hi old guys with volvos- i have a 92 245, but always liked the one from the 70s that looked like a 40 ford coupe like bogie drove(actually it was a 37 plymouth coupe, but looked similar) when gangstas chased him. think it was called the pv or 544. only saw one here. it was beige and had a 4 speed stick. guess most have disappeared from rust. anybody have some pictures of them? would love to see them. post if you can. thanks tons oldduke

Oldduke---Here's your perfect entry into the world of old Volvos, and I tried the email on your profile here. Mine is there.
Go to Craigslist Atlanta Georgia, cars for sale, type in Volvo 1957......
It was there a couple days ago,444 all there, with upgrade to B18 motor, good price and it appears not bad overall for a project. Ad has been in for a while, so bet he would take less. possibilities!!!

B14,B16 motors originally were British tractor motors adapted to early Volvos.
The B18 was all new design by Volvo--killer, 5 main bearings & more.

B14,B16 motors originally were British tractor motors adapted to early Volvos.

Wrong. All Volvo design. Not exactly space age design but most small engines at the time were side valve and not OHV as was the Volvo, so quite forward thinking.

OK, not a purpose built Tractor motor: thanks for the clarification. I did read on the net that the motor was used in some Swedish tractors--Oh well.

I have pushed a few 444's around, and they are tough, even with 3 mains.
As a kid in my '57, my girl would speed shift the 3-speed w/ the shifter between her...er knees.

But that B18, there's a screamer, just wind it on out. Never blew one. Correct me, but I have heard that the B18-20 has more main bearing surface area than a 409 Chevy V8.

Regards, Ken in Sunny FLA. Anyone need a good running B21T/OD Trans?500$-w/body

The PV would have made, or maybe still is, a great 'shine running car.

Andrew

If you want to see really cool 544s go to -

Youtube - search for - Volvo PV 544 EPA -

down about 5 pictures find the red hotrod labeled - volvo duett äkta epa renovering

Select that video, and that thread has lots of EPA tractors

In Sweden if a car only has 2 seats and can only go 25 MPH, then teens 14 years old can drive them because they are considered farm traktors! (That is what I read)

They generally use two transmissions in series and lock one in first gear to limit speed. There are more modern traktors also.

It's a pain to post many pictures in this forum, but a google image search will give you a good results.

You are thinking of the PV, either a PV444 (1947 to 1958-ish) or a PV544 (from 1958-ish to 1965). The 444 has the split windshield and a different dash than the 544 (one-piece curved windshield)

They are almost spitting images of the mid-40's Ford Deluxe Sedan, except it looks like that car was put in the dryer too long.

Check out all the pics of them online. They are beautiful cars!!
--
Tony - 1958 Volvo PV444, 2012 Volvo XC70 T6 Polestar

I happen to have a 1953 444 in my shop. Its the oldest Volvo I have ever worked on.





Its not that bad to post pictures. You do have to save the pictures to a photo server and then know the magic formula below.

img src="complete web address of picture"

Insert the web address in between the quotes leaving the quotes and then add a "<" in front and a ">" at the back of the above HTML command. No spaces are allowed after the "<" or before the ">" and no spaces before and after the quote marks.

FYI, you cannot always post thumbnails and pictures with redirected web addresses.


--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502

Hi Eric,

Uncle Art's image including instructions when posting to the brickboard.



Hope that helps.

Yes, like Uncle OldDuke, loves the PVs 444. Just RWD from 444 to 940. Though the PV 60 was rather swell, too!





Likes the PV 444 and other vintage Volvos with the vintage photography....



A DC-2 or DC-3 in the background"








Hope that helps.

Duffed.
--
Give your www.brickboard.coma big thumbs up! Way Up!

wow planet- that black pv 444 from 53 is a real looker. bet it has a 4speed and a ohv 4cyl. is it a bench seat or buckets? split windshields and fastback looks like the 40 ford. i ought to make you an offer. thanks oldduke

olduke wrote--"bet it has a 4speed and a ohv 4cyl." I'm pretty sure the early cars would have had a 1.4 liter 4. I don't know if that was then expanded to the B16 (1.6) which was an OHV motor. The transmission of that car would be a 3 speed - the M40 4 speed came in 1958. Volvo was very much influenced by American design so 6 cylinder models and 3-speed transmissions were the norm. Look at some of their models from the mid-thirties and you can see the similarities--just scaled down. I've always thought a "neat" hot rod would be a 444/544 with a Flathead V8 Ford for power. Not practicle--but COOL. My first Volvo (in 1975) was a 1965 544 -- I loved it -- Dave

hi heck- are saying the early 444-544 had a flathead engine(1.4l)? never saw a flathead volvo. regards oldduke

Well I haven't either--only had some doubt because in looking at a Volvo photo array I saw one of a flathead 4 - but that may have been something else entirely. I do think the B16 was a larger version of the 1.4 -- Dave

The 444 body was in design early 40's, and a Ford was on the drawing board to copy. They said it was an Australian Ford sedan produced from 1937-1940, which has the exact roofline and trunk design as the Volvo.

The Aussies nicknamed the cars"Slopers" because of the slope of the roof Goggle Sloper and you will get a picture of one. The 40's US Fords are close but different.

Regards from Sunny Florida. Ken 445,240,780,760V8 2-many!!

hi 4ever- have question or 2 4 U. what is the likelihood of finding a running 544 for sale at a reasonable price. what should one expect to pay. most 40 fords have rusted to hell and disappeared, except for $50k. all 40s i have seen had a flathead v8, but ford did bring out a 6cyl in its 41 model. dont remember volvos becoming noticeable here until the early 60s. thanks tons oldduke

LOVE the split rear window!! And that rear bumper. And that grille. And the directional stalks on the B-pillar. ALL OF IT!

I forgot the secret picture formula. But I think it's time for an upgrade on our web functions here :P

Here is a side-by-side I did for a friend of the Ford and my '58 PV444


--
Tony - 1958 Volvo PV444, 2012 Volvo XC70 T6 Polestar

Nice photos guys. I think the last year for the rear split window was 1953. The instrument cluster of the 1958 444 of mine looks just like the 47 Pontiac Torpedo. That was brought to my attention here on the board. Thy are neat cars. The 58 I have is in a barn. It needs to be restored but not in to bad a shape. It is time consuming and expensive to do correctly. I like looking at all of them online. The first time I saw one was online and asked my good friend who is a very skilled Volvo mechanic about them. He actually owned a 61 544. I later seen one on Craigslist advertised as a B-18. When I seen it was a 63 PV544 I fell in love with it and brought it home. The 58 444 sat in a field in Alabama for 21 years. There was some surface rust on the fenders and the trunk lid was red primer. I knew my wife would have a fit if I brought it home looking like that so I picked up some flat white rattle can paint and done a quick cuss`um paint touch up job which turned out great. She never left me so I guess it worked. Larry