The Volvo PV51 is a
car
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods.
The year 1886 is regarded as ...
introduced by
Volvo
The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...
in December 1936. It was replaced by the mildly restyled PV53 in 1938.
This car remained in production until the end of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
PV51-52
The Volvo cars were quite expensive compared to their imported competitors. The PV51 was the answer to a request from Volvo’s dealers to offer a smaller and less expensive model. The rear end of the body was similar to the
Carioca
Carioca ( or ) is a demonym used to refer to anything related to the City of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. The original meaning of the term is controversial, maybe from Tupi language "''kari' oka''", meaning "white house" as the whitewashed stone ...
, but the front was new and the interior was simplified, to cut the price. The PV51 had to make do with a
live front axle.
In early 1937 the de luxe model PV52 was introduced. The equipment list included twin
sun visor
A sun visor is a component of an automobile located on the interior just above the windshield (also known as the windscreen). They are designed with a hinged flap that is adjustable to help shade the eyes of drivers and passengers from the gla ...
s, twin
windscreen wiper
A windscreen wiper, windshield wiper, wiper blade (American English), or simply wiper, is a device used to remove rain, snow, ice, washer fluid, water, or debris from a vehicle's front window. Almost all motor vehicles, including cars, truck ...
s, a
watch
A watch is a portable timepiece intended to be carried or worn by a person. It is designed to keep a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is designed to be worn around the wrist, attached by ...
, a
heater
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...
and
armrest
An armrest is a part of a chair, where a person can rest their arms on.
Armrests are built into a large variety of chairs such as automotive chairs, armchairs, sofas, and more. Adjustable armrests are commonly found in ergonomic office chairs.
...
s on all four doors.
In March 1938 the PV51 Special and the PV52 Special were introduced. On these cars the
spare wheel
A spare tire (or stepney in some countries) is an additional tire (or tyre - see spelling differences) carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that goes flat, has a blowout, or has another emergency. ''Spare tire'' is generally a mi ...
was moved from the bootlid to the boot floor. The cars had an expanded boot to increase the luggage space.
Versions
* PV51: 1936-38, 1754 cars built, base model
* PV52: 1937-38, 1046 cars built, de luxe model
* PV51 ch: 1936-38, 205 cars built, commercial chassis
PV53-56
In the autumn of 1938 the PV51-52 was replaced by the PV53-56. These cars had a new front end, modified
suspension
Suspension or suspended may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Suspension (topology), in mathematics
* Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics
* Suspension of a ring, in mathematics
* Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspend ...
and
steering
Steering is a system of components, linkages, and other parts that allows a driver to control the direction of the vehicle.
Introduction
The most conventional steering arrangement allows a driver to turn the front wheels of a vehicle using ...
, uprated interior and
dashboard For business applications, see Dashboard (business).
A dashboard (also called dash, instrument panel (IP), or fascia) is a control panel set within the central console of a vehicle or small aircraft. Usually located directly ahead of the driver ...
.
After the outbreak of the Second World War production continued, to provide transportation to the
Swedish Armed Forces
The Swedish Armed Forces ( sv, Försvarsmakten, "the Defense Force") is the government agency that forms the armed forces of Sweden, tasked with the defense of the country as well as with promoting Sweden's wider interests, supporting internati ...
and other official functions. Most of these war time cars had a
wood gas
Wood gas is a fuel gas that can be used for furnaces, stoves, and vehicles. During the production process, biomass or related carbon-containing materials are gasified within the oxygen-limited environment of a wood gas generator to produce a c ...
generator mounted on a
trailer behind the car, since the engine had been converted to run on this domestic fuel.
Versions
* PV53: 1938-45, 1204 cars built, base model
* PV54: 1938-45, 814 cars built, base model with larger boot
* PV55: 1938-45, 286 cars built, de luxe model
* PV56: 1938-45, 1321 cars built, de luxe model with larger boot
* PV57: 1938-45, 275 cars built, commercial chassis
Gallery
File:Volvo PV51 Sedan 1937.jpg, Volvo PV51 1937
File:Volvo PV51 Cabriolet 1937.jpg, Volvo PV51 Cabriolet 1937
File:Volvo PV51 TV Pickup 1938.jpg, Volvo PV51 TV Pickup 1938
File:Volvo PV54 3670cc 1939 moving.jpg, Volvo PV54 1939
File:Volvo PV56 Sedan 1939 3.jpg, Volvo PV56 1939
References
*''Volvo Personvagnar-från 20-tal till 80-tal'' by Björn-Eric Lindh, 1984.
*http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6292/Volvo_PV%2052/default.aspx
Notes
External links
Volvo Cars Heritage.Storvolvoklubben
{{DEFAULTSORT:Volvo Pv51
PV51
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1936
1930s cars
1940s cars