If anyone has any experience installing the Swedish 'gangsterkeps' onto a 544 or 210, I have some questions -

I was fortunate enough to buy one of these units from Sweden, as advertised in the PV Klubben PV Notisier magazine. I find the product excellent and the service excellent as well. No website or email that I am aware of. I made a phone call and placed the order via a letter sent in English. All worked out okay.

I finally got far enough along to mount the unit today. As usual, I thought 12 shiny stainless bolts would translate into a 15 minute project, but, as usual I was wrong!

The directions are in Swedish only though the pictures are fairly straight forward. The installation for the 544/210 requires a stabilizer strut to go from the middle of the unit down to the cowl. The cowl bracket supplied takes two screws (not supplied) and I guess this gets screwed down to the middle of the cowl. I'm a little shy about drilling two holes through my cowl (having just spent gargantuan fortunes on rather excellent body work and all that). So, before I do, has anyone done this?? Any suggestions on location and fastener methods? How far up (exactly) is the visor supposed to be mounted? I put mine about as high as it can go and this appears right.

Just looking at it so far, to my eye it looks spectacular! Can't wait to get it done so that I can hit the road with it.

Any comments / suggestions as always sincerely appreciated.

Many thanks.

Kai S
1967 Duett

All I can say is I am glad you are doing this and not me! I have been thinking seriously about putting a cap on my 544 for the longest time and I really think I would be much less amused about getting the item only to find out what you did! Good luck. Try and ppost a picture when you finally get it done.

Try this one out: Get a mirror replacement metal tab and glue kit that would normally hold the inside windshield mirror in place. Mount this on the outside of the glass, and when the glue is dry (12 hours?) use it as a mounting point for that pesky center brace.

Kai:
Contact Joe at Swedish Treasures. One of his friends/former partner has one on a 67 210. He may be able to help.

Bob

I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you, but the "Gangster Cap" or as we called them a "sunvisor" is designed to fit the older PV444 or in your case, a PV445 Duett. You see in my 444's avatar, the brace is designed to be drilled into the center bar, separating my windshield. Of course, your 1967 P210 has a one piece windshield and the brace would come down directly onto the glass. I also wonder if the side pieces that attach inside the side door frames might not be the same contour. There you would have had to drill 3 holes on each side. Do not install your "gangsterkeps" without the center brace or it will self-destruct. I understand that earlier designs where not up to the aerodynamic drag and literally ripped themselves off (possibly looking like a jet canopy ejecting), since they were made of translucent plastic.

I really see no possibe way to install it, unless you have a center post installed, but this may still not be what you wanted to hear. If you're stuck, I'm sure many, including myself would be more than willing to buy it from you.
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Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM

Cam,

Thanks for your reply. The advertisement (and the instructions) specifically refer to both the 445 and the 210 (and obviously the 444/544). The mounting for the 544/210 is different from the older split window version for exctly the reasons you describe.

However, my visor (which is exactly like the one pictured on your car), ordered for the 544/210 application, comes with hardware specifically designed for the 544/210. That's the crux of my question. There is a stainless steel rod (threaded on both ends) that attaches to a bracket which I can only assume must be mounted on the cowl. (The upper end attaches to the middle of the visor in exactly the same place as the piece for the window rail on the 444/445 model.) If anyone has done this to their 544 or 210 I would really like to learn from their experience. Judging from 'trial fit', things aren't perfect but should go together okay. I may have to shorten the rod by one to two inches. Its drilling two holes through the cowl that has me a little skittish. Also, I'm concerned that self-tapping screws (even with ?MarineTex) might not holdup to the stress. Space underneath for through bolting seems limited at best.

Thank you again,
Kai S

Hello again Kai: My Swedish friend thought there was a different design specifically for the 544/210 and even for the Amazon. It was heavier and more rigid, not requiring the center brace. Regardless, your center brace must attach to something solid. At first I thought of a center molding, like the 444, then I remembered the windshield wipers, that cannot interfere with whatever you come up with. Maybe the rod from the middle of the visor to your cowl, where the body is creased is your only hope. Will that threaded rod be long enough?

Also, my windshield top is peaked to the front and that same contour is on my "gangster cap". Good luck.
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Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM

Ironically I recieved my copy of the PV Notiser today and see the advertisement for the ""Gangsterkeps" and yes, it does say 544. I guess that threaded rod somehow attaches to your P210's body, but I might look a bit annoying if attached to the cowl. I somehow got used to the center window frame on the 444, but anything else may not be as esthetic. I'll ask a good Swedish friend if he has any suggestions. Maybe the PVklubben picture galleries have a 544 or 210 with this installed.
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Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM

Cam,

Yup. That's my question precisely - ie. where and how exactly does it attach to the body? A bracket is supplied with two holes for screws (but no body mounting hardware). Believe it or not, I sort of held it in position and to my eyes it looks really good - *almost* as good as the split window.

Any help (from your friends in sweden very much appreciated.

Kai S

I had a similar visor that I installed on my 1946 Chevrolet. It, too had a center brace the clamped onto the edges of the center windshield divider.

You can try a few ideas that won't leave a mark on your car, so maybe you'll think about this one:

You can install a tubular center brace that runs from the bottom of the windshield to the top by flattening the ends of a stainless steel tube so they can be insterted between the glass and the rubber seal. In order to let your wipers work fully, you'll want to form the ends of the tube so the actual round center length is raised from the glass far enough to allow the wipers to sweep the glass beneath it.

You can mount your visor's center brace to this tube, and it should be more than firm enough to prevent it lifting off into flight.

There would be a chance that the windshield might leak a little around the flat inserts, so you'd want to be sure to inject enough sealant into those areas to prevent this.

I wouldn't try to get by with just a tab at the bottom of the windshield, since there is a very good chance the visor would be lifting UP and could pull a single tab out.

It's just an idea, and it might look terrible. On the other hand it might not look bad at all considering the general design of the car's body!

Good luck, be creative, and let us know how you finally solve the problem!