This one showed up at the HAMB drags in 2007 I use to be a Volvo fanatic.They use to make a good car.
O/T, but here's some cool pics of Mike Batten's PV544 Targa Tasmania Rally Car: images from VolvoAdventures.com
Which came first? The pv444 was designed during WWii and put into production before the postwar Ford. Sweden was neutral and could do things like that without having to worry about war production,etc. However, I think the '46-'48 Fords were pretty much designed pre wwii-look at a'42. Be interesting to know how much spying was going on between car companies. I doubt Ford cared much about a then tiny Swedish builder, but I'm sure everybody was interested in what Ford was doing.
On this day in 1965, the last PV544 was driven off the Volvo assembly line at its Lundy plant in Sweden by longtime Volvo test driver Nils Wickstrom. Gustaf Larson, the engineer who had co-founded Volvo with businessman Assar Gabrielsson in 1927, was present at the ceremony. An impressive total of 440,000 Volvo PV544s had been produced during its eight-year run, over half of which had been exported. The Volvo PV544 was first introduced in 1958 as an updated version of its popular predecessor, the PV444. Like the PV444 with its laminated windscreen, the PV544 featured an important safety innovation--it was the first car to be equipped with safety belts as standard fitting. But the PV544 was also a powerful automobile, boasting a 4-speed manual transmission option and power up to 95bhp. Shortly after its introduction, the 544 became one of the most successful rally cars, dominating rally racing into the 1960s. Yet, the PV544 was also affordably priced, and its first-year sales put Volvo over the 100,000-exported automobiles mark. The PV544 was successfully reintroduced every year until 1965, when it was decided by Volvo that production of the model would cease.
544s are badass rally cars. You can really hot rod that motor, too. I've also thought about making one look like a fifties custom.
The pv444a was introduced in 1944, two years before the Ford. But, the '46 Ford was basically a pre-war design. The 544 started in '58, pretty much the same car with a few detail changes like one-piece windshield, updated mechanicals, etc. BTW, My '57 445 wagon came stock with a banjo steering wheel. (Somebody mentioned that).
Another who's first? My '57 Ford had (lap) seat belts from the factory. Imnezrider's post says the 544 had the first belts in '58?? I think Volvo had the first three-point belts. I remember hearing some states wouldn't register '58 Volvos until the shoulder belts were removed! Sorry to be getting OT.
Hey Razorack- Is that gray and black coupe in the first pic an early coachbuilt car (Ringborg, Valdo,etc.), or a recent custom? Looks like it may be an early one built on a leveranschassis (sp?) like the cabrios. I know, really OT Volvo minutia.
no I'm pretty sure it's a homebuilt custom, from a 444 or 544, never heard of any coachbuilt coupes. I found the pic somewhere so I dont know more about it.
Awesome work on the car! Paddy Hopkirk= champion rally driver in one of the classic Mini Cooper S, the real thing, not the BMW wanabe. I used to see ads for a "Driver's" seat with his name on it.
There ya go - and I thought that was gonna be tough. Never saw the seats anywhere although I did find a gas pedal with his name on it.. Charlie
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