Sugga...

Bill Murray · #1 11-09-05, 22:15

Wrong forum, but did I ever post this??
My Sugga, which is languishing in a barn in CT I hope.
Bill

Keith Webb · #2 11-09-05, 23:15

Surely that would have to be the most interesting Volvo ever built...

Thanks for the pic, Bill.

gjamo · #3 11-09-05, 23:25

At a clearing sale in Coldstream Vic. in the 80s . Wonder where it is now?

Hanno Spoelstra · #4 11-09-05, 23:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Surely that would have to be the most interesting Volvo ever built...

Would you believe it was based on a taxi cab?

And indeed, thanks for the pic, Bill. What's the story behind it? Did a long-legged Swedish blonde give it to you as a remembrance gift?

H.

Bill Murray · #5 11-09-05, 23:34

Hi Keith:
Interesting it was, essentially a grossly modified Volvo Taxi body mounted on a 3/4 ton light truck chassis.
And, it was a Sugga (pig) in all respects as far as driving it was concerned. It was used as a chase car for our Volvo powered dune buggy in two Baja 1000 races in Baja California (Mexico) and covered over 2,000 kilometers down there with only a broken fan belt. And...that was interesting, as I had finished the chase duties and had my three children with me, no wife, and we took off to see a bit of Mexico. The fan belt broke in the middle of a huge dry lake miles and miles from anywhere.
I looked in the boot and sure enough, there was a brandy new spare belt still wrapped in plastic.
A half an hour with a universal spanner and a screwdriver and we were back in business.
When I moved to Atlanta in 1989, I left the Sugga and several other MVs that I owned with an employee/friend who had a large farm and several old barns. I have not been back since but imagine they are all still there, never to be recovered I guess.
BTW, the others were a postwar Ford Taunus ambulance ex Dutch, a Nekaf Jeep ex Dutch and a Land Rover ex Dutch.
All were procured through Bart Vanderveen when he ws working for Autodump Sindorf in the 70's. The Sugga I got through a retired Swedish army officer for free!!! Only had to pay about $2K in ocean freight.
Bill

Tony Smith · #6 12-09-05, 04:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
What's the story behind it? Did a long-legged Swedish blonde give it to you as a remembrance gift?

H.

I have no idea what the story is behind this pic I found on a Finnish website!

:

cmperry4 · #7 12-09-05, 06:30

Perhaps here ...

cmperry4 · #8 12-09-05, 06:32

Another Volvo "Sugga"

Bill Murray · #9 12-09-05, 06:33

Sweden, California, Mexico, Oz, Finland and....Canada??
Bill

DaveCox · #10 12-09-05, 07:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Surely that would have to be the most interesting Volvo ever built...

Thanks for the pic, Bill.

The ONLY interesting Volvo ever built!

Hanno Spoelstra · #11 12-09-05, 19:59

The old Sugga and the new SUVva...

Hanno Spoelstra · #12 12-09-05, 20:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Bill Murray
My Sugga, which is languishing in a barn in CT I hope.

Your Sugga, languishing behind a barn?!?

Bill Murray · #13 12-09-05, 20:22

So you found it Hanno....
Damn, I had hoped it would have been in a little better shape after 17 years.

Bill

cmperry4 · #14 12-09-05, 21:06

Quote:

Originally posted by DaveCox
The ONLY interesting Volvo ever built!

Surely, these are also interesting Volvos:

http://images.google.ca/images?q=Vol...=Search+Images

(But, with exception of the P1800, and maybe the 445 wagon, I agree about the cars)

Bill Murray · #15 12-09-05, 22:17

Way off topic:
My own very most favourite Volvo.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #16 13-09-05, 15:14

Those pictures turn me young again. I first got one in 1963 while serving with 1st Signals Regiment. The last year I had a Sugga was in 1977-78 with 1st Royal Guards Regiment.

The official name was Radiopersonterrängbil 915 and it was based on an earlier model from 1943 (911). There was also a 6x6 truck/personal carrier version known as 912.

There were two versions. One with 2 x 3 W ulta-shortwave transcievers. The other with 1 x 10 W shortwave (morse) and 1 x 3 W USW.

Photo 1963.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #17 13-09-05, 15:26

My command car summer 1977. I was in command of an "ad hoc" Battalion made up by one Tank Coy from 10th Armoured Brigade, 78th Anti-Tank Coy from 38th Infantry Brigade and 4th Bn HQ Coy, 5th-6th Rifle Coys, 8th Logistics Coy and 11th Mortar Coy from the Royal Guards.

We had then two "Suggan" cars. The following year they were sold for scrap.

If I remember right they consumed 2,5 liter/10 km on good roads and some 5 liter cross-country. Usually they could not be driven quicker than 80 km/h, but once in 1965 I managed to reach 103 km/h for one hour (totally stright highway in the far north of Sweden).

