16 replies to this topic

[Doityourselfer]

http://www.thetrutha...-ever-attained/



I wonder if his engine and trans are original??? if yes, how many rebuilds??

[Platinum850Wagon]

When I worked at the local Volvo dealership here in Memphis, he used to come to our car show each year. He brought the P1800...no wait, he drove the 1800 to the show and we put it on display at our booth. Back then he was just about to hit the 2 million mark. The engine is original to the car. 1st rebuild was at around 495,000 miles. When his mechanic cracked it open, the engine was still perfect. Went ahead and rebuilt it anyway. Up until the 2.3 million mark I know that it hadn't been rebuilt again. Don't know about the recent .7 miles. Irv is a great guy. Fun to talk to....great stories and a lot of photos.

[Burn-E]

Engine has been rebuilt twice. Rich Vermont was the original tech at Volvoville who maintained it and did the first rebuild. Car has the original body, engine block, transmission, and differential. First rebuild was at 650,000 miles. Duane Matejka at R Sport Engineering did the second rebuild at 2,748,000 miles in 2009.

[flyfishing3]

. Rich Vermont was the original tech at Volvoville

this is for the ultra OG crew. is that our rich?

[Platinum850Wagon]

If the first rebuild was at 650,000 I wonder why Irv told me it was at "around 495,000"? I suppose he could have forgotten.

[Burn-E]

Straight from the PBS NOVA documentary that featured him in January 2011. Similar article here from Design News where he said it was done at 680,000 miles at his insistence. The interesting note comes from his description of how he maintains the car which should be no surprise to any of us who follow similar regimens.

[Platinum850Wagon]

Well there you go. He told me that that in 2002. He told them in 2011. Obviously, he's become senile between then and now.

[Burn-E]

Except the NY Times article written in 2002 when he hit 2,000,000 stated that the engine was rebuilt at 680,000 miles (in 1978) also...so I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

[Platinum850Wagon]

I draw my conclusions from the time in 2002 when we were sitting together at my sales desk and he told me to my face it was "around 495,000". He may have told the story so many times that he gave me the wrong info. Then again, I might be remembering wrong as well. I do have a good memory and I was only 36 then so who knows.

[Oreo931]

He's still a douche in person.

[Platinum850Wagon]

We had a good time hanging out over the weekend. He's from New York and has a bit of an attitude, but I thought he was a fun guy with great stories, a big smile and he was willing to talk and laugh and joke. Now, we had to do some work on his car at our dealership and he was a bit a jerk at that point. But hey, that car was his bread and butter, he didn't let just anybody touch it.

[Burn-E]

Question, the odometer on that car turns over every 99,999 miles (it has 5 digits). How do they validate the actual mileage on the car? Since there is no computer to go in and pull mileage from. He claims he does all of the oil changes and brake maintenance on the car so that would negate a check of every 3 months. So I'm assuming he must bring the car into Volvoville at least once a year to have work done on the car and check the odometer?

[TonyMastodon]

He's still a douche in person.

Classy

[tizio]

Question, the odometer on that car turns over every 99,999 miles (it has 5 digits). How do they validate the actual mileage on the car? Since there is no computer to go in and pull mileage from. He claims he does all of the oil changes and brake maintenance on the car so that would negate a check of every 3 months. So I'm assuming he must bring the car into Volvoville at least once a year to have work done on the car and check the odometer?

He have a deal with Volvo N.America, can have any work done at any Volvo Dealer in U.S. and not pay a penny Is on Volvo, this way they keep record on the odo.

[Über855R]

He have a deal with Volvo N.America, can have any work done at any Volvo Dealer in U.S. and not pay a penny Is on Volvo, this way they keep record on the odo.

Are you just making things up?

Volvos philosophy, “If we support the car, then people would think that with such resources, anyone could keep their car going for millions and millions of miles ... However, what you (me) have done and keep on doing is to show everyone that anyone can keep a Volvo going for millions and millions of miles by just following simple service schedules and purchasing replacement parts from over the counter at their local Volvo dealer.” 

[Burn-E]

Yeah, I'm fairly certain given the various interviews and statements from both VCNA, Volvo and Irv that Volvo isn't providing free maintenance for the P1800.  That said, they have given him two cars now for free.  So whether or not you want to see it as Volvo supporting him or not you can draw your own conclusions.

 

Although Irv loves to tease Volvo for not giving him so much as a box of air filters for his car, he points out that he has received two new cars from the automaker: a 780 Bertone Coupe in 1987, and a C70 Coupe in 2002.

[badvlvo]

He has good maintenance documentation to verify the actual mileage on the car.
As for those who would call him a "douche," I don't know where you are getting that idea at all. Irv is a nice enough guy, maybe you just are t mature enough to interact with someone his age.