Minneapolis Street Sighting: Volvo 1800S

As far back as I can remember, I've always liked Volvos; I grew up with the 700 series, the 200 series, and I was around for the launch of the 850 and other modern FWD Volvos. Harking back long before the "stylish" C70 coupe and coupvertible, and decades before the C30, there was a proper good-looking Volvo that looked both "stylish", and "sexy". Enter the Volvo P1800 and its variants.
Conceived in 1957, then starting production in 1961, the Volvo P1800 has become a cult vehicle much like all Citroens here in the US. Like Citroens, this cult-classic Volvo certainly has its fair share of problems; the first run cars were plaqued with quality control issues: misaligned panels, improper carburation, and half-assed interior upholstery among other things. In 1963, production was brought to Sweden, and the 1800 inherited an S it the end of its designation. From what I've read, the 1800S was a far better car than the first two years of production, but the fuel-injected 1800E were superior mechanically still. Although Volvo initially labeled the 1800 series as sports cars, the performance was bleak at best. With barely 115 horse, 0-60 wasn't a strong point, and at a nudge over 100 miles per hour, top speed wasn't either. Longevity is a main point here, as with other Volvos. You've heard of 200k mile 240DLs, and 300k mile 760s, but hear this. Over three million miles on a 1800S; Irv Gordon has owned a 1966 1800S since it was brand new and has put a hair over three mill on the car. Why is this car so reliable? Basic maintenance; it gets serviced every 3,000 miles, and at the first sign of deterioration, the part is cleaned and rebuilt; so far, the head had been shaved twice, and the gears replaced once. Other than that a simple rebuild at 2,010,000, the engine is scott-free and will be so for the near future.
But these classy Volvos aren't purely about speed; they're about style. Many classic "cult cars" have an angle from which they look terrible; the P1800 and its variants don't. Surely, they got progressively "worse" as the years went on, with changing light and safety regulations, but really, the basic formula stayed in place. A Beetle transformation the 1800 wasn't. As with many classic cars, I like the first iteration best. The wheels, the colors, and the trim all look great, and should not be fussed with.
This example is probably the nicest one I've seen outside a show; sure it's not top quality, but its a daily driver; the paint isn't amazingly shiny, and the chrome could likely be better, and the steel wheels have their share of rust, as does the lower portion of the body, but it's still living. I don't know what the owner does for a living, but I often see this example buzzing around Uptown, mixing it up with the newer S60s, S80s and XC90s that seem to gravitate to Uptown's upscale eateries and shops. By no means is the 1800 a common car, and it's just badass to see this old boy mixing it up with its newer grandchildren so to speak.