Editor’s Note: This is PSVSA member Dave Smith’s most excellent 1967 Volvo 1800S. This is his story in his own words:
When I turned 50 In 2006 I thought it was about time I finally got around to getting a “cool car.” And what could be cooler than a “Spy Car”? I suppose some of us never grow up. Like most of us common folk with no affiliation to national security, I couldn’t afford a gadget loaded Aston Martin, so I chose the next best thing (in my opinion): a 1967 Volvo 1800S.
Stylish enough for Roger Moore to drive in the 1960’s British TV series “The Saint,” it suited me perfectly. They were affordable, supportable, and very, very durable. We all know from Irv Gordon’s 1966 1800S that racked up over three million miles!
It took me six years of searching, but in 2012 I finally found my dream car in Vancouver, WA.
It ticked off all the boxes – it was the right year (1967 is the last year of production without all the “safety” features like padded steering wheel, unsightly side marker lights, plastic grille, etc.
Also, the engine, transmission, brakes, and many other mechanical issues had already been replaced or sorted out), the right color (pearl white – like Roger Moore’s), the right location (within a reasonable drive from home – not clear across the country), and the right price (a mere $7,500 for the car and many additional original parts like seats, wheels, brake booster, etc.).
Editor’s Note: To the “it must be original police”…Yeah sure, cloth inserts are not factory stock but setting your rump down on black vinyl in the summer or on a cold day in the winter is not that fun either.
I named my “new” car after a dear friend’s Swedish father who passed away 15 years ago. My sturdy Swedish import needed a good Swedish name and Stig suited it perfectly. I’m nowhere near three million miles yet, but I’m just getting started.
Story and photos by Dave Smith