Revisiting Paul Newman's Volvo

From time to time I like to publicize the great story of Paul Newman's modified Volvo. It's inspirational if you admire Newman, as I do. And it's funny too, thanks to the participation and narration of David Letterman.

All in all, this story accounts for about 60% of why I like Volvos. Letterman explains more on the old syndicated Jon Stewart show:

LETTERMAN: Yes, sir. And so they introduced me to Paul

Newman, and you're carrying on a conversation. "How do you do?

I enjoy your popcorn and Cool Hand Luke." That's what you're

saying to Paul Newman.

STEWART: Right.

LETTERMAN: In your head all you can hear is this huge

voice screaming, "Oh, my God, it's Paul Newman. Oh, my God,

it's Paul Newman."

So I've been lucky enough to kind of have -- I

guess it's a friendship. I won't say we're really good

friends, but we have kind of a relationship, and he's called me

from time to time. About six months ago -- and this is where

it starts to get cool --

STEWART: All right.

LETTERMAN: -- Paul Newman calls up and he says, "Dave,"

he says, "I'm thinking about getting me a Volvo station wagon,

and I'm gonna stuff a Ford 302 V-8 engine into it."

STEWART: Sure.

LETTERMAN: "This engine is about the size of a small

piano, so we're going to have to push back the fire wall. Do

you want one?"

So, you know, I'm thinking a Volvo station wagon

looks like something you'd make in metal shop, and if you want

something really sporty you get a bakery truck, and every time

you see a Volvo station wagon in the back it's three kids

getting car sick on a golden retriever, and I'm thinking these

cars are so safe because in traffic other motorists slow down

to check out how ugly they are.

STEWART: Right, the tank.

LETTERMAN: So intellectually I don't want a Volvo

station wagon, but, of course, internally it's Paul Newman, I

say, "Yes, I'd like one."

STEWART: "Bring it on."

LETTERMAN: "Paul, let me have that Volvo station

wagon."

STEWART: Sure. Me too.

LETTERMAN: So I'm aware of the fact in talking to Paul,

he's far more excited about this than I am. He calls up from

time to time and he says, "Have you picked out the interior

yet?"

And I said, "No, I haven't."

He said, "Well, you better hurry. The dollar's

falling." And I don't know what that means.

STEWART: No, he's very concerned about the world

economics.

LETTERMAN: And then he calls up after that and he says,

"Good news. Pirelli's gonna give us free tires."

"Wow, that's great, Paul." It's Paul Newman.

We're getting free tires. I don't know.

So he calls two weeks ago, and he says, "Dave, the

cars are ready. We got two, one for me, one for you."

He says, "Everything is ready to go. I've got to

ask you a question. Do you want a puffer on yours?"

You know, and I'm thinking, well, is that like a

special inflatable seat? I don't know. Like sails on this

Volvo?

And I said, "Well, Paul, are you getting a puffer

on yours?"

And Paul says, "Yeah, yeah, I'm getting a puffer

on mine."

And I said, "You know, I have no idea."

And he says, "It's a supercharger.

I said, "A supercharger?"

He says, "Now you have to be very careful,

because with this supercharger this thing will turn about

400 horsepower, so if you pop the clutch you're gonna tear up

the rear end." By comparison, a stock showroom Corvette, 300

horsepower.

STEWART: Ouch.

LETTERMAN: I say to Paul, "Now wait a minute. Paul, I

have a Volvo station wagon, 400 horsepower?"

And he says, "Oh, yeah," he says, "from 20 to a

hundred you can chew anybody's ass."

And I'm thinking to myself, what circumstance

would Paul find himself in driving around in a Volvo station

wagon where he feels like he's gotta chew somebody's ass?

(Hoots and applause.)

STEWART: I don't know. I can see that's very nice

though.

LETTERMAN: a 400 horsepower Volvo station wagon.

STEWART: But when Paul Newman offers you a puffer, I

mean, you take it. You don't turn down Paul Newman.

LETTERMAN: You'd be a fool to pass on the puffer.

Sweedespeed has the full story.