A Roadworthy Volvo That Needs No Immediate Attention
That is how the inspector describes the 1953 Volvo PV 444 that will be sold at Bilweb Auctions’ online auction this Thursday. The PV 444 and PV 544 were important cars for Swedes during the economic boom years of the 1950s and 1960s.
In the 1950s, the future looked bright, and the Volvo PV 444 played a key role in putting Sweden on wheels as more and more families could afford a car. The PV 444 was first shown as early as September 1944 at the Royal Tennis Hall in Stockholm. At that time, World War II was still raging, and it would take until 1947 before the first buyers received their cars.
The price for those who signed a contract for a PV 444 when it was presented was a very attractive 4,800 kronor — exactly the same price as Volvo’s very first car, the ÖV4, when it was launched in 1927.
Planned for 8,000 Cars but Produced 440,000
The PV 444 was Volvo’s first small car, and its popularity boosted the company’s total production volume significantly.
Initially, Volvo planned to build 8,000 cars. In the end, nearly 200,000 had been made before the PV 444 was replaced by the updated PV 544 in August 1958. By the time the last PV was built in 1965, a total of 440,000 PV 444 and PV 544 models had rolled off Volvo’s assembly lines.
Bought New in Örebro
The very PV now up for auction was originally purchased in 1954 from Folke Ramers, a car dealership in Örebro. It was first taken out by line foreman C.M. Lundström, who used the car for the first few years.
In 1967, it was taken off the road and placed in the so-called reserve register. In 1971, the car was removed from the vehicle register, most likely due to a missed payment of the registration fee.
After just over 20 years, in 1993, the car was bought by a gentleman in Örebro, who re-registered it in 1998. It later passed on to a grocery store owner in Hasselfors, from whom the current owner acquired the car in 2019. By then, this PV 444 had been off the road since 2004.
Received a Thorough Service
When the car was rolled back into daylight in 2019, the first step was to pump up the diagonal tires before transporting it home. After that, a major recommissioning service was carried out. All wear parts in the ignition system were replaced, as well as radiator hoses after flushing the cooling system and radiator. The carburetor and ignition were adjusted, and the engine and gearbox received fresh oil. A new fuel tank was installed, along with new brake components all around, including brake pipes and hoses. The car also received new bumpers with “bull horns,” a period-correct accessory.
Aim to Preserve Original Condition
Since being put back on the road in 2019, the Volvo has only been driven about 4,000 kilometers. The current owner’s ambition has been to preserve the car’s originality as far as possible. With a keen eye for authenticity, only parts necessary to improve function have been replaced.
Bilweb Auctions cannot verify the odometer reading of 71,000 kilometers, but the appraiser considers it likely, given that the car has been stored off the road for long periods.
To the auction: https://bilwebauctions.se/en/septemberauktion-1-2025/volvo-pv-444-es-b4b-53953
