When it comes to P1800 Passion, we are speaking about how much someone can be dedicated, no question this includes the long time runners and members of P1800 clubs worldwide.
I had the unique chance to travel recently in Finland for business, during the coldest day of the year in early January. While not being able to catch any 1800 on the streets of Helsinki at night I was able to find a daily runner amazon and shared with local clubs if it would be possible to find any 1800 around. Obviously the low temperature -19°C ( -2°F) is not encouraging anyone to put a precious classic much in the street during winter.
Back in April with sunny warm weather and no snow on the road I was happy to discover that local drivers are not driving like lunatics here in France! this applying also during sunny warm weather and no snow on the road! The scenery of countryside is wonderful whatever the season, and most important the people are wonderful, I had the unique chance to engage with local 1800 club "Suomen Volvo 1800 -kerho ry"
I'd like to pay tribute to the club and especially to Jaakko Saransalmi owner of a beautiful P1800S, for keeping the P1800 passion, sharing about the 1800 and dedicating an entire article about your humble servitor P1800 passion. I received also, with the greatest interest, info and pictures about the unique 1800 police car part of Helsinki Police forces in 1967 now restored by a club member, see more pics here
The very unique 1800S police car assigned to Helsinki police in 1967 (c) Suomen Volvo 1800 -kerho ry
the very same car now fully restored by Finnish club member
I can testify having seen during a classic passion span of more than 30 years that the club's magazine "Pyhimys" (aka The Saint) is done in a upper quality professional way, surpassing in quality and content all the one I have seen. Do not miss the club website : http://www.pyhimyskerho.com ( English automated translation here) And if you have the opportunity, join, meet, engage with the club! Thank you Jaakko and club members for your P1800 Passion and keeping the flame of the 1800 high!
Not to be missed, production and interpretation by the fellow Volvo enthusiast Tom Demarest, the Ballad of Irv Gordon and his P1800 has just been made available for all of us.
Definitively a consecration to be on "The" Classic Cars reference,
Irv and his P1800 on cover page of Hemmings Dec issue for his 3 mln miles achievement !
In newsstand Nov 12th; get yours!
It’s been a journey of journeys for Irv Gordon. From the day he bought
his P1800 in New York in 1966 until the moment he rolled to 3 million
miles in Alaska today Sept.
17, 2013 on the Seward Highway - Alaska Highway 1 - along the Turnagain
Arm at 4:00PM , Irv experienced firsthand Discovery. Joy. Friendship. His record is in
the books, but the car is still on the road. I can not, like hundreds, tell Irv how a wonderful mark he accomplished for all of us P1800 enthusiasts. WoNdErFuL ! Congrats and
Thank you ! Let the champagne bottles pop!
Long Island’s Irv Gordon to Reach Three Million Mile Mark in his Volvo P1800 Today
First Person to Drive Three Million Miles in Same Car Will Reach Ultimate Driving Milestone on Alaska’s Seward Highway
ROCKLEIGH, N.J. (Sept. 17, 2013) – Today,
74-year-old Long Island native and retired science teacher Irv Gordon
will reach a milestone no other individual has accomplished in more than
100 years of automobile manufacturing: driving three million miles in
the same vehicle – a shiny, cherry red 1966 Volvo P1800.
To mark the occasion, Gordon will drive his three millionth mile
today on the Seward Highway – Alaska Highway 1 – along the Turnagain
Arm. The “Last Frontier” is one of two U.S. states Gordon has never
visited and a fitting backdrop for this historic, record-breaking
achievement. Video footage of Gordon’s milestone moment can be viewed
later this week at 3MillionReasons.com.
“It’s not about getting to the three million miles; it’s about the
trips that got me to the three million miles,” Gordon said. “I never had
a goal to get to one million, to two million. I just enjoyed driving
and experiencing life through my Volvo.”
“We at Volvo applaud Irv and his Volvo. The spirited red P1800
represents an extraordinary demonstration of reliability, durability,
safety and intelligent design that honors all Volvos past and present,”
said John Maloney, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America.
“His P1800 is the living embodiment that Volvos are designed around
you.”
As a celebration of Gordon’s achievement, Volvo Cars of North America
(VCNA) launched a special campaign called “3 Million Reasons to
Believe,” that invites people around the world to visit 3MillionReasons.com to follow Irv’s remarkable journey, explore his favorite road trips and share their own reason to believe.
Irv drives his Volvo P1800 next to the iconic Alaska Railroad train along the Seward Hwy.
“The best way to explore America is by car,” Gordon added. “I
challenge everyone to go out and see as much as possible. Find your own
journey and reason to believe because you only have one life to live. No
matter how many roads I’ve been on, there’s always one I haven’t taken.
That’s what makes it exciting.”
“I bought my Volvo P1800 on a Friday and immediately fell in love,”
Gordon recalled. “I couldn’t stop driving the car. It was a holiday
weekend, and I brought the car back to the dealership the following
Monday for its 1,500-mile service.”
