Anybody remember the PV 544 ?

[ironglow]

  Today, Volvo is known as a yuppie car, and the go-to car for the enviro whackos..

   ..But it wasn't always that way...consider the old PV 544, produced in the 50s thru early 60s ..   It greatly resembled the Ford sedans of 39-48... but somewhat smaller.

  It had a very durable 4 cyl, 5 main bearing engine...which worked out to the same main bearing surface as a Chevy 283..

   Volvo was so sure of their car, that they offered a gold watch to any Volvo owner who could prove by shop records...that they had put a million miles on their PV 544...

   Eventually, they had to cancel the practice, since they were handing out far too many gold watches.

    Some tough little cookie !

[Bob Riebe]

Volvo PV544

The Volvo PV544 was an updated version of the four seater sedan Volvo PV444, built by Volvo Car Corporation, the Swedish car manufacturers. Introduced in 1958, the car was a front engined, rear wheel drive, two door saloon car which featured two four cylinder engine options, a 1583 cc 60 BHP version and a 1776 cc 75 BHP one. The PV544 came with a 3 or 4-speed floor mounted transmission. Volvo went on to manufacture over 243,000 units until production ended in 1965.

The PV quickly earned a reputation for being strong and rugged, although the design was considered outdated from early on.[1] The PV also competed successfully, in the American SCCA class but also internationally, with a second-hand PV544 memorably winning the Safari Rally in 1965.[2] No PV 544 were produced in 1966. Last production was October 1965, some were sold in 1966 and titled as such, but last model year is 1965.

[jedman]

Can’t say that I have ever seen one and didn’t even know they existed. Kinda has a bit of a VW beetle rear profile and the hood from a truck of some sort.
I remember the Volvo car that Roger Moore drove in the tv show the Saint, I have heard they were also very reliable and collectors pay big money for nice ones.

jedman

[phalanx]

Sorta Looks like a VW from the windshield back.

[Bob Riebe]

This is the last full size Volvo, it had a flat-head six of 167 in. cu. and 90 horsepower.
It was mainly a taxi, or gov. vehicle.
Some taxis were used into the 80's.




There was a civilian version, the Disponent.


For the military they created a 4wd version using a truck chassis and the Disponent body.


Volvo had planned on building a new full size sedan with a V-8 but it was never done.

[Bob Riebe]

Styling was based on Detroit from 40s to early 50s, I think I know which one.

1948 Chevy Fleetline


Volvo PV 544

[jedman]

You know, If they built a car like that today I would buy it. All of my pickups have been bare bones work trucks with roll up windows and just the base equipment that’s standard.
If they could go the kind of mileage that’s been reported with todays much superior oils and lubricants they would be a joy to own and maintain.
I still do all of my own vehicle maintenance and would really like to have no computers running anything which means I would give up fuel injection and anti lock brakes and other things people like.
If I had one of these older Volvos about all I would change is converting it to 12 volts and to have a alternator for brighter lights and better starting voltage.
I do like disc brakes, don’t need to be power so if I could find a way to upgrade the brakes I would probably do that also.
 The styling mean very little compared to the reliability of the vehicle .

jedman

[ironglow]

You know, If they built a car like that today I would buy it. All of my pickups have been bare bones work trucks with roll up windows and just the base equipment that’s standard.
If they could go the kind of mileage that’s been reported with todays much superior oils and lubricants they would be a joy to own and maintain.
I still do all of my own vehicle maintenance and would really like to have no computers running anything which means I would give up fuel injection and anti lock brakes and other things people like.
If I had one of these older Volvos about all I would change is converting it to 12 volts and to have a alternator for brighter lights and better starting voltage.
I do like disc brakes, don’t need to be power so if I could find a way to upgrade the brakes I would probably do that also.
 The styling mean very little compared to the reliability of the vehicle .

jedman

   
   Gotcha Jedman...been saying that for a long time..rubber mats,shift my own gears, basic stuff and I can roll up my own windows..but no choice allowed.

[oldandslow]

You can always get a jeep wrangler with most of those features.

[phalanx]

The only thing I would do to that Volvo is get rid of those old points and condensers. Don’t have to change out the distributor. Just put in one of those Per Tronix kits that uses a magnet and a pickup coil with a SCR in it.I’ve put a lot of those on the old VW’s. Ive never heard of one of those failing.