PV: Just bought 1962 PV 544 in US

[kishor]

Originally Posted by adarvasi

Cheers to all,
This is my first posting in the forum.
Yesterday I bought a 1962 544 in eBay, looks great, hope it drives great too. I live in Mexico City, so now I am in the process of investigating the best way to get it here.
How could I find out if the car is Swedish or US? The VIN No is 628359981?
Where could I find out the original appareance or the car? I.e. bunpers and wheel covers? It has a trim around the trunk lid, and I think that that is not original.
Thank you in advance ror your advice

Hi

A fantastic car. Congrats

Ta
Kassie

[Ron Kwas]

adar;

Congrats on your acquisition and welcome to this forum!

The car certainly looks like a good starting place for your experience into vintage Volvo ownership...BUT to answer the question of how to get it the 2200mi to its new home is difficult without further info, especially with an ebay acquisition where there may be unknown details...if the car is currently on the road and reliable, and a "daily" or at least occasional driver, and if you had some time for an adventuresome trip...and you were a competent mechanic/rigger, you might consider driving it...otherwise you may have to go the expensive and safe route of having it shipped...but without you yourself (or a vintage Volvo experienced rep) there to supervise loading and departure, your situation already sounds somewhat risky to me...I mean simply starting and it to drive the car into/onto a carrier, it is entirely likely that the shipper can twist off the Ign key (making the project instantly more complicated!...and this IS a well-known common occurrence on these vehicles, especially high use/mileage ones, where the key is already partially fatigued. See: http://www.sw-em.com/Broken%20Vintag...tion%20Key.htm )...I don't mean to sound negative, but the whole thing of buying a vintage car, whose secrets you are not familiar with, through ebay, without someone at the selling end, in person, to represent your interests, is only slightly less risky than that single engine flight over water...let us know how you make out!

Cheers

[arcturus]

Can you take a "U Haul" trailer into Mexico?

[adarvasi]

Ron, very wise words, in fact I am flying there either later this week or early next week.
The car is on the road and I have a video from last week, however the concerns that you expressed are quite valid. Waiting for quotes from transportation companies. I was a decent mechanic that learned the ropes the hard way in the Atacama desert, however it is also true that since the cars got “complicated” with electronics haven’t done that much, except for light maintenance on my aircraft. While living in Chile in the 60s and 70s had two Volvo Amazons a 62 and a 64, and then in Canada I owned a 1971 fuel injected (B20E).
In summary, will go there check and drive the car, feel it and decide either to deive it to the border and ahip it from the border to Mexico City or ship it all the way, that has the other domplication that the same transport cannot do it all the way so increasing the risk by transboarding at the border. Retirement entertainment!

[adarvasi]

Good question.
In theory yes, but... I would have to ride my car up to California, drive back with the trailer and then return the trailer at least to the US border, all told, about 6,000 miles; non starter.

[Derek UK]

Perhaps Ron would like an adventure holiday and drive it to the border for you. Pity he lives about as far from the car as you can get!

[Ron Kwas]

...don't think the thought hadn't crossed my mind...!

[adarvasi]

Hi Ron, took an ungodly 5 am flight to San Francisco this morning, arrived at 10 am local, the car owner picked me up at the airport (great guy) went to his place, picked up the car and I drove it 8 miles to a garage to have the undercarriage inspected, and... it's going to go via truck! The engine and transmission are working fine, the body needs work in a few place, but the under carriage needs a lot of work, there is some play on the spindles pin, the tires are 20 years old, even though from a distance look new, the exhaust needs to be changed, all the rubber bushings seems to be original, thus 56 years old and disintegrating, etc.
The turn signal is not working, neither the temp gauge or the oil warning light.
So, I have a fun project ahead, but definitely will not be driving it 2200 miles under those conditions!

[Derek UK]

Although you are not complaining out loud here I suspect that the condition underneath wasn't adequately described in the eBay details. No photos of the underneath?
Good luck with it and I hope you can cope with the problems.

[arcturus]

At the end of the day when you have brought it back and finished all the work you will have a wonderful car. Any fool with a thick wallet can buy a "check book" classic. You will end up with a sense of accomplishment. Please send photos ASAP. definitely VIN plate. so that we can check the details.