Scandinavian American car craze.

[Mr. Belvedere]

Seems as though there is alot of interest in American cars in this region. Especially 30's thru early 60's. Kinda of a strange phenomenon. Enfinneigen, maybe you can enlighten us? Fuel is very expensive there, and the weather is so rough for a good part of the year, also so many European cities have such narrow little streets for these big American boats to navigate through. It doesn't seem the type of environment to lend itself to old American iron. Any thoughts as to why this is?

[Uncle-Pekka]

Well,

Scandinavia, at least Finland, Sweden and Norway are a bit different from the middle European countries. The distances from city to city (or town to town) are much longer here than in other side of the Baltic sea. Also it has been hard and expensive to build roads here because of the winter and ground frost. Therefore the roads were quite poor until the sixties. We have always appreciated big and powerful cars.

I probably told this earlier, when introducing myself at the forum, but until the WW2 american cars were very popular in Finland and Sweden. I presume they offered best performance and reliability in these conditions per dollar (or markka). After the war Finland was very poor and also the goverment regulated currency spent on import goods. The import of american cars was released no sooner but 1951 or -52. However few could afford big cars in the fifties. In sixties Chevys, Dodges, Plymouths and Fords were once again gaining popularity, but the oil crisis in early 1970's stroke bad on Finland.

Another thing has been culture & politics. As you know the time after the war was very hard pressure on Finland by the Soviets. There was continous thread of Soviet take over from the fourties until late sixties. The goverment chose a policy of friendship. Still the people were as majority against russian policies. In general american way of life was widely admired and therefore also american cars, clothing style, music and movies were admired. It was not any underground counter act as it probably has been in countries like Estonia or Hungary, but merely a fashion or style. Anyway it was a subtle hint, that we want to choose our own way.

Third reason may be some sort of mental relation. It is a bit difficult to explain, but Anglo-american music, litterature and humor has always appealed to us more than e.g. middle or south European. It may be related even to protestant religion or a culture of working in difficult conditions.

What the heck am I explaining, it cannot be this complicated!

-Actually it is just more chrome, displacement and the power steering!!!

[greg g]

It's simple. Similar climate, good beer, good looking women, and lonely roads.

[49DODGEBOY]

thx for the history lesson, I have always wondered why. I get alot of moulding clips off e-bay from a guy there and see alot of other kustoms and traditional pics on other boards from that area, very cool if you ask me, another reason to start traveling.

[Normspeed]

Thanks for the insight. Good to know America is still considered a good thing to some other people around the world. We hear so much on the news these days about the hatred of particular groups.

Sounds like your country has some good areas to drive and explore. Nothing like a vintage car to make every drive an adventure!

[eric wissing]

Thanks for the insight. I knew some about the history but the attitude they don't teach. Maybe there is an independence there due to the language also. If I have read correctly the Finnish language is a thing unto itself not derived from Latin or Greek. America is one big place with little in common often except we don't like being told what to do!! LOL TheGerman President of Porshe was wondering why Americans kept buying so many of their cars after the 55mph speed lomit was imposed. The American head of sales said laws wouldn't get in Americans way!!. Eric

[Uncle-Pekka]

It's simple. Similar climate, good beer, good looking women, and lonely roads.

Right to the point! - Gregg, you know how to put it all in one sentence!

[Fireball]

Great explanation of our roots Pekka, so true.

BTW. I emailed you some pics while ago, did you receive?

[Uncle-Pekka]

Great explanation of our roots Pekka, so true.

BTW. I emailed you some pics while ago, did you receive?

"The Blessed Zink coated Sheetmetal"? - Yes, I did receive the report, but

sorry, I was paralyzed because of the Julbråttom/Xmas craze, thus unable to respond...

Solid floors you got there. Let 'em be - no effect to the top speed/ei vaikuta huippunopeuteen...

[pflaming]

The political / sociological explanation of why the Scandanavians like large cars, and why they could or could not purchase them was a very nice bit of historical perspective. My roots are swedish so it had special interest for me. Thankyou for the insight.

[BobT-47P15]

These two men are from Norway......were participating in a Route 66 tour in

summer of 2006. There were around 17 American cars on this trip, all

shipped over for the journey, then shipped back.

The fellow on the right is, or was, president of the American Car Club of

Norway (or some name similar to that). His name is Buffen Buue, as I

recall. The man on the left is Ola Flo, owner of the big ol, very nice, Caddy

by which they are standing. Really nice guys. This shot was taken about

1 a.m. at their hotel. I knew the group was staying there, but they did not

return till late as they attended a drive-in movie - which happened to be

"CARS". These two were the only ones up and around at

that time of day. They offered me one of their "screwdriver" drinks and we visited

for about an hour.

Here are just a few of their cars, plus mine.

Being night time, it was sorta hard to get real good pics of the

vehicles.

So, as you can see - big American iron is popular there as well.

[Mr. Belvedere]

Thanks for the brief Finnish historical perspective enfinneigan, I have always been interested in Scandinavia, my great grandma was a Norwiegan who immigated to the states just after WW1. She drove a 1955 Pontiac cheiftan like the one pictured above. Anyway, as a kid I went through a Viking craze. When in the fifth grade I did a report on Norway drawing a large map of the country and showing all of its cheif exports. I was always very proud of having some Scandinavian blood in my background. It is also interesting to me that a number of POC members are also from the region or have ancestors from there. In recent years I have seen a number of articles in different car magazines featuring Swedish, Finnish, and Norwiegan classic American car collectors/restorers. Found it to be kind of interesting one more reason to like the region. Anyway, I very much want to visit the area, the wifey and I have a couple of free airline tickets but with a plummeting dollar I don't think now is the time.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

As a non-American, and living in a former British colony, I would like to add to this perspective.

The fact of the matter is that American cars are just so damned cool. British cars and European cars (and I'm obviously generalising here) tended to be small, plain, some even ugly, and mostly quite underpowered. My father loved British and European cars, and had many in my younger days. I could'nt stand them.... I loved the Ford coupes, because they had sexy lines, had a V8, and there was a general air of rebelliousness about them, as opposed to the staid conformity of British cars. When I got old enough to drive, I went straight into Ford coupes, and I could blow off his Citroens and Austins any day of the week. Plus you could bonk a chick in an American car, a bit of a mission in a Fiat, Renault or Austin!

To summarize...... it all boils down to sex!!

[Johnny S]

Ah....that's why I never liked those British cars then ....... just not enough room! You make some very interesting points Mr. Rockabillybassman. There is enough room in a '49 however..... ah.....I heard that from some other guy I know!

[BobT-47P15]

I think our family tree begins in Norway......would have to review the family

tree book for the particulars. I believe our last name, Toft, means "small

hill" or some such in Norwegian.

[Dennis_MN]

There is a connection to this thread and to the thread about pulling a trailer.

This is a 1960 Volvo PV544 that I took on my Honeymoon in 1962. I built the trailer and it was pretty light, but I had to drive by the temp gauge. By the time I got back to Minnesota from California, I had just about zero compression due to a warped head and burnt exhaust valves. It was just too small to pull any trailer. I was also in the Mountains by Redlands and took the backway to the dessert I think highway 38 but it was full of switchbacks and we lost the brakes about 1/2 way down, just kept it in low and used engine braking. My poor bride was terrified but she hung in there now for 45 years, always wondering whats next.

[greg g]

Didn't I already cover that part of the equation, or was lonely roads too subtle????

[David Maxwell]

And whitewalls too!

There is a connection to this thread and to the thread about pulling a trailer.

This is a 1960 Volvo PV544 that I took on my Honeymoon in 1962. I built the trailer and it was pretty light, but I had to drive by the temp gauge. By the time I got back to Minnesota from California, I had just about zero compression due to a warped head and burnt exhaust valves. It was just too small to pull any trailer. I was also in the Mountains by Redlands and took the backway to the dessert I think highway 38 but it was full of switchbacks and we lost the brakes about 1/2 way down, just kept it in low and used engine braking. My poor bride was terrified but she hung in there now for 45 years, always wondering whats next.

[David Maxwell]

The Ana Nykoping company put out this P15 promo.

[Normspeed]

Great little Volvo. And the full moons are polished! Before I got my Bronco to tow my 18 foot boat I used to use a 79 Volvo 245 wagon to tow it to Havasu. Going up the long Chiriaco grade in 2nd gear was a white knuckle ride. Once, at the Big Bear Lake launch ramp, the clutch wouldn't grab enough to pull the boat out, and three bystanders helped by pushing the Volvo while I used the motor, and we got it done. The very next weekend I bought the Bronco.

[Uncle-Pekka]

There is a connection to this thread and to the thread about pulling a trailer.

This is a 1960 Volvo PV544 that I took on my Honeymoon in 1962.

Dennis,

The full moons & white walls look extrrremely sharp on your Volvo!

It would be interesting to hear american opinion on this subject, but to me it appears, that Volvo design studio has been extremely strong inspired by american cars all throught from 1927 to present. As a matter of fact, Volvo, even independent until 2000, has been more american styled than, e.g. GM of Europe (Opel, Vauxhall). I suppose this was because of their main market from 1950's on has been the States, but the style was there already in 20's and 30's. Check the followings pages:

http://www.volvocars.com/corporation/Heritage/History/default.htm

http://www.fvn.no/amcar/brochures/others/volvo27/volvo27.html

[greg g]

I have had several Volvos, starting with a 67 122. The 122 was the American version of the Amason. This was a cheapie with no trim and few options. Fellow down the street had a 124 S a 4 door upscale version that was crunched in the rear. Mine was a single carbed 1600, and the 124 S was a dual carbed 1800. I bought the car and transfered the drive train into the 122 and had quite a little sleeper for the time. Dusted off a few suprised guys in BMW 2002's, and 1900 Opel Kadetts. A cam, header, and some carb work and head work made it quite more responsive and still gave me over 25 MPG. I swapped the skinny volvo wheels and 155 15 tires for some 14's left over from a mustang with F 78 tires. My wife and I used the car for three or four years on road rallies and I drove it as a daily driver during that time. I also towed my AH Bug Eye on a trailer to auto crosses with it. During the time we also bought a 69 142 S for my wife to go back and forth to work with.

Then I had a mid 70's 200 series wagon as a winter rat, and then the 85 940 Turbo wagon a couple years ago.

Always been impressed with their good engineering simplicity and ease to work on, and their rugged dependability. Weren't the best handling cars but were comfprtable and had good brakes. Later ones got over complicated with fussy electrics and got real expensive parts wise.

[Normspeed]

Low horsepower aside, my 245 was a wonderful car, well engineered, rock solid and had a great overdrive setup. I equipped mine with a bunch of aftermarket stuff from a company named IPD, including lowered front coils, heavy duty sway bar, all new suspension bushings and other goodies. It handled well and looked sharp. When I put it on the market, the first caller was from up in the Bay Area, and he bought the car on the spot, over the phone. He flew in to SoCal that Saturday and drove it home with a big grin on his face.

[eric wissing]

I drive a 2006 40T wagon. It is a great car. It is very responsive, I have to readapt myself to if I drive anything else because it goes to where you point it very quickly. I love the looks of the PV544. Reminds me of a 3/4 scale P15. Eric

[greg g]

Always thought they were 46-48 Ford or p15 clones, the 120 series reminded me of 5/8th scale 53/54 Chevys.