1965 Volvo 1800S, P1800, 1800

A 1965 Volvo 1800S coupe, chassis number 13,845. Clear Wisconsin title in my name. Car received a full nut and bolt restoration about two years ago. I will list the details of the restoration below. Minor tasteful modifications performed mostly aimed at performance/driveability. The exterior of the car was not repainted at that time as it shows very well for an old paint job. Their is evidence of some filler in the rockers and the passenger side rear wheel arch. (see pic) One notable ding on passenger side fender under antenna. (see pic) Paint does have crazing and many small chips again showing its age. Overall I believe it has a nice even patina that suits the car well. Some of the trim has minor pitting and dings. Glass does have small pits and light scratches. Engine runs very strong and engine compartment is extremely detailed, transmission shifts smoothly and O/D goes in and out well. Chassis is also highly detailed. (see pics) Interior is all new and shows exceptionally well. Only things not currently working on car are oil temp gauge and clock. Likely from not enough use the car does leak just a little from rear main and trans. O/D unit. Both small leaks typical of these cars. Car has less than 3,000 miles since restoration. Included in sale is an original owners manual, some workshop books and numerous spares including an entire closed PCV system if desired/needed to be fitted. A huge Folder with receipts going back to the early 80's is also included, this car appears to have spent most of its life in the Missouri area. Overall I would say this car is a better than average driver with show quality engine, interior and chassis, one could do an exterior repaint and a little trim work and have an extremely nice show car but most people seem to like the exterior patina as is.
List of restoration items
1965 Volvo 1800S build notes
Body/Monocoque
• Entire car disassembled (not a bolt/screw left in)
• Front longitudinal sub-frame, jack strut, rear brace (under butt) and floor pans cut out and replaced on both sides. (Wolf Steel restorations
steel body panels)
• Inner rocker front section cut out and replaced on both sides
• Battery box replaced, new front inner splash guards
• All found surface rust treated, numerous other small repairs made. All seams cleaned and re-sealed with seam sealer
• Entire underneath of car wire wheeled, rust treated where needed, painted and undercoated.
• Jams, bottom of rockers, front and rear lower valences, wheel arches, trunk and engine compartment painted body matching red
• Interior metal surface wire wheeled, rust treated, primed and painted silver. Door interior surfaces silver as well
• All exterior paint touched up, wet sanded and polished.
• Underside of hood and trunk prepped and painted body matching red.
Brakes
• Front calipers completely rebuilt by Centric, new semi-metallic pads, discs turned, new wheel bearings and seals
• Rear brakes completely rebuilt, all parts sandblasted and epoxy painted. New wheel cylinders, adjusters, hardware kits and shoes.
• New master cylinder, new front to rear and axle brake lines. All new flex lines.
• Hand/parking brake assembly restored, linkage blasted/painted and rebuilt
Engine
• Almost full engine rebuild (except pistons/bores)
• Block hot tanked and blasted, deburred, decked slightly, bores honed. New freeze plugs and oil galley plugs, all new bearings (mains, rods,
camshaft) Piston assemblies weight balanced to within 5 grams.
• Cylinder head hot tanked, deburred and blasted, resurfaced. valve guides replaced, seats re-cut, new valves and springs. Did not install
hardened seats. (run lead substitute)
• New VP camshaft (Volvo "C"), upgraded Isky SBC style lifters and matching pushrods. Cloyes steel/aluminum timing gears.
• All engine components painted in high temp coating, stainless bolts used where appropriate.
• All clearances checked, all seals/gaskets replaced
• Distributor rebuilt by Glenn Ring, IPD shaft reinforcing ring installed. New Bosch points, condenser, cap/rotor
• SU carburetors completely rebuilt, throttle shafts done by Joe Curto. Dashpots polished. Genuine SU rebuild kits.
• Intake manifold polished
• Custom made polished aluminum air cleaners, K&N filters
• Later dual outlet exhaust manifold found, blasted and high temp coated. Simons "Sport" 2 inch exhaust pipe used, replaced resonator with
Flowmaster Delta flow 40 series muffler, custom built rear muffler delete.
• "Volvo" Cast aluminum rocker cover found and polished
• New fuel pump and water pump, timing cover polished
• 1 wire GM 80 amp alternator conversion installed
• MSD digital 6A ignition box with MSD blaster coil, new spark plug wires and NGK plugs
• Radiator and heater core cleaned and pressure tested, all new hoses and clamps. New t-stat and housing (polished)
• Spal electric fan (pusher) with 195 on 175 off sending unit
• Polished aluminum fuel line custom bent
• Optima red top battery with polished aluminum hold down
• New "Volvo" fuel tank, new tank to pump fuel line, new hoses and clamps on filler and feed lines. Vent added
• Engine broken in properly on Royal Purple break in oil. Now running Royal Purple HPS full synthetic which has additives for older/high
performance flat tappet engine.
