Hi,
I would like to know what years the PV 445 and 210 were made and imported to U.S.
I am also wondering if there is a resource for looking up a Volvo by its VIN.
Perhaps there is a way to figure this out by the info on the VIN plate?
Thanks!

-Ted

Swedish Classic's website, at www.swedishclassics.com, has a section with vehicle chassis information. You might click there and get some help.

On the Swedish Classic's website the luxury versions of the 445 with rear side windows are refered to as "saloons". Shouldn't that be "estates" ? (sorry, I'm only a Dutchman...). What you call a "sedan" is called a "saloon" in England, maybe that's where the confusion comes from?

I may be totally wrong here, so I welcome corrections by all means...

But I think the first year Volvo sold cars in the US was 1956. Don't know if they only sold the 444 that year or if the 445 was also available..or if it even existed for that matter. I'm fairly certain the wagon would have been available here by '57. I would assume that the P210 would have been around as late as the 544...1965. But perhaps they might have been offered later for commercial applications. Perhaps '67, but thats just a guess.

Just out of curiosity, why do you ask? Do you have an exceptionally early or late car?

-Matt

The PV445 was built from September 1949 until July 1960. Then came the P210 from August 1960 until February 1969.
As far as the PV445 is concerned, exports to the USA started early 1957 when the 445L with B16B engine was introduced.
In 1956 the 444KS 'California' had already been exported to the USA, which had a tuned 70 BHP (SAE) version of the standard 1414 cc B4B engine, called the B14A. This was after an English driver at the wheel of a Volvo PV in American races had helped to swell the demand for this particular car. Before that however, in 1955 there should have been already a few PV cars of the 444HS type that went to the USA and those must have been the very first.
Ted, I will send you detailed and separate listings for the 445/210 by e-mail.

Hi,
Thanks for your help.
I belive I have a '59 but I read on some ones web page that Volvo stopped importing them in '59 and came out with the 210 in '60 or '61. I may very well have gotten this persons info wrong (it was late) or this person might not have the correct info.
The person I purcahsed the car from thought the car might be a '57 until he found the paperwork. He said he has owned six Duetts and used to be really into them.
I guess the webpage got me wondering...
I want to verify that the car is indeed a '59. It is indeed a PV (because it has a split window) even though it has a 544 front end.

-Ted

Thank you very much for your help.
My email adress is: tryder@lmi.net

The model year on a title becomes more and more vague the farther back in time you go. Today it is a bigger deal because the car has to meet whatever that year's set of federal (and state) regulations are, but still the model year often doesn't match the production date year. Back then it really didn't matter as much, the year the car was sold was often used as the model year. If a title was issued at all, not all states had titles back then. And last but not least, Volvo's production runs were not on calendar years, but switched over in (I think) in June.

Good info there... at least I was close. Question though.. did the P210 keep coming to the US after '65?

-Matt
--
-Matt '70 145s, '65 1800s, '66 122s wagon, others inc. '53 XK120 FHC

Remember coming across someone who bought one new from a dealership in '67, so likely they did keep bringing a few in.

Good question, although it must be noted that many Volvo's are here now that were never 'officially' imported. Sugga, C303, DAF 300 and 400 series, etc.

I know the production of the 210 lingered on well past the end of the 544, all the way up to 1969 IIRC. I think domestic (Sweden) demand for them as commercial hevicles was still very strong. Volvo finally engineered a high roofed 140 SW variant to take it's place.