Customs volvo 544-miniature 48 ford sedan

I've always liked these, and thought that one could be a cool ride. Cut down a '48 Ford grille, install '48 tailights, and just for shits and giggles, throw in a flathead. Now THAT would be a mind f**k. OR, chop it, slam it, hood louvers, wide whites and Lancers. Maybe fabricate a coupe roof!

 

A teacher I had in high school had one all rodded out back in the 60s.

 

I learned to drive in a 544.

(typo in your subject line, it's not a 644)

 

It's been done; there was one featured in one of the car mags around '61-62.... IIRC it was chopped and/or sectioned and pretty heavily customized. May have even been flat-powered, but I'm not sure about that.

 

I've always wanted to build one of those cars. Use a '46-'48 Ford grille. I vote for the '42-'46 rectangular parking lights above the grille rather than the round '47-'48 parking lights under the headlights. Definitely use '42-'48 Ford taillights. I remember looking at one of them in a salvage yard years ago. As I remember, the engine compartment is narrow. It was rusted out pretty bad, but somebody along the way had swapped in a Ford inline six and C-4. The swap had been well done, as the car looked like it was born that way, and it looked like it had been driven long and hard with that drivetrain. They also made a station wagon version of that Volvo body style, rare birds, I've seen a couple.

 

My uncle (a car nut!!) was an avid fan of these little Volvo's...I also thought these little cars were pretty cool, and ya' can't beat the style....simple and clean, and tons of potential. I would pause and definitely take a second-look at one passing by! It would be a fun little car to play around with for sure.

 

One of my long time favorites too. Though, oddly, I've never actually owned one.

Ray

 

I chopped one, lowered it to the ground, put running boards between the fenders, molded rear fenders to the body, frenched license plate, tunneled "56 chev lenses
they have a fast engine, dual carbs, I wanted it to be a mini 46 Ford, BUT it still smelled like a Volvo.

 

It would be a 544, the model before it had a two piece windshield: a 444

 

A lot of them built in sweden.
Some good looking and some less.
Here are a few i find on a quick search.

 

Are the convertibles shown custom built from a sedan, or a rare factory built variant?

Either way, very, very cool!

Ray

 

I own two of these puppies. I am building a '60s era rally car out of one and using the other for parts. The parts car will then be chopped and customized as there will be plenty left of it. Really I have enough to build 2 1/2 cars or three crappy ones. Hahah

 

Yup, always thought these were cool looking cars and reminded me of the mid to late 40's Ford.
A friend of mine's parents had one and he used to borrow it to cruise and go surfing with.
We managed to get 3 boards and 3 passengers in it!

 

Volvo did not build them.
But Volvo had deliverychassis that multible swedish coachbuilders made bodys to.
Most where build as pick ups, hearses, ambulances but some become convertibles.
But these are not real 444/544 becouse they have a frame.
Same frame as this model.

Here are some pick ups.






If you want to find more of these try some of these key words.
Pv and one of these: kustom, coupe, kupe custom, cabb,
Or for pick ups and deliverycars. Duett with some of above suggestion.
Most hits will be in swedish but at least you can look at the pictures.

 

Open the thread and go to your initial post. Go to the right side just above the reply window and hover the cursor where it says "Thread Tools" and then click on "Edit Title". Ba-Da-Bing and Bob's your uncle!

 

I had a 59' in the late 60s when I was 17 and ran a 283, powerglide, fender well headers, single four. Fun car and looked great, especially after I adapted a "Thunderbolt" tear-drop hood scoop.

- EM

 

Man, I love the look of those little convertibles! I don't think I've ever seen a convertible in the models 544 or 444 before in person, come to think of it!....but, wow...that is a great looking little car, especially that blue one with red & black interior, AndersF posted...really nice! --- Ray

 

I like em too, they are very buildable. And the stock motor is very responsive to mechanical upgrades, a better cam and intake makes a lot of difference.
But so would a baby nailhead, Ford 289 or a 265 with a little lightweight parts and some go-pieces.

 

Your wish is my command....here are a few shots of a car I started a few years ago that is moving further along by a pal who owns it now.

 

Always figured they needed a V8-60 Flathead, Just to keep everything at 3/4 scale!!

 

I had a PV544 that I bought for 15 bucks at the local wrecking yard, cleaned up the points dumped some gas in it and a battery from a wreck and drove it home. That was back in about '79 or '80 and the guy that owned the yard liked me. LOL

I always intended to throw a small block in it ( I had a hopped up 283 at the time) but once I cleaned up the SUs and got it tuned right it was so much fin to drive that I sold my small block and just drove it like it was.

Lots of them have been hot rodded over the years and made to look like a 3/4 size ford.

 

The stock Volvo engine can pull a V8-60 thru a woody in a "tuck of war" with the chain around the block through the woody and to the Volvo. No offense, but a base model 1.8 makes 65 hp and the base model 2.0 (121ci) makes 80 Hp.
A stock bottom end can handle a lot of power and a lot of abuse.
And that has been the custom in Scandinavia for the longest time. 120 ish Hp is what a stock GT setup puts out. But more compression, better ignition and better carburetion makes them nice little power plants, that performs well and gives consistent MPG and SPG (Smiles Pr. Gallon). It's still as solid as a 10 pound hammer, dependable like a 10 year old dog and feels as familiar/trustworthy as a 18 old scotch/bourbon of choice.


This a Danish race car champ from the 60s

 

Maybe some findes this interesting

https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/roadtests/PV444L-RoadTestSept1957.pdf

 

Ahh, that's better. Thanks!

 

Most of these modified Volvo creations are KILLER! It's just a good lookin' car that can do it all.

 

There was a Hans Hanson whom toured a 444 fenderless roadster across the USA on Route 66

Maybe @AndersF or some of the other swedes knows

 

I see the truck has a frame. Are the cars unit construction or do they have a seperate frame. They look good but I never looked at one close.. Thank You... Bobby....

 

The stationswagon, conv and trucks have frame and the sedans are unibodys.

 

That red pickup with the slots is spot-on! Looks like a mild chop as well? I'd take one!