This 1958 Volvo 544 Is Ready for the Vintage Races
Performance
Motorsports
Classics
European
Joginder Singh, his brother Jaswant and their Volvo PV 544 claiming first place at the East African Safari Rally in 1965. (Photo: Volvo)
The Volvo 544 was a rally workhorse. In 1960, Gunnar Andersson piloted the rugged two-door sedan—with a B16 four-cylinder engine—to victory in the Gran Premio de Argentina.
A few years later, the company won the grueling Safari Rally - opens in new window or tab. with Joginder and Jaswant Singh in the front seats. By that time, the car had a larger B18 engine tuned to produce 130 horsepower.
A splendid yet affordable 1958 Volvo 544 was recently sold on eBay.
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Although set up to look like a vintage racer, the car appears to be a stock 544. The engine is a B18, perhaps from a later car. It was rebuilt, as was the transmission, the suspension, and the rear end.
Sounds Like a Sewing Machine
Patina comes with this Volvo 544.
The patina in the Volvo’s light green paint is popular for that barn find vibe.
The seller said:
She was a barn find that went through a complete rebuild, leaving the patina body original. The dual British SU carbs work perfectly, and the engine sounds like a sewing machine. This car was a complete strip-down removing the dash and restoring the dash, the interior window cranks, and an all-new wiring harness. Everything that has to do with the driving function of the car was completely removed and all rebuilt.
Those are seat covers, and the interior is stripped for action.
The interior is a mixed bag. The door panels and dash cover are missing—perhaps part of its “stripped-down for racing” look. The car features aftermarket gauges and a modern stereo. The seats have aftermarket covers - opens in new window or tab. on them for comfort.
Built for Durability
Volvo enthusiasts are excellent decoders of engine and paint codes, so here are the numbers from the under-hood plate:
- Type - P 54408 A
- Chassis – 207446
- Color – 56
- Interior - 25-144
The engine is a later B18.
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The Volvo PV544 introduced in 1958 further developed the PV444 (with the same basic body style). The PV544 added amenities like a more powerful engine and a four-speed transmission. The car also got an enlarged interior capable of seating five (instead of four), larger taillights, and a ribbon speedometer that carried over into the later 122S.
The 544 was an exceptionally durable automobile. They routinely cover 300,000 miles. The model has a huge trunk, and with the B18 in this car, the ability to keep up with modern traffic. Some owners have further enhanced that ability for comfortable cruising with the British-made overdrive units that were standard in the 1800 sports cars - opens in new window or tab..
This Volvo could indeed become a vintage racer, but the new owner will have to tackle the rust - opens in new window or tab. in the spare wheel well and trunk first to ensure structural integrity. Nonetheless, the car looks very solid, and the owner says he wouldn’t hesitate to drive it anywhere, especially to the track.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.