This is going to be a long thread, heres a good start of us digging the body out and getting it so I can get it on a rollback. Its a '64 Volvo P544 buried to its' hubs and home to a few groundhogs. The guy let me have this one to save from the scrapper, he felt the others too good to part with, they were restorable. We raised it enough to get a jack under the rear and then got it high enough to get some tires on the back. I hooked a comealong to a tree and drug it out enough to clear around the front and get some wood under it to slide it on and drug it out far enough so we can swing it around to get on a rollback. That whole front end was buried. The next set of pics will be from getting it to the shop and then we'll start building the frame and cage to SFI specs, yeah, it'll be a hemi!
Great build to follow, good luck with it. I had a P1800 project planned but it went down the road to finance others. Bob
The older version, I think it is called a 444?? ..those have a very cool dash that would look great in an early roadster. .
Here's the SFI 25.4C spec for up to 7.50 in the quarter mile. I'll design the chassis & cage to these specs. I expect the engine to make 1200hp and run 4.80's in the 1/8th, all period correct with the exception of modern automatic with torque converter (those are the rules) and alcohol instead of gasoline.
...always liked those things, evidently the guy you got yours from does too,...how many did he have? ...here's a couple I've sketched...
Those things are cool in their own kind of quirky way, and the price was right! I like it. Be interesting to watch this one morph.
He had quite a few of them, he road raced them and has his original P544 restored back to its original race trim and he runs the vintage events with it. It's a sweetie for sure, I just saw pics of it as it is in his son's shop. I had to get approval to use this body and submitted pics and description of what I intended to use for engine etc to the 2 AA Gasser groups. The rules for building one of these aren't really written down as much as a few agreed upon guidelines, like ladderbar rear suspension, stock whelbase, rear tire size, what kind of wheel, engine year, blower size, fuel injectors, magneto, header design - that kind of thing. I didn't want to go thru all this work and not have a place to compete.
Saw this thread the other day and thought of something like this considering your lack of parts but thought it probably wouldnt look rite....I ran across this today, and other than needing some tweaking in the engine compartment, I cant help but really like it or at least the general idea of it.
I have been a fan of Volvo 444/544 for decades......have come close to buying one several times.....but haven’t yet..........but one of these days.... Will be watching this thread.. Ray
I've always been attracted to the '46-'48 Ford tudors, and the 444-544 Volvos... This project sounds like a 'dream come true...My last hemi ride was a '46 Ford club coupe, 671 over 331 Reath Automotive Chrysler block. Volvo would be much more 'compact'...
Those are cool, there was one in my neighborhood when I was a kid, even at 10 years old I thought It looked like a 46-48 Ford copy ! A friend of mine has a Wagon version thats a pretty clean driver, I think its called a 545 ?
The 'rules' are vague, they basically limit you to what could have been built in the early '60s with a few exceptions. The basic frame rails will be 2x3 box tube and the cage structure per the SFI specs; ladderbar & coilover shocks for rear suspension; straight axle and coilover shocks for front; vintage style wheelie bars; trans must use torque converter, no transbrakes; engine block & heads (392hemi) dated from the late 50's, 4 port injectors and scoop, 6-71 supercharger, vintage magneto, no upswept headers (like funny car); 33x10.5 rear tire, period correct wheels; on-board fire suppression, no electronics or data collection systems; original style 9" (i.e. no fabricated rear housings) rear housing with modern carriers; I think a 7-9" height minimum for the frame; stock wheelbase; 10% motor setback. If anybody has better information than what I do please speak up
That is epic! I love old Volvo’s!! The car @porkshop had was epic, and you are really planning true! I like it!! Does it how to be straight axle? Class rules? They handle very well, and can have a 142/144/145 front end put in with discs! I know it’s not era-perfect, but it looks like a stick front end with a disc brake conversion. I will be following for sure, where are you from @oj? Thanks @Ned Ludd!!
I had one back in the late '80's and dropped a 307 out of a Camaro, "Corvette" with the Turbo 350. The Volvo engine ran good and was sold off to a restorer who cringed at what I was doing. Car ran a lot better with the extra 4 cylinders from that "Corvette". Sold that car to a kid who wrapped it around a tree. He wasn't hurt but probably should have been as he is no longer here due to drugs.
That should be fun. I drove one of them things with the B20 upgrade about 80 miles yesterday...but the day before, I drove an old Barracuda with a blown hemi in it. Just to get in the right frame of mind.
You betch'a, I'm getting tired of working 7days a week and want to get out and have some fun at the track. Nothing like a belt driven engine to get your nipples hard, can't wait to throw my foot into this one.
I also have a 544 with a B20 upgrade (a "whopping" 0.2 Liters bigger...). It does wake the car up nicely. I also have a worn out 1967 Volvo 122 station wagon,. Yesterday, a US Post Office delivery truck pulled away from me at the lights, as my engine backfired and farted..... I'm going to sell that rusty sucker.