{"id":2998,"date":"2019-09-12T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2019-09-12T09:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/?p=2998"},"modified":"2024-09-12T10:23:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T09:23:49","slug":"1967-volvo-p1800s-project-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/1967-volvo-p1800s-project-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"1967 Volvo P1800S – Project Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018Volvos are boxy\u2019 they say. \u2018Designed with nothing but a ruler\u2019 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\u2019s Cube factory. But that wasn\u2019t always the case. In the \u201860s, 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>, a coupe so beautiful that to the uninitiated, there is simply no way it could possibly be a Volvo. But it is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The P1800<\/a> 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 <\/span>P1900<\/span><\/a>, but it was met with a lukewarm reception, with only 68 ever being built. Volvo wanted a much, much bigger hit than that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Project<\/a><\/p>\n

It drafted in Helmer Patterson, an engineering consultant. Though in a confusing turn of events, he didn\u2019t 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\u2019t admit that fact until 2009, when it publicly stated that the P1800 wasn\u2019t solely an Italian design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to funding issues, and failure to identify a suitable third party to build the car to Volvo\u2019s standards, the P1800 very nearly didn\u2019t 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\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is it?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

This particular car is a 1967 Volvo P1800S<\/a>. 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Project<\/a><\/p>\n

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 \u201869, the 1800 was binned in favour of a more powerful still 2.0 engine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This car then, represents a period in which Volvo saw the potential of the P1800, but wasn\u2019t 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\u2019s also the purest link to the car in its original guise, making it very significant indeed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is it a project?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

The vendor states that the car is a U.S import, but bringing it to UK soil is about as much as he\u2019s 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\u2019s still an honest car that shouldn\u2019t be hiding too many bodges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s in need of a considerable amount of work, but given the rarity of these cars, it\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Project<\/a><\/p>\n

Other than that, this P1800S<\/a> seems to be reasonably decent and complete, with most parts looking to only need minor cosmetic repairs. And you\u2019d 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!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Five things to look for<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

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