After searching more than two years for a practical way to lift my 1800E, I finally found inspiration in a 31-year-old issue of Popular Mechanics magazine. The “ramp pit” shown above acts as both ramp and teeter-totter, allowing access to both ends of the car. I just finished the project this weekend, and the preliminary [...]

I’ve had many requests for the plans I used to “fix” (i.e., replace the guts of) the Smiths clock in my 1800 last year. I’m really not trying to hide secrets, but honestly, there are two reasons I haven’t unveiled the steps I took:

I didn’t really follow steps so much as “smash a bunch of [...]

A couple of notes for those considering replacing their side mirrors on the Volvo 1800: It takes at least an hour to do it right, and you’ll need some pretty small hands.
About three months after I brought my 1800 home, I discovered my rear-view mirror — broken at its base — lying on the hood [...]

When I first brought my Volvo 1800E home last year, I had every intention of logging every step of its restoration in a small yellow notebook I carried with me whenever I drove the car. Of course, the reality of everyday driving eventually put an end to this noble experiment, but I recently uncovered [...]

The garage is finally starting to shape up: I made use recently of the built-in workbench left by the previous owner, and this week I added a MIG welder, the Hobart Handler 140 to my arsenal of tools.
Now to just figure out how to use the !@#%$@ thing. Any suggestions?

This is one of two ever-evolving lists I host here on Classic1800: It’s basically a “spare parts” list announcing some of the extra items I’ve collected during my 1800 restoration project. If you need any of these items and would like to help either cause (yours or mine), let me know, and perhaps we can [...]

This is one of two ever-evolving lists I host here on Classic1800: It’s basically a “wish list” announcing some of the items I realize I need (want) to complete my 1800 restoration. If you have any of these items and would like to help the cause, let me know, and perhaps we can work something [...]