Remembering Irv Gordon, Volvo's 3-million-mile man

Photography by David LaChance, Mark J. McCourt, and courtesy of Irv Gordon

We were deeply saddened to learn on Thursday, November 15, of the sudden passing of Irv Gordon, while traveling in China; he was 78.

This dyed-in-the-wool car enthusiast had a rare center-door 1923 Ford Model T, a 1929 Packard, a 1949 Crosley Hot Shot, and a Lincoln Continental convertible in his family garages, but the world knew the Long Island, New York native for the immaculately maintained 1966 Volvo 1800 S that he bought new on June 30, 1966, and which sat outside in the driveway through every season. Irv became a legend, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, for holding of the title of the most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle. He achieved that feat through a combination of a 125-mile round-trip commute to work (he was a middle school science teacher) and a keen sense of adventure. The 1800's odometer registered 500,000 miles by the late 1970s, and turned through 1,000,000 miles in 1987, then 2,000,000 in 2002, and ultimately, 3,000,000 in September 2013.

True to his nature, Irv didn't slow down after his Volvo reached that unprecedented milestone; he partnered with oil company Castrol to help promote its products, which he consistently used in the 1800, and credited with helping that car's amazing longevity. In a fascinating 2011 feature in Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, Irv spelled out all the replacement parts his Volvo required up to that time.

As attendees of the Volvo Club of America's recent 2018 National Meet learned, the 1800S's odometer now registers nearly 3.4 million miles. [Edit: 3,260,257 miles]

Irv's travels took him and the car to 49 out of 50 U.S. states (he joked that he'd gladly drive to Hawaii when the bridge was built), and he drove the 1800S all over Europe. As the unofficial goodwill ambassador for Volvo Cars, he personally traveled to Australia, Asia, and beyond, meeting marque enthusiasts, attending Volvo events, and taking in the sights.

Along the way, Irv met plenty of skeptics who couldn't believe his Volvo could possibly achieve the miles it did, and he answered them all with grace and a knowing smile.

Tributes to Irv are pouring in on Facebook, with people around the world sharing their memories of spending time with the gregarious enthusiast who had a way of making every person he met feel like an old pal.

Let's sing along with Irv's friend Tom Demarest, and his The Ballad of Irv Gordon:

They said 'Irv you just can’t do that! Your old car can’t go that far. 

Maybe to the moon & back, but you're talkin’ bout reachin a star.' 

But Irv says, 'This is a Volvo, you gotta understand my friend, 

It’ll take you anywhere you want to go, and bring you back home again.' 

We are honored to have known you, Irv. Volvo For Life! Keep on rolling.