Volvo P1800 in Malaysia

Visits: 4766

The Beginning…

The story began with this car—the one I spotted in a coffee shop near where I lived. The car was parked with its nose facing inwards, so I initially only saw the back of it. As I drove past, it immediately caught my attention with its classic look and a VOLVO name tag! A Volvo? I had no idea Volvo made such a nice classic car with those curves! Since I was on my way to my shop, I didn’t have time to stop. Less than an hour later, when I returned to the coffee shop, the car was gone. What a missed opportunity, I lamented to myself… I should have stopped and asked the owner if they wanted to sell it or not, I whispered to myself…

One day, while visiting my apartment in Cinta Ayu, Pulai Springs, I was very surprised to see the same Volvo parked there in the car park! WOW, I exclaimed to myself! That was on December 5, 2020! The car was parked next to the car park lift entrance, so I was able to spot it easily. I saw not just one, but TWO very nice pearl white classic Volvos there! They must be owned by the same person, I speculated. Seeing it from the front and side for the first time, I marveled at its beauty. It was like a car from a James Bond movie, reminiscent of a Ferrari or Aston Martin. By then, I didn’t know the model, I just loved it because of its shape! Later, I found out that it was indeed a car driven by the James Bond actor, but it was featured in another movie called “The Saint,” and the actor Roger Moore owned the car himself and drove it in the movie in real life!

The car is a Volvo P1800 (originally a Jensen model, made in England from 1961-1963), or an 1800S (S for Sweden), or an 1800E (Fuel injection type). This particular model should be either the P1800 Jensen or the 1800S. The bull horn belongs to the Jensen model, but there is a 1800S badge at the rear. Either way, both are gorgeous! The 1800E has the fuel inlet relocated to the side of the car (to avoid water entering the fuel tank due to blockage in the top fuel drainage).

Photos taken on 5th Dec 2020

Below photo is taken by another member in FB klasik car group, really nice to have the two cars parked side by side!

Fast forward to July 2021. My hands were itching for something new to buy. I was fixated on the Harley Davidson Fatboy, priced at RM120k+, but lacking a B license and confidence in motorcycle riding, I dismissed the idea. Cars seemed like a better option, but their value depreciated significantly over time. My Peugeot RCZ, purchased at RM220k+, was now worth only RM60k+ after 10 years. My father desired a Mercedes S400, a dream shared by me as well. A new one cost RM600k, while 2015 models were priced at less than RM200k and 2016/17 models were below RM300k. The drastic drop in price was staggering.

Then I remembered the classic Volvo I had seen before. What model was it again? A Volvo P1800. I searched online on Mudah.my and found one, but it was priced at RM150k—not cheap. I told myself to forget about it; I could buy a brand new Harley at that price. Despite continued searching, I couldn’t find any available for sale. It seemed this car was not easy to come by. I then discovered UK and USA websites selling the car, but they were expensive. The advantage of these overseas auctions or sellers was the stunning photos they took of their cars, some even included video reviews, allowing me to admire the design in detail.

The more I researched, the more enamored I became. Since I couldn’t purchase one, I decided to revisit Cinta Ayu on July 22nd to see the car again. This time, the owner had parked it in a large open space, allowing me to take photos without obstacles. The car was breathtaking, painted in a stunning pearl white color with a brilliant shine.

Later that day, I contacted a friend, Celine, who was a member of the Cinta Ayu management. She knew the owner, and I asked her to help me pass a message to inquire if the car was for sale or if I could view it. Despite her efforts, we received no reply from the owner. It was disappointing, but I resolved to find the car myself elsewhere.

Photos taken on 22nd July 2021

Fast forward now to 13th Aug 2021, after googling so much info online, I decided to start collecting the info I could on this car and compile them into my blog. So that I can refer to each unit that I found easily.

The History…

The car gained fame back in the 60s due to its appearance in the movie “The Saint,” where the same actor, Roger Moore, also starred in James Bond movies. Recently, the car has regained popularity because of its stylish design and the revival of the Volvo brand name. Volvo has been performing well in recent years after being acquired by the Chinese company Geely, which also purchased a 49% share in the Malaysian national car company, Proton.

Adverts from the 60s.

Specifications

With 100 brake horsepower, it’s not too shabby. Its 0-60mph time is 12.5 seconds, definitely not in the race car category. Weighing in at around 1.175 tonnes, it’s not too heavy either.

