1959 volvo pv 544

porknbeaner · Mar 16, 2011

thomas.marc said: ↑

thats close but thats an older modle do to the split windshield
Click to expand...

The only real difference is body wise is the split glass. I know that a 283 goes right in so I don't doubt that the SBF will fit fine. Probably if you look at one of the engine swap companies like trans dapt or any number of other companies out there you will find someone what makes swap kits for them.

The '59 came with a pretty snappy [for the time] banger with twin SUs. They were the smaller SUs. I don't know if they came with a 3 gear all iof them I swapped engines were 4 gears. The original 4 gear won't hold up behind a small block that produces any kind of HP/torque.

They used to be a pretty popular car for a V-8 swap, because they resemble a Ford only about 3/4 size.

CDXXVII · Mar 16, 2011

Years ago there was a photo in Hot Rod mag showing a heavily chopped/sectioned one. Not sure if it was the exact model. It looked really cool. How would one ever find that pic?

Heo · Mar 16, 2011

Check out Brazuka racing at youtube. 544 with chevy bigblock
I have made some work on the body for his new car

also check out huchbackracing 444 with B21-133 cuin
7,76 in the quartermile

Hellfish · Mar 16, 2011

dawford said: ↑

My only concern is the handling and braking.
.
Click to expand...

My 122s handled and stopped fine, but it came stock with disk brakes. I bet 122 brakes would be a direct swap. There used to be a forum called the BrickBoard for vintage Volvos. I bet you could find easy swap upgrade info there

Heo · Mar 16, 2011

brakepads is the same as 427 cobra on 122 brakes. Almost
a direkt bolt on on the 544 and the handling is better than
most american cars. Rear suspension is almost like the
truck bars they use in nascar but it got two upper bars
Stiffer springs a litle lower and god koni shocks and
you got a real god handling car
Have owned a lot of them my son is building a 65 544
with B23 and a supercharger from a Thunderbird S/C
245 rearend with powertrax dif 142 frontend with
rackandpinion

60 Belair · Mar 16, 2011

a 67 I did a lot of work on

earlymopar · Mar 16, 2011

I had a 59 544 in 1967 with a 283 Chevy and powerglide with fenderwell headers. A fun car. A 4-speed would be even better. The space isn't as bad as one might think with the exception of the radiator. It's just a matter of laying out everything and optimizing space as best you can.

- EM

ironandsteele · Mar 16, 2011

1971BB427 said: ↑

There's a guy running around town here with one that's got a SBC stuffed in it, and looks really stock from the outside. He had to plumb lines back to the rear and lay a 2nd radiator flat behind the rear axle to keep it cool enough.
Click to expand...

here is a link to that guy's car

http://www.pdxcarculture.com/pdx-car-culture/2010/1/13/al-padurs-chevolvo.html

LowKat · Mar 17, 2011

I always thought these made cool little hot rods.

426 Hemi powered "Lil' Crawl Along"

pretty cool customs too

I have a stock '61 PV544 Sport in the classifieds.
Near Portland Oregon.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=566371

and here's a couple more threads on the PV444/544
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277235

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=497938

cecce · Mar 17, 2011

The original upper A-arms use to be a weak spot. Might be worth thinking about. Swapping to front Disc brakes from Volvo 121/Amazon used to be a popular modificartion here in sweden, but remember that the bolt pattern is the same as US Ford so you may find some "local parts" to use. Also for wheels you have loads to choose from.

dawford · Mar 18, 2011

CDXXVII,

"Years ago there was a photo in Hot Rod mag showing a heavily chopped/sectioned one. Not sure if it was the exact model. It looked really cool. How would one ever find that pic?"

Is the picture below the one you saw in Hot Rod.

Mike started with a Volvo 122 and ended up with a 51 Mini Merc.

I will probably see Custom Mike tomorrow at coffee in Norco, Ca.

He is a great and talented guy.

http://customikes.com/contactus.aspx

Dick

.

CDXXVII · Mar 23, 2011

Nope. That's not the car I saw in Hot Rod..the one I saw was built in the home country (Sweden). I think it was in a letter from a reader.

iadr · May 23, 2011

I have had a 544 in the family since nearly ten years before I was born, and I'm 38, so we are heading for 50 years.
I have another home for my Mercrusier, but stumbled on this thread.
The biggest thing I have to say is leave the front end as is- it's one of the best parts on the car. You'd never improve on it by chance, put it that way! Set it up with OE shocks (made by Fitchel and Sachs), and an IPD (Portland OR) pair of anti sway bars (F&R). Also, I have tried Konis and Bilsteins and neither brand is calibrated whatsoever correctly for the car.
The rear axle is relatively stout at the ring and pinion, but a little weak when raced, in terms of the axle tips- lots of tighten-loosen cycles on the drums for servicing, and lots of hard cornering, and you can break of the tip which means you loose a wheel. The other reason you may want to change is that the axle ratio is either 4.56 (1.6 engined chassis) or 4.10 (1.8 engine). You probably want a 3.08 as you can't put very tall tires on them. My personal car runs a 2392cc stroked build on a slightly later Volvo block and 3.31's and a 4 speed. It could spin the engine slower than it does, and for sure you'll want it to with the mercruiser. A 5spd will change it a bit, but you want an end result of 2.8-3.25 in top.

Heo · May 23, 2011

For more room for a bigger radiator and better hoodhinges
use the front from a b18 model 62-65
also use the front crossmember its sturdier and a direct bolt on
you just have to put the b18 idlerarm on the right frame horn

dawford · May 23, 2011

The Mercruiser is capable of 250+ ft/lbs of torque, however with the aluminum performance head that might be somewhat compromised for higher rpm because of the larger exhaust valves and ports.

It seams that the 460 Ford truck engines that put out so much low end torque have somewhat small exhaust ports.

The 3.7 Mercruiser being about 1/2 of a 460, (the stroke is a little less), was engineered to be a Torque King. It is recommended that any replacement of the 3.7 be either a 4.2 V6 or a 305 V8 in order to get equal performance.

I have heard that a Volvo station wagons used a Dana rear end that is the same as used on some Jeeps.

That might be a good swap for the rear end with the additional benifit of larger brake drums.

The weight difference between the cast Iron 1800 engine and transmission and the aluminum 3.7 and T-5 is going to be negligible.

The only problem that I see is getting the longer engine into the engine compartment without having to cut into the firewall to much.

If I used the fiberglass front end that I have seen somewhere I could move the radiator in front of the front bulkhead to just behind the grill.

If I can do that there will be plenty of room for the engine.

The other option would be to hinge the hood at the firewall and remove the hinge and spring from their present position behind the grill freeing up that space for the radiator.

These engines with their die cast aluminum blocks and with an aluminum head do not need a large radiator like a V8.

I want the finished product to be a daily driver not a dragster. I do not doubt that it will be very capible of doing both but I want it to look stock and go like spit.

I have a set of stock wheels that I will have the centers cut out of and have them welded into wider wheels similar to the chrome wheels that came on the car when I got it.

The chrome wheels are a tip off that the car might not be stock. The stock looking wheels will just fit under the fenders while giving a lot more grip to handle the power.

Dick
.

dawford · May 23, 2011

Here is a picture of the car as purchased with the wider wheels and radial tires.

As you can see from the second picture the tires have a pretty wide foot print while not looking like drag car tires.

I will have the wheel man off set the rims to allow the wheels to avoid contact with the fenders.

The wheels that are on there now just clear the fenders.

The wheels front and rear will be the same size facilitating the spare tire situation.

If the tires were much larger it would not look right and I think that the tires will be about right for good handling and suficient traction.

Dick

Yo Baby · May 25, 2011

Anyone out there have a tailight lense they would part with?

MikesIron · May 28, 2011

thomas.marc said: ↑

i know i will probably get alot of flack for this but i was wondering if anyone has any info or anything at all for a 1959 volvo
Click to expand...

Hey there --

I've had a '61 544 that I've been hauling around for years, waiting for the time that I'd have the time. Soon as I get done w/ our '57 Chevy p/u (we're real close), it's the next project. I have a couple of Ford 2.3L engines -- all in parts -- that I'd thought I'd put in there, but am not wed to that idea at all.

Years back, I restored European cars for a living -- several Volvos came through, 544s and 122s mostly.

I'd be real interested to keep in touch w/ you and follow your progress!

Mike

isettajohn · Jun 11, 2011

Yo Baby said: ↑

Anyone out there have a tailight lense they would part with?
Click to expand...

There were two styles. One that looked like one piece and the other two pieces from the back. Which one do you need? Also have a couple nice handles for door & trunk I believe.

Yo Baby · Jun 11, 2011

Hey Isetta the 1 piece on the right.
Door and trunk handle spares I have.LOL
Just let me know how much and do you paypal.
Thanx,T.G.

NONHOG · Jun 11, 2011

archebald23 said: ↑

are buying that thing? if you gonna restore the car or assembled it there's a volvo repair you can visit to if your having a problem with it.
Click to expand...

Maybe I missed something but all I saw at that site was for "bricks" no 544 ,122 or P1800 stuff.

MrCarts · Jun 11, 2011

I used to have a 63 544 years ago, that I used offroad.

I fitted a set of Dodge truck wheels with 275-70-15 tires on it. I cut the fenders for clearance.

It worked well in the sand as the tire had plenty of floation.

I have been thinking of getting another one, a 55 444 that I was going to do up in the same way.

I was thinking that the Mercruiser 470 with the T-50 would be a cool swap.

I am in Anza and would like to check out the fit of the 470 into the 544.

MrCarts · Jun 12, 2011

The weak link on the front suspension is the bolts that hold the upper arms mount.

I made a L shaped bracket that went from the bolts to the frame, that helped to keep from snapping off the bolts, with the extra load the big tires had on the bolts.

dawford · Jun 12, 2011

MrCarts,

If you found that the 470 was too much trouble to make fit into the 544 the 3.0 140 hp would be an easy fit.

The only negative would be the extra 100 lbs.

The 50 extra hp and the T-5 overdrive would be an excellent combonation for your off road vehicle and would definitly be welcome on the highway.

I just had a full knee replacement in Indio and traveled both ways thru Anza.

Maybe after I recover from my surgery we can get together and share some ideas.

Dick

bryan67gto · Aug 30, 2011

well you not the only one. Found a 59 Pv 544 when i was living out in CO. Its ruff but got it for 200. Wife's Parents had one when she was a kid. We going to do it like an Old A-gasser Look with a Blown Pontiac 400, with a 4 speed Super t-10 trans. 9 in ford Rear. Found a guy over in Sweden at the races that makes a Fiberglass 1 peice front end and rear fender extensions Hoping to get them ordered this fall. I'll have to find the pics i took of his car and post them. Good luck with your project

bryan67gto · Sep 5, 2011

Here's a pick of the tilt front end I'm gonna order for my car. The company also makes some other parts too. Anyone else here in the states Interested in doing a Group Order Send me a message. Wont be ordering til Oct.

richonetex · Oct 13, 2011

[FONT=&quot]Hello, [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Back in the late 60's I built a 59 Volvo PV544 Sport, with a blueprinted and balanced 289 Hi-Po V8 backed by a close ratio top loader Ford transmission followed by a narrowed 9 inch Ford 456 Detroit locker rear gears. It was dyno tuned at 450 hp at 6000 rpm. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This engine would keep pulling way past 6000 RPM, it just felt better and better with more RPM, pulling strong all the way. The engine build was a LaMans replica, with a light weight aluminum flywheel, it would rap so fast It would put a chill down your back, I never scattered this one. This car weighed in at a trim 2000 lbs. with the V8!!! This puts it in the rocket bike league!

My car would run 10.5 @ 134 mph in the quarter mile, with a 0-60 time of only 2.8 seconds in race tune and setup. Even setup as a daily driver, it was real bad news.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I only build sleepers, they must look stock!

Of all of the hot rods I have ever built, this one was the most fun, and my favorite.

After I finish my current project, a 66 Mustang fastback with a 289 Hi-Po, I will build one more V8 Volvo, probably as close to the first one as possible. A 1965 PV 544 has a larger engine compartment, this would be a better choice than the 59, however, the 289 V8 will fit in either. The only real tight point is the steering, but it can be done with a little thought.

It was way too much fun.

If you want any info on the V8 Volvo build, I will help you. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Richard,[/FONT]

Heo2 · Oct 13, 2011

bryan67gto said: ↑

well you not the only one. Found a 59 Pv 544 when i was living out in CO. Its ruff but got it for 200. Wife's Parents had one when she was a kid. We going to do it like an Old A-gasser Look with a Blown Pontiac 400, with a 4 speed Super t-10 trans. 9 in ford Rear. Found a guy over in Sweden at the races that makes a Fiberglass 1 peice front end and rear fender extensions Hoping to get them ordered this fall. I'll have to find the pics i took of his car and post them. Good luck with your project
Click to expand...

Is it Rp glasfiber you found hes making everything from
separate fenders to whole 444/544 bodies out of
fibreglas he has a website Rp glasfiber.com
he is in my hometown and i think the quality is
god for being fibreglas

Deloc · Jan 27, 2012

Great comments on 544s. I am trying to restore/hotrod a '59 . Lots of rust repair,planning to use a B18 engine, was B16 originally.Convert to 12v, some minor body mods. I love these things!!
Deloc

JReece · Jul 12, 2012

I like your car. I just picked up a 544 a few weeks back, I love it. Where are you at with yours now?

Thanks, JReece

My clothing line HiRevZ Clothing Co.
http://www.facebook.com/hirevz

Most of all build what you want, do what you want, it's your car. My uncle has always said, "If you like it, I love it." Meaning doesn't matter if he likes it or not, because it isn't his car.

1959 volvo pv 544

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