2015 seemed to be a big year for me as far as 1800’s go. At this time I still had my white 72 ES that you saw last week. This time though I knew I needed to get creative with sourcing parts for it. Being in college I had limited funds for buying things for my 72, and new parts were and still are pretty expensive.
I put a feeler out on some of the 1800 forums for an ES parts car. I said I would be willing to travel for them, but I did not want to spend over $500 for a car. A few weeks went by and I got a few hits here and there for a few, but they were either too far gone or wanted way too much for what the car was. People saw 1800’s starting to creep up in value and they thought that their junk was worth a lot. I really did not want to take a good ES that could be brought back to life though, and part it out and send it to its forever home.
Finally I got a hit from a guy that I had known about in the Volvo community. He is out of Madill, OK, and was known for putting some high performance motors in 1800’s. He got known really quickly though after he was arrested for stealing the deposits people put down on the parts from him. Anyway, he contacted me and told me that he had a 72 sitting in his yard, and I could come get it for $500. At first I was worried about it given his reputation, but he had a title in his name, and wasn’t asking for any money up front. So, I loaded up and went to grab it. When I got there, it was exactly as he described it. Rusty and stripped down. I was able to get the motor out of it, a spare front axle, and the interior. He also threw in a bunch of extra parts as he was getting out of the Volvo business (wonder why).
Once I got the car home, I took all the parts that I needed off it. Most of the trim and exterior pieces were easy to take off as the metal holding them in was so badly rusted I could pry them off. Once I had gotten everything that I needed I went and sold off the rest on Ebay, and quickly made my money back. It was a win win for me because I made a few bucks on the car, and got to keep some parts for my own.
I ended up crushing this car, as it was so badly rusted on the frame, there was no bringing it back. At first I was a little upset with myself for doing this to such a unique car, but then I realized what I had sold to people all around the world, are now benefiting in some way from the car, and will for years to come.
It seemed like right after I crushed the gold 72 ES I found another one. This time it was right down the street from me! When I saw the ad for this sea foam green ES I was so excited. I didn’t have to travel far, and it came up for sale at the right time.
I ran across town one day after classes to check out the car. When I got there I realized the seller was a customer at the bank that I worked at. He told me he was selling it for an elderly friend of his that has owned it for a long time. I started looking closer at the car and realized that this is no parts car. Yes, it has rust on one of the rockers, but that was about it. The car could actually be saved quite easily with some work. I knew right off I could not use this one as a parts car. Not all was lost though, I could sell it and make a little money to go toward my 72 that I was working on. Then, I could treat it to one or two new parts.
I haggled with him for a little bit, and got the car for $600. Since I knew the seller I paid him, and told him that I would be back the following weekend to pick it up. When I got it picked up, and showed up at my grandparents’ house, they were less than excited to see it. I had been keeping the 72 parts car there and had just gotten it off their property. They were still nice enough to let me keep this one there while I figured out what to do with it.
Once I inspected it further my assumption was confirmed that I couldn’t find any rust other than the rocker. I decided that I was going to throw this one on Ebay and see what comes of it. I was in no hurry to sell, and I really liked the possibilities with this car. At first the bidding got off slow, and picked up toward the end. It always seems to go that way, either at the beginning of the auction or the end. At close of the auction the winner got the car for $3500. I could not believe it! I knew I would make my money back, but had not dreamed of getting that much for it!
The seller also wanted me to deliver the car to him 2 hours north of me, and was willing to pay up for some parts that I had not sold yet from the last parts car. Seemed fair to me! I loaded it up one day after class, and dropped it off at his house where there were other vintage Volvos. A few years later I almost bought one of his cars that he was selling. I turned it down as he was a smoker, and wasn’t fond of the smell that was left behind.
Both cars were unique in their own way. One was able to live on another day and avoid the ruthless crusher. The other, not so lucky. I was glad that I got to own both of them, and now share their story. Looking back now, maybe I should have held onto them.
Perhaps one of the most English-looking, non-British cars.
And one of the most beautiful Volvos.
With some Photoshop design work, it’s possible to create a poor man’s 1800ES from a Chev Vega Kammback. With the Cosworth engine, I would have loved one of these. 🙂
Perhaps one of the most English-looking, non-British cars.
Indeed. After Jaguar turned down the producers of The Saint for a then-new XKE, supposedly, it was Roger Moore, himself, who chose the P1800. It fit the international flavor of the character well and its appearance in the long-running show undoubtedly helped sales.
FWIW, I rather liked the ES’ spiritual successor, the C30.
“ES’ spiritual successor, the C30”
The second successor. First one was the 480ES.
True, but the C30 has a more pleasing, rounded, organic shape which, to my eyes, is closer to the original.
Here is Jay Leno driving the very same P1800 used in The Saint series.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FwCjOakOMKE
I think Roger made the right choice with the P1800. I do think an E-type would have been a bit too flashy for the Simon Templar character
As Daniel M. said, the P1800 looked British, without actually being British, which fit nicely with Simon Templar’s international traveler persona. The understated, but still sophisticated styling was also more appropriate than the flashy, pure sex look of the XKE. So, yes, Roger Moore chose very well.
I’ve always thought the 1800 ES had a similarity to the 1984 through 1987 Honda Civic “bread van” Hatchbacks and the 1986 through 1989 Honda Accord Aerodeck, as well as to the Vega Kammback, and the Volvo C30 and 480 ES.
Parts cars are great untill you decide to move, I’m faced with just that problem since Ive lived in this house 9 daily and 1 project cars have been here with me the dailies came and went one stayed 7 years and a parts car was found and dismantled to rebuild the suspension some of it is still here and the project Hillman has stayed and residue from the 4 other Hillmans I dismantled for parts are still here too, the bodies went for scrap long ago but the small hill of engines gear boxes and suspensions radiators and sundries has been slower to leave, Finding homes for usefull parts has been difficult not helped by the Humber/Hillman facebook page, Ive found now I have stuff thats hard to get, fine I dont want it come and get it, COVID lockdown isnt helping either, my WOF inspection guy will take on all the parts I have though his partner bought a car identical to mine with an Avenger(Cricket) 1600cc engine gearbox that has eaten a piston, I gave him two complete Minx 1600 powertrains to get it going again so the entire consignment will likely end up in his Hillman/Rambler BSA Triumph Honda parts car and motorbike collection.
At the time “The Saint” was filming, Coventry was selling every E-type they could get out the door, meaning they had nothing to gain from donating a car to the production company.
So whilst Roger went for a walk during a break from filming he spotted the White P1800 in a show room in London’s West end. He asked the Saint production boss if they could buy it for filming and if it could be his daily driver too. The rest is history. Yes,Jag told the company they didn’t have a spare car to give as they didn’t really need the publicity as they could sell more XKEs than they could make. Just one of the missed opportunities of many.
The parts car experience is a whole-nuther thing from the regular car experience. It’s all about how can I get it, where can I keep it and what can I get from it.
You did really well on the second one.