10k: 1962 Volvo P1800 w/Ford V8

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 If you’ve ever asked yourself “What
the would the world have
been like if Caroll Shelby (God rest his soul) had been born in
Sweden instead
of Texas?” Would his name have been Caroll Stiggy? While we’ll never know
for sure, the progeny of that daydream might look
something like what just popped up on Ebay in the form of this
chili-red 1962 Volvo P-1800 for sale in Miami, FL via ebay bidding at $8,000 reserve-not-met.

This P-1800 might have left Trolhatten    Gothenburg during
the
Cuban Missle Crisis expecting to spend its entire useful
mechanical life toting
a pipe-smoking philosophy professor from Woodstock to Vassar every
morning, or
toting Roger Moore around while he polished his acting creds as
The Saint, but its
fortunes have been altered by the same formula that allowed that
Chicken-Farmer,
turned snake-charmer to succeed on the street and track, by giving
it a healthy injection of a good ole ‘Merican V8

There’s be no replacement for displacement and we at
DT certainly love a good engine swap, especially when it  causes
this P1800 to be transformed into a P5000.  We are also mindful
that a little advance planning can be
the difference between a well balanced performer and an uruly,
overheating, handful.

In this instance, this car appears to be
thoughtfully
executed.   A peak at the engine
compartment indicates everything is where it should be, with a
fair amount of fresh air cooling around the 5.0, expect around 300-350 horsepower depending on internal engine component selection from the seller.

 The pictures are
decent and plentiful, showing a
well sorted interior and a better-than-Scheib paintjob. 

And..the owner seems forthcoming with an offer to supply more
pictures upon request, which is always a good sign. The stance is right, the wheel wells are packed
and the absence
of bumpers keep the lines clean.

 While we’d rather row our own,
the automatic might actually offer one more time to keep it
pointed straight in the event the tail happens to step out…just
a little.  The interior looks to be in great shape with nice accents like red piping on the seats and an aftermarket but period correct steering while.

Better still, it’s smog exempt if you can manage the
freight
from FL to CA, or it’s a great get away car if you’re in the
unfortunate path
of Sandy this weekend.   Either way, this one deserves a second look for
anyone serious about well motivated Swedes.  Enjoy this one while
we keep combing the internet for elusive reverse rotation
Northstar powered Corvair.

Article written by DT Special Guest Author: The Berg.

 

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