Did you know that the world record for the most miles on a one-person-owned car went to a man who drove a Volvo? Irv Gordon, who passed away in 2018, was a legend. He logged over three million miles on a 1966 P1800S that he first bought new when he was teaching school in Long Island.
Irv’s mileage feat was vetted by Guinness World Records and still stands today. What about Irv’s P1800 made it such a long-lived machine, and do you think any other car (or person) will ever come close to matching the achievement? While we ponder that, let’s view a car very similar to Irv’s.
The Pick of the Day is a 1970 Volvo P1800E coupe listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in San Diego, California. (Click the link to view the listing)
“This car has benefited from a complete restoration by the previous owner,” the listing begins. It is said to be “in amazing condition from the paint, underside, chrome, interior, carpets, dash, headliner, windows, and engine bay.” Indeed, the car appears remarkably presented both inside and out, as showcased in nearly 100 photos in the vehicle listing. The exterior design was unique, featuring chrome-topped tailfins which some might consider a decade or two beyond their time.
In all, the P1800 had a roughly dozen-year lifespan between model years 1961 and 1973. It was marketed as a grand-tourer and built primarily in Sweden during that range (although some of the earliest cars came out of the United Kingdom). Up until 1971, the only available body style was a two-door coupe, but for 1972 and 1973, the car was offered as a two-door “shooting brake” wagon configuration.
Forward momentum comes via a 1,986cc “B20” inline-four mated to a four-speed manual transmission. The “E” in the model name of today’s car stands for “Einspritzung,” or fuel-injected: This particular variant of the P1800 came out in 1970 with a rating of 130 horsepower. Model year 1970 also marked the first time the P1800 came with four-wheel disc brakes.
The interior of the P1800 looks like a comfortable place to spend time – as well it should, since Irv spent countless hours piloting his P1800 from the driver seat. The upholstery has been redone in red vinyl which gives a striking contrast to the black dash, black center console, and ivory perforated headliner.
The asking price is $47,000, and the car will come with a spare tire, a tool roll, an owner’s manual, and a photo album.
Where is Irv Gordon’s three-million-mile Volvo now, anyway? It is currently under Volvo ownership and is still reportedly being carefully driven by company representatives, which is what Irv would have wanted. The car bears “MILNMILR” license plates as an homage to its achievement.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, take your mouse a road trip over to Pick of the Day.
