Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[alan 869]

Been asked to do a thread about my PV. It took me 10 years on and off to get it right. Did as much of the work as I could but the usual things like family and work got in the way a lot of the time. Anyway here goes:

I moved to Sweden in 1976 and really liked the old Volvo PV. They were never sold in UK and were all LHD. They sold really well in Sweden (even though they drove on the left till 1967) so there were quite a few around. The first one I bought was a 1964 PV 544 (1958 to 1965).

544 differed from the earlier 444 by having a -normal- windscreen and a full screen at the back. 12volt instead of 6. A 5 bearing motor, the B18 of 75 hp, instead of the 444s 2 offerings (B4B, first 40 then 44 and lastly 51... and the B16 which was 60 hp. Both motors had just 3 main bearings). Opening side windows at the back and a different dash and instruments. It had the -red line- speedo like the amazon and early 140s. The 444 has nice clocks and everything in Swedish (temperatur, bensin, olja etc)

The first PV (544)
[img]

The first one was really rusty and had 13 faults for rust on MOT. I did get it sorted in the end but I fancied the earlier 444 becuse of the nicer interior. Bought FDO 373 for 300 quid in Stockholm. Was my daily for a few years. Although it was 6 volt it never let me down (apart from when the soleniod on the starter went whilst I was home in Bourmouth. When I explained to the mech at the big Volvo place in Bournemouth and said it was 6 volt he said -they didn´t make 6 volters )
In the end 3rd gear went on it and I changed the motor-gearbox to a B16. It took time doing it in the underground carpark of the hospital where I was working. The girlfriend got all shirty so I sold it. It´s still going and used every summer. Owner is a member of the PV club here)
[img]

I promised myself that I would get another one one day and really do it up. The grey one had been a 1956 K Special (special being that it wasn´t black in colour, had a passenger side sunvisor and a cigarette lighter). I thought black to be the best colour for one and that I would do the interior to my own liking instead of the feable wool and plastic offerings that Volvo sold them with. 11 years later, 1989, I started to search for one. In the end found one that fitted the bill. Had not been -hotted up- like many of them. Original motor and drive train. Black (just a standard K instead of KS). Very good bodywork and the interior was very poor. Price was right so I bought it and towed it on a trailer from a village outside of Linköping where we live, home. Note my orange 145. Worst car I´ve EVER had...
[img]
[img]
The car even had the right grill which was in good order (this grill was produced only for the 1956 model. 1957 to the end it had the grill that can be seen on the grey one. 1955 and before (1944) there was a -rib- type grill). The guy in the photos is the former owner who´d had it in a barn for 12 years. Will carry on with a new post....[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

[Rick]

Brilliant - they do look better with the split windscreen arrangement of the 444 don't they

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[alan 869]

Well, got it home and after getting the motor running (having done it the right way, se http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13089 I took the interior out and inspected the wings, floor etc. There was rust where the back wings meet the body on both sides. This is a usual place. The wings turned out to be pretty bad. Otherwise it was in good shape. Nothing in the torpedo or sills and just a small bit under the back seat on the right hand side. I took it all -to bits- so that the body was bare. No front, wings, bonnet, doors or boot lid. A friend of mine who works as a welder at the SAAB aircraft factory here helped me with the welding. The PV club had manufactured new sectionsso that the -lip- of the rear side body (rear panel to wheelhouse) could be repaired. He put new sections in both sides and did a really good job. New back wings offered up just right.
Partly stripped for welding
[img][/img]
Welded and ready for the paint shop

My 2 boys and myself...

The car was sprayed in bits. Body on it´s own, wings, doors, bonnet and boot lid seperately. As all the panels are bolted on it was a lot easier than say a Triumph. The guy who sprayed it did a fantasic job on it. By the way, the stainless stips down the side were removed. Could never figure out why, when you have a nicely rounded body style, you have to put straight lines on it?? These were Volvo -extras- amd paid for a few things once sold.
[img]
The car was collected after the paint job and I started to put all the bits back into the doors. Painted the engine bay and the motor and got the interior ready so that the new head lining could be put in. Then off to the uppholsterers for the leather interior. To my spec. I did manage to get the original wool and grey plastic coverings for it. They are in a box in the cellar
[img]
[img]
[img]
Will continue in a while....[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

[alan 869]

The brake system was renewed from the master cylinder to the brake linings. The drums were skimmed. The original rims were shot blasted and new Michalin XZX tryres put on them. The rimes were painted the same green as the interior (instead of black). All the fittings for the doors were put back, new windows (except the back one) were put in (slightly tinted in green). I did the door cards and the parcel shelf (green leather) and got all the handles back on. Then it was time to trailer it the hours drive to the coachbuilder who did the seats, sides at the back and the sun visors. All in antique green leather with black piping The firm had been going since 1920 and had done everything from Landaus to Rolls to Mercs. They thought it was a bit of a novelty to do out a PV in leather

