The Saints' Famous Volvo P1800 '71 DXC'
TV Saint Car ‘ST 1’ aka 71 DXC returns to where it all started – The Ferry Inn, Cookham
Going back over 50 years to the very first episode of The Saint – ‘The Talented Husband’ a white gleaming Volvo sports car made its debut on our TV Screens with the handsome Roger Moore at the wheel, alias Simon Templar – ‘The Saint’. Read the whole story here->>> please click
that was then
this is now- same place same fabulous car!
The 'ST1' print below is by a young talented artist call Paul Dove, please see his website for examples of his fine work in both acrylic painting on canvas and high quality heavy weight fine art paper prints.
www.pauldoveart.co.uk 01726 66724 maybe commission him for your pride & joy masterpiece!
Volvo Enthusiasts Club Founders Day 2015 at Hartlebury Castle Worcestershire.
Filmed by Kidderminster VideoMakers Club courtesy of Robert Black, featuring interview with Kevin about ST1
Philip Glenister with 71 DXC aka 'ST 1' the 'original' Roger Moore TV Saint Car on C4 'For the Love Of Cars' this coming Sunday episode 5.
Link to the programme information on C4 http://www.channel4.com/programmes/for-the-love-of-cars
An honour and fun filming! More pictures on my News/Events page.
I am proud and pleased as can be to announce I was awarded the coveted 'Golden Spanner' as 'Restorer of the year' from Practical Classics I was voted the winner by visitors to the show at Birmingham’s NEC on Sunday, April 13. See more in News & Events
The 'ST1' had pride of place at the biggest national classic car show the NEC in November - on the Volvo Enthusiasts Club Stand see more here
71 DXc is featured in the December 2013 edition of Practical Classics see the magazine pdf copy here>> (opens in new window) and gave Kevin a mention in the Restoration of the year awards.
Where to see the famous ST1 Saint Car around the country click HERE
See news page for radio interviews about the history, search and restoration of 71 DXC
The Original & Famous Roger Moore Saint Car 71 DXC aka ST 1
‘Return of the Saint’
It is 1962. The black and white silence of the half timbered village of Cookham is broken by the barking exhaust note of Simon Templar’s white Volvo. He tersely sounds the horn at an elderly pedestrian slow to clear the road before turning left across the bridge and into the car park of the Ferry Inn. He had planned a weekend of golf and catching up with blonde bombshell Adrienne. Instead, he unearths an unsavoury attempted murder by poisoning. This opening episode The Talented Husband ushered in ITC’s new drama The Saint.
Week by week Simon Templar would dispense justice to crooks, cads and bounders assisted by an attractive selection of female assistants. Throughout these adventures his one constant companion was his dependable Volvo sports car.
Wind forward to May 1991. A northerly breeze scarcely disturbed the chest high thistles that grew in a thicket in the lee of a derelict barn. Agricultural scrap lay randomly scattered by years of carelessness. It was hard to grasp that a decade’s search had lead to a remote Welsh farm.
There had been many leads and many well intentioned calls offering the location of that car. Many well meaning enthusiasts believing that the rusting hulk on bricks in their neighbour’s lock up had to be the one. Some months earlier Kevin Price had received a more insistent message, the caller adamant that behind an outbuilding on his land lay the ‘Saints’ car. He now stood and surveyed the unlikely location.
Scarcely distinguishable behind the tangle of weeds was the familiar outline of curved front wings, long bonnet and low roofline. Pelle Peterson a young Swedish designer had originally sketched the profile to be, in his words, friendly to the wind. His efforts were successful and even in this desolate setting the old car had an air of faded beauty. The remaining chrome work clung to the rusting nose cone defiantly. Cheap red paint hastily rattle - canned over the original white cellulose was peeling to expose rust perforated panels.
Working carefully foliage was removed to reveal more decay. Hanging between the front ‘cow horn’ bumpers was the five digit number plate that could now, with weeds removed, be read. 71DXC. This at last, was solid proof. Here was the car. Hard to believe thirty years earlier it had been driven from a smart dealership in Mayfair to the television studios at Elstree. A gleaming white coupe, Volvo had called the P1800.
The car was to appear in ITC’s exciting new production of the Saint with Roger Moore at the helm. The quintessential Englishman had been denied the use of Jaguar’s E type when they had refused to release a car to the studio indicating with current demand outstripping production they scarcely needed the advertising opportunity.
It was fair to say that the years had not been kind to 71DXC. The engine lay in pieces across the back seat. Encouraged by the Welsh climate rust had taken hold on all the external panels. The tyres had collapsed and the rims were resting on earth. Had it been just any other P1800 it would have been weighed in for scrap. Fortunately the man who had chased the famous survivor to this Welsh hillside could see beyond the corroded steel. That evening Kevin Price returned to the Cornwall to start a six year wrangle to rescue the car from the site.
In 1996 71DXC moved for the first time in decades albeit on the back of a twin axle trailer. With the car back at his Midland home Kevin was able to carry out a detailed inspection of the structure and document its current condition with detailed photographs that would prove invaluable during the restoration.
The target date for completion of the restoration is timed to coincide with the Classic Motor Show at the NEC in November 2012.
This year will finally see the same streamlined, Volvo P1800 that first carried Simon Templar across the bridge at Cookham and propelled Roger Moore into the living rooms of sixties Britain fully restored.
Fifty years on since that first episode, it is at last time, for the Return of the Saint.
Jonathan Bell
After 40 years now back on the road
71 DXC MOT Test 12th September 2013
71 DXC aka ST 1 the 'Original' TV Saint Car goes for first MOT in over 40 years!
It has been a long time in the making but today 71 DXC went for its first MOT in over 40 years and passed with flying colours!.
Stuart Tomkins of the Ford Main Dealership - St James's Garage, Bridgnorth, Shropshire was the MOT Tester.
Having completed the test Stuart remarked how impressed he was with the quality of the workmanship and presentation of the car.
Many thanks to all those who have helped in anyway to bring life back to a very special car - The 'Original' Saint Car is now very much back on the road.
Road Tax from DVLA in Worcester today so 71 DXC is finally legally on the road.
Click on and read the complete timeline from 'as found' to back on the road for more adventures.
PDF link here see more of the latest News here>> including show appearances and press reports.
71 DXC aka ST 1 arrives at the Ferry Inn Cookham 1962
Archive images of 71DXC in the show see much more in the History section here.
Restored to glory!
ST1 back on the road
See ST1 in Bromsgrove at the Jinney Creft Centre - see full details here
Practial Classics magazine full article here & see Events for the full photoshoot
Follow the restoration and see where 71DXC is on show this year & reports from Bristol shows and the NEC late last year have a look at Events page.
Read the review of the unveiling at the Classic Motor Show here
See many more Volvo classic cars here www.volvoenthusiastsclub.co.uk (opens in new window)
'The Saint' car was at the Manchester Classic Car show more details here
Named STAR OF THE SHOW by Classic Car Buyer magazine click link here
Now road legal and restored please see the timeline of the restoration here >>>
Classic Vehicle Restoration show preview featuring ST1 as show highlight see here >>>
