At $19,000, Is This 1972 Volvo 1800ES a Good Deal?

At the moment’s Good Worth or No Cube 1800ES eschews Volvo’s boxy styling for an attractive and sensible longroof coupe look. Let’s see if the value tag on this traditional additionally makes it price a second look.

We’ve usually been advised that good issues are available small packages, and whereas the 1974 Toyota Chinook we checked out on Friday was a reasonably small package deal, it apparently wasn’t adequate to warrant spending $25,000 to personal. That was the takeaway, a minimum of, from its 78 % No Cube loss.

You in all probability can’t lay right down to sleep on this 1972 Volvo 1800ES, regardless of the seemingly commodious load space within the again. That being stated, there’s nonetheless lots to do with that area and there’s the fantastic and iconic all-glass hatch that Volvo so cleverly designed to entry it.

The 1800ES began life because the P1800, a coupe that was designed with the American market in thoughts, positioned to be a competitor to Chevy’s Corvette. The coupe’s design was the work of Volvo designer Pelle Petterson with slightly assist thrown in from Italian designer Pietro Frua. Popping out of the tail finish of the Fifties, the design featured a Ferrari-esque nostril, sweeping aspect trim, and de rigueur, albeit constrained, fins within the again.

Volvo contracted Britain’s Jensen Motors to construct the vehicles, with the mannequin debuting for the 1961 mannequin 12 months. The mannequin’s preliminary success was tempered by quality management points at Jensen. That led Volvo to take manufacturing in-house two years later on the firm’s manufacturing plant in Gothenburg, Sweden. At that time, the mannequin was renamed the 1800S with the S standing for Superman… er, Sweden.

The coupe obtained one other identify change in 1970 when the S was swapped for an E with the arrival of the 1800E. The E represented Einspritzung for gas injection. Volvo selected to make use of the German phrase for gas injection because the identifier relatively than the Swedish bränsleinsprutning because the automotive used a D-Jetronic system from Germany’s Bosch.

That leads us to the 1800ES which supplied the fuel-injected 1.8 liter B18 or—as on this automotive’s case—the two liter B20 version of the identical mill, and an prolonged roofline and funky all-glass hatch. What a magnificence!

These have been constructed for two years solely, with Volvo deciding it could be too pricey to adapt the decade-old design to fulfill rising U.S. security requirements. Solely slightly over 8,000 have been constructed over the course of these two mannequin years.

This one, in darkish gold over a biscuit inside, appears to be like to be in terrific form. The advert notes a strong chassis and claims just a few nicks within the paint. It rolls on later Virgo alloys that are wrapped in brand-new tires. Different updates embody a brand new battery, all of the fluids, and the upholstery on the entrance bucket seats. An aftermarket steering wheel can also be famous, however that’s a much less profitable addition in my view.

As famous, the automotive comes with the B20 motor. That’s gas injected as evidenced within the automotive’s identify, and as fitted made 125 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque in U.S. guise. Behind that could be a four-speed handbook gearbox fitted with a Laycock de Normanville overdrive for blissful freeway cruising.

Within the advert, the vendor says the automotive is “properly sorted,” and claims it “Runs and drives effectively.” There are simply 94,000 miles on the odometer and, as a associated mannequin gained fame for doing over a million miles, this one ought to show pretty stout in the long run. The title is clear and the automotive runs Arizona vintage automotive plates which have their benefits.

The vendor asks $19,000 to take over possession. That will get the possible new proprietor a decent-looking traditional that possible gained’t trigger loads of complications or further bills down the street. That being stated, these vehicles have a really slim viewers. The normal Volvo followers are usually rather less enthusiastic concerning the 1800s since they aren’t all boxy and paradoxically cool. Others are inclined to low cost them for his or her solely fair-to-middling efficiency. Meaning we’ll have to hold the torch for this one and vote on whether or not we predict $19,000 is the correct worth for that proper purchaser.

What’s your tackle this clear and funky 1800ES and that $19,000 asking? Does that appear like a good worth for the automotive because it’s been introduced? Or, does this longroof’s vendor have an extended street forward of them?

You resolve!

Fb Market out of Phoenix, Arizona, or go right here if the advert disappears.

H/T to Mike Pavlovic for the hookup!

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