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From: Kasey Allen Carpenter <kcarpent.gte.net@mail1>
To: "'ggoodspe@startext.net'" <ggoodspe@startext.net>
Subject: Volvo 1800S
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997
My name is Kasey Carpenter, and I live here in Fort Worth. I am in the market for another car, and stumbled across a 1964 Volvo 1800S today. immediately went home and did two things. One, fill out a personal loan request to buy the thing ($2200) and two, get on the net to see if there is a strong club support, and/or sources for parts. I would like to ask you some questions regarding your 1800, if I may:
-Do you have difficulty finding parts?
-Is it a fairly reliable car, i.e., everyday driver (I work downtown and live in South Fort Worth)?
-They seem pretty straightforward, but are they mechanically tricky? I have owned two 240 GLs and have had no trouble keeping them running.
-Can you give me any advice, caution, etc regarding this auto before I run out and own it?
What I can tell you is this: The alternator is shot, the gearbox is loose, the brakes are mushy, but the body is immaculate, no rust, the interior is all but original, sad to say, but it is a fun little car. Oh, and the steering is loose, it drifts a little (probably front end). To my inspection it has never been wrecked, real straight, real clean, original white paint with original chrome, but with aftermarket bumpers. It has dual webers. I assume those were not standard . . . .
Kasey Carpenter
kcarpent@gte.net
.
.
Kasey -
Yeah, you see one of these for sale and you get that feeling in your gut....
I don't have much difficulty getting parts. Boston Volvo (1-800-336-2355) can get most parts. Ask for John Sharisky. IPD is a good aftermarket source (www.ipdusa.com). If I can't get what I need from either of them, I call Don Thibault, who has a P1800 salvage yard in Massachusetts (508-888-9715). Don sells top-quality used stuff and some new stuff, too. He's kind of quirky, though, and doesn't accept credit cards. He ships C.O.D. It helps that Volvo 122s from the same period used the same powertrain and suspension parts.
There is a club for P1800 owners, but I quit after several years. There isn't a local chapter any more as far as I know.
A '64 P1800 should have a B18 engine. "B18" is cast into the block near the front. Later B20 engines also fit. Originally, the '64 had a pair of SU carburetors, which you might have mistaken for Webers. IPD sells a Weber conversion kit for the car, but it's a single-carb setup. If yours really has a pair of Webers, you either have a one-man mod or an unusual aftermarket setup.
I haven't done serious brake work on my car for a few years, but probably the parts you need are still available from Boston Volvo. Your car should have a generator, not an alternator. For this, I can recommend Fort Worth Generator and Starter on Sylvania. Watch out for the sassy biker chick that works the counter!
The gearbox is built like a tank, and probably just needs a new nylon bushing on the bottom end of the shift lever. I've had to replace that part a couple of times. If you hear a lot of whining or grinding when driving, you'll need to think about overhauling the transmission.
I'm pretty sure all of the front end parts are still available. The ball joints and bushings seem pre-programmed to wear out every 60,000 miles, but they're not hard to replace if you have the tools.
You're right about the car being straightforward. As long as you're willing to do light weekly maintenance and serious work about once a year, it's a fun car to own. Let me know if I can help you with anything else. I'd love to see the car if you buy it. -Glenn.