Yes... I think I really do have a problem...

Last night after getting home from a very wet training ride, I log onto The Book of Faces and a friend posts in one of the 1800 groups about a '66 Volvo 1800 that needs to be moved quickly. It was rear-ended 3 months ago and now the insurance is settling. The seller only wants the difference between the full pay-out and the pay-out minus buy-back. $2000.

The car runs and drives fine and the rear hit doesn't look too bad. Definitely needs a new deck lid and rear panel, but the hit was above the bumpers, so there shouldn't be any subframe or major unibody damage.

A running, driving 1800 with minimal-to-no rust for $2000.

Berk.

Have already made plans to head down to get it this Sat.

Ian F wrote: Last night after getting home from a very wet training ride, I log onto The Book of Faces and a friend posts in one of the 1800 groups about a '66 Volvo 1800 that needs to be moved quickly. It was rear-ended 3 months ago and now the insurance is settling. The seller only wants the difference between the full pay-out and the pay-out minus buy-back. $2000. The car runs and drives fine and the rear hit doesn't look too bad. Definitely needs a new deck lid and rear panel, but the hit was above the bumpers, so there shouldn't be any subframe or major unibody damage. A running, driving 1800 with minimal-to-no rust for $2000. Berk. Have already made plans to head down to get it this Sat.

Can you graft the ES bits on to convert it to a wagon? Sounds like a good way to kill two birds with one stone.

What you call a problem, I call a case of good luck. I see no problem here...move along, move along

No... The rear ES bits I have are too rusty. Although I'd be lying if I say the thought never crossed my mind.

My plan/hope is to drive the car immediately up to a body guy I know in central PA who is well versed in 1800's and see what he says. If possible, I would have him repair the damage and then I'd (hopefully) sell for a small profit. In the meantime (from what I know, he's usually back up for months and won't take a car until he's ready to work on it), I'll look at pushing out the rear panel enough to get a replacement deck lid to shut, replace the broken tail light and drive the thing.

We'll see... I've only seen one picture on FB of the damage, so the latter may be a pipe dream. But it really doesn't look that bad. The owner didn't have classic insurance on it, so he was relying on the insurance of the guy who hit him. They couldn't find a shop willing to even look at the car, so after 3 months they just wrote it off.

Link to or pics of damage?

Only on Facebook right now.

check it carefully.... unitized structure MAY have gotten tweaked...

man $2000 for a bent 1800..........

oldeskewltoy wrote: man $2000 for a bent 1800..........

Yeah... 10 years ago it would have been a parts car without a doubt, but now... notsomuch... The owner describes the car as an older restoration in "driver" condition. Insurance still offered him over $20K.

Ian:

I would be interested in knowing what you see as the main challenge(s) to grafting ES superstructure on to the Sedan?

The quarters panels are the same from what I can see. I assume the doors swap?

So other than drilling a few spotwelds to free up the longer wagon top, what does not work with this?

Everything aft of the windshield and inboard of the tail fins is different. Doors are not the same. Floors are different throughout. Rear bumper mounts in a different location. Gas filler is in a different place. A '66 S shares little mechanically in common with an ES. Etc., etc.

VClassics wrote: Everything aft of the windshield and inboard of the tail fins is different. Doors are not the same. Floors are different throughout. Rear bumper mounts in a different location. Gas filler is in a different place. A '66 S shares little mechanically in common with an ES. Etc., etc.

Did not realize floor-pan was much different. That would be the deal breaker.

But how can the doors be different if the quarters and front fenders are the same. Are the wheelbases different also?

I don't really know. I've only really had an ES for the last 10 years, and never really had much interest in the coupes. I know the floor pan is different on the P and S cars vs the E/ES cars. The trans tunnel is bigger in the later cars to accomodate the larger BW35. I know the door glass is different for the coupe, but I am unaware of how the doors differ. This car has the earlier side trim, so the door handles are different.

In a nutshell, the damage to the back of the car isn't that bad. I have no intention of doing major modifications beyond what is required for the repair and maybe - maybe - adding A/C. But I'll worry about all this after I actually have the car.

The wheelbase is the same for all 1800s, but there's surprisingly little commonality between a '66 and an ES (with the '73 ES being more different yet). Volvo pretty much changed every bit of the car over its 11+ years of production. I've done extensive work on Jensen-built P1800 serial 1880 or so, right through a last day of production ES (serial 8072 of 8078). Those two cars have almost nothing in common except for some of the sheet metal stampings, which are drilled for different trim, and the tail fin trim. They're about as different as a Healey 100-4 is from a late 3000.

Well, the good news is that the P1800 is cool in its own right and you can be rolling right away. So I can't see where you could go wrong with this other than the fact that it will push your ES further back on the priority list. But I have a feeling it was going to be there for a while yet!

Well... The subject just became moot. The car owner accepted a deposit from someone who is closer. Oh well... not like I really need another project car. Might have been fun though... (sigh...)

Ian, I know we're supposed to be enablers, but I didn't want to give my opinion while it was still viable for you. I was not enthusiastic, knowing that you already have a major project on your hands, as well as the Spitfire. In my opinion you're fortunate it turned out this way. (But I know about the lure. I'm always checking CL for the next "one." But I already have "one" and that'll keep me busy until it's done).

Oh trust me, I absolutely consider this "a bullet dodged" as I 100% need another car like a hole in the head. So I am perfectly happy with the outcome. I made a sincere effort to get the car. I tried and it didn't work out. My conscious is clear, if you know what I mean.

Ian F wrote: Oh trust me, I absolutely consider this "a bullet dodged" as I 100% need another car like a hole in the head. So I am perfectly happy with the outcome. I made a sincere effort to get the car. I tried and it didn't work out. My conscious is clear, if you know what I mean.

So what I am reading is that you now have a $2000 budget to get started on the P1800ES?

That should buy a few panels.