The Much-Loved - Volvo 1800ES
Welcome back everyone to our vehicle of the month series. Now that the Summer Season has officially begun, we thought it would be great to start of July with a story of a much-loved vehicle, the “Perfect Classic For A Weekend Away” as once described by Petrolicious.
We are of course talking about the Volvo 1800ES - A vehicle that we are thrilled to feature as our ‘Vehicle of the Month’ this July, thanks to its proud owner Jarrod and his well preserved restoration diary.
We know you’ll enjoy this one! So sit back, relax and have a great read guys ;)
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General history of the Volvo 1800ES
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The 1800ES had a newly designed rear end in 1971, compared with the previous version of the P1800 coupe (1961-1972). The roof lines had been extended and the car had a profile that was more reminiscent of an estate. Completely in line with Volvo's tradition of building estates to match the development of customer lifestyles and the increase in the size of luggage compartments to provide the extra space required for golfing equipment etc., the capacity being 35 cubic feet.
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For the 1972 model year, the 1800ES was launched, the E stood for Einspritzung being fuel injection in English, S being sport estate. The fuel injection was supplied by Bosch with an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which boosted output to 124 brake horsepower (91 kW). Although the 1800ES was heavier than the P1800E, kerb weight now approached 1,270 kg, the 0-60 mph time was 9.6s, while top speed was more than 115 mph (185 km/h). More importantly, the B20E model engine could now meet the latest USA emissions standards. To match its new found power, the 1800ES now had four-wheel disc brakes, borrowed from the six-cylinder 164 saloon, along with a new ZF four-speed manual gearbox with the J-type Laycock de Normanville overdrive. As an alternative a Borg-Warner three-speed automatic was available too.
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In 1972, the 1800ES was sold for around £3,000 and was produced for two model years, 1972 and 1973. With stricter American safety and emissions standards looming for 1974, Volvo did not see fit to spend the considerable amount that would be necessary to redesign the small-volume 1800ES. Only 8,077 examples of the ES were built, now there are 61 licensed and 40 SORN (not licensed) in the UK, as of March 2021.
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Our Volvo 1800ES: AVH 412K
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First registered: 7th January 1972 by Olaf Olsen Volvo Garage, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
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It was originally painted sun yellow (code:107) with the black leather interior and beige carpets (code 443-818), both the latter are the original unrestored items and we have kept the original yellow colour plate on the pedal box next to the designation plate in the engine bay.
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We know some of its history and have some original Volvo bills from Olaf Olsen of Huddersfield from the early 1980s. The ninth owner was from Sheffield, he owned it from 1988, when it failed its MOT due to a rotting floor pan, it was then parked in a garage for some years.
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The tenth owner had it from 2012 to 2019, in which time he totally dismantled the car, had the bodyshell acid dipped and stripped at Enviro-Strip Ltd in Staffordshire in 2013. Resprayed in two tone metallic colours, silver over blue in 2017 and
rebuilt the car for the road in 2018, with many new mechanical components. At
this point a new speedo drive gear was fitted at 60,000 miles and the odometer
zeroed. We have all the invoices for that period of restoration and they total
over £10,000!
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Please see the history of the car during our ownership below from August 2019 and keep scrolling down for it's pre August 2019 history.
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24 Aug 2019: We purchased the car from a private owner in Crowle, Lincolnshire - our return journey home.
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25 Aug 2019: Our first ever classic car show at Langlands Garden Centre, Shiptonthorpe.
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Oct 2019: After original metal cooling fan scored the radiator, it overheated on the A1 near Doncaster, so got transported home. We had the engine rebuilt, re-cored the radiator, skimmed and rebored the cylinder head, with unleaded valve seats, new cylinder head gasket and yellow bladed cooling fan. Also we had a new heater matrix valve, brake servo and the oil pressure gauge re-furbished and a new oil pressure line fitted too.
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Aug 2020: Volvo Owners Club Northern meet at Wetherby racecourse, our car won runner up in the 1800 class!
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Jun 2021: New fuel tank fitted.
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Aug 2021: Our 3 Volvos, the 1972 1800ES 2.0 Fuel injection petrol. The XC70 2.4 D4 SE Nav Manual AWD in Twilight Bronze. The XC90 2.0 B5 D Inscription Pro Auto AWD in Bright Silver.
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2022: Transporting our car to have it resprayed, engine detailed and remove some of the imperfections in the body work. We did not like the two-tone non Volvo colours and when funds allowed, we had it resprayed in a 1972 Volvo 1800ES colour: Alpine Blue metallic (code 111-2).
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Jan 2023: Imperfections being removed from the body work.
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Feb 2023: Body imperfections removed and primed, ready for respray.
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Mar 2023: B20E engine, block detailed in original Volvo red.
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May 2023: Engine bay resprayed in Alpine Blue metallic.
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May 2023: Bodyshell respray in an original 1972 Volvo 1800ES colour: Alpine Blue metallic (code 111-2).
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May 2023: Removed body parts being resprayed.
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May 2023: Doors being fitted to the bodyshell.
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Jun 2023: The car & engine after respray being towed home.
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Jun 2023: Engine after rebuild, lowered into the engine bay.
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Jun 2023: Engine installed in the bay, with new fuel injection hoses and thermostat fitted.
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Jun 2023: Car now complete.
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Jun 2023: Rebuild of car with engine in now complete.
Below is the history of the car ownership prior to Aug 2019.
Below is the history of the car ownership prior to Aug 2019.
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History of the car ownership prior to Aug 2019 :
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The tenth owner had it from 2012 to 2019, in which time he totally
dismantled the car, had the bodyshell acid dipped and stripped at Enviro-Strip
Ltd in Staffordshire in 2013.
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2013: The bodyshell acid dipped and stripped at Enviro-Strip Ltd in Staffordshire.
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2013: The B20E engine before restoration.
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Aug 2013: Floorpan restoration
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Aug 2013: Inside of the car floorpan
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Aug 2013: Floorpan under sealed
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Mar 2014: Many car components being restored.
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May 2014: Car body restoration done and now primed.
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May 2014: Car body restoration done and now primed.
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Jul 2017: Car reassembly after restoration.
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Jul 2017: Car reassembly after restoration.
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Jul 2017: Interior before fit out.
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July 2017: B20E engine after refurbishment with block painted black by the previous owner - it should be red.
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May 2018: B20E engine in the bay.
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June 2019: Interior refitted.
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Jun 2019: Underside of the car complete.
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Aug 2019: Car complete by the previous owner for sale.
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Well how's that for a double restoration story? It's so valuable and fulfilling to know your car's background and be able to re-tell it so easily. If you ask us, it's the history of our classic motors, that ultimately defines them and makes them all more special. Wouldn't you agree?
Jarrod, once again - Thank you for letting us share your story today and making it available to read to fellow enthusiasts using our Facts Disc. We hope you'll continue to keep building your car story up throughout your ownership.
Have a Happy Weekend Everyone, Happy July!
Jarrod, once again - Thank you for letting us share your story today and making it available to read to fellow enthusiasts using our Facts Disc. We hope you'll continue to keep building your car story up throughout your ownership.
Have a Happy Weekend Everyone, Happy July!
Beautiful car! Thank you for sharing!!