The reason behind the P1800 fame, why is it such a resilient car!

We all are aware that the fame of resilience of the P1800 has been demonstrated by our friend Irv Gordon for 5 decades with the highest mileage in the world for a personal car.

This is due to several factors:

•     High class engineering with top materials thought for the long term
•     A design for easy maintenance

Part of the success is the incredible reliability and strength of the volvo B18 engine, this video seems a good presentation of the story behind it, from B16 to the perf  B21!  

Our under-stressed motors will surely guarantee that all the Volvo P1800 will outlive their owners!

 

source (c) Driving 4 answers here

Why The Volvo P1800 Is A Design Masterstroke

 Why the Volvo P1800 Is a design Masterstroke,

https://www.hotcars.com/why-the-volvo-p1800-is-a-design-masterstroke/ 

I recommend reading this global review of the P1800 attraction, at the same time I fully object the statement of the Author "The P1800 is a forgotten classic car that showcased early Swedish design."

Nothing could be more wrong, any authority in the P1800 history world including my friend Pelle Petterson himself. (the very P1800 designer) would confirm it. The intent of hosting the design at Frua which was a full scale coach-builder whatever commercials later ended with purchase by Ghia, was solely to give an clearly emblematic Italian signature to the car, to compete with the Ferrari and Maserati of the time. Surely it did, because the Frua workshop just hosted at the very same time the famous A6GCS 2000 Sport. The "Frua line" was synonymous with the good taste of a single man.  No wonder the design of the P1800 rivals those thanks to the supervision of Frua and the right mix and soft touches done by Pelle including some of his American attractions inherited from his Pratt institute earlier curriculum and US life.

Never again since the P1800 got any Volvo car such a mark of paternity with a given school of design like the one of the P1800  "the Italian 60's GT sportscars".

 

 

A6G54 spider by Frua

1957 Ghia Luigi Segre + Pelle Petterson + Pietro Frua and the P1800 wood frame prototype

Irv's 1800S exclusive drive by Magnus Walker and Irv's friend and mechanic

Irv Gordon put 3 MILLION miles on his Volvo P1800, setting a Guinness World Record for the most driven non-commercial vehicle. In this exclusive first drive, Magnus Walker becomes the first person outside of Volvo to drive the car since Irv's passing in 2018 and goes on a very special ride with Irv's friend and mechanic Nino Gambino. 

Hi my friend Irv ! 

I am sure your saw this, this drive is surely keeping the flame of your fame memory.

Your car is simply not only a record mileage 1800 it is the unique Irv's Gordon 1800S and we see you each time we see this car.

Here we are P1800 413HP Restomod

 This is the new Volvo P1800 Cyan, a modern high-performance interpretation of the classic coupe, or a very impressive restomod if you prefer, from the same guys that won three times the World Touring Car Championship.

Cyan Racing, the official racing arm of Geely Group, is responsible for the design and engineering of this gorgeous machine which is based on the original Volvo P1800 and will enter limited production later this year. That’s right, the Volvo P1800 Cyan is not another special one-off creation.

One can note that contrary to most restomod,  here the general original design from Pelle is kept! showing how valuable it is!

beautiful toy isn't !

 

more here

side note: latest know significant mod of this kind is the Roos Aston Martin 2.5L mod hereunder (built from a stock car w only design change being the hood due to the motor size)

Good bye to our P1800 friend and mentor Irv Gordon

This is with such great sadness that we learned that our friend and guide Irv Gordon passed away while travelling in China Nov 16th while he was telling his daughter "I am having the time of my life"

Words are missing to describe how much he meant for so many of us.

We are missing a worldwide figure and a friend.
I will forever remember the 2 years of preparation with Irv of the Viking Classic Autoshow in France in 2010 where he helped us manage to bring him together with Pelle Petterson the designer of the P1800, this started a friendship for several passions we share together the first one being the P1800 and the second the classic cars, as most do not know that not only Irv was driving his 1800S but also enjoyed miles on other cars too, including several classic cars.

Rest in peace my Friend! Thank you for all the good times, you driving my 1800S, chats, jokes, smile on your face and on the phone all these years, and most important for having set forever among all the flame of the P1800.

Thank you

You've made me feel right at home Thanks. Irv Gordon (driving my 1800S in France 2010)

Irv last picture sent to his daughter "I am having the time of my life!"

read more :https://www.today.com/news/man-drives-record-3-million-miles-same-1966-volvo-8C11307586

Hemmings about our P1800 book

As Kenneth stated

Nice review yesterday by Hemmings of our (first...) book about the living icon, the Volvo P1800. Worth telling the rest of this fascinating story isn't it...

Pointblank: If you own a Volvo P1800 or are a longstanding admirer of this fascinating sports car, then you must own this book. Without question, this is the definitive P1800 book — no other books on the P1800 can compare.
Laid out in a landscape format of 9 x 11¾ inches in size, this hardcover book, which totals 280 pages of a quality coated stock, was published in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2011. Written by two serious Volvo P1800 enthusiasts, Kenneth Collander and Mats Eriksson, their goal was a simple one: “This book is dedicated to all those people who in one way or the other were engaged in the creation and development of the Volvo P1800 and all the enthusiasts around the world who take good care of these cars, their heritage and history.”
With the foreword written by the man who penned the P1800’s shape, Pelle Petterson, the book is divided into 11 distinct chapters, each focusing on one particular aspect of the P1800’s design and development. There are numerous photographs, mostly black-and-white images, showing the creation of the Volvo Sport prototype, as well as many fascinating photos taken at Carrozzeria Frua of the construction of the first P1800 prototype.

