At this point in time, I had my 07 XC90, 75 164, 15 Outback, and 62 P1800. I had also been dabbling in various parts cars when I found them. This week’s car, I had my eye on it for a very long time. You see, I had driven by this car for at least 10 years. It was hiding down a dirt road in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I had stopped several times to have a look at it. I knew it was probably too far gone to restore as the frame had a good amount of rust on it.
The only problem was I could not locate the seller. The car was sitting on an abandoned piece of property with no other homes really nearby. I had left several notes on the car, and in mailboxes nearby, but nothing ever came of it. For a few years I got busy with other things, and never gave it much of a thought. It wasn’t until I was in the area in 2016 that I began to wonder about the car again. I began to do a little research on the property, and couldn’t find much other than the people who had lived there, but had since passed away. I had no idea who owned it since then, all the records would show was the people who had died. So I did the next best thing, start knocking on doors that were farther down the road. This took many trips to the car, and much door knocking, but two neighbors had said that they thought they had the people’s names. I went back home and Googled the name they had given me, but could not come up with anything. No address, no phone number, nothing. I even called the state who had issued numerous dumping citations to who they thought was the owner with no avail. Finally one day I got onto social media, and typed in the name. Sure enough someone popped up! I sent them a message asking if they owned this Volvo, and if they would be willing to sell it.
About 6 months went by with no answer, until one day out of the blue I got a message from the seller. She had said yes, that was their car, and over the years they had gotten dozens of people interested, but they weren’t selling. I explained how big of a Volvo nut I was, and she said she would talk to her husband. Not too long after that, I got the OK for $700. The following weekend I was there ready to load up the car. It did not come with a title, but I was ok with this as I was not sure it would make it as a restoration candidate. It took a little persuasion to get it from its sleepy hollow, but we got it loaded up on the trailer, and I was extremely excited to get it after all these years.
Again, I showed up at my grandparents’ door with a smile on my face trying to hide a 16ft trailer behind me, and unloaded it in “my spot”. Once I got a closer look at the car, I was kinda on the fence about it. I felt like the rust could have been repaired, but at what cost? I certainly was not interested as I had 2 older cars to tinker with. I thought I could not sell it without a title, so I decided to go ahead and part it out.
While I was parting it out, I was thinking the entire time, “should I let someone attempt to salvage it?”. But as more parts sold and more money went into my pocket I pushed that thought farther down inside. I ended up selling the rare luggage rack to Germany, the seats to someone in Italy, and various other parts around the world. I still have a good size box full of parts from this car, that I should go through and see what I got.
When the time came to load it up and send it off, I stared at it wondering if I had done the right thing. At this point the damage was done and I had to load it up and send it off. While I was driving it off I was stopped by someone. They asked me if it was an 1800, and I said yes. He asked me my plans, and I explained I had parted it out, and showed the rust. He asked me if I would sell it to him instead of tossing it. I told him that I had no title, and no real way of signing anything over to him. He told me that it was no problem because he was going to drop a Corvette motor in it, and get the entire car re-registered. I looked at him blankly for a second, and said “well, ok” and gave it to him for $50. To this day I have no idea what came of that car. For all I know it has turned into a million dollar car, but I was very glad it was saved from the crusher. My worries were settled, even though it could still be sitting neglected somewhere, at least someone has a plan for it. After this car, I always make sure they are too far gone before buying them for parts. I don’t want to be that person that takes a classic away for a few bucks.
Feeling a bit sorry for the previous owner. They sold it to a Volvo enthusiast. Why would they do that if they were to know the car was going to be parted out? Doesn’t matter to who you sell then, does it?
Also a bit unclear why you wanted this car so much and took the troubles. To make money on it? You probably succeeded. But it is another P1800 gone forever. Would have been nicer if it had gone to someone who would restore it. With pretty high prices for P1800 these days you probably would have made more money selling the complete car. Just my opinion of course.
We run into this all the time on the GM FWD Classics page, it’s way too easy to be sentimental online about an interesting, but nearly worthless, car when it’s not taking up your space & money.
For every 1 person who’s willing to buy a low value rusty car & restore it, there’s 100,000 people telling you “Save it! Don’t take it to the junkyard! I’d buy it if only I were closer…”
Versus what, letting it sit there for 3 more decades? I have no sympathy for hoarders who leave stuff strewn about to rot and waste away.
Connor said the frame was rusty and that’s really pretty unsalvagable and unsafe. Plus the parts went to other cars who needed them. Happy ending!
I don’t feel at all bad for the previous owner who received $700 and free removal for what was otherwise unsorted ferrous scrap. About 25 years ago, a coworker’s mother impulse purchased an 1800S at a charity auction for something like $2,000. She quickly realized that it was a rusty clunker that had been sheened up for sale after someone ‘donated’ it for a tax deduction and a free tow. It was sort of a running and driving car, but it was driven to the scrap iron dealer after a couple hours of a neighbor coaxing it to life once the realization hit that the best moment of ownership would be the one where the charity banquet looked to see the glow of the high bidder.
Most people don’t take the time to save anything from cars like this. They get picked up when scrap is valuable after sitting for years rotting. You should see the cars that the professionals part out. Most of them are nicer than the cars that are going to receive their over-priced parts.
Seriously, Dion, do you really think that was called for? Rude. Way to encourage people to dig up and share their stories, eh!
Just my opinion, of courseI’m just saying, is all.Yeah, right. Good on him for turning a dollar on the heap – cars find people – like dogs. This one was on a delayed trip to heaven, and someone helped someone(s) finish or embellish their projects. And got paid for it. Now it’s a rod or an ornament. So what – better than a dryer.
The way I see it, the parts you were able to recover allowed several other cars to be improved if not saved themselves. Not every rusting hulk can be saved. If you hadn’t taken the time to acquire this car, the whole thing could have ended up a useless rust pile..
IIRC the body structures on these are somewhat complex, even with prices of P1800s on the consistent rise for awhile now, getting good body work might end up exceeding the value of the car by a not-inconsiderable amount
I guess it’s all in what you’re used to, but from my part of the world, this car looks as close to rust-free as you are going to find on something this old and in this condition. It looks like it was up on blocks, so at least the underbody was not stuck in the wet mire.
Perhaps the money would be in cultivating friends up north who could truck the car up and sell it to someone in Chicago or Wisconsin.
Cautionary tale, don’t end up like me, I’ve sold a couple of my cars, including a save -able 67 Lincoln coupe and regretted it, thinking I’d like to have it now and how nice a project it would be. In response my car collecting has advanced to unreasonable levels for anyone other than Jay Leno, because I keep on seeing the potential in old cars. You can’t save everything. The time, money and effort you might have put into that Volvo can go into a more worthy project or two in future, perhaps something that might otherwise be scrapped
I am reading this with much interest since I have a ’72 1800e almost fully restored. Will be showing it off soon. I bought it new in 72 – trading a 57 Chevy in for it.