Gordon may be gone, but his iconic car lives on.
A red 1966 Volvo P1800 crossed the 3-million mile mark in September 2013. It was owned and maintained by Irv Gordon who was, for Volvo enthusiasts and P1800 lovers, a legend. He held the Guinness world record for the highest non-commercial vehicle mileage. Gordon had logged over 3.25 Million miles by May 2018 but sadly, he died a few months later.
Volvo now owns the record-holding P1800 and it is still being driven. Hagerty’s latest video takes a closer look at this classic in the memory of its original owner, who has been driving it for more than five decades.
This is the first time the P1800 has been driven by someone other than Volvo. Hagerty’s Magnus Walker did the honour and conducted the interview. The video features Gordon talking to his mechanic from the 1980s. Nino Gambino relates his friendship with Gordon over the past 40 years, and even recalls Irv’s punctuality and driving style.
Gordon’s P1800 is still in its original engine. It has had only two engine rebuilds since it was rolled out from the factory back at the 1960s. The original sticker price was $4,150.
It is clear that Gordon and his car shared many memories. It is the most tangible representation of a relationship between a man, his faithful horse, and how far they have traveled.
Walker’s thoughts on car ownership and how cars should not be stored in a garage waiting to increase their value, concluded the video. We couldn’t agree with you more.