot of fun. After 24 years we lost our friend who had a Volvo shop as well as a 1800ES race car we helped build. His street 1800 put out an easy 168 hp and the race car was at 229 hp at the rear wheels on the dyno. If you want to be seen these cars fill the bill.
Like the car! Don’t like the color. No rust in any of the ‘Pictures’. Gauges are there, expensive. 4 speed? I’m in. cript: I have owned many P1800’s and this was going to be my last one but age has caught up with me and I can’t finish it. This P1800 is complete with nothing missing. It has 4 speed manual with electric overdrive. The body is near perfect with all good glass. I replaced the carbs with professionally rebuilt carbs ($500), boiled out the fuel tank, replaced fuel pump, clutch master and slave cylinder, plugs and points. The fuel tank has not been hooked up and the clutch system has not been bled. I did start the engine with external fuel and it sounds good. When the car was parked the Air Conditioner blowed cold air. The interior is complete but will require upholstery work. I do need to say the left front fender has a blister in the paint because I placed a rag with break fluid on it. I have the spare tire, jack and other misc spare parts including a box of carburetors. This will make a beautiful auto when finished