The Volvo PV800 Series (nicknamed the Volvo Sugga, literally the '' Sow'') is a

taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...

manufactured 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 ...

from 1938 until 1958. The Sow series dominated the Swedish taxicab market during the 1940s and 1950s. During

World War II 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 ...

and in the 1950s, Volvo built a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle for the Swedish Armed Forces and Belgian Armed Forces, using the mechanical parts from Volvo’s small trucks, combined with much of the body from the PV-800 series Sow. __TOC__

PV800-810

The PV801 (with a glass division between the front and rear seat) and the PV802 (without the glass division) were introduced in 1938 and superseded the TR670 Series. The

chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...

and body were all new but the

side-valve engine A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the Cam-in-block, engine block, instead of in the cyli ...

was the same as in the older cars. The front end was also used on Volvo’s smallest

lorry A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

, the LV100 Series. The PV802 could be used as a spare

ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...

. After folding all seats on the car’s right side, a

stretcher A stretcher, gurney, litter, or pram is an apparatus used for moving patients who require medical care. A basic type (cot or litter) must be carried by two or more people. A wheeled stretcher (known as a gurney, trolley, bed or cart) is often ...

could be loaded through the bootlid. Volvo continued to build commercial chassis versions, which were often used as basis for proper ambulances. During 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 ...

Volvo built a

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle, sometimes referred to as an overland or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with dee ...

, called ''Terrängpersonvagn m/43'' (TPV), for 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

Belgian Armed Forces The Belgian Defense Forces ( nl, Defensie; french: La Défense) is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became indepen ...

. The mechanical parts were based on Volvo’s smaller lorries and the body came from the Sow. Terrängbil M 43 Artillerimuseet 2017

Versions

*PV800: 1940-47, 37 cars built, commercial chassis *PV801: 1938-47, 550 cars built, with glass partition *PV802: 1938-47, 1081 cars built, without glass partition *PV810: 1938-47, 180 cars built, commercial chassis on wheelbase *TPV: 1944-46, 210 cars built, military off-road vehicle

PV821-824

In 1947 the PV800 was succeeded by PV821 and PV822. The cars were updated with the slightly stronger ED engine and the column-mounted gear lever from the PV 60.

Versions

*PV821: 1948, 200 cars built, with glass partition *PV822: 1947-48, 300 cars built, without glass partition *PV823: 1947-48, 150 cars built, commercial chassis *PV824: 1947-48, 150 cars built, commercial chassis on wheelbase

PV831-834

In the autumn of 1950 the model returned with a new front, similar to the front of the

PV444 The Volvo PV is a series of two-door, four-passenger car models — the PV444 and the PV544 — made by Volvo from 1947 to 1965. During World War II's early stages, Volvo decided that a new, smaller car that could deliver good fuel economy would ...

and the small lorry L340. The cars were renamed PV831 and PV832, respectively. In 1953

independent front suspension Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in w ...

became optional. That same year, a civilian executive version, Disponent, saw the light of day. By the end of the 1950s the Sow was quite outdated. Volvo planned for a successor, project P358, which was to be a large car powered by a V8, but that car never materialized, so when production of the PV800 Series ended in 1958 Volvo left the taxi market unattended. The recently introduced P120 Amazon was too small to serve as a taxicab and there were almost ten years before Volvo presented a new car, suitable for taxi use, the 144.

TP21

In 1953 Volvo introduced a successor to the TPV for the armed forces, the four-wheel drive ''Raptgb 915'' (military name), ''TP21/P2104'' (Volvo military designation), P2104 (Volvo civilian designation). It was powered by the well proven , 3.67 litre inline 6 mated to a Volvo E9 gearbox. The military version used to be called "Terräng-Sugga", though today the enthusiasts of this particular model seem to have somewhat high-jacked the nickname "Suggan".

Versions

*PV831/832: 1950-57, 4135 cars built *PV833/834: 1950-58, 2081 cars built, commercial chassis *TP21: 1953-58, 720 cars built, military off-road vehicle Also see the

Volvo L-3314 The Volvo Laplander L3314 is a range of military vehicles produced by Volvo. In the early 1950s Volvo received an order to develop a new utility vehicle for the Swedish Army. A pre-run series of 90 vehicles, named the L2304, was delivered betw ...

Gallery

file:Volvo PV 833 Pickup 1952.jpg, Volvo PV 833 Pickup 1952 File:Volvo PV 834 Ambulance 1951.jpg, Volvo PV834 Ambulance 1951 File:Volvo TP21.jpg, The military Volvo TP21 File:VolvoTP21Sugga.jpg, 1954 Volvo TP21 M/90 Camouflage

References

*''Volvo Personvagnar-från 20-tal till 80-tal'' by Björn-Eric Lindh, 1984.

External links

Volvo Cars Heritage.Storvolvoklubben

Volvo TP21 sidan
{{Early Volvo Cars timeline PV800 Series Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 1938 Cars introduced in 1950 Cars introduced in 1953 Taxis of Sweden