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Volvo PV544
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6285
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that. I think it looks great. It's a car which draws your attention to itself and where ever you look, from whatever angle, you are not disappointed. You must be well pleased. Smile
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kevin2306



Joined: 01 Jul 2013
Posts: 1359
Location: nr Llangollen, north wales

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Garage did a 1st class job, are they a classic only garage?
is the paintwork original, its stunning?

Kev
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PAUL BEAUMONT



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 1281
Location: Barnsley S. Yorks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The comments about the Volvo being too expensive for the British market is quite interesting. In my youth (many, many years ago) We lived in rural Northamptonshire, within spitting distance of Silverstone. My father had a small milk round, that gave us access to houses that otherwise discouraged nosy small boys. One such was a farm house that had been let to wealthy tenants, who obviously had motor sport interests. Their garage frequently housed exotic visitors, but most were things like 4.5 Bentleys the odd Lea Francis or Jag. Notable in my memory is a very similar Volvo - even down to its colour. Most noticeable because I have never before heard of Volvo!
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suspect that the sides have been repainted in the distant past, but the only visible deterioration is a couple of small patches of microblistering that you have to get quite close to, in order to see. I may get it resprayed at some point, but it looks just as good in the metal as it does in the pictures and I certainly would hate to get it so perfect that I was afraid to use it.
The garage that did the work is a small business that specialises in classics and does work from all over the country. It is based in Limbrick, just outside Chorley and the proprietor has a penchant for Citroen CX of which he has several under reconstruction. If you look on Facebook, for Classic Vehicle Restorations Ltd. by Jeff Ball, he has a page with loads of images of recent projects.

I can remember Volvos only becoming well known back in my youth when the local police bought a fleet of 140's to replace their Triumph 2000 patrol cars. They were less popular with the drivers because they were not as opulent inside as the big Triumphs, but were beloved of their maintenance departments, because of their simplicity, and hence incredible reliability up to very high mileages. Amazons were very rare up in Derbyshire, at any rate and I only saw my first PV's when I went to Scandinavia during the early 1970's.
I have read that the 544 could be imported by special order, but I suspect that very few were, especially once the RHD Amazon had hit the marketplace. They would have been up against Oxfords and Cambridges in the UK and with their 40's/50's style body colour painted dashes, two door format, and late thirties US styling, would have looked very dated, even though, IMHO, they would, even by the 1960's, have been a superior product technically with good strong engines, excellent handling with coil sprung suspension, fully synchro gearboxes, seat belts as standard, etc.

I absolutely love it and always have done, ever since I saw my first ones in Denmark in around 1972.
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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47Jag



Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 1480
Location: Bothwell, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In 1964 I wasn't long in Canada and I worked at a dealership that handled Jaguar, Volvo and a few other brands. The garage was a multi-storey affair and the parking was on the 4th. floor beside the body shop. I was up to collect an E-type to do some work on when I saw this Volvo 544 B18 that had T-boned a lamp post. I was staying with a cousin who's husband (Gerry) taught body repairs at a school right behind the garage and on the drive home I told him about the Volvo. He asked me to find out the insurance company that was handling the car. I asked the body shop manager and he was reluctant to tell me but eventually did. Gerry called them and found it was going to be a write-off and made a successful bid. The problem for him was he only had 8 more days to work at that school before he moved to another in London, Ontario. He came around with about 10 students and they pushed the car around the block in the busiest part of Toronto to get it to the school. Such was his skill that the car was straightened and painted in primer before the term ended. He drove that car for 8 years putting on over 100K miles.

Art
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Calum



Joined: 07 Feb 2011
Posts: 100
Location: Midgley, W Yorks

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 12:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely! Always loved the PV544 - so unique!

I take it you must be over Bolton way? Was the meet at the Corner House good? I might trundle over one sunday as from pics I have seen there were some interesting motors there!
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, close, I am based in Clayton le Woods between Chorley and Preston.
The Corner House event was quite spectacularly well attended in spite of the rather low temperatures and went on well beyond its 11.00 am deadline.
The owners are into Classic cars.
I shall certainly be back for the next one.
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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JC T ONE



Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark

PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

looking good Cool these PV,s are so classy in their shape.