With a 125-mile round-trip daily commute, a fanatical dedication to
vehicle maintenance and a passion for driving, Gordon logged 500,000
miles in 10 years. In 1987, he celebrated his one-millionth mile driving
a loop around the Tavern on the Green in Central Park. In 1998 with
1.69 million miles, Gordon made the Guinness Book of World Records
for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle. In
2002, he drove the car’s two-millionth mile down Times Square to
international media attention. Since then, Gordon has broken is record
every time he drives his celebrated car.
As Gordon rolls to his three-millionth mile, he notes, “I’m realizing
this will be a record that no one will surpass and I’ve been feeling
especially sentimental with these last few drives in beautiful Alaska.
I’ve enjoyed the expansive landscape, a drive through the long tunnel to
Prince William Sound/Whittier and a visit to the Alaska Wildlife
Conservation Center. The folks at Continental Volvo in Anchorage were
kind enough to throw me a wonderful reception on Saturday.”
“Everyone asks, what’s next? Well, I’ll keep driving my Volvo P1800
to auto shows and taking trips across the country. Not much will change.
But whether I drive four million miles is more up to me than it is the
car. The car may be able to take it, but I’m not so sure about me.”
After the ongoing VOX P1800 concept underway, now from Volvo the next-generation P1800 concept, a beautiful car based on the original design of the P1800, very attractive ...
It's the first Volvo to be penned under the
direction of the Swedish brand's new design chief Thomas Ingenlath and
also the first of a series of three concept cars that portray the design
possibilities created by the automaker's new Scalable Product
Architecture (SPA) that frees it from the limitations of its
Ford-sourced platforms. The concept is both elegant and dynamic, but what really makes it stand out are the understated styling references to the P1800 (built from 1961 to 1973), which capture the essence of Volvo's classic coupe without falling into the retro trap. Thomas
Ingenlath explains: “It is a car designer’s duty to reflect and
incorporate design signatures that are vital parts of the company’s
heritage. The P1800 is an iconic Volvo, renowned for its beautiful forms
and detailing. However, using elements from the P1800 exterior and
interior has nothing to do with being retro. We are using these subtle
links to a glorious past to create a future where sheer beauty becomes a
recognised part of Volvo’s identity. That journey starts with Concept
Coupé.”
The Volvo Concept Coupé – the next-generation P1800:
Elegant confidence enabled by the new scalable architecture
Inspired by contemporary, progressive
Scandinavian lifestyle and design as well as iconic elements from the
past, the elegant new Volvo Concept Coupé is the first of a series of
three concept cars that reveal the design possibilities created by the
company’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA).
After a more than a year of rising expectations, the first
design by the new Senior Vice President of Design, Thomas Ingenlath,
showcases how design builds emotion into the Volvo brand and points
toward the next generation of Volvo models, starting with the
forthcoming XC90 in 2014.
“The Volvo Concept Coupé is no futuristic dream car. It is
designed to demonstrate the capability of our new architecture: the
confident stance, the proportions and the most prominent design
signatures. Even though the all-new XC90 is an entirely different type
of car, you will recognize the connection instantly when it is revealed
next year,” said Ingenlath.
Developed in-house for Volvo Cars only, the Scalable Product
Architecture liberates Volvo’s designers and engineers from the
limitations of previous cross-brand platforms.
“The new Volvo Concept Coupé reveals how we could shape our
cars from now on. Free from the superficial surface excitement of other
car brands, we add emotional value to the Volvo brand with the calm,
confident beauty that is the hallmark of Scandinavian design,” says
Thomas Ingenlath.
A HUGE Thank you to Volvo Cars North America that launched a campaign of unseen proportion to promote the value of Irv's story with his 1800S with the culmination point in Alaska in September passing the 3mln miles mark, Press releases, TV Campaign, wonderful videos, what a pleasure for any passionate !
and make sure to drop on the site your own reason to believe
Long Island Man’s Volvo Will Reach Three Million Miles in 2013
Irv Gordon, Record-Breaking Driver of a 1966 Volvo P1800, Aims to Reach Ultimate Driving Milestone
Visit www.3MillionReasons.com to Submit Your Reason to Believe
ROCKLEIGH, NJ (June 18, 2013) — In a journey that has lasted nearly half a century, spanned the globe and elicited awe from generations of car lovers, Long Island’s Irv Gordon has a phenomenal achievement in his sight: driving 3,000,000 miles in the same car – a shiny, red 1966 Volvo P1800.
When he drove off the lot in 1966, Gordon began a movement. That movement continues to grow through the collective experience and passion of current Volvo owners. As Gordon approaches the milestone, Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) is bringing the nation along for the journey with a special campaign in the months ahead. Consumers can visit 3MillionReasons.
com for additional information about Gordon’s story and a map and image gallery from his road trips. Volvo lovers can also submit their own reason to believe.
