First Volvo gets a new lease of life as a Hot Rod

  On 14 April 1927, the very first series-produced Volvo car, the ÖV4 nicknamed the Jakob, left the factory. Fast forward to 2005 and in a rural area south of Sweden, Leif Tufvesson1 and his company Caresto start work on injecting modern craftsmanship and design into the car and the result is the Hot Rod Jakob.    Just a few days ago, this unique car was unveiled at the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg, Sweden. Parked side by side, the similarities between old and new are remarkable, including the curvature of the bonnet which has exactly the same radius. The characteristic windscreen attachment pillar that runs down the body side follows the original in detail as do dimensions, materials and the number of screws used. Equally identical is the radiator grille with its characteristic mesh pattern and diagonal bar that incorporates the classic iron symbol. The body has been built by hand from raw aluminium panels that were bent into their final shape using a hammer and English wheel – exactly as it was done in the prototype workshop back in the 1920s. There are differences, the Hot Rod Jakob is far smaller than the original. It is a two-seater instead of offering space for four and it has those typical Hot Rod attributes: large wheels, no wings and a muscular rear axle. And if you get a bit closer it is possible to see differences in terms of materials and details. The chassis is built of lightweight carbon fibre, just like today’s most advanced racing cars, not from heavy steel beams as in bygone times. The brake discs are remarkably slim, but their huge diameter (450 mm front, 515 mm rear) guarantee that the braking surface is still going to be more than sufficient. The wheel spokes are made of aluminium instead of wood, but they are exactly the same in number. The massive tyres with their specially milled tread in the form of Volvo’s iron symbol give an assertive, modern aura.    Most of the components have been hidden away inside the body of the Hot Rod Jakob, including the springs and dampers, electrical components and exhaust system, making the car aesthetically elegant and stylishly minimalist. The result is that the body and axles look like they are floating in the air. 

  “I really love combining old solutions with my very own ideas. Creating a fine balance between high-tech and tradition that works seamlessly. Dusting off old parts to renovate a car to original condition is not something that appeals to me,” says Leif Tufvesson.   There are also classic Volvo parts in the Hot Rod Jakob. The steering wheel comes from a 1962 P1800, as do the gear lever gaiter and steering column, while the brake pedal and brake master cylinder are from the 140 Series. All parts were supplied by Volvo Genuine Classic Parts (Volvo has one of the industry’s widest ranges of genuine manufacturer’s spare parts). The M90 gearbox is Volvo’s last rear-wheel drive variant and comes from a Volvo 960. The engine, on the other hand, is brand new – a powerful Volvo T5 converted to run on eco-friendly ethanol, all so as to underline the lifecycle approach to this entire project.   

Hot Rod Jakob - technical specifications  

Chassis: Carbon-fibre chassis. Steel subframe to carry the engine.

Front suspension: Live front axle with built-in steering gear. Concealed control arms, spring struts featuring coil-over gas dampers. Rear springs: Wishbone. Internally fitted, concealed control arms and spring struts with coil-over gas dampers.

Body: Hand-beaten aluminium body. Colour: Similar to Volvo Jakob Blue. The exact name and colour code of the original have been lost over the years. 

Interior: Hand-sewn light brown smooth and perforated hide. Foam padding. Classic vertical piping in the backrest. 

Engine: Volvo T5, five-cylinder petrol engine with light-pressure turbocharger, installed longitudinally. Flexifuel conversion so it can run on both petrol and ethanol. Power output: 265 horsepower. Torque: 370 Nm. Max output: 185 kW.

Gearbox: 5-speed manual M90 gearbox (Volvo 960).

Brakes: Specially manufactured brake discs fitted to the wheel rims. Diameter: 450 mm front, 515 mm rear. Twin four-pot callipers per disc.

Front wheels: 10x22" AEZ Forge rims.

Rear wheels: 8x19" AEZ Forge rims.

Front tyres: Pirelli Scorpion special 225/55/19.

Rear tyres: Pirelli Scorpion special 295/40/22.

Exhaust system: Concealed installation of 3" stainless full-flow exhaust system with racing catalytic converter.