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29 Years In The Barn: 1961 Volvo PV544

This PV544 was bought in 1989 for the seller’s then 13-year old son, driven for a week, then for unspecified reasons, parked in a barn.  Available here on Craigslist for a firm $2,100, it’s located in West Winfield, New York.  The seller confesses he has too many cars at the moment so, after 29 years of dry storage, it’s time to let this one go.  Too many cars…I wish I had that problem!

At Barnfinds we’re well aware of the allure of beholding a car that’s been tucked away, seemingly forgotten, for 29 years.  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother to remove unnecessary clutter before taking pictures of it.  Craigslist Selling Tip #1: before photographing your vintage treasure, remove junk that sits on, in, and sometimes around your car!  That includes old blue tarps placed on the car’s roof.  The tire, the old wheel, and the rest of the clutter seen in the picture are fine, although now I’m becoming more and more distracted trying to identify the nose of the green car in the foreground.  Is anyone willing to guess what it is?  I believe I may have the answer, so take a stab at it and we’ll have some fun in the comments section.  As for the Volvo, the seller reveals he bought it from a dealer in Richmond, Virginia back in 1989 after it was repainted.  I like the two-tone color scheme but wonder if Volvo offered the PV544 from the factory in that style?  The seller doesn’t mention whether the car’s original hubcaps are available with the sale.

Craigslist Selling Tip #2: see selling tip #1!  After annoyingly and unsuccessfully spending a minute trying to identify what’s in the plastic bag on the front seat, I’ve now forced my eyes to take in the rest of the interior.  The seller claims that in addition to repainting the car, the aforementioned dealer installed a new interior.  Kudos to the seller for choosing a good place to store the Volvo because the fabric covering the seats looks to have held up exceptionally well over the years.  I see no signs of mold, stains, and best of all, no mouse, squirrel, or chipmunk excreta.  There are a lot of things endearing to a barn found car but rodent scat is certainly not one of them!

Tip #3: provide engine pics in your ad!  We can assume this PV544 is hiding Volvo’s 1.6-liter B16 motor under its hood, mated to a 3-speed manual transmission.  You’ve heard many Barnfinds writers lament the absence of at least one suitable engine bay photo in a seller’s ad.  The fact that such pictures help cars sell cannot be stressed enough! The same goes for photos of the car’s undercarriage but owing to the difficulty of taking such photos, we’ll let it slide if one isn’t provided (as is the case here).  The seller claims the motor has been annually lubricated and turned over but doesn’t go so far as to declare it in running condition.  Mileage is listed at 98K and it’s likely this car still has its original 6-volt electrical system.  What are your thoughts on this barn find?   Selling Tip #4: price your car to sell.  I think the owner nailed that one!

Comments

  1. Avatar John Sullivan

    *Sigh.*

    I wish this one were closer to me.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Al

    It probably didn’t have a Chevy 409 stuffed into it, as a buddy of mine had done to his.
    Conversely, maybe if it was the same as my buddies, and it hopped all over the place when you dropped the clutch and therefore scared the crap out of the 13 year old kid.

    Just for the fun of it we one time had 11 people + the driver in this rig, 6 guys and 6 chicks, rather interesting to say the least. I’ll just leave it at that!

    Like 12
  3. Avatar Gug Ly

    agreed – ad leaves a lot to be desired but price is very right. take your tips and reprice it $2k higher and it should still sell if facts are legit. Thats a lot of coin for 10 minutes of work.

    Like 1
  4. Avatar GeneB

    Hey Jim Mac…are you going to comment on this one. If it ran, Id fly back and drive it out, what a road trip!!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jim Mac

      8.5 on the McWorthy scale. Especially when considering the price. The things you see here when the garage is full!

      Like 1
  5. Avatar Francisco

    Talk about distractions. Are they girlie magazines in the back seat? No wonder he took it away from the thirteen-year-old.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Kenneth Carney

    Had one about like it my freshman year in
    Highschool– but not as nice. Mine was
    painted 5 different colors and had a rag
    sticking out of the gas filler! It made for
    a great Winter project that year and by
    Spring, I got it painted and sold it to a
    classmate for $750! Not a bad profit
    considering I bought it from our local
    Ford dealer for $25! Nice project for
    someone, but those twin SU carbs can
    give you fits though.

    Like 1
  7. HoA Howard A Member

    My 1st car was a ’58 PV444. I can’t recall any of these with the fenders painted like that, looks kind of neat. B16, best 4 cylinder ever, 6 volt, never had a problem, except try and find 6 volt lights today, and may not power your “devices” today,,horrors. It was a great car. This is a super deal for someone. If it wasn’t half a planet away, I’d love to have another one.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar UK Paul 🇬🇧

    A steal at this price.

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Richard J Patrick

    Looks like the front of an MG TD to me.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Steve Huff

      I think the green car looks like a Siata. Anyone?

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Terry J

    Nice little car, but clutter is one of my pet peeves also. It would have taken less than 5 minutes to pick up the junk around and in the car. I see annoying examples advertised all the time: Shiny looking paint job but you know it’s just wet because they don’t even move the hose and bucket they just washed it with. Tow chain still under the front of the car? Yup. My favorite: hood ajar and in more than one picture. :-( Terry J

    Like 2
    • Avatar Puhnto

      Headlight and fender light placement still looks like a Singer to me, although in fairness of disclosure, I can’t find a photo of one with that little arrow shape moulding along the side of the hood hinge. Not square enough or wide enough for a Siata. Wrong shape for an MG I think. Hmm. It is a puzzlement!

      Like 0
      • Avatar Steve H

        Im starting to think you’re correct. Bravo! :)

        Like 1
  11. Avatar PatrickM

    Too many pet peeves for me to consider. Clean the stuff out of it and off of it, take it outside and wash it. Take pics of the engine bay and underside. Not really too much to ask, is it?

    Like 1
  12. Avatar rsd

    I’m guessing Singer on the green car.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Bob McK

    So many of you guys are getting all upset about the guy not moving the junk out of the way before pictures were taken. This is the perfect seller. He does not give a darn about this car and wants it gone. These are the people that you can get a good deal from. The next owner can clean it up. Take good pictures and make a nice profit.

    Like 2
  14. Avatar DRV

    Yes, the green one is a a Siata Spring!
    Good eye.
    This is a good car for the bucks if not rusty. Photos of the spare wheel well would tell the rust condition easily. Not an original interior or two tone here but definitely a good one!
    That’s my all original ’64 for the same money 10 years ago.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Barry L Klotz

    My Brother hada1960. He raced it at Capital Raceway Park, here in Maryland. Got a few Trophies . It had the 4banger with the 4on the floor. Loved that car. Had a lot of fun in that car.

    Like 1
  16. Avatar John

    4-speed as far as I know. I had one.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Matt

    I think it is a Singer also.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar DRV

    I was wrong. It’s not a Siata,and Idont think a Singer either. The squareness of the hood looks like a Midget too, but it’s not that.

    Like 0
  19. Avatar David Prowse

    mg td

    Like 0

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