Steering
• Steering box and idler arm assemblies rebuilt, aluminum steering box and idler arm polished
• New drag link ends, new outer tie rod assemblies
• Steering stops restored, new jam nuts
• New steering shaft coupler and ground strap
• Steering wheel restored, cracks filled. SEM colorcoat flexible coating applied, VP black leather cover hand stitched over wheel. New horn
button emblem
Transmission/Drive train
• M41 trans flushed, all new seals and gaskets.
• New OD solenoid, trans/engine mounts and speedo drive
• New clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing, flywheel resurfaced.
• New slave cylinder, flex line and clutch master (polished)
• Trans case wire wheeled and painted, filled with Redline MT-90 synthetic trans lube. OD filter cleaned.
• 2 piece driveshaft rebuilt and balanced by Machine Service, new u-joints/carrier bearing and hanger grommets. All parts blasted and epoxy
painted
• Rear axle cleaned, new axle shaft and pinion seals, all parts blasted and epoxy painted. Filled with Amsoil synthetic 80-90 gear lube
• New Uniroyal Tiger paw tires mounted and balanced on repainted wheels.
Suspension
• All components completely disassembled off car, sand blasted and painted in satin black epoxy paint.
• All bushings replaced with IPD polyurethane
• New upper and lower ball joints, new coil spring insulators
• All hardware replaced with new grade 8
• New KYB shocks, new polyurethane bump stops
• IPD front and rear sway bars, 1 1/8" front 7/8" rear
Exterior
• ALL exterior and interior rubber replaced, window/door/trunk/hood seals, gaskets, rear rock guards, etc.
• All trim straightened where possible, polished, new attachment clips, gaskets and hardware used.
• Headlamp bucket assemblies rebuilt, new hardware and harness. Blasted, epoxy painted and backside undercoated
• Bumpers: rubber strips deleted/holes welded shut and re-chromed. Brackets modified to pull bumpers closer to body.
• Early type front parking lamp lenses fitted to new housings
• Doors completely disassembled, new channel felts, seals,etc.
• Door lock and window winding assemblies cleaned and lubed. All hardware replaced with stainless
• Latches and strikers polished and clearcoated, stainless hardware.
• Hood latch assembly/linkage restored, hinges as well
• Door hinges rebuilt with new pins and copper washers, blasted and epoxy painted
Trunk/related
• Trunk hinges and latch assembly restored
• New Fuel tank cover panel fabricated
• New trunk rubber mat, custom tool roll made
• Used spare tire mounted to repainted wheel, factory jack w/ handle blasted and epoxy painted
• Trunk channel drain added to fuel door drain system
Interior, dash and instruments
• All car wiring checked, repaired and re-taped where necessary. Inline fuses added where appropriate.
• Tachometer, speedometer, oil pressure and dual temperature gauges rebuilt by Nissonger. Tachometer converted for use with the MSD. New
speedo cable.
• Kenwood single disc CD head unit with dual 5 1/2" round 2 way rear speakers
• Dash completely disassembled, metal frame wire wheeled and epoxy painted, new reproduction "VP"(Swedish made) dash pad installed.
Dash trim restored.
• New lighter installed, ash tray restored
• All switches cleaned and tested, all cables and linkages cleaned lubed and tested.
• Heater box / plenum assembly completely rebuilt with new seals and gaskets, all parts blasted and painted. New heater control valve fitted.
Used blower motor fitted
• Wiper motor assembly cleaned, lubed and tested
Interior, panels/seats/carpets
• New custom door panels/kick panels/wheel arch panels made and covered, pleats stitched in. Custom wheel arch covers made glued on
• Headliner removed and cleaned, bow pockets repaired.
• Sun visors torn down to frames, new padding/ custom covers
• Front seats COMPLETELY restored, bare frames blasted and epoxy painted, new rubber straps, new foam from Skandix. Custom seat
covers made and fitted. Seat slides cleaned and lubed. Seat side hinges polished and clearcoated.
• All interior textile surfaces coated with "Solar Shield" protectant spay)
• Rear luggage/seat area rebuilt with new cabinet grade plywood. New carpet glued on.
• New "VP" (Swedish made) full carpet set installed in rest of car, new steel reproduction sill caps
• New reproduction "Volvo" (VP) rubber front floor mats