A Volvo 1800 S with only 51 000 kilometers on the clock is something very unusual. After 46 years at rest it is now for sale at Bilweb Auctions.
When Volvo in the spring of 1963 brought its production of the P1800 model to Sweden and Gothenburg, this example was one of the first assembled by workers named Sven and Olof instead of Brian and Reginald.
Back in 1961, when the production of the P1800 started, it was the Jensen factory in West Bromwich, England, that was trusted to build the new Swedish sports coupe. In Gothenburg the production capacity was filled with Amazons and PV 544:s. The quality, however, was not what’d Volvo had been expecting, so CEO Gunnar Engellau felt compelled to terminate the cooperation with Jensen. P1800 had to squeeze itself into the old Lundby factory until the new production facility in Torslanda was ready in 1964 - where Volvos still are built.
The model name was formally changed to 1800 S, even if the ”P” still is present in casual conversation.
In May 1963 a Cherry Red 1800 S left the Lundby factory and was delivered to its first owners, a young Swedish couple. However, within short reality showed up in the form of a newborn baby and the sporty Volvo moved on to a postal clerk in the small town of Nassjo.
This gentleman drove his 1800 S very sparingly and in 1976 it was put in storage with only just over 50 000 kilometer on the clock. An update of the car to a later design had at that time been initiated with, among other things, rims, hub caps, side trim and door handles from later 1800 models.
But, as often is the case in the world of classic cars, the project stalled and not until recently, two owners and 46 years later, the postal clerk´s 1800 S was brought back on the road, with an MOT as recent as in October.
The interior is in an excellent condition, but the front seats has got an elegant new black leather upholstery. The undercarriage show no signs of use and has got a somewhat different coloring in conjunction with the restoration.
The car has been valued by Bilweb Auction to between 550 000 and 650 000 SEK and the auction close on 8 December.
