Volvo factory tour and museum

[GrahamBrown1]

Today was a good day, I visited the Volvo factory in Gothenburg and had a tour. It was brilliant and i highly recommend if you are into that sort of thing.

It takes 38hrs to turn sheet steel into today’s Volvo car. 16 of them are spent in the paint shop alone where it gets 7 layers of paint.

The boron steel, the strongest steel there is makes up the inner safety cage and forms part of what we know as SIPS. There are some hefty supports in the doