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This is a car that if I had any know-how about body work, I would buy it and restore it. I had a friend in the Air Force who had a 1960 white like this one and it was my first experience with a Volvo. We had a ball in that car and I remember it as indestructable.
Is the finished product worth the time and efort? He wants $2300.00 and I think he would maybe take $2,000 and it was rear-ended and never fixed. Not driven for 50 years and is rusty in spots like the rocker and trunk edge where the latch comes down to. It could be fun or a money pit.
What do the Volvo guys say about this?
Ken
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Doesn't sound like the right car/price combination to start a project on.
I wouldn't want to discourage you from getting a PV project, since I do find my PV to be the most fun Volvo I've ever had (even if my 300 whp 245 wagon is considerably faster, the PV is somehow more fun to drive). But you need to pick the 'seed' of the project prety carefully.
To me, mechanical parts are almost not a concern. A million miles? A worn out motor? No problem at all, it's all something I'd probably end up going through anyhow at some point. Or replacing with something peppier anyhow, worn out or not. But a bent, rusty body? Run, don't walk away.
Of course, it's a factor of my skill set, I'm no good at repairing sheetmetal and having it look good afterwards. So it ends up being something I'd have to have farmed out, at considerable expense. And thus it's cheaper to find a car in great shape (body wise) up front, and pay more for it, instead of paying double, triple, more to have the work done on it later.
Of course, the irony in all this is that I did in fact buy a rusty old PV. It's still rusty. It's not worth spending the money on it to proeprly repair the body. But it still hangs together, and it's still a blast to drive (has around 170-ish HP from a 2.1L B20).
--
'63 PV544 rat rod, '93 Classic #1141 245 (now w/16V turbo)
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Gentlemen, you have been instrumental in a possible life-altering event. Since you wouldn't let me get the old 544 and my juices were still bubbling, we traded for a black/ivory 1995 E320 wgn (123,000 careful highway miles)that is amazing. Argueably one of the best motors (according to my senior technicians)and the cleanest and best-serviced I've seen lately. All scheduled maintenance has been dealer-accomplished and garaged all it's life. I am buying it so close to what the 544 would have cost, it's spooky. Now it get's chilling: My Lexus tech from my former life called in the middle of all this called and begged me to buy my 224,000 1991 LS for more than it is worth (but he has known the car all its life). Well, even my wife said, "Honey, I think there is a message screaming at you".(keep in mind that I sell Mercedes at a dealership and uh.....have a shop full of factory-trained guys,.......)
So, I have completely changed 1/3 of my stable and still retain the love-of-my-life (sorry, Janie)...(kidding!!!!) and have a new part-time hobby but will never,ever,ever do the stuff to the Benz I have done or will do to my Brick. (Unless some of you geniuses can walk me through like with my 240. So, thanks to all of you for my Christmas present that I would have either missed or have moved into a batchelor pad, and I could not be much happier. So, many thanks.
Ken
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Too late, there is this one coming up today in the ipd class ads
http://www.ipdusa.com/classifieds.asp?CLC_ID=13
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Patience is not only a virtue but can prevent impulse from spoiling a great idea. I took the Benz out today for a shakedown cruise and was impressed but the transmission was not ideally shifting(known weak spot!) and SOMETHING told me to check under the driver's carpet (I had a Benz years ago that leaked). There was a literal pool of water and my heart sank and wallet puckered.
Driving back to the dealership I could not wait to catch sight of my "BRICK" with my new (historic) " 1 BRICK" tag and I found myself smiling and feeling like I have not felt for any other car I've owned. God bless the Swedish for building us a car we can cherish and drive, too. So, I will put the moths back in my wallet and forget about adding to my stable and go back to selling these
$40-$400,000 German beauties that allows me to house and baby my little 240.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you guys and remember my philosohical words at this special time of year:
When all that glitters is not gold
And cars you wanted are already sold
And smoke and mirrors are just a trick
Be safe and happy,snuggled in your brick
Ken
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![uid 39451's pic](<a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t193/chrisowenvt/?action=view&a)
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Whether a project is a potential dream car, or nightmare, is in the eye of the beholder. To wit, this 1800 in SC
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/2120225528.html
Chris in NE FL, '94 945 w/ only 164K
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Looks like a nightmare to me :).
--
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid
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I'm wondering why you posted this in all years of the 200 forum.......
I bought a 1960 544 in 1967. I paid $275 for it. It got totaled a few months
later and I replaced it with a '59 544 that cost $250. When I blew the engine in
that one I replaced it with a 1958 444 that cost me $200.
The biggest drawback in those, to my way of thinking, is that they are B16 powered
and 6 volt electrical systems.
The later models have most of the same advantages in the body, etc plus they came
with the B18 engine which means the B20 is a bolt-in.
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I apologize for that. I was leaving to go home and wanted to get it out. I'm sure it would have been better to do it right.
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If you had the body work "know how," it might be an interesting project. Being that you don't, the restoration expense will be very high and take quite a long time. There are other considerations as well, such as restoring the engine and interior, tires, brakes, suspension parts, cooling sytem; and finding parts for all of these systems....everything will have to be gone through to make it a safe, driveable vehicle. It has to be a labor of love; take it from someone who has restored a "low mileage" antique car. The cost and time are things that work against you and discourage you. On the other hand, if you have a lot of disposable cash, and a love for the car, the sense of accomplishment and joy of owning an antique is terrific. Just go in with your eyes open. 50K miles on a fifty year old vehicle that's been sitting isn't an advantage.
Here are some pics of the Chevelle Malibu that I restored: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=64166&id=1189132524&l=3194cb2bc5
--
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid
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You know, ironically, I think I at some level wanted to be discouraged. I am driving ( mostly) my 1990 240 which is my true love and keeping it 'perfect' is a hobby adn ongoing. I guess it is like having a mistress although I haven't had one and at my age it is doubtful that I will. I think it was a rush of nostalgia thinking of all the fun we had back "in the day".Thanks.
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Sounds too much to me. You can get one that runs without the damage to the rear for that amount.
Does it run?
I rather have a car with a million miles and been maintained, than a car that sat around for 50 years with no miles.
Paul
Craigslist and IPD are goood sources to find good deals on a 544:
http://ipdusa.com/classifieds.asp?CLC_ID=13
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Was there a youtube video about this car?
I remember seeing a video with a similar description, and it was white.
If it's the same one, I remember not being impressed.
And $2300 sounds like a lot to me for that car. It looked like it needed a lot of work.
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Yes and I have to beleive that it is one in the same. Thanks for underlining the other ones who nudged me away. Thank you.
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Hard to say without seeing the extent of the damage. If not driven for many years, you'll have rubber and other biodegradable bits to replenish, and engine to potentially unstick, an interior to... do something with, and myriad of other things to potentially fix. Then again, it could make as a fun foundation for another one of these:
http://bringatrailer.com/2010/04/27/bat-exclusive-carrera-proven-1958-volvo-444-racer/
Cheers,
Zach
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I looked at that link and it reminded me of something I had "forgotten"-sort of. I became "aware" of Volvos many many years ago when a friend stopped over with exactly a Volvo model like that in your link. Well, he had removed the engine, dropped in a 350ci V8 Chevvy engine, put on 6 dual throat Webers, a hot cam and few other goodies. The only thing that "gave it away" was he also had some pretty wide rear tires for traction. It was a street rod and was fast as all get out. . I wonder what happend to him? Oh well. That was pretty much it until 1985 when I thought of Volvo again as we were in the market for a new car and my wife suggested a Volvo-which we got-a DL wagon, brand new. Been Volvos ever since.
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