Some vehicles just develop a cult following.  While some folks tend to gravitate to cars such as Mustangs, Camaros, and Corvettes for their performance image, other enthusiasts build their love on such virtues as durability, handling, and reliability.  Take for example the curious case of this 1966 Volvo PV544 Sport being sold here on eBay out of Coppell, Texas.  While these cars were an oddity in America when they were sold, they have developed something of a cult following among stateside Volvo enthusiasts.  Long known for being reliable, economical touring cars, these easily modified cars have begun to sell for increasingly surprising numbers.  Is the current bid of $8,100 around the market value for this car, or do you expect a flurry of bidding in the final hour?

Conceived during World War II, the Volvo PV444 did not enter production until 1947.  Demand was strong for these conventionally designed, but somewhat small, sedans.  The design received changes in 1958.  This lead to the PV544 designation.  The model was produced through 1966, with 440,000 of the cars making it to market by the end of production.  The styling was quite dated by that time, but sales numbers remained steady as more and more people became familiar with the outstanding durability of these cars.  Their B-18 inline four cylinder engine became known for racking up incredible amounts of mileage.  A B-18 engine in a Volvo P1800 has racked up an amazing 3,039,122 miles over its life.

The good news for anyone looking to purchase a PV544 like this one is that these cars can be modified into very competent tourers.  The basic engine was produced in some shape or form until 1981.  I have heard of modified engines being paired with later overdrive transmissions and various suspension upgrades to produce hot rod Volvos that punch far outside their weight class.  The classic styling combines well with the Swedish hot rod modifications.  They end up like a 5/8 scale 1948 Ford hot rod that gets great fuel economy and can go around corners with authority.

As you can see from the pictures, this PV544 is in great shape.  The seller is the third owner of the car, and it hasn’t seen regular use since the early 2000s.  Currently, the car is said to drive well.  The engine runs, and the transmission shifts well.  One minor hiccup is that it needs a set of tires to replace the very old set still on the car.  It is described, somewhat humbly, as a very presentable car.

While there is some waviness in the dash pad, the rest of the interior is described as free from any rips or tears.  Other than the sweep type speedometer, it is interesting to see how vintage everything looks.  It really looks like a forties car in comparison to the interiors we have seen from other cars built in 1966.

Other than a little loose vinyl covering part of the seat base, everything else we see backs up the sellers claim that the interior is in very good shape.  The glossy vinyl “Naugahyde” look of the material looks a little out of place.  However, it is still cool in a vintage way.  You also can’t fault the material after all these year of use.  It obviously held up well.

Overall, this would be a great car to add to any collection.  The cost of the hobby is bad enough without having to fork out a lot of cash to feed a gas guzzler.  You could have fun modifying this car, and still afford to buy a lot of fuel to burn tearing up the countryside.  Early Volvos have a cult following for a reason.

Would you like to have this car in your garage?