Fast Facts

• Best model: 1800E
• Worst model: Early cars unless restored
• Budget buy: 1800S
• OK for unleaded?: No, except US-spec 1800Es
• Will it fit in the garage? (mm): L4345 x W1702
• Spares situation: Generally good, some bits costly
• DIY ease?: Excellent
• Club support: Very good
• Appreciating asset?: Only slowly
• Good buy or good-bye?: Classier alternative to a Capri

Pure Americana is how one recent design book described the stylish dash layout of the Volvo – later cars use more safety conscious steering wheel, sadly

First designed back in 1959, production car remained remarkably similar.

Lots of curves and (expensive to restore) chrome abound and so does rust so check over carefully

Rugged B engine has ample pace and can be upgraded – later Volvo engines have been known to be fi tted.

Rear seat space is much like a Capri

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Fancy playing the debonair Simon Templar but on a Del boy budget? Well at least Volvo’s affordable P1800 makes you look the part!

Think classic coupé and the chances are your mind will conjure up images of the Ford Capri or Vauxhall Firenza – and maybe (should be) the Opel Manta too. However, worthy as all these cars are, if you want a truly usable coupé that’s also good to drive, stylish and that little bit unusual, take a closer look at the Volvo P1800. Great for long-distance touring, comfortable, solidly built and well supported by specialists and clubs too, the P1800 is one of the most durable classics available. Even better, you don’t need to spend a fortune to nab a really good example and if you’re after added practicality there’s even a sporting estate edition too, the P1800ES. You’ll have to look a harder as relatively few were built, but whether you opt for the coupé or the estate, you’ll fi nd the search worthwhile for either of these sexy Swedes.

History

The P1800 coupe debuted at the 1960 Brussels auto show, but didn’t go on sale until the following year. Volvo had a contract with Jensen to assemble the fi rst cars, with the bodyshells being produced by Pressed Steel in Scotland. Build quality of these early cars was dire and they cost nearly as much as an Jaguar E-type, so they weren’t that easy to sell. By 1963 Volvo had cut short its contract with Jensen with assembly transferring to Sweden. The car then became known as the P1800S (for Sweden) and at the same time the power went up from 100bhp to 108bhp. There were only minor interior revisions until 1968, which is when the 1780cc B18 engine was replaced by a 1986cc B20 version of the same unit. Dual-circuit brakes also arrived andVolvo started to produce the bodyshells itself, as Pressed Steel sold its Linwood factory to the Rootes Group. The following year saw Bosch fuel injection replacing the previous twin carburettors, with a change to 1800E badging – E being short for Einspritz, the German for fuel injection. Disc brakes were also fi tted all round from this point on and in 1971 a three-speed Borg-Warner automatic gearbox became available for the fi rst time. By 1972 the coupe had had its day, with the last one being produced in June of that year after 39,407 examples had been made. But it wasn’t the end of the P1800 altogether because in the previous year a sports estate version, the 1800ES (fi rst mooted back in the 60s), had been introduced. A Swedish Scimitar GTE it lasted just two seasons. In 1973 the fi nal 1800ES was built, as it wasn’t cost-effective to re-engineer the car for the American market, where new crash regulations were about to come into force. That’s the history of the P1800 – apart from the one that got away that is! With sales of its expensive hand-built supercars hard to come by, Aston Martin looked to move downmarket – and an Aston-engined P1800 was supposedly the answer. Using a 2.5-litre four-cylinder version of its 3.7-litre six-pot, development cars were made and although it showed promise there was too much work needed to make the engine fi t and so the project never got beyond the what ‘if’ stages. But what a classic car they’d now make!

Driving

In many ways the P1800 is the Scandinavian MGB as their makeup is quite similar and they both possess that common rugged simplistic feel that stems from their saloon DNAs. More tourer than sports car, the Volvo works well, as a roomy and fairly refi ned a 2+2. The sports hatch ES is very Reliant Scimitar GTE-like and is as pretty as it is practical although the high waistline makes the car feel old fashioned, said Autocar back in 1972. And that’s when it was new although said the deep tailgate made for good rear visibility – better than the coupe. With plenty of low-down guts there’s no need to rev the long stroke engine – which is just as well because it gets rather harsh when you explore the top end. For it’s day the P1800 was quite fast for a sub 2-litre car, although not for its price tag. Road tests saw the car hit 60 in under 10 seconds in fuel injected form and truck on to almost 110mph. However, according to Motor road tests, not much more than 20mpg was possible, although we reckon most owners will see 25-30mpg, especially with intelligent use of overdrive.

The P1800’s gearchange is heavy but generally fine, with synchromesh that’s pretty much unbeatable – and the good news continues with the steering, which is light – if not pin sharp. The Volvo wallows on corners thanks to the soft suspension that was common to many 50 year old designs, but that only ensures the ride remains serene; this is more of a cruiser than a car for chucking around – irrespective of whatever Simon Templar did on the TV.

Prices

There’s little variance in values between fuelinjected and carburetted versions of the 1800,which means whatever the model, you’ll be looking at a minimum of £5000 for a usable coupé. Sometimes cars appear for £3000 or so, but these are best avoided because they’ll need a lot of money to put right. Really nice coupes fetch up to £10,000 unless really special, in which case they can be worth even more. The 1800ES isn’t quite as valuable, with the bottom line for one of these in usable condition being £3500-4000 while top-notch cars go for up to £8000 or more these days. ES values can fl uctuate depending upon whims and interest but generally they will trial the more popular coupe.

Improvements

The 1800 is very usable in standard form, but there are some worthwhile upgrades to consider if you plan to use the car a lot. Halogen lights are recommended (at less than £50) along with an alternator conversion if it’s an early car. Fitting an uprated oil cooler is also worthwhile, as the original system can fall apart all too readily – which is why it will probably already have done so. The brakes are good so don’t really need any modifi cations, but such improvements might be necessary if you fancy putting a pokier engine in the nose. Swapping an 1800 unit for a 2-litre one is easy as it’s a straight swap – traditional tuning methods can also be used to coax more horses from either powerplant – or track down some period Ruddspeed bits – they are around. Or you fi t a later Volvo unit in – we’ve seen later T5 engines nestling under the bonnet nicely. If you’re really not bothered about originality at all, the seats from the 164 can be fi tted. They’re more comfortable than the stock P1800 items but the conversion will be obvious.

Three Of A Kind

Ford Capri

A true cult car that many still mourn the passing of. These cars have well and truly emerged from their banger status, with all editions now prized, but Mk1 and V6 Mk3 cars in particular. Of the ‘fours’ it’s the 1600 GT and the ‘Pinto’ 2-litre that’s the best. Easy to tune but capable of rotting for England, the Capri is great fun but it’s easy to get your fi ngers burned on this car.

Vauxhall Firenza/Magnum

Designed to take on the Capri and beat it, Firenza never caught the imagination anything like the Ford. As a result, it’s far less well served by specialists but there’s an enthusiastic club and the cars can be fun to drive if you get one with a bit of poke, like the 2.3. Later Magnums raised image as did rare Firenza droopsnoot with 131bhp and fi ve-sped gearbox.

Opel Manta

GM’s real answer to the Capri, the Opel Manta is a classy good looking fastback that in its day was up to BMW quality (when the designs merged with Vauxhall they somehow lost their status). Good range from 1.6 to fuel injected GTE of the 1980s although rust has taken its toll on most by now. Original Manta A is most wanted, especially Broadspeed Turbo models.