1800: New member looking to buy a Volvo P1800

[Tint]

Hi all,
Hope one and all fine and well.
I'm a new member and looking to buy myself a Volvo p1800 as a summer time daily runner.
I have attached the link below but suspect it hasnt worked.
Its in Car and Classic.co.uk and is powder blue with a vinyl roof and sunroof.
Is the latter not a popular addition and a solid painted roof preferred?

I believe this colour was limited to 1965 production year only so not many in this colour, could anyone confirm this please.

Car not concourse but good driver with solid original body and chromework.
Start of bubbling at back right hand wheelarch towards back of back wheel arch bodywork.
Back rear tail light drivers side rusty underlight.
Right sill needs replacing and trolly jack mount.
20mm rust hole by drain hole in drivers well but rest of floor solid.
Been told Drives really well and engine strong and guy sounds lovely honest and genuine.
There is a crack in dashboard on top just to right of instrument dome.

Any advice would be very welcome or opinions, I am currently a rover enthusiast so am well versed with what to look out for but alas no clue on the p1800, ONLY that I have always adored the looks.

Thanks in anticipation,
keep safe
and take care
Steve

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C539927

[Groundes-Peace]

Interesting post.
My first suggestion would be to look at a number of P1800 cars and take these for a drive.
Get to know the cars a bit before deciding. All the cars will have some defects (unless you want to pay £20,000 or more!)
Only then can you work out how much of a project you want to take on, or find a car that will need little attention for a year or so.
Are you really wanting the car to be your daily runner in the summer months?
Good luck and happy hunting.

[Tint]

Thanks for that, good points and given me something to ponder,
driving a few first I can see now totally benefits of that,
and that alone may let me see a summer daily driver albeit a nice idea may not actually be for me, more of a sunny day weekend treat or trip to a meet.
Again much appreciated.

[Burdekin]

Hi Steve,

Rust is the big thing for the P1800 and it's difficult and expensive to repair as body panels are welded on and panels are expensive. You will find a lot of them with rust and bodged repairs. The best advice is to get someone who has repaired P1800's and get them to check it over before buying. They rot in quite a lot of areas and know these places and check these areas carefully.

The car is probably leaking through the windscreen if they've got a hole drilled in the floor which can mean a rotten windscreen aperature and also possibly A pillar and front inner wing shotguns etc as well. Trust me there will be a lot more hidden rust than what the guy is telling you (even if he knows it or not) so plan for that.

Check out the price of repair panels online at Brookhouse Volvo.

Sorry for a bit of doom and gloom, but best to have your eyes fully open when going to buy and knowing how much it will cost to put right.

Good luck.

Mitch

Just had a look at the pics, both sills and lower front wings look like they are full of filler and possibly front headlight areas. If they've bodged the sills then I would be very careful if I was you as what elese have they bodged.

[Tint]

Cheers Mitch,
Fab points, further educating me, some slow time research I can see needed, better to be informed.
Am in no rush as is a 50th present from me to me, not 49 till April.
I have also had good look at pictures and yep I can determine there looks to be possible issues as you say.
Windscreen leaks having done a quick google quite destructive and something I'd ave never looked for.
Better a little doom and gloom so much better than tears after a hasty purchase.
Many thanks Mitch appreciate you taking the time,
Take care
Steve

[CLIVERALLY]

I can only echo what the others have said. Stuff costs a damnsite more than you would expect, trim particularly, But without the shell its pointless and dangerous. If the frame underneath is knackered it will break in the middle. if you are handy with a welder of know someone then fair enough but again as has been said there will be a load more than just the sill an a small patch needed in the floor.
I went to see a Jenson some time ago at a classic car garage with a very good rep. The car was on the face of it in very good condition with faultless paint work but a few prods and pokes here and there revealed rust in the rear wheel arches (covered by the arch carpet) , and a litany of other body related issues, by far the worst was the chassis rail at the front.

The next was a complete shed the guy wanted 7K for and said with a good 5 K restoration it would be worth 20K.... well maybe on the planet Zarg where he came from !!.. I think Stevie Wonder had welded his car together with bits of not more than 6 inches in length

Iam sure others who have more experience with this model than me will have even worse stories

When I bought mine it was not the most attractive kid in the block but it was structrally sound.

I would say (and I will wait from the wail of descent here) you wont find much below 10K. The last sub 10K car I saw was a P1800e which had come from Australia and was for sale in London it was very good .. sadly I missed out.... keep looking .. you will find one I am sure ..

[Tint]

Many thanks Clive rally,
As the Rover Forum I subscribe to this forum as friendly and supportive.
Am currently researching after all the advice what to look out for body wise, your points confirming again the importance of this especially regarding safety.
Again much thanks
Toodlepip
Take care
Steve

[P1800Ray]

Hi Steve, I've just private messaged you with my mobile number. Happy to have a chat about my P1800 experiences if that will help.
Cheers
Ray