Just don’t try to race any current modern sedan at a traffic light stop, as most cars now have accelerations below 10 seconds in the 0-60mph range. Don’t even think about winning a race against a MYVI!

This car is meant to turn heads, so let’s take it slow and give others the chance and time to admire it.

The Search has Started!

Below are the photos and colours of various Volvo P1800 that I found in the internet that bare the Malaysia car plate numbers.

1. WCH 7463
2. BM 2680
3. JAD 8695
4. BAL 4445
5. KM 393Q
6. BR 3807
7. BBT 242
8. NS 707
9. KQ9897Q
10. KY 32
11. BQ10
12. EK627

I am sure there are many others, but these are what I found so far.

Below is what I found for sale, but sold.

1) In 1963, there was a Volvo P1800 1.8 listed for sale. Initially, I thought it had been sold, but I later discovered that this car was still under the ownership of Rainbird company and was still available for purchase at RM165,000.

2) In 1966, there was a Volvo P1800 1.8 available in immaculate, perfect running condition. It was owned by a careful Datuk owner who was also a collector. The road tax was valid, and the grant was transferable. The seller was highly negotiable upon viewing for serious buyers. Viewings were by appointment only at Bangsar or Taman Seputeh. Unfortunately, it was sold in July 2021. I messaged the seller, who informed me it was sold for RM125,000. He had owned the car for nearly 15 years and had it restored in Thailand. Missing out on this deal was heart-wrenching.

Update 23 Aug 2021: The interior design seems too modern to my taste now after seeing so many nice P1800 photos.

3) Kelab Volvo Klasik Malaysia (KVKM) October 30, 2020

This particular car has been sold. Interestingly, the owner, who happens to be Australian, contacted me via Facebook. The condition of the car looks really good! It seems like a lucky find! I especially love the classic seat belt design. If I were to buy a car, I’d definitely want to find those for it!

• VOLVO P1800 For Sale!
• Hands down one of the best P1800 around, immaculate condition, well taken care off and well maintained.
• Just buy and drive!
• Asking price: RM 150,000
• Viewing: By Appointment

4) From FB Kelab Volvo Klasik Malaysia (KVKM) on Oct 2019, SOLD.

• VOLVO P1800 FOR SALE:
• RM 135,000
• Contact: +60 11 1361 0111 (Rukshan)

My observations: From the bumper design, it should be post 1965 model. Wheel is not original. Missing the chrome bar on the side panel. Chrome seems to have oxidize badly.

Update 22nd Aug 2021

Saw an owner posted his P1800 sold in 2020.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2967413999971059/permalink/4273632162682563/

Found another two units for sale as of today.

This white one looks like an unfinished project. I can even see some screws missing on the engine block. The interior are missing some parts as well (windows winder). Definitely a no no.

This company Rainbird has the unit for many years. Advert in Mudah.my below was posted on 2nd Oct 2016.

A Green KY 32 for Sale

The green version of this car is really nice, except for the bullet side mirror, which I’m not particularly fond of. Additionally, there are two extra reverse lights at the back, which I haven’t seen on other models I’ve come across. I suspect those were later additions by the UK owner, and they make the car look a bit too busy with the extra features. Also, the antenna seems out of place.

However, the great thing about this car is its originality from the year 1962. The owner mentioned importing it directly from the UK. I found photos of the car online with the same plate number but in white color, and I even discovered the registration certificate of the car on Facebook. It was registered on August 5, 2015, in Malaysia.

The two tones colour design is really different. The green is much better than the white above in two tones.

On August 9, 2021, I had a phone conversation with the seller regarding the car. Unfortunately, there are some issues with it. The RPM meter/gauge is faulty, meaning I won’t be able to see the RPM reading. It’s uncertain whether it can be repaired or if a new one will be needed. Additionally, the seller mentioned that the bottom part near the absorber arm is rusty, which concerns me. He hasn’t repaired it due to concerns about thinning it too much and it not being strong enough to hold. However, he did replace the absorbers, repaint the car four years ago, perform an engine oil overhaul, and repair a gearbox oil leak.

Someone shared an ADVERT of the car for sale in FB marketplace for RM220k on 14th July 2020 for RM220k.

Found a video of this KY32 online in 2020 walk through. Can see the interior much better in the video, as there is no photo of the interior from the seller.

Going to KL to view the car is out of the question now…buying without seeing in person is a crazy idea for USED car. Can’t trust people too easily with such a big sum of money.

So…the search continue…or should I say…the dream continue…!