NMNA - saw it on the local u-sell-it lot so I stopped. Car looks to be in unbelievable shape. I couldn't find any rust bubbles in the quarters, interior looked A1, but I was there after dark.... Also, it's really nice, but the sticker on the windshield says $13,995. I know these are going up in value, but that seems astronomical to me. Anyhoo, if anyone has interest I can go back and take a serious look. I just thought it was really cool.
Drat, thought it said $3995 on the window. It could still be a bargain under closer inspection. Rust repair cost by a bodyshop is INSANE these days.
lol. If it said $3995 I'd be posting it as a "look what followed me home" thread!
That's wee bit high, I think, but if its actually solid, not too bad. If it still has a body seam running down from the headlamp through the middle of the turn signal, its probably not been bonded up too badly.
And its an 1800E, not a P1800.
Yeah, $14K is a tad on the high side, but probably a good starting point for haggling down. I'd have to look at it in person to say if it's original body work or not. I am intimately familiar with where and how these cars rust. The engine is a 2.0, not a 1.8. That doesn't look like the original color either. A/C is a nice option if it works.
And as said, that is a 1800E, not a P1800.
I would argue that if the body is solid, that car is worth the money and then some. People DO actually pay to have rusty shells restored, and it does not take long for a shop to eat $20k doing a full metal rehab. I added up the cost of panels to do a shell rehab similar to what I do with MGBs, and $5k did not cover it.
The Volvo P1800 is one of the few classics of the era that you can actually drive comfortably in today's traffic, unlike say the MGB or a VW Bug that has slipped out of that slot as traffic speed has increased and the surviving fleet has aged even further.
Having done a bit of work on one of these, and seen how they are built, I can't imagine one that either does not have or had repaired, some amount of rust damage. The question then becomes how well it was repaired.
My goal is to have one of the very few P1800ES with no rust.
Ian..know this sounds nuts, but if you are hell bent on restoring your ES and this thing turns out to be a real rust-free unicorn, you might actually save money by dropping the ES shell over the P1800E. For that matter, would it not be just the Wagon Roof that gets grafted on? How many years of your life would that save?
E..P...whatever. I'm almost certain it's been repainted - but looks very well done. It's BRG with the white stripes, kind of hard to tell in the pics. I looked at it for all of 5 minutes under parking lot lights, but knocking on body panels all sounded like it should and my overall impression was "Damn, that's a REALLY nice driver car if not a real show piece." Of course, I didn't crawl around under it either.
Here is the thing anymore, A solid rust free car that runs and drives nice is 8-10K unless it's a really unloved model. I really don't care what car model it is. We all know that it'll cost more than that to get it rust free anyways.
NOHOME wrote: Ian..know this sounds nuts, but if you are hell bent on restoring your ES and this thing turns out to be a real rust-free unicorn, you might actually save money by dropping the ES shell over the P1800E. For that matter, would it not be just the Wagon Roof that gets grafted on? How many years of your life would that save?
That would be about the same level of work as what you're doing with the Miata pan and wouldn't save me any of the work that still needs to be done to the shell. The pan of my car is actually not that bad. Typical rust, but not much out of the ordinary in the grand scheme of 1800 rust repair. Likewise, swapping the ES roof onto a coupe would be more work than fixing what I have. There are reasons for restoring the particular car I have that transcend logic. If I don't restore/modify that car, I'll simply buy one that's already done.
Ian F wrote: restoring cars transcends logic.
There, fixed that for you!
You need to start a build thread or at least post some pics of this P1800ES so that we have a picture of what you are up against. You mention the car often enough that I feel like I know it already.
I am also aware from your "drive a classic" thread that you are much like me in that I am enamored of the classic car styling, but pretty much fed up with the classic car driving experience when it meets the reality of everyday driving . As I go down the road of the Miata chassis swap, I find that much of what you anticipated is factual. I wanted to ask if seeing the chassis swap being done pushes you away or back towards that direction?
In reply to NOHOME:
I'll see what I can do. I need to order a new cover for it soon anyway. Next few weeks will be rough. I'd love to start build threads, but picture hosting/posting seems to escape me. What some of you guys do seems like voodoo...
I'm still in "wait and see" mode as far as the chassis/pan swap goes. While it's going better than expected, I know you still have a ways to go. Since discovering the "Project Binky" series, I'm now somewhat back to the sub-frame swap idea rather than the full pan.
perspective....???? 
