Volvo PV544 rallycross models by Premium-X

Premium-X has produced a batch of three different rally-cross. These are 1:43 scale models which have been largely modified to represent the real cars. They do come in special decorated and labeled window cardboard boxes.
Each of the three models represents a Volvo PV544 used in rally-cross races in Sweden. Each PV544 comes in a different livery and represents the various paint schemes as well as the different  sponsors which the car had over all the years from the end of the 1970's to the early 1990's.

boxes from China which arrived earlier this month in Sweden

These Volvo PV544 which had been extensively modified to handle the extreme rally-cross races were driven by the Swedes Roland 'Grus-Kalle' Brändströms and Thomas Radström.

Each version sells for officially for 595 SEK  (± 63 € / ± 69 $). The three versions are now available at the website grus-kalle.se. This website is run by the oldest son of Roland "Grus-Kalle" Brändströms.

1959   Volvo PV544 Rallycross  'Movac'  N°12

• season 1978
• driver: Roland "Grus-Kalle" Brändströms (SE)
  
• item number PVNo1
• limited and numbered edition of 500 units
• official price tag: 595 SEK  (± 63 € / ± 69 $)

1958   Volvo PV544 Rallycross  'ski-doo'  N°101

• season 1983
• driver: Roland "Grus-Kalle" Brändströms (SE)
• item number PVNo2
• limited and numbered edition of 500 units
  
• official price tag: 595 SEK  (± 63 € / ± 69 $)
  

1958   Volvo PV544 Rallycross  'team Polar'  N°33

• season 1985-91
• driver: Thomas Rådström (SE)
• item number PVNo3
• limited and numbered edition of 200 units
  
• official price tag: 595 SEK  (± 63 € / ± 69 $)
  

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PVNo1  |  1959  Volvo PV544 Rallycross  –  season 1978  –  driver: Roland 'Grus-Kalle' Brändströms

PVNo2 |  1958  Volvo PV544 Rallycross  –  season 1983  –  driver: Roland 'Grus-Kalle' Brändströms

PVNo3  |  1958  Volvo PV544 Rallycross  –  season 1985-91  –  driver: Thomas Rådström

Sources:

• grus-kalle.se
  
• facebook.com/groups/jonas.gruskalle/

Further reading:

• teknikensvarld.se/provkorning-av-grus-kalles-volvo-pv-544-207109/  (with great pics)
• thomasradstrom.com
• videos on youtube

 Short background history – quote from a threat found on gtplanet.net:

Volvo PV544 Rallycross car Roland "Grus-Kalle" Brändström 1959

The first rallycross event in Sweden was arranged in 1971. The sport grew rapidly during the following years and one of the most successful drivers was Roland Brändström, commonly known as "Grus-Kalle" - or "Gravel-Charlie" in English. He won his first competition in 1977 and when his career was over he had a total of 35 victories, some highlights being the winner of the Volvo Cup 1978 and 1981, and the Sweden Cup 1982 and 1984 - always in his Volvo PV from 1959.

Gravel-Charlie went his own ways and with his clever and low-budget innovations developed in his small garage at home he managed to get his homemade Volvo PV to accelerate in pace with Porsches and often pulling away from the latest factory cars. Amongst these innovations was a set of flower sticks added to the front suspension. They were put there to raise the front so that more weight was shifted to the rear wheels, achieving better traction during the start. Then, once he got into second gear, the flower sticks would break and the front suspension would drop again.

With many of his innovations Gravel-Charlie found himself competing not only against other cars, but also against the regulations. The philosophy behind his inventions was that anything that's not forbidden is allowed, so often when he had come up with a new invention, it didn't take long until the regulations were changed to forbid just that.

His last season was in 1984, the next year the regulations were changed: rallycross cars could no longer be older than five years, and Gravel-Charlie's PV had just turned twenty-five...

The car was handed over to a student at the school were Gravel-Charlie worked as a janitor. That student was Thomas Rådström, who went on to become a WRC driver from 1994 to 2002. The deal was that Thomas could not sell the car once he was done racing with it. In 1986, Gravel-Charlie passed away and in 1991, when the car was retired for good from competition, it was put on display at a local motor museum.

In August 2014 the engine was started again and after thorough restoration work the car was recently driven around the track again.

Some videos of the car in action:

Thomas Rådström driving it after restoration (the car is in Thomas Rådström's Polar livery), in Swedish

Video clips from his career and an interview with his son, in Swedish

Race: last after first corner, winner 4 laps later, in Swedish

Source: gtplanet.net/forum/threads/volvo-pv544-rallycross-car-roland-grus-kalle....