Wed, 25 Jun 1997
Greetings all!!! I am happy to say that I am the new owner of a 1962 Volvo P1800, serial #1855!! The car has been modified slightly, most notably with the addition of a B20B engine out of a 1974 model 144. The engine seems sound enough. I guess I wanted to know if any other P1800 owners have run across this same situation and what if any problems should I look for. Also, oversized wheels were added with (God forbid) mags. Does anyone know where I can get stock rims and wheel covers? I really would appreciate any advice. Thanks
Oliver Baysinger
obay@ix.netcom.com
Oliver - Congratulations, and long live #1855! The B20 engine is powerful and robust, and it fits the 1800 perfectly. I wouldn't worry about it.
If you're lucky, you can find the wheels in a local foreign car junkyard or in the classified ads in the nearest big-city newspaper. Volvo 122s of the same vintage used the same wheels. Check the rims for damage and check them for straightness by sighting across the diameter. It might be smart to take one and make sure it fits your hubs before buying five of them. Some older Volvos have later hubs as well as later engines.
Wheel covers are getting more difficult to find. You might try Don Thibault (Massachusetts phone number 508-888-9715). -Glenn.
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997
Subject: Don Thibault
Glenn-
Just wanted to thank you for turning me towards Don Thibault! He is a wealth of info on the 1800 and I'm sure will be a great help in the future. Things are going well and the 1800 is running great awaiting parts to make it more original. Once again thanks...Keep in touch.
Oliver
Oliver-
Don is a great source for parts and info. Sometimes I choke on the prices, but I'm always amazed at the high quality of his used parts. He wanted $40 for a pair of air conditioner compressor brackets, and I almost had second thoughts, but when the parts arrived, I could see that they were worth the money -- they looked brand new.
I usually try Boston Volvo (800-336-2355) first for new parts, because they have a 15% discount for out-of-state customers, which more than pays the shipping on most orders. John Sharisky is the P1800 specialist there.
-Glenn.
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