In 1927, the very first series-produced Volvo car, the OV4, nicknamed the 'Jakob,' left the factory. Fast forward to 2005 and in a rural area south of Sweden, automotive artisan Leif Tufvesson and his company, Caresto, began work on injecting modern craftsmanship into this classic. The result is the Hot Rod Jakob.
The body has been built by hand from raw aluminum panels bent into shape using a hammer and English wheel-exactly as it was done in the prototype workshop in the 1920s. The chassis is built entirely of carbon fiber and most components have been hidden away inside the body, including springs, dampers, electricals and exhaust system. Classic Volvo parts have also been used, including the steering wheel, gear lever gaiter and steering column from a 1962 P1800. The brake pedal and brake master cylinder are from the 140 Series, and Volvo Genuine Classic Parts supplied them all. An M90 gearbox from a 960 powers the rear wheels, while the engine is Volvo's powerful T5 turbo. The car has been converted to run on ethanol (or perhaps aquavit).
See it in metal at the SEMA show in Las Vegas this November.