Wheeler Dealers Episode w Volvo P1800

Wheeler Dealers Season 7 Episode 9 Volvo P1800- aired Nov 2nd 2010
A glorious piece of 60s styling, the P1800 is the most surprising Volvo you will ever encounter. Mike snaps up a rust free example. But underneath the gorgeous looks there are a number of mechanical issues Edd needs to sort. He’ll have his work cut out to keep costs down on this one.

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Irv turn 70 - heading to 3Mln

World's Highest Mileage Car 2010 - Volvo P1800

Record-breaking automotive pioneer Irv Gordon turns 70 today. And to celebrate, the driver of the highest mileage vehicle on the road, a 1966 Volvo P1800, he aims to reach the unmatchable record of 3 millions miles sometime in the next three years!

 

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Project changling P1800

Project Changling P1800 / Toyota Supra by Pro-Touring by Robert Jackson of CLASSIC AUTO GLASS INNOVATIONS

Robert Jackson started a wonderful project, he explains:
The plans to achieve a similar build to the Vox Volvo Rendition by Bo Zollands , but with a 2JZ Twin Turbo/5-speed Toyota Supra running gear. The 2JZ 6Cyl motor is considerably larger in size than the original Volvo 4cyl/4 speed set up, so there will be alot of fab work to document.

...We will be doing as many of the Body Mods that are possible and reasonable to achieve the overall Vox Volvo Rendition. I am hoping to achieve about 90 percent of the rendition look, but proportionally some of it may not be quite achievable using the original car for a platform. I am not planning on extending the front end, so that may throw things off a bit proportionally...

...
The body mods we are going to perform to achieve the look of the Bo Zollands Vox Volvo design.
Removing the drip rails
Removing the vent window,
Modifyting the top for the reshaped quarter glass
Tilted Headlamps (Mercedes)
Hood Scoop
Moulding the grill shell into the body and bringing the top of the shelll out a bit
Flushing the turn signal lamps
Building an air dam
Recessing the tail lamps
Hopefully raising the wheel wells (if that doesnt get into a hole can of worms),
Removing the chrome trim
Lowering the rear fins
Manufacturing the bumpers (Already have a set of 63 Corvette bumpers for the rear to modify, see the resemblence below)
And of course, FLUSH MOUNT GLASS I thought about making the Complete top glass as in the picture, but for possible sales of our kit, it wouldnt be very easy to install. So, we are going to do just the rear glass by itself.
...

2009 Vox P1800 Concept car

Swedish-born designer named Mattias Vocks, is working on a new creation; a modern day P1800 coupe.
I proposed Mattias a possible presentation during my Viking Classic Auto Show 2010 next to the P958-X1 and with Irv & Pelle but he said the project would not be finished at that time (we were lucky enough to be able to display his 2008 Volvo hot rod Jakob still!). 

Driving your P1800 with style

For those lucky enough to own one, part of the passion for the P1800 comes from driving it, I personally do think your own apparel as a driver is part of the experience, that means, clothes, gloves, shoes, and sunglasses !  I have a great attraction for the Serengeti brand who is producing some of the best lenses on the planet, polarized and photochromic (adaptative to the light exposure) that is the best eyeware on the planet for drivers.
After becoming a cult brand for polarized lenses and optical perfection over night, Serengeti is now an established cult accessory for some of the world's best loved names. Luke Perry, Val Kilmer and Patrick Dempsey have all thrown their influential weight behind Serengeti sunglasses and now's the turn of actor James Denton, who is best known for his provoking role in the American hit series Desperate Housewives. 
Serengeti just released the Merano combining the style to the technology,  James is the Serengeti brand ambassador for the year 2009 in the brand's communication and in a worldwide advertising campaign. In some of the ads he is wearing these Serengeti Merano sunglasses from the Classics collection driving classic cars...I will probably get some for myself!

Read more about the Merano
Read more about choosing driving sunglasses

50 years ago the 1st P1800 prototype was ready at Frua Ghia workshop

In december 1957, the freshly made first hand made prototype by Frua under direction of Pelle Petterson was presented to Irene future wife of Pelle Petterson at Frua Workshop.

About the prototypes names
The 1st Frua prototype, as well as second and third will be finished between end of 1957 and spring 1958, they would be named by Volvo only later during the project continuation, in september 1958 and were respectively name P (personal car) 9 (for the month of September) 58 (for the year 1958) therefore P958-X1, P958-X2, P958-X3

Irene & Pelle Petterson near P958-X1

Helmer Petterson near P958-X1 

More about Frua & Ghia workshop

After the war Pietro Frua bought an old bombed factory, hired 15 workers and all the equipment to design and build cars. Maserati was among the first customers who contacted Frua to design the new 6-cylinder sports car, the A6G. From 1950 to 1957, Frua built 19 coupe and spiders in three sets of different design - including A6 GCS racing. The initial factory was located  Via Giovanni da Verrazzano 18, Turino, Italy.

In 1953, the Ghia factory initialy located Corso Unio Sovietica 75/79, Turino moved to via Agostino da Montefeltro, 7 (formerly occupied by a small steel milling and laminating company) just within a few miles from their old building, the company was headed by Luigi Segre.


In 1957 Luigi Segre head of Ghia wanted to use the brand Frua because Ghia name was connected with the brand name of car companies that would reject use by any competitors, typically Volkswagen denied Ghia to contract with Volvo for the P1800 project. Frua sold his company to Carrozzeria Ghia of Turin, in return, Pietro Frua was appointed director of Ghia design (1957-1960)

Arround September 1957, the Carrozzeria Pietro Frua moved to the Ghia-Building under the new leadership of Luigi Segre right hand Federico Villani.

This correspondance of July 1958 from Helmer Petterson for directions and payment regarding the 3 prototypes was sent to the new place.

Ghia factory Via Agostino da Montefeltro, 7 turino Italy ( the roof shows the word GHIA )

In 1960 after a disagreement between Segre and Frua on "paternity" of the Renault Floride. Frua left Ghia to start his new design studio.

The known pictures of the Frua prototypes have been taken at Via Agostino da Montefeltro, If you look at this picture you can even see behind the prototype, the train tracks and more important the tower building freshly under construction, this same tower is still standing in 2011, you can even see it from Google map street view or Bing

Google map here

Bing aerial view

the old Ghia factory in 2009

 i

the Osi factory accross the street

osi factory

The Ghia building was still standing in 2010 in Turino Italy "via agostino da montefeltro, 7" with across the street the former OSI factory were Segre expanded his business with the OSI car brand.


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There is nothing left today of the original Frua workshop Via Giovanni da Varrazzano 18, now occupied by
modern buildings:


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In 2010 the city council has decided to restructure the district Ghia-OSI. It plans to demolish the most part, keeping a part of the factory. An office of architecture in Bologna won the contract. In this area, an area of 12,700 square meters is the new "European Institute of Design" .

new project of the Ghia premises

Roadtrip for P1800 : Stelvio Pass

Stelvio Pass Road - redefining switchbacks

Driving a P1800 is an incredible experience, let's make it even more enjoyable,
take a drive in one of the most beautiful road of the world, in the Italian Alps, near Bormio and Sulden, 75 km from Bolzano, close to Swiss border. (The road connects the Valtellina with the upper Adige valley and Merano) with an of 2757 meters it is claimed "the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, after the Col de l'Iseran (2770 m)". The only time the Stelvio is closed during the summer is a day in August when it is reserved for cyclists. The toughest and most spectacular climbing is from the Prato side, Bormio side approach is more tame. With 48 hairpins, this road is regarded as one of the finest continuous hairpin routes in the Alps.