Nice to see it recived some nice body work, to keep it in good shape.



Jens Christian
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2015 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Successfully got through the MOT yesterday, no advisories.


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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After the disappointment of a waterlogged Heskin Hall Show, and an afternoon Citroen fettling , late on Sunday I took the 544 out for a some light refreshment in the form of a good drive around in the evening sunshine.….and then it rained. What the heck, it was only a shower, and by the time I got home everything had blow dried again.
Weatherproofing should be much improved now. I have sealed the bulkhead penetrations , in particular the windscreen washer jets, the car has new screen rubbers and the drivers door has a membrane inside the trim made of 1200g Visqueen to direct any rainwater leakage down into the bottom of the door and out through the drain holes rather than into the footwell. I just need to repeat the exercise with the passenger door and the car should then be as good as it can be.
We are getting ready for a service too, oil and filter change is on the top of the list and a session with the grease gun underneath. Longer term, the radiator has a slightly loose side stay, that I will get fixed when I flush everything out for the winter. There seems to be no tangible leak and so I am leaving well alone for the moment.
Other things to be fixed.
The temp gauge doesn’t function, this is a common fault, I am told that a repair is possible but fiddly, needing the capillary re-gassing, and my experience with Amazons is that they are a trifle erratic even when working, so this isn’t high on my list. I am currently pondering an electrical upgrade, but again, that requires the dashboard to be stripped out, so a potential winter project.
Squeaky clutch linkage. One of those things that you only think about when you are driving!
Sticky heater valve (I shall probably try WD40 and if that isn’t a success, will probably live with this one.)
Cigarette lighter socket is u/s and I shall take steps to sort that out (for use in charging mobile phone/satnav).

I have also been bequeathed some modern MG TF seats with headrests and am currently considering, for comfort and safety reasons, experimenting with a leather dye to see if I can get them to match the existing interior and then fit them as a substitute. The originals look great, but leave something to be desired in comfort and safety terms, and since this is a car that I envisage using more and more on a regular basis, I think that the investment in an upgrade is well worthwhile, as long as it is reversible.
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a quick update on things needing sorting. I had progressively started to leak coolant from the thermostat housing, although the car had rarely needed a top up, and so I decided to drain the coolant, and at the same time, sort out the radiator, which had the side frames detached where they were brazed onto the header tank.
This went well, but the reason for the failure of the seal around the thermostat was clear, erosion of the recess into which it fitted meant that it was almost impossible to get a full seal around the thermostat circumference and so I treated the car to a new O ring and a new housing from Brookhouse. The radiator, now nicely refurbished, was replaced, everything reassembled and treated to new coolant.
Have also had a few longer trips recently down into Merseyside to a couple of smaller car shows. This really is a cracking car and always puts a smile on my face.
Still haven't oiled the clutch linkage yet though!
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't posted on the Volvo for a while, but it is still going strong and gets used when the weather is half decent, often as an alternative to the modern, to run errands locally. Also, sometimes to the dismay of the local branch of the Traction Owners Club, it also goes to car meetings and, if the weather is cold, will probably be my car of choice for any car meets over the festive period (because it has a good heater).
Apart from a good Autumn service, I haven't done a deal to her recently, but I have been researching new front seats, something more supportive that doesn't feel as if it is tipping you against the drivers door on each right hander (LHD remember).
It ideally will have to come out of a 2 door car and will have a headrest for safety, and the installation must be reversible so no alterations to the structure of the car. The MG ones mentioned in a previous thread had no tilt, and so have been discounted.
I have some ideas, and will keep you posted.


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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do miss this Sad

Would seats from a two-door Amazon go in? Or maybe those from a 140-series with head restraints? At least that way it'd be keeping things in the family.

RJ
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I understand that both would fit, but its a question of finding them. The 140 series in particular, was always a rare bird in 2 door format and would be hard to find seats from one now. Seats from a 2 door 340 have also been suggested, but again, the chances of finding a pair of these is fairly remote, I would suspect.
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I ran my A40 as a daily driver, we retrieved a pair of very luxurious seats sourced from a scrap 264GLE. They fitted straight in, although in later years I reverted to the originals. Very comfy though Smile

RJ
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