PV544 Sports

1959 Volvo PV544 Sports Additional Info:

Have owned a number of PV544s over the past 35 years but NEVER owned one such as this one. In many ways, one of a kind.
First of all, an excellent body, went over the exterior with a kitchen magnet and didn't find any plastic filler. Excellent rust free floors and not a spec of rust in either the trunk or the bottom of the spare wheel well.
I asked my painter about the paint and he told me it was done in lacquer....illegal for maybe 30+ years. Yet once it was wet sanded and buffed, you can see the results, a true 'mirror' finish. And, yes, black DOES show all flaws. But not on this car.
All new exterior chrome (cost a small fortune), new grille surround, looks great. But there is more and better about this car:
Rebuilt 118hp P1800 B20 two liter engine. New clutch and attached to a just rebuilt M41 four speed with overdrive gearbox. Just what a PV544 needs (and never fitted by the factory). With its low 4.56 final drive, PVs offers plenty of acceleration but very buzzy on the highway. But not this car.....has the highest ratio overdrive offered and the result is quiet, refined, easy cruising at 70, 80, 90 or more mph. What a difference. Or, as dear ol' Dad used to say, 'all it takes is money.'
And the overdrive still has about eight or nine months left on its warranty.
Replaced one tie rod, rebuilt the idler arm, check kingpins for wear, all new suspension bushings, new shocks front and rear, new rear Panhard rod bushings, new radials and yes, it steers, handles and drives wonderfully. But then, the interior..........
All rebuilt seats, didn't really fancy the original vinyl coverings so I had all of the seats redone in quality German leather. New headliner, new Volvo imprinted matching carpets, dash top dyed to match, came out really great. And then proceeded to add some intelligent options,..........
New Weber carb with electric choke on alloy manifold, starts instantly, runs flawlessly from cold, in addition to the powerful factory heater, added a powerful supplemental heater with new rheostat. Now, toasty on even a 15 degree morning. Worth the cost and effort. Added H4 halogen headlights wired through relays, new washer bottle and motor, new seat belts front and rear, modern stereo/CD with USB input, quality speakers in the kick panels, and to keep track of the engine, added an oil pressure gauge (runs 60 psi when hot), digital voltmeter, and tachometer (red lined at 6,500 rpm).
For greater reliability, installed a new alternator (and yes, the car was entirely converted from its original 6v to 12v), under dash USB and 12v outlets, and a modern press-in fuse box with a second fuse box added for the accessories. All well thought out and working perfectly. Haven't experienced the slightest electrical problem.
With expensively done interior, mirror finish paint, new chrome, very nice detail work throughout, same power as a P1800 BUT much lighter and with five forward speeds, this is one fantastic PV544. And in the area of 'little things,' recently redid the brakes with new master cylinder and new wheel cylinders, rear wheel bearings, made sure the gauges and gauge lights all work, LED bulb in the working dome light (with new factory lens), new door jamb switch, electric cooling fan for the radiator (excellent in traffic on a hot day), I did everything I could imagine to 'create' the best PV544 I could imagine.
But now, alas, for sale. Time to move on to my next project and while this car was restored at a 'cost is no object' basis, the next owner will benefit from the elaborate attention to detail.
I can store the car in my barn while awaiting transport arrangements, I can deliver the car within a 300 or 400 mile radius, and can assist with shipping anywhere in the world.
There are, no doubt, some better PVs in the world but I have never seen one. And yes, you can make 'em faster, better handling, prepare for historic racing but my goal was to create a super reliable, beautiful example worthy of shows, Winter driving (hence a few photos of my PV in the Winter....certainly appropriate for a car built in Sweden), long distance highway driving, and winding country roads.
Sorry, can't "give it away" and, if it doesn't sell, will have a great time this Spring and Summer. But IF you ever wanted a sensational classic sedan that holds four comfortably, has a cavernous trunk, can be driven as daily transportation, and is ready for show use, this might be your only opportunity. And is available for immediate sale.