 

Throughout the book there are endless details about the P1800’s construction, insight as to how and why it was designed and built the way it was, and all sorts of noteworthy information and minute details about the parts and trim pieces used in its construction. And the many side stories about specific P1800s and their owners, as well as the many world markets where the P1800 was sold, adds greatly to the P1800s’ — and this book’s — appeal. It’s a captivating and highly enjoyable read, but be prepared for a tough search in finding a copy as they are very hard to come by, although the effort is certainly worth it.

Read more Recommended Reading: Volvo P1800 – From idea to prototype and production

Tribute to The Saint gentleman P1800 driver

Thank you again for the Passion of the P1800 you have set in all of us Sir Roger

read more

Why the P1800 is Everybody’s Favorite Volvo

Modern cars are safer, better built, more reliable, and faster than they ever have been before, and unless something major happens, next year’s crop is likely to be even better. So at a time when we have Toyota Camrys putting up horsepower numbers that Ferraris posted 30 years ago, sport sedans that transform from luxury cars to world-class corner carvers with the flick of a switch (while returning gas mileage in the 30s, no less), and an electric sedan with as much horsepower as a Lamborghini, why do we still pine for cars from half a century ago?
Because paradoxically, midcentury cars didn’t have any of the things we take for granted today. They feel “analog” because they are; they’re purely mechanical creations, and at their best, they offer a driving experience that no production car can compete with today. And for proof of how much people are missing “the good old days” lately, take a look at collector car auction prices over the past five years.

read more

The passion for P1800 rewarded

Our fellow VIP renown enthusiast and multi-hat P1800 ambassador Kevin Price who just accomplished the magic of bringing back to road the iconic 1800 (71DXC) featured in the first Saint TV series got a (more than) well deserved price,
thanks to his accomplishment more than this price he receives also the recognition of the worldwide P1800 passionate community. Thank you Kevin.
Looking forward to meet you soon, and have a tour in your Saintly Car! this surely would be the second most interesting drive of my life after the time Irv drove my car on my favorite roads!

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/11152488.Bewdley_engineer_wins_Restorer_of_the_Year_title/?ref=var_0

http://www.performance-car-guide.co.uk/roger-moores-the-saint-volvo-revived-restored-and-coming-to-manchester.html

http://classiccarmag.net/roger-moores-original-saint-car-lives-to-see-another-day/

http://www.thesaintvolvo.co.uk/gal.asp?gID=34

read also the history of the rebuild
http://www.thesaintvolvo.co.uk/history.asp

and do not forget to check at 8:45 of the Talented Husband episode of the Saint (c)ITC


Congratulations and Thank you again Kevin!

Irv and his P1800 on cover page of Hemmings for his 3 mln miles achievement !

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!

P1800 Jensen Factory HQ building still standing in 2011

One amazing thing is the fact that the very first office building of the Jensen Factory in Carters Green, West Bromwich B70 9QL, Shaftesbury street 4 (behind the Shaftesbury Casino at the corner of High Street and Shaftesbury ) is still standing in 2011!  (and looks like secure since a modern building construction plan accepted in 2006 has been delayed and the building currently renovated) You can still see the building from google map / street view or Bing hereafter:

View Larger Map

Bing aerial view

 

A brand new set of pics taken yesterday (c) by Steve who had the kindness to go on site for us all, check his full set here, and the good news is that the place looks like protected from the 2006 builders plan because the owners are currently having some renovation done (inside pics to follow on Steve's set)

Looks like the Jensen brothers could push that door anytime, isn't it !

This building is in fact the W. J Smith & Son Factory where the name was changed during the establishment of Jensen Motors Ltd.

Here is a picture of the original W.J Smith & Son Factory in the 1930s, the Jensen brothers ran the company under theyre name after the death of Smith

Carters Green Parade in the 30's Guest's motors visible as well as the sign of WJ Smith in the center far back

A view of 2011 of the same location shows the brick building on the right still standing since the 30s

1936 name change to Jensen Motors Ltd (source JOC)

This is the location of the Jensen Factory until 1956 before the move to Kelvin Way where the P1800 was produced (2 miles away) This is also the office where was hosted the small Swedish "control" team that had to manage 3 years the expected quality standards of the first made Volvo P1800 before the production was finally moved to Sweden, the project was called project "Ares" at Jensen.

Carters Green Jensen office where the Volvo team was located,
Volvo Amazon of staff parked on left (c)Ake Bjorksund

Town Planning

One can see on the town planning website the 2006 plans and authorization to replace it by a modern housing complex

Original (then future) Jensen Factory plans of John Street 541 factory in yellow the Office buiding, at the lower left the factory (source JOC)

Same view from Shaftesbury street in 2011 and 1950

The building in 2011

The building in the 50's

 Jensen Office Carters Green - The Jensen Brothers in front of the building in the 60's

Richard Jensen

Alan Jensen

Richard Calver the Jensen historian also states that the factory in Carters Green (behind the still standing building and having entry on John st) was demolished many years ago, probably in the late 1960s or early 1970s, that the factory was bombed in 1940 and essentially all of the records were destroyed, so it's not easy to come to grips with that period, and that the Jensen site in Kelvin Way was huge and was broken up in the late 70s to form a multitude of units (look at pictures below) with the exception of the Kelvin Way Service Department which remained in the hands of JP&S and operated as such until the early 1990s. It has since been gutted, in 1997 becoming a Metal Enclosures factory and changed several times since them...

The original office in Kelvin Way has unfortunately been dismantled

Today the former Jensen Service building on Kelvin Way can be seen next to the Kelvin Way Trading Estate.

 

Google maps link of Kelvin Way former Jensen site

bing aerial view



View Larger Map

Jensen Service building in the 80's

Comparing with the 60s' all the other buildings have been changed in the aera

The Jensen Club UK is celebrating this year the 75years commemoration with a medal figuring the Jensen Office.

JOC Celeb medal (c) JOC