“It’s not about getting to the three million miles; it’s about the trips that got me to the three million miles,” Gordon said. “I never had a goal to get to one million, to two million. I just enjoyed driving and experiencing life through my Volvo.
“The best way to explore America is by car,” Gordon added. “I challenge everyone to go out and see as much as possible. Find your own journey and reason to believe because you only have one life to live. No matter how many roads I’ve been on, there’s always one I haven’t taken. That’s what makes it exciting.”
Gordon, a 73-year-old retired science teacher from Patchogue, N.Y., holds the Guinness Book of World Records recognition for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle, and has driven more than 2.99 million miles in his shiny red Volvo.
“I bought my Volvo P1800 on a Friday, and immediately fell in love,” Gordon recalled. “I couldn’t stop driving the car. It was a long holiday weekend, and I brought the car back to the dealership the following Monday for its 1,500-mile service.”
With a 125-mile round-trip daily commute, a fanatical dedication to vehicle maintenance and a passion for driving, Gordon logged 500,000 miles in 10 years.
Besides being a Volvo, one of the main reasons the car has lasted so long is that Gordon has brought his P1800 to the same certified Volvo technician for more than 15 years. Nino Gambino, a technician with an “A” rating at Volvoville in Huntington, N.Y., the same dealership where Gordon purchased his car in 1966, said, “Because Irv follows the owner’s manual and truly cares for and loves his car, I have no doubt he’ll reach three million. Irv always says he takes better care of the car than himself! And he’s fun to ride with on trips because you don’t need a map.”
In 1998 with 1.69 million miles, Gordon made the Guinness Book of World Records for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle. In 2002, he drove the car’s two-millionth mile down Times Square to international media attention. For more information on Gordon’s journey, visit 3millionreasons.com/timeline.
As Gordon points his car to its three-millionth mile, “I’m realizing this will be a record that no one will surpass,” he said. “So, these next few thousands of miles will be special and sentimental for me. I’m looking forward to visiting my favorite places in big, beautiful America – from national parks to roadside cafes, from the Pacific Coast Highway to small roads that are miles from the
Interstate. Send me an invite and maybe I’ll meet you for a cup of coffee.”
Based on his calculations, Gordon plans to reach three million miles in Alaska this September. America’s last frontier is one of two U.S. states Gordon has never visited and a fitting backdrop for his three million mile moment.
“For every mile Irv has logged in his Volvo, there have been just as many reasons why he’s been able to do it – from his meticulous care, on-schedule oil changes and his safe driving practices – all the way to Volvo’s legendary attention to
engineering,” said John Maloney, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “A distant predecessor to today’s models, the Volvo P1800 and Irv are the living embodiment that Volvos are enduring and designed around you. We look forward to following him on this journey, and finding ways to bring our customers and car enthusiasts everywhere along for the ride.”
Whaoouu!
Irv,
as discussed while you spent all this time with the google team, this was obviously worth it (easy to say for me considering the huge burden on you :-) ) but the next video really explains what this app is about, or how to surf in 50 years of 1800 Passion ! thanks for the time given for this Irv.
I urge everyone to watch the video of Project Re: Brief and get ready to download and enjoy the app!
you will be able to follow Irv on his miles toward 3 million ! Just incredible!
Few snapshots first
(c) Google Project Re:Brief
(c) Google Project Re:Brief
The Concept (c) Google Project Re:Brief
“This year, Internet advertising turns 18-years-old. And yet despite almost two decades of innovation online, digital ads are still being used to simply inform more than they’re being used to connect, engage and entertain. So we designed this experiment to re-imagine what advertising can be and push the boundaries of how creative ideas and our technology can work hand in hand.”
Irv's ad concept
New York resident Irv Gordon is an ordinary Volvo driver with an extraordinary car. He has driven his 1966 Volvo P1800s a world-record 2.9 million miles. Not only can we tell Irv’s story through a series of films, with Google+ and Google Maps we can allow the viewer to become a part of his unique journey in real-time as he counts down to the 3-million-mile mark.
How the Ad works
(c) Google Project Re:Brief
The video presentation of the Ad
The Making of
See how Amil Gargano, original Art Director of Volvo's "Drive it like you hate it" came out of retirement to once again re-imagine his iconic ad in a film presented by Google and directed by Doug Pray.
Enjoy a glimpse of the app by clicking on the "New Ads" icon on the left of this link you will have the choice of experiencing the app/ad depending on your profile select one at the lower right section ( Outdoorsy, Travelers, Fashionistas, Foodies)
I really send a warm Thank You! in the name of the P1800 Enthusiast community to Irv, Amil Gargano & the creative teams of VCNA & Google for reinstating the missing link between cars generation and as Linda says in the video "loaded with humanity" !
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