This 1962 Volvo P1800 was purchased by the current owner in 2006 as a partially restored project, and over the next two years the work was completed by a specialty Volvo restoration shop. The seller tells us the work involved boring the 1.8-liter B18B inline-four .030″ over, rebuilding the SU carburetors, overhauling the suspension and brake systems, reupholstering the interior, converting the analog clock to quartz, refurbishing the Smiths gauges, polishing the aluminum exterior components, rechroming the brightwork, and painting the body red. Following completion of the work the car was displayed at the Greenwich Concours in 2007, and it won Best in Show at the Volvo Club of America National Meet in 2011. It was also given special recognition at the 2015 Hilton Head Concours with a unique Volvo Heritage award presented by the then head of Volvo Cars North America Lex Kerssemakers. This P1800 is now offered in Maine on behalf of the current owner with a Maryland title.
In 1960, Volvo presented a new sports car known as the P1800, which featured Italian-influenced styling by Pelle Petterson. Production began in 1961 using bodies produced by Pressed Steel in Scotland, and final assembly took place at Jensen Motors Ltd. in West Bromwich until Spring 1963.
As part of the refurbishment, the car was disassembled and refinished in its original shade of red, the brightwork was rechromed, and the aluminum components were polished. Additional details include Talbot Berlin mirrors, H4 headlights, mesh headlamp grilles, clear front turn signal lenses, “bull horn” front bumpers, and Volvo badges on the sail panels.
The 15″ Robergel wire wheels wear hubcaps with three-eared spinners and are mounted with 165-series Michelin X tires. The seller tells us John Parker Racing variable-rate springs, Bilstein dampers, and polyurethane sway bar bushings have been installed. Stopping power is provided by front disc and rear drum brakes.
The reupholstered cabin features low-back front bucket seats trimmed in ivory vinyl joined by a replacement perforated headliner and red carpeting. Interior elements include a padded dashboard, a rear parcel shelf, Volvo-branded black rubber floor mats, three-point front seatbelts, and hand-crank windows.
The rear cargo area has been modified with a “cubby” that has been fitted with Alpine speakers. The original AM/FM radio has been reworked and is now stereo.
The two-spoke steering wheel frames refurbished Smiths instrumentation consisting of a 120-mph speedometer, a tachometer, and vertical gauges for coolant and oil temperatures. An analog clock and auxiliary readouts for fuel level and oil pressure are centrally mounted on the dashboard. The five-digit mechanical odometer shows 74k miles, approximately 2k of which were added under current ownership.
The trunk houses a fire extinguisher, spare tire, and a reserve fuel can.
The 1.8-liter B18B inline-four is said to have been bored .030″ over circa 2004, and additional work performed at that time reportedly included balancing the internal components, rebuilding the SU carburetors, refinishing the fuel tank, and installing a stainless steel exhaust system.
Power is routed to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission, which was reportedly rebuilt and fitted with a replacement clutch as part of the refurbishment. The factory Laycock de Normanville overdrive unit has a factory dashboard-mounted switch and indicator light.