1939 Volvo PV 56
Among Volvo’s deluxe offerings during the late 1930s and early 1940s, the PV 56 represented the more luxurious variant within the PV51-56 series, with 1,321 examples built between 1938 and 1945.
Distinguished by its V-shaped grille and extended luggage compartment with a convex trunk cover, the PV 56 featured folding front seats and was part of Volvo’s first generation of smaller cars produced in substantial numbers.
The all-steel body (including roof) housed a 3.7-litre side-valve inline-six producing about 86 horsepower, paired with a three-speed floor-mounted transmission.
An optional overdrive with freewheel was available, and hydraulic brakes operated on all four wheels, bringing the car in line with contemporary European luxury-sedan practice.
During World War II, many PV 56 saloons saw military and government duty running on Volvo’s own wood-gas generators, often mounted on small trailers, and this adaptation reduced effective output to roughly 50 horsepower in service.
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