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/4950313892.html - $9k with rust
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/4947646715.html - coupe "only" $1300
http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/4954825995.html - $6k with
As to dailying one today... It is better then many classics, I agree... but it really needs another 20hp to truly be dailyable
Ian F wrote: I'd love to start build threads, but picture hosting/posting seems to escape me. What some of you guys do seems like voodoo...
NGTD wrote:Ian F wrote: I'd love to start build threads, but picture hosting/posting seems to escape me. What some of you guys do seems like voodoo...1. Sign up with Photobucket 2. Put pictures there 3. Copy the "Direct" link from the picture 4. Come here and click the little "camera" that appears above when making a comment. 5. Paste the link into the box that shows up
Agreed, even I figured it out and I hate most things digital! This site does not make it easy, but it's doable. In order to attach a second or third picture, its actually easier to edit the first post and add another picture.
Photobucket is free, and it does give you a parking spot for all your pictures so that you dont lose them when your computer dies.
My problem with Photobucket is it's blocked at work... which is... like where I do my most of my posting... 
oldeskewltoy wrote: perspective....????
When is anything not better with more HP? 
The white car for $9K is over-priced, IMNSHO. That car needs a crap-ton of rust repair, just looking at what I can see in those few pictures. It's cars like this one that make me want to restore mine - it basically needs the same amount of work but I only paid $800 for it. The difference is my car is more obvious in how much work it needs; instead of rust bubbles on the lower fenders and rockers, the lower fenders and sills are simply gone - but the fix for either is the same.
The $1200 car looks worse than mine - which is scary.
The yellow ES is worrisome. What's up with the one door? Why isn't the hood closed properly? It "might" be an ok car, but would need closer inspection.
IF that $9k car is really worth $9k, the one I saw is absolutely a $13k car.
Photo hosting: If you can get to Dropbox from work you can use the "public" folder in your free dropbox account to post the pics. That's how the ones above are done.
It's funny, but I bet all three cars would be withing $5k of each other if you did a full rotisserie restoration. The black one needs bumpers, so that will drive its cost up. They all need comprehensive body repairs and full interior and mechanical overhaul, so its kind of a wash what you start with.
P1800 stuff ain't inexpensive like the British stuff and a lot of the panels that are available don't fit all that well either. That $13k car is starting to look more and more appealing. Consider that if if is really solid, it will be worth what you paid in 5 years. That not a $13k car, that is a FREE car!
I seem to recall another thread somewhere here a few months ago where Wayne Carini stated that $100K for these cars will soon be the norm. Better buy now.
ultraclyde wrote: IF that $9k car is really worth $9k, the one I saw is absolutely a $13k car. Photo hosting: If you can get to Dropbox from work you can use the "public" folder in your free dropbox account to post the pics. That's how the ones above are done.
I do have a Dropbox account here, but I was never successful getting hosted pictures to link correctly. I do not see this "public" folder you mention or any way to adjust settings. The user interface really kinda sucks, but I have the same problem with Flikr - sometimes pics link OK, other times "red X".
One of my big disappointments in moving to the Pacific Northwest was that you couldn't find rust-free vintage Volvos on every street corner. I have looked at a few 1800S/E/ES cars since I have been up here, and apparently they rust no matter where they live.
I little while back I saw a very minty show winner 1800ES in Vancouver BC for about CA$24k. If I were ever to get back into 1800 ownership, that is the direction I would go (spending real money on a nice one, not to Canada).
In reply to Ian F: Drop-box attempt:
See what I mean?
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/e7sy6zghzejh4as/AAALN478rZ4QjxRikMwG43Asa
Ian F wrote: In reply to Ian F: Drop-box attempt:See what I mean?
That's your P1800ES? Looks good from where I am sitting!
In reply to NOHOME:
How the berk did you get the picture to show???
Anyway... No. That was a shiney looking turd of an ES at the Atlantic City auction a couple of years ago. It was the only "thread continuing" picture I could find in my current Dropbox folder. IIRC, they wanted $14K for it and I'm not sure a magnetic would have stuck to the body anywhere 12" above the ground. It looks good from afar, but it was far from good.
edit: OK... I see you swiped it and put it in your photobucket account. Sneaky... 
These cars are tricky to restore, and some of the trim bits can be hard to find, and expensive when you find them. If you are looking for a car that will appreciate---- pony up and buy the very best one you can afford. Those cars are selling for $15-$35 grand these days.
If you are looking at a driver--- trim, correct door panels and small stuff doesn't matter as much---buy a solid car and enjoy it. Just don't expect to make a lot of $$ on it.
These are getting worth more $$, but only the very best ones will command the top-tier prices. There seem to be plenty of "driver quality" cars out there, so I don't see those cars getting uber valuable anytime soon.
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