As mild-mannered Clark Kent proved when he slipped on the lycra suit and the red cape, heroes can emerge from the most unlikely of sources. Such is the case with the Volvo 1800S. This company has developed a reputation for building conservative cars with a firm focus on occupant safety. However, it has occasionally let its corporate hair down, and vehicles like the 1800S have wowed the world. This 1967 Volvo is a two-owner survivor that is in fantastic condition for its age. It has spent its life in climates conducive to preserving classic steel, but the time has come for it to head to a lucky third owner. Located in Miami, Florida, you will find the 1800S listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $30,000, but the option is available to make an offer.
This Volvo is a striking car finished in its Code 97 Dark Green. The paint shines beautifully, with only a few minor defects and flaws that wouldn’t require immediate attention. I can see some evidence that the car has received at least a partial repaint at some point, although the current owner provides no information about this. The state of the panels is as impressive as the paint, and once again, it has no immediate needs. The owner indicates that the 1800S has spent most of its life in California before recently finding its way to Florida. That has allowed it to remain rust-free, although it would still be worth checking areas like the front lower fenders for potential problems. This area of the body features a triple-skin between the fenders and the rockers, and if rust starts to develop, it can be difficult and expensive to address. The trim and chrome shine as impressively as the paint, and there are no apparent problems with the glass.
The listing for this Volvo indicates an odometer reading of 89,000 miles. While the seller refers to it as low mileage, he doesn’t say whether he holds evidence to verify the odometer reading. The engine bay is occupied by the 1,778cc “B18” 4-cylinder engine capable of producing 115hp. That power finds its way to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. That might not seem like a lot of power, but the Volvo has two aces up its sleeve. The first is that what power it possesses is used to great effect. These can be a spritely cars if driven enthusiastically. The second ace is that these engines are essentially as tough as nails. There are still older Volvos competing in Scandanavian domestic rallying pretty effectively with these engines under their hoods. They rarely suffer from mechanical maladies, and most DNFs result from an unplanned visit into the Scandanavian scenery by the driver and their navigator! This 1800S is said to be in sound mechanical health. The seller says that it runs and drives extremely well and that everything works as it should.
The interior of this Volvo is as well preserved as the rest of the vehicle, with only a couple of minor items to note. It is upholstered in its correct combination of Brown with Gray carpet, and both aspects of the car are in excellent order. The rear seat trims have been cut to allow the installation of speakers, but the remaining surfaces are unmolested. The pad on the top of the driver’s door has several cracks, so the buyer will need to source a replacement if they want to maintain a flawless presentation. The original radio has made way for an aftermarket radio/cassette player, but the dash is uncut. Therefore, the buyer could easily slot a factory unit back into the dash if they felt inclined to do so. Beyond that, this interior would seem to need nothing.
This 1967 Volvo 1800S is a striking car, and I believe it could offer its next owner years of reliable and enjoyable classic motoring. It has been relisted due to a non-paying buyer on a previous eBay auction. That brings me to another point that is worth pondering. It seems that the current owner may not have had the vehicle for long because I found a previous sale for it back in March of this year. At that point, it appears that the car sold for $23,000. The seller has set the BIN on the current listing right near the top end of what you might expect to pay for an excellent example in today’s market. With the information you now have at your disposal, would you be tempted to make the owner an offer on this Volvo?
Lol, 89K isn’t considered low mileage in my book, and 30K is just laughable!
Considering this car holds the world record for most miles ever put on it, 89,000 is just getting it broken in. You need to check values on these lately to see where the values really are. 30 K is far from laughable.
Sorry, but almost a hundred thousand miles is not just broken in to any car. I have owned 12 Volvo’s in the last 30 years and I know what items need replaced at certain intervals. I had an 850 GLT Wagon with 418K and I currently have two 07 XC70’s with over 200K. I know how much maintenance and repairs cost on a high mileage vehicle. You can keep any car on the road for as many miles as you want if you throw enough cash at it. The same goes for Irv Gordon’s P1800, he invested substantial amounts of money to keep that car rolling for over 3 million miles. He didn’t just buy the car, put gas in it and drive millions of miles. It simply doesn’t work that way. On the other subject, two P1800’s similar to this cars condition just sold in State College, Pa for 18K and 21K.
I’ve seen a few go for that and more. Mine sod for 26k 3 years ago.
30K does seem to be a pretty strong ask. And , of course, when buying any car off the internet (or in person), it’s essential to have a good look underneath. This goes DOUBLE for the 1800.
No mention of a working A/C. No wonder the Miami owner wants to give it the heave-ho. Rolling convection oven 10 months out of the year.
Drove my 1800S as a DD 1971-75 in Mass. -90 mi.R/T commute
wonderful cruiser – excellent road car – reliable – timeless styling – comfortable driving position — ample storage for 2 seater – affordable maintenance — prone to rust
as always buy the best you can afford.
Irv Miller drove his 66 Volvo 1800S 2.9 MILLION miles (see, Hemmings “Sports & Exotic Car,” Dec. 2011 #75). Only went through, 2 starter motors, 3 generators, 3 water pumps, 4 sets of shocks… and just, two engine rebuilds on original block and head! Plus, the car never let him down! If not too rusty or badly abused, these cars are good to go… and go…and go.
It was Irv Gordon and his 1800 actually had 3.2 million miles when he suddenly died.
I found Irv Gordon on the side of Hwy 401, some 21 years ago, just East of Oshawa, Ontario, where his lower rad hose had let go. He was returning home from displaying the car. I had a huge, full water jug, he carried a spare hose, and he got right to it, refusing any help. He was an interesting fellow, and quite cheery.