Orphan Cars

They Just Keep Showing Up

2011-01-24T10:18:00.006-06:00

Colin, Izzy, and I went up to Minneapolis this weekend to pickup a parts car, but the car is so nice - we decided to make it run for a while. It was listed as a 61, but by the chassis number, it is a 1959 PV544. After a long cold hour loading it up, it was ours and we were headed home.
The car is powered by the Volvo B16b engine with 86 horsepower. The engine is fed by twin SU H4 carbs. The transmission is a M4 4 speed. The rear end is a Dana 27.

Axle Joy

2010-12-18T20:07:00.005-06:00

Colin and Jim came down to the shop and we made headway on the axle swap. The new rear axle is from a 1987 Volvo 244. This axle is 1 3/4" wider than the original, but seems to fit quite well. Pictures of the removal or the original Dana 27, and cutting off of the brackets on the 1031 below.

Colin removing the Dana 27 from the PV. This axle will not hold up to the engine we have planned for the car.

Jim cleaning up the windshield area.

Here I am, removing the 1031 axle brackets.

Moving Ahead with some Big Changes

2010-12-16T10:47:00.004-06:00

Things are moving forward again, now that work has slowed down a little for the winter. Plans for this weekend include:

P1800es front hubs and caliper brackets
164 front vented rotors and calipers
244 rear axle

Should be a fun weekend. Pics and info on the swaps coming soon.

A Little Engine Fun

2010-08-02T14:22:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend, the Blue 544's engine and transmission were torn down and taken to the machine shop. The engine is a 1963 Volvo B18 and the transmission is a M40 4 speed.
The machine shop is about 3 to 5 weeks wait right now, so that gives us a little time to get the body ready to take the rebuilt engine. The engine machine work will be hot tank the block, bore .020, new cam bearings, rebuild the rods, and polish the crank. Mostly a stock rebuild. The cylinder head still needs to be torn down and taken to the machine shop. The plans for this weekend are to remove the B16 and transmission from the white car, and to start the body repairs.

And now a Volvo

2010-07-08T14:04:00.005-05:00

While I am still collecting parts for the ford - a new orphan car is here for some love. We are currently working on a 1959-61 (not really sure) Volvo PV544. The goal for this car is some autocross fun. This car left the factory with a B16 engine with 2 SU HS4 carbs and a 4 speed. The plans are for a B18 or B20 engine with 2 SU HIF6 carbs and a M40 4 speed transmission. More pictures and tech coming soon.
In order for the soon to be race car to be saved - the first car I ever worked on was sacrificed to the car gods. Rest in peace 1963 Volvo 544 sport aka rusty butt. Your parts will live on in the race car. (the blue 544 was to rusty to save, so it was parted out for the better white body)

Some History of the Shoebox

2008-11-17T07:52:00.006-06:00

Here is the car in 1992 when we picked it up. This is the original owner of the car holding the plate that came off of it. He had had to wait for years to get a new car when he got back to the states after WWII. I can't remember his name, but if I can find the title it should be on there.
My brother Glenn bought the car and was planning on fixing it up to be his first car. It proved to be a little to much project, so it sat for several years torn apart. When he passed away, I got the car. I was too young to finish the project, so it sat for many more years. I learned a lot about working on cars over the next decade, sometimes living as a professional mechanic. Now, I am finally at a point in my life to finish the car so my whole family can enjoy it. My other brothers and a few friends are also going to be helping with a goal of making it roadworthy by next summer.

2008-11-16T17:32:00.006-06:00

This is my 1950 Shoebox Ford. My brothers and I are working on restoring it. After 17 years of rotting in my garage, this car is finally getting the attention it deserves. My wife's still not very sure how she feels about it.