1967 Volvo P1800S – Project Profile

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Chris Pollitt

‘Volvos are boxy’ they say. ‘Designed with nothing but a ruler’ they protest. Well, yes, from the 1970s through to the 1990s that was very much the case. Volvos were boxier than the storeroom at a Rubik’s Cube factory. But that wasn’t always the case. In the ‘60s, Volvo put the ruler down and got giddy with the curves, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. Yes, we are of course talking about the P1800, a coupe so beautiful that to the uninitiated, there is simply no way it could possibly be a Volvo. But it is. 

The P1800 began in 1957 when Volvo decided it wanted to enter the sports car market. Prior to this, its cars had been noted for their reliability, build quality and safety, but nobody was getting all hot under the collar when they saw one. Volvo was keen to change that. It had tried previously, with the P1900, but it was met with a lukewarm reception, with only 68 ever being built. Volvo wanted a much, much bigger hit than that.

Project Profile, Volvo P1800S, Volvo, P1800S, The Saint

It drafted in Helmer Patterson, an engineering consultant. Though in a confusing turn of events, he didn’t know that his son, Pelle, under the wing of Italian designer, Pietro Frua, would be designing the car. Though to be honest, even Volvo didn’t admit that fact until 2009, when it publicly stated that the P1800 wasn’t solely an Italian design. 

Due to funding issues, and failure to identify a suitable third party to build the car to Volvo’s standards, the P1800 very nearly didn’t happen. In fact, Helmer Petterson attempted to get backing to buy the tooling and designs from Volvo so that he could build and market the car himself, so passionate was he. In the end though, images of the car surfaced and forced Volvo’s hand into production. It was British firm, Jensen, who got the contract for the first 10,000 cars, with the bodies being made in Scotland before they were shipped to West Bromwich for final assembly. 

What is it? 

This particular car is a 1967 Volvo P1800S. While Jensen had secured the contract to build the car, the build quality offered left Volvo wanting. As such, after 6,000 of the 10,000 were built, Volvo pulled the plug on the operation and instead moved it to its Ludby plant in Gothenberg. The S in the name is not, as you might suspect, a nod to anything sporting. It actually means Sverige, or in English, Swedish. Volvo wanted to differentiate these cars from the first 6,000.

Project Profile, Volvo P1800S, Volvo, P1800S, The Saint

The engine was given a new lease of life. The 1800 inline-four unit was re-worked, resulting in 115bhp and a top speed of 109MPH – much more befitting of the sporty coupe. Though in ‘69, the 1800 was binned in favour of a more powerful still 2.0 engine. 

This car then, represents a period in which Volvo saw the potential of the P1800, but wasn’t happy with the way things were unfolded. This car is one of the first P1800s to be brought back home and built properly, at least in Volvo terms. It’s also the purest link to the car in its original guise, making it very significant indeed. 

Why is it a project? 

The vendor states that the car is a U.S import, but bringing it to UK soil is about as much as he’s done. The car seems to be in used, but crucially unrestored condition, and there is nothing to suggest this car has had a previous restoration. That means that while it has some rust and rot, it’s still an honest car that shouldn’t be hiding too many bodges. 

It’s in need of a considerable amount of work, but given the rarity of these cars, it’s a project well worth taking on. The front end needs some welding to the air inlet, the crossmember and the idler arm mount, while the passenger side floor area needs a tickle with the sparkly spanner, too. New floors, new front-left wing, perhaps some work to the sills.

Project Profile, Volvo P1800S, Volvo, P1800S, The Saint

Other than that, this P1800S seems to be reasonably decent and complete, with most parts looking to only need minor cosmetic repairs. And you’d probably want to splash out on a full re-trim as well as a fresh coat of paint. Oh, and it comes with a set of original wheels, so you can throw those awful wires in the bin! 

Five things to look for

 

  • Rust

 

Yes, the car needs some welding, but this isn’t a Cortina. You need to look at the rust and assess just how much work is going to be needed, as you’ll need to factor in fabrication, too, and that takes time and as such, can push up bills. 

 

  • Paperwork

 

As we say with all imported cars, check the paperwork and make sure you have everything you need in order to get the car registered in the UK and road legal. Don’t turn a single spanner until you’ve done this. 

 

  • Trim

 

A lot of the trim will need to be restored rather than replaced, as it’s so hard to find. You need to check the condition of it to see if it can indeed be made good. If not, you at least need it to be good enough to use as a template. 

 

  • Engine

 

The Vendor states that the car is a runner, but it won’t hurt to have a proper look and listen. Check for any bottom end grumbles or rattles, as these could be indicative of some serious trouble, big ends, bearings, crank – all will be expensive to buy. 

 

  • Electrics

 

Old cars and their electrics are often the source of much frustration, and the P1800S is no exception. Check the condition of the fusebox, as these are a known weakness, and may need re-soldering. Also, check the voltage regulator, as anything other than Bosch tends to fail on dyno cars.

What should you do with it?

Well, the world is your oyster, really. If it were our money we’d go down The Saint route, and have the car painted white. Though to be honest, as long as you bring it back to a decent condition, the colour is unimportant.

Project Profile, Volvo P1800S, Volvo, P1800S, The Saint

You could play things a bit more on the wild side, of course? So, how about the five-pot turbocharged engine from a T5, you could resto-mod this old girl to well over 250bhp, without losing those killer looks. Just make sure you upgrade the suspension and brakes, too!

 

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