Projects Gasser? pv554 Volvo

hi everyone! I just got an 1961 volvo pv544. Very solid rustless and in good condition. It has the original engine, a B16 four in line and double SU carburetor and 4 speed manual transmission. Well, I had to take it and now trying to know what to do with it! I was going to make a street gasser out of it what do you think guys?

 

Yeh, we got lots of ideas, some you may not like!

 

I had a 64 back in the early 70's I bought for $15. I loved that car. Tune the carbs, put on a coat of satin black paint and drive as is. Would be a shame to molest it.

 

If you decide to sell, PM me.

 

I'm in the get it driving camp, an figure from there, Be a Great daily! Good size for a gasser also!

 

Clean it up, keep it running well, work it from there. Please, no gasser style, just a kool and
different street machine. Good luck with it.

 

Gasser -no
Cruiser - absolutely


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Nice humpback. but I agree with the others, I don't think gasser is the best style for that kind of car.

 

Actually, I'm thinking about building one for AA/GS, I heard of a junkyard not far that has several of them. I was contacting the sanctioning body to see if they'd let me use one.

 

These Volvos have always been around the fringe of the car culture. Being essentially a 3/4 scale version of a '46-48 Ford sedan, a lot of the same custom tricks work well on them. I can recall seeing hot rod/custom versions a few times in the mags 'back in the day'. And I saw one just a few weeks ago at a club spaghetti feed that was very nicely turned out with wheels, some mild custom features, and a 350/350 drivetrain. I didn't get to speak to the owner, but another guy who was familiar with the car told me it was a real rocket.

If building a gasser, this could work, but I wouldn't build it 'nose high' early style. For inspiration, look at the Anglia/Austin gassers out of the mid/late 60s...

 

Tune it up and run 'er, maybe some twice pipes with mellowtones. Scuff it up, make it one color (your choice) maybe wide whites and some skirts (lower the rear an 1" or so).

 

In spite of their looks, in their day they were one of the hotter performing European cars. I would get at kick out of using one as a daily driver and you might be surprised how well they perform.

On the other hand, if you want something as stupid as a gasser, it would hard to be stupider than a Volvo gasser.

 

Nix the gasser. Keep it as is. It's a cool car.

 

Wheeler dealers did a PV 544 episode. You can probably find it somewhere online. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5771704/

Keep in mind, the PV is a lightweight car compared to what came out of the US back in those days. I do know you love your V8:s, but putting a big heavy engine in a light weight car might have a bad effect on how it handles. Sure, if you only want to go in a straight line there might not be anything wrong with that, but otherwise you might have more fun with something like a Volvo B20 engine, perhaps tuned to around 200hp. (The B16 you have is a 3 bearing crankshaft engine, not bad ofcourse but you don't want to torture it at high rpm if you want it to survive.)

 

Based on previous experience... Check the front cross member to body mount bolts. They can work loose.

 

Jack it up 3 ft., BBC tunnel ram ..no hood , fake spindle mounts, oh and Moon tank, way, way out front!

 

I know it's not HAMB friendly, but a very modern 4cyl or 6cyl mounted front to back and stick from a rear drive car would be neat. Some of those little 4's have a lot of after market support.

 

will the faux gasser fad ever end?

 

I think it would be a great gasser as long as that is truly what it is. You know. For the March meet, Eagle Field. That type of thing. Street fake, not so good.

 

Actually I was thinking along the same lines. Otherwise just figure out how to put a T5 or some kind of O/D in it , mill the head, split the pipes, and drive it.

 

Make sure the tailpipe didn't get plugged with dirt coming off the rollback.

 

before you get too far on that plan, figure out how the floor and transmission tunnel work. Not much room in there, and you'd have to so some serious structural work to make more room.

I probably need to get that 544 back from my kiddos, just so it will get driven.

 

I had one in the late 60s with a 283, powerglide, fenderwell headers, etc as my driver. They are neat cars and there were a few of them that ran in various gas and or altered classes.

- EM

 

I've never seen one upside down, LOL. My thoughts where more concept than reality. Some day i would love to build a small "odd" car with a HOT modern 4cyl. there was some talk about cars like this on www.DOGFIGHTMag.com but that site seams to be dead.

 

I'm with the majority here, I wouldn't butcher it for 100 reasons. Like many said here you could fix it up, paint it, drive it and get probably more than you have in it when you sell it.
About 15 years ago my neighbor had a VW dune buggy and said if I had one we could race them around his farm. I found a 1970 beetle, guy said it quit running. The motor turned over so I bought it for $75. Once home I found it had no spark...easy fix. I cleaned it up , changed oil, etc., cleaned it up and it was in amazing condition. I drove it around some, we live in a rural area, then neighbor talked me into tearing it apart. What a dummy I was! After a few weeks it was destroyed.
Find one someone started , or something already gutted so it wouldn't matter.
Last year a Chevy friend of mine , long time drag racer, bought a '69 Cuda for $500. The owner blew engine and got tired of it...a SS/B car. It had a 4 link, rack and pinion, etc., all it needed was motor and tranny.
They're out there, you'd be $ ahead. Here's one place to check.

https://www.racingjunk.com

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Not as long as there are newbies who know nothing about performance but want what they think looks like a cool car.

 

I saw one one time that the owner had customised to look almost exactly like a 48 Ford Tudor, same type grill, etc. IIRC, it had a 2.8 Chevy V6 with a 5 speed out of a S10 pickup. First glance you thought it was a Ford, then a closer look told otherwise.

 

As long as you don't do a twin turbo LS anything is fair game. I have seen more that one with a small block Chevy.
Fix it and drive it or hot rod it . Don't ask our opinion, just do whatever makes you happy.

 

Looked for one of those a while back to have some fun with. Consider a late Chevy Cobalt turbo or Super charged motor and a five handle out of a Senonna truck or similar. Would be a cool ride and get attention from the ricer crowd as well. My brother had one of these in 64, toughtabouta 289 Ford forit as there were magazine articles at the time on how to do it. I wouldn’t cut it up,but make a stout driver out of it.

 

That would be neat to see....3/4 scale 48 Ford! Next would be the Business Coupe!
- EM