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Volvo’s E-Type: 1965 Volvo P1800

With respect to an old Volvo advertisement that called the P1800 “Volvo’s E-Type,” this dusty barn find located in Tallahassee, Florida is a long way from chasing down a Jaguar. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Doug T. for the find, which shows a P1800 appearing largely compete with its trim removed in a Florida shed, where the thick coating of dust indicates long-term storage. Some bodywork is evident as well, but these are getting harder to find in restorable condition. Find it here on craigslist for $3,500, and go here if the ad disappears.

There’s evidence of some prior bodywork attempts and the the missing tail lights and trunk lock point to a restoration that started but never commenced. This being a 1965 model, it would have fallen into the period of time in which Volvo regained production duties after Jensen built the first 10,000 cars. The body of these svelte Volvos is gorgeous; it’s no accident that one of the designers was working at Italy’s coachbuilder Pietro Frua before being hired away to help shepherd the Volvo from concept to reality. This example sports good glass and fair-looking body panels, but the quality of the repair work should be evaluated.

Image courtesy of Petrolicious

I would also want to source some of the OEM hubcaps, such as the ones shown on this brochure-cover example. While the Volvo has the looks of a pricey collector car, values have seemingly risen slowly. You can still buy a decent driver example for not significantly more than this car; at least, not compared to what it will cost to restore this one back to fair condition. The seller notes there is some rust but doesn’t elaborate as to where it is, and the engine health remains a mystery. No matter how incomplete it may be, it’s hard to resist the urge to drag it from its dark and dusty confines.

Comments

  1. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    I think the words “started” and “commenced” mean the same thing, but hey, who cares about speaking correctly anymore? Or proofreading? Or researching facts? I know someone will ridicule me for being pedantic, but damn it, if someone is going to write, then do it right.

    Volvo had contracted with Jensen to build the first 10,000 cars, but after 6000 units were produced, Volvo transferred production to Sweden. Thus, this 1965 model would not be called a P1800, rather it would be an 1800S (Sweden). Later, when the ’70s came out with fuel injection, those cars were called the 1800E. The P1800 moniker really only applies to the original 6000 Jensen-produced cars.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Beatnik Bedouin

    I’d suggest anyone who’d want to buy this P1800 might want to check for chassis rust…

    I’ve always liked the styling of this model, which also translated well in the station wagon version.

    Like 1
    • Avatar spacelifer Member

      I remember as a teenager, thinking that this was a rare case where the station wagon actually looked sharper!

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Alex

    Wow a neat car and its in my town and don’t know what area it at but I would take a look at it if I knew what part of town. Maybe heading out to the country area.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Capt Doug

      These can be total rust buckets and expensive to restore.I drove an 1800S for years as my daily driver and on many long road trips. Comfortable and reliable with overdrive and plenty of storage. Better to buy one in better condition than spending the time and money on a major restoration project.They have timeless styling and are a pleasure to proudly own and drive.

      Like 1
  4. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    Return of stock, or maybe with a few modern updates. Otherwise, RACE CAR!

    Hmmm.
    I really tried to resist adding the following, but…
    How about a seller who can’t bother to mention whether there is a title or not, and post a shot of the interior?

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Adam T45 Staff

    These cars were an indication that Volvo had the ability to produce great looking sporty cars. For better or for worse Volvo chose to abandon its sporty pretenses and focus almost exclusively on safety. It took nearly 20 years for Volvo to finally succumb to the temptation of building another truly sporting performance car. They did this when they finally produced the 242T (turbo). Engine performance of the 242T was fantastic, but the car had the aerodynamic properties of a barn….traveling sideways!

    While I always liked the look of these I can’t say that I was ever a huge fan of Volvo. However, the last car that my father owned before he decided to hand in his driver’s licence was a 240 GT. From the first time that i drove it I was impressed by the performance that Volvo extracted from a 4-cylinder engine in what was a fairly heavy car. It changed my whole mindset about the brand. I really believe that the P1800 is a “sleeper” among collectable cars, and that values will skyrocket in years to come.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Francisco

    Where’s Simon Templar?

    Like 1
    • Avatar KEN TILLY Member

      @Francisco.

      Boot Hill.

      Like 1
    • Avatar WILLIAM BABYAK

      One would need the patience of a Saint to attempt restoration of this particular specimen!

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Ensign Pulver

    I have an odd sense with these 1800’s (and estates) of almost inflated future collectability. They are nice and I find them stylish, but it seems like a market trying hard to create momentum. There is always an add on CL in multiple locations hunting for them “paying top $$” and I think an episode on Chasing Classic Cars may have contributed to the speculation. Not yet convinced they are the next really big thing…

    Like 1
    • Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

      The ES wagons are selling quite briskly on BaT. Granted, it isn’t Porsche money, but the wagons are climbing in price.

      As a sports car, they are basically a 122 in a tight dress. So much of the car is overbuilt, and thus the weight keeps it from being a great sports car. But I loved my ’69 1800S, it attracted attention like no classic car I’ve ever owned. I was rear-ended by a kid in a pickup truck who was texting (“no I wasn’t!), and the car was totaled.