Photo summer 1977 north of Stockholm. On the roof a 7,65 mm LMG M/1958 Fabrique Nationale.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #18 13-09-05, 15:35

There was one (1) "Sugga" serving with UN in Sinai 1956-67. The Canadians first thought it to be a Soviet Armoured Car. Here driver 541 Ingvar Andersson is taking care of his pet "pig".

Hanno Spoelstra · #19 28-09-05, 01:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Bill Murray
Way off topic:
My own very most favourite Volvo.

Here's mine: because I owned one and it proved to be utterly reliable. With it's 2-litre fuel-injected engine it's much faster than anyone expects.

Actually, I still own it as a fallback car because the wife wants to drive a Fiat

:

H.

Bill Murray · #20 29-09-05, 00:49

Hi Hanno:
Not sure, but I do not recognize that as as model sold in the US.
What is it, and what vehicle is it based on????

DaveCox · #21 29-09-05, 07:05

Quote:

Actually, I still own it as a fallback car because the wife wants to drive a Fiat :

Surely there's some kind of medication for that Hanno? She WANTS to drive a Fiat!!

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #22 29-09-05, 07:52

Hanno,

Were not the Volvo type you have built by DAF? I slightly remembered having a Volvo-DAF in 1983 just for 14 days serving with 2nd Division in Östersund, N Sweden.

I think these Volvos were a joint venture between Volvo and DAF. Anyhow I liked the one I had for those weeks.

Was the type 363 or something like that?

Greetings

Stellan

Keith Webb · #23 29-09-05, 10:47

Back in the 80s I owned a Volvo 360 GLT.

I believe you're correct saying they were a Volvo/DAF - I really liked it too - it had the feel of a much larger car on the road and was a comfortable long distance vehicle.

Finally traded it on a 240 model which had a problematic manual gearbox.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #24 30-09-05, 12:01

It began with this type. 25 W radiocar. Approx 1939.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #25 30-09-05, 12:05

Then followed this cross-country 4x4 model 1943 which was a military version of a Volvo taxi cab also known as "Suggan".

The m/43 type was later redesigned 911.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #26 30-09-05, 12:09

In the mid 1950-ies a 6x6 truck version of "Suggan" was built and known as 912. The engine was the same as in the radio car version 915.

These were phased out in the mid 1980-ies. When I served in the Royal Guards we had three type 912 to each Infantry Platoon.

Hanno Spoelstra · #27 01-10-05, 06:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Bill Murray
Not sure, but I do not recognize that as as model sold in the US.
What is it, and what vehicle is it based on????

Bill, as Stellan and Keith noted, it is a vehicle developed in the mid-70s by DAF in the Netherlands. It was their first mid-sized car, fitted with a 1.7-litre Renault engine and their unique "variomatic" continuous variable transmission. When Volvo took over DAF, they added their badge and some enhanced safety features, and marketed it as the Volvo 343. It was in production until 1990, in the meantime gradual improvements were made and additional models were added. The Volvo 360 with 2-litre engine and 5-speed manual gearbox was at the top of the range. A total of 1,139,689 Volvo 300-series were sold to customers in the Netherlands, England (largest export market), Sweden, Finland, Germany and many other EU countries. Four percent of total sales of the Volvo 300 series were made to Japan, Australia (360 GLT only, of which Keefy owned one), New Zealand and Singapore. In the mid-1980s a couple of thousand were assembled in Malaysia and Indonesia.
The one I own was bought new by my grandfather in 1987, he was 77 back then. When he died in 2000, I inherited it with roughly 60,000 kms on the clock. It has now done less than 100,000 kms, and it good for at least 200,000 more, although the bodywork is getting tatty in some places.

H.

P.S. The 300 series have an enthusiast following - http://www.volvo300club.nl/ - and there is a healthy racing scene even!

#28 12-08-07, 18:53

I'll take either of the RED ONES please ... make me a Happy Yappy

lynx42 · #29 13-08-07, 10:27

Famous Australian racing drive ALAN MOFFAT owned a Sugga about 10 years ago and it was often seen at Mt. Buller where he had a lodge.
Don't know if he still has it, but he used to flog it up and down the mountain at great speed. I guess that if anyone could get the best out of one, he could.

I was at the Coldstream auction but I don't know who ended up with that one. Keith Mays brought it in along with about 20 half-tracks and a crane set no 7, with Yale 1 1/2ton chain block, which after following it through 5 owners I purchased and use it quite often here for lifting and shifting.

The 1977 Leyland Super Comet I have it mounted on, was costing me about A$1,122.00 per year for registration etc. and with the crane on the back it's now only $71.90. Yep thats right $71.90. Best money saver I've ever had.
Regards Rick

Hanno Spoelstra · #30 15-08-07, 02:06

Another Sugga in the States . . . rare bird
Source: http://www.riseacadets.org/events/milvehshow.html