Volvo - Volvo P1800
The Volvo P1800 was built from 1961 to be the sports car marketed by Volvo,, built on the base of the the existing Volvo Amazon. The P1800 is the Volvo made famous by being the car Simon Templar used in the series "The Saint" which ran from 1961 to 1969. Various prototypes for the bodywork were built at Frua and the finalised version lay dormant for a long period until a bodywork manufacturer could be found to take it to production, after Volvos initial choice of company fell through. Eventually Jensen in the UK undertook the job, with the pressings made at Linwood in Scotland, with final assembly happening at the Jensen works. By 1963 production moved from the Jensen premises in the UK to the Volvo factory in Sweden. The P1800 was first sold with the new 1780cc engine producing 90 bhp, and what was called the 1800S when the P1800 got assembled in Sweden (S for Svergie), when a little more power was also found. For 1964 the Volvo engine was enlarged to 1985 cc with fuel injection added, which raised the power to 130 bhp, this model being called the P1800E. The final fuel injected P1800 was the 1800ES which were a slightly detuned version producing 125 bhp. Volvo P1800 production went on to 1972. It is interesting that the 1972 / 1973 1800ES estate car was the nucleus that set the scene for many future Volvo designs. These were practical and reliable cars as demonstrated by a 1966 Volvo P1800 being the highest mileage vehicle used by a private person, with a mileage of 3,260,257, equivalent to over 130 times around the equator!
Volvo P1800 tyre size was originally 165R15. But toward the end of production the Volvo 1800 ES Coupe was fitted by the factory with the same diameter but wider 185/70R15 size. Blockley produces both these 165VR15 and 185/70VR15 tyre sizes - see full details of these superb Volvo P1800 tyre size options at the links below:
