The Volvo PV-444 and PV-544 models resembled the famous VW Beetle in the eyes of many people because of their design.
However, the little Swedish import was ahead of the loveable Beetle in many ways during its 13-year production run, but it never gained the same level of fame as its VW rival.
Jim Sutherland
The “PV” initials are short for “passenger vehicle” and designated the multi-purpose Swedish builder’s specific purpose for its 444 and 544 vehicles. As mentioned, the 444/544 Volvos were ahead of the Beetle in many areas.
Volvo 444/544 models were more powerful than VW Beetles and had water-cooled engines that provided an actual heating system built for the harsher Swedish winters. Despite their advantages, the little Swedish cars barely made a dent in the North American market, but they gained a significant number of fans on this side of the pond over the years.
Gary Keays is one of those Volvo fans and is the proud owner of a 1962 Volvo PV 544S that is a combination of factory and his vision for the car.
Gary purchased the ’62 Volvo in 2000 and stored it in his garage until 2012 when he decided to revive the car and add a few personal touches to it.
The Volvo’s engine is still the same one that was installed at the factory, but Gary overhauled the little four-banger and improved its horsepower, along with its ability to use modern gasoline because today’s fuel is saturated in alcohol and lead-free.
He replaced the car’s original 4-speed manual transmission with an overdrive manual transmission that drops the Volvo’s RPMs by a considerable margin during highway use.
Gary also added front disc brakes donated by Volvo’s famous P-1800 sports car to his 544, although he retained the car’s factory single master brake cylinder. He installed a proportion valve because the car still has factory drum rear brakes but intends to install a dual master cylinder as a winter project for added safety reasons.
Three other changes for Gary’s 544 are a modern fuse box, an overflow system for the Volvo’s radiator, and a remote start button under the car’s hood so he can tinker with the engine.
Gary chose an unusual paint scheme for his ’62 Volvo and blacked out the car’s bright work during the process. The small black dots on top of the front and rear fenders are the former locations of the holes that held the lower chrome strips on the Volvo.
He also remodeled the front and rear bumpers by removing the curved crown pieces that were on them, along with adding a newer Volvo spear emblem on the front grille. Gary custom-built the side mirrors on his Volvo, along with a reconstructed dashboard and instrument panel with added gauges for his engine.
The interior features include front seats from his departed 1987 Volvo 245 station wagon, as well as a clock from the same donor vehicle. Gary kept the ’62 Volvo’s rear seat but was able to recover it with an identical fabric to the front seat.
The net result is a car that has a strong vintage Volvo vibe-but with a few changes to make it one of a kind. It is an ideal situation for a creative vintage Volvo fanatic like Gary Keays.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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