[img]
[img]
Once I got it home again I started to fit it with new rubber carpets etc. When the engine bay was finished the Font (with radiator) was put on and the -plumbing- done. Inner wings, then outer. Bonnet. Newly renovated carb and a new battery. When the front end was finished and the doors back on, checked all the wiring and fitted the blinkers (B Posts) and rear lights. New old stock boot mat and boot lid with the chrome bits. After that the bumpers and could finally put in the new leather seats. Of course a load of jobs after that (front suspention renovated and tested). The nose on it reminded my boys of -Pluto- so that´s what it´s called.
[img]
[img]
[img]
[img]
A friend wanted the original roof rack for a Duett that I had. So instead of money between he looked for a nice rack for the PV, had the wooden slats refurbed and the frame painted. Just the job. Had to have a tow bar (having a -number- of vans). Nice period radio with the antenna hid behind the dash and a 6 to 12 volt inverter. New exhaust system (stainless nowadays). Took it for the MOT in 98, first time since 77. Passed with flying colours. Had quite a crowd around it
MOT every other year since then and never a problem. The dizzy cap, rotor and points must be over 10 years old but still work okay. Religiously change the oil, filter and coolant at least once, often twice a year....
[IMG]
[img]
[img]
[img
[/img]
[/img]
[/img]
[/img]

Pluto
[img]
[img]
[img]
Shot showing the proper rims and hubcaps



Hope I haven´t bored you all stiff. -God Fortsättning- as they say over here (lit. good continuance [img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

[Rick]

That was a great read, thanks for putting it all together

The colour of the engine isn't too different from that found on BMC cars of the 1960s. Did Volvo switch to red painted engine blocks when the Amazon came along?

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[alan 869]

The line of engines for the ordinary cars were:

B4B 1944-1956 (my car has the last year with the B4B - 51hp) Green

B16 1957 - 1961 (60hp used in the PV and the first Amazons - 6 volt)
Red block I think

B18 1962 - 1968 (75hp single carb or 90ish with twin carbs - 12 volt)
Red block

B20 1969 - 1976 (85 and 110 hp). The first basic 240s had the B20.
This engine was the same as the B18 (1800cc) but with larger bore
(2 litre) and an alternator instead of a generator.

So I think the B16 had a red block...

Way to distinguish them quickly: Filter outside of the block (as my car) = B4B. Filter in a cannister on right side of block + Zenith carb (34VN) = B16. Screw in filter in block with single Stromberg or twin SUs = B18. (although the very first B 18 engines had 36VN carbs)
Alternator = B20. That´s assuming that the engine set up hasn´t been mucked about

[JC T ONE]

Hi Alan,

nice car you have there

some good work you put into it.

Is that a genuine Johnson / Volvo reverse light ?

make sure you dont fit a 21 watt bulp, the glass has a tendency to crack if its cold & the bulp heats it up too fast (21 watt)
_________________
http://www.eurods.eu/wp/index.html

[alan 869]

Hello!

Yes it´s a genuine Volvo one with -Volvo- in the glass. I(t´s only got a 10W bulb in it as I don´t use the car much at night. One other period piece that I have for it, I was thinking of posting up. In Swedish.. a -pivot kärra- Will see if I have the fotos.... Cheers, Alan

[alan 869]

Sorry about the photos disappearing. I don´t like my pics lying on photobucket for anyone to copy. Didn´t realize that they would disappear from here aswell. I think another arrangement than photobucket would be a good idea. If I could put the photos up another way I would. What do you say Rick??

I´ve put them back up again for the time being...

[Rick]

[JC T ONE]

[alan 869]

Also a bit of a story.

During the war petrol was nearly non-existant in Sweden so most buses, taxis etc ran on gas derived from charcoalburning. They used to have an extra trailer on the back of the vehicle and the -stove- mounted on that. Something like LPG but with a lot of soot

When the war was over these -apperatus- quickly vanished as petrol became more available. The makers of the trailers tried for a while to entice the public to buy a trailer for extra baggage etc. One variation was to just have a concertina type frame attached to the cars chassi at the back. This could be drawn out for use or folded in when not in use. Another type was a bit larger and because of the weight involved (they could take more suitcases) they had a small wheel at the back which swivelled (pivot) as the car turned. The front of the frame being bolted to the chassis. They sold quite well in the 50s but had all but disappeared by the middle 60s. I´d seen photos of them and fancied one for the PV. Came across one that needed a bit of renovation at a auto jumble. 2 young blokes who were selling it didn´t know really what it was
They wanted quite a bit for it so I waited till they were packing up at the end of the day. They didn´t fancy packing it back in again on their trailer so I got it for a song. I got it blasted, painted it and got a new tyre. Works a treat
[img]
[/img][img][/img]
[img][/img]
[img]

[/img][img][/img]

[Penman]

Hi
The single wheel trailer is a brilliant idea, providing there is adequate clearance from the rear of the car, or the forward end and sides can be folded; if you want to go on a ferry which charges for trailers and or length you just unload the trailer into the car fold it up and pivot it up to the back of the car and go on the ferry as a car without trailer.

Years ago Car Mechanics had an article on how to build one, and I think I suggested it as a design possibility to Roger when he was trying to decide on a trailer for the special.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[ukdave2002]

And look at the prices !!

Dave

[alan 869]