      Like 2
  8. Avatar Zapp

    I like these too…and there’s a daily driver ’66 in New York state that’s racked up over 3,000,000 miles.

    With that in mind, I’d be sure to paint it a colour that, if not original, was one I’d enjoy looking at for a long, long time!

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Johnny

    I had a 71 e when i was about 17. I loved driving around in this car. 4speed with OD lever on the column. Great racy styles dash and gauges. Mine was BRG with Tan leather interior.
    Only downside was how slow they were. Had they had better perdormance they would have been more popular in the collector world today. You can still find very nice examples for just around 10k.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Wolfgang Gullich

    The designer was Pel Petersen who didn’t work for Frua, but did study under him.. he was Volvo through and through.

    Like 1
    • Avatar JohnM

      Yep, thanks for bringing this up. He studied in Italy at the start of his career, but the man who actually drew the lines of this car was 100% Swedish. He was also an accomplished competitive sailor and boat designer.

      As for performance, I’ve had a few of these though I more of an Amazon guy and have had many more of those. The B16/18/20 series of motors are set up *very* conservatively and under stressed from the factory. Throw a hot cam and some opened up intake/exhaust on them and they wake right up.

      As for price, they’ve gone up from “old beater” to “collectible” over the last five or so years. Like everything else that comes with pluses and minuses. 10 years ago this was a guilt free $500-1000 parts car. Now the cost of entry is much higher but it’ll be saved and restored, rather than stripped and thrown away.

      They’re great cars. Their personality isn’t for everyone, but they have loads of it. And I really can’t say enough good things about Volvo’s redblock series of motors.

      Like 1
      • Avatar BOP Guy Member

        I’v always loved these cars, but never owned one. I’m curious exactly how available the “missing parts” are?

        Like 0
      • Avatar JohnM

        @BOP Guy:

        The answer is *very.* There is excellent support for these cars, and several suppliers who do nothing else besides support vintage Volvos. Anything that got hard to source over the years has been repoped by someone. You might have to order from three different vendors when you get into a long list of esoteric parts, but everything stem to stern is out there. Prices are pretty good too. Just paid $90 for an Amazon master cylinder that is this huge hunk of metal which probably weighs 10 or 12 lbs. It’s aftermarket but it’s a perfect match for the original 54 year old one. The only thing that’s at all tricky is the stuff that’s a pain to ship–long trim pieces, glass, etc. The mechanical stuff and small bits and bobs are no problem at all.

        Like 0
      • Avatar BOP Guy Member

        Thanks JohnM. My second car was a 78 242 GT, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. This one would make for an interesting project.

        Like 0
  11. HoA Rube Goldberg Member

    Hmm, I never considered the 1800 anything like an E type. It had little, if anything in common with the Jag. In the 70’s, when I had my MGB, a friend had a 1970 1800E, was a VERY nice car. Big bucks today, this about the only way to get into an 1800 on a budget. Great find.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Riccardo scavo

      It was never an E type, but, rather a dig at Jaguar. When the producers of the 60s tv hit show the Saint aproached Jaguar with view to supplying them with a white E type to be driven by Roger Moore in the lead role as “Simon Templar” with the usual technical support etc, Jaguar turned them down on grounds of they couldnt within the time frame before they start filming besides they were too busy. The producers turned to Volvo abd Volvo obliged in every which way, the rest is history.
      Ap

      Like 0
      • Avatar KEN TILLY Member

        @Ricardo scavo.

        Yep, the history being that the Jaguar E Type went on to be the most beautiful, iconic car ever, and the Volvo, although a great car in my mind, went on to be an “also ran.” Maybe the Jag people new something that Volvo didn’t!

        Like 0
  12. Avatar JoeBazots

    I’ve always really loved these. I started looking at them 5 to 7 years ago as a possible first car for my grandson. Now that he’s of driving age, the driver quality ones have really shot up and even the projects…

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Wayne

    I have a buddy that has 5 Ss and 3 ESs. One is a driver and the others in various stages of restoration. I almost bought a new ES in 1976 ( new old stock at a car dealer) but it was an automatic transmission. I prefer the look of the ESs. One of the ones that my buddy is “restoring/resto-modding ” is getting treated to a twin cam “red block engine”. All that is needed is the original oil pan and pickup. It should be a really fun car!

    Like 1
  14. Avatar R.S.Pattee

    IMHO, but I’ve been wrenching on pushrod Volvos for almost 35 years now, so I think I have some insight into the 1800 series.
    I do not believe it was ever really marketed as a “sports” car, per se, (in the vein of MG’s, Alfas, or even Jags). It was more of a “tourer”, a vehicle in which you could cruise comfortably for hours on end, at 65MPH, (100KMH), and not arrive somewhere feeling as if you had been riding the rails in a boxcar! I made many, many trips from Southern California, up through the Central Valley to San Francisco, and parts north, about an 8 hour trip. Effortless, easy, (and stylish) traveling. Probably just how Irv Gorden, Mr. Million Miler sees his 1800.
    Thanks, just my $0.02

    Like 2

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