Editor’s Note: Mike Deskins is one of our club members and quite the enthusiast for the club and vintage Volvos. He looked high and low for his dream Volvo and this is his story:
Someplace in the back of my mind ever since I had owned a ’67 1800S in Safari Yellow over 40 years ago I have always thought I would own a Volvo 1800S again. The road back to owning an 1800S again had some disappointments and some unusual coincidences.
I did not own any Volvo for over 28 years. However, when the S60 model appeared it had the retro throwback look to the 122S Volvo with shoulders. And I had to have one for my young family. Safety First. At times I would flashback to that first Volvo a red ‘65 122S. I had owned it a few years around 1974 when buy chance ran across a Yellow 1800S sitting parked behind a house in NW Tacoma. I inquired at the house and who came to the door a Captain, a US Army Captain in uniform. Is the Safari Yellow 1800S for sale? He said I cannot get it running and I am being transferred back east. But, if you can we’ll talk price. I got it running after adjusting the jets. He said $1200 and it’s yours. It might as well have been $12,000 a young man of 21 new at the job. I asked for a loan through the company credit union. I was told not enough time on the job. However, someone who was in the office overheard the bad news. He asked what kind of car was I trying to buy? I said a ’67 Volvo 1800S for $1200 He must have been knowledgeable because he told them to ok the loan. He said an 1800S for $1200 was a bargain.
I drove the vintage Volvo’s (also had a White’63 122S beater and a White ’62 122S parts only car) for a few more years had to sell them all for financial reasons. Life happens.
Fast-forward 40 years. I had the S60 but once I had my mind made up to get another Volvo, I only wanted to get that 1800S again. It would be my retirement present to myself after 31 years of Boeing at Everett Wa. Could I find one mostly restored within my budget of $12,000- $16,000? First, I joined VSA and local PSCVSA and then put a want ad in Craigslist with no responses. Then me first lead Gary Ramstad of PSCVSA told me of a Dark Green ’67 1800S near Vancouver WA. I was so excited that I was going to buy my first 1800S I bought driving gloves for the drive back! After a test drive, it needed more work done to it than I wanted to invest. I had to pass on it and keep looking. Then another Dark Green ’69 1800S at X-Ray Auto in Ballard Wa. Matt the owner of X-Ray gave me first look at it after he did some restoration to it. Again, it was nice and drove well but I again passed on it. All during my search I was working on another 1800S up in Canada now here is the coincidence; it was also # 94 Dark Green. Dave Smith a PSCVSA member who owns the outstanding White ‘’67 1800S “STIG” told me of a Volvo Club of British Columbia member 1800S on their website. And as I made first contact with the owner, he just so happens to also be a Captain! A Captain of a ship for the BC Fisheries. The ad said very little with words but said a lot as to the condition, the ’68 1800S was completely rebuilt and had three photos. Now to talk with the owner which proved to be a challenge. The Captain was out to sea at times, and would in port for short stays before shipping out again. I would have to commit to a long trip by Ferry boat to and isolated part of central Vancouver Island, British Columbia to check it out. But somehow I knew this would be the that long lost 1800S I would make my own again. The owner told me of his long 28 year owner ship and restoration backing it all up stacks of receipts.
It was July 28th and the trip took my daughter Danielle (an outstanding navigator with a cell phone) and me halfway up one the largest islands in North America to Vancouver Island BC, to the small port town of Comox on the Strait of Georgia. After a long and arduous trip up the eastern part of the Island I came to the BC Dark Green 1800S.It was all that the owner claimed. After a few test drives and great talks about his “baby” his much love 1800S, I laid downed the cash $16,000 CAD for the Volvo 1800S of my dreams.
Now to get it off the island. August 1st was BC day a Provincial holiday so there was lots of traffic on to and off the island for the long weekend. Would I get a U-Haul trailer? There was one left in Courtenay and I got it. Now after the previous last drive, the owner drove it up onto the trailer for me and with his good bye to his “baby” we were off to the Ferry’s and home to the USA.
Bad news at the Ferry docks there would be up to a 6 hr. wait to load. But fate had it that I was called as the very last truck and trailer to load on the present sailing ferry. Now at the US boarder all went my way again very little expenditures (duty)! The Border guards said ok after only checking the VIN number to my paperwork , and allowed me to import my Dark Green 1968 Volvo 1800S back into the USA.
Back home in Marysville Wa. and off the trailer I began to drive my 1800S everywhere. That Sunday was my 1st car show. Swedish Cars at Griots at Tacoma. Lots of great comments about the latest 1800S and as a new VSA member at a great show place like Griots. Ingvar “Swede” Carlson even had me say a few words about my adventure acquiring a Volvo 1800s again after a 40 year wait, to the group attending.
So my journey has taken me from buying my first ’67 Volvo 1800S back in ’76 from an Army Captain to purchasing a Dark Green ’68 1800S from a Ship’s Captain 40 years later. In addition, my new Volvo 1800S is in ship shape to roll down the road. And it will be smooth sailing again for me in my Volvo 1800S into retirement thanks to Captain Roche and his “baby”.
Quite a catch, my Volvo 1800S
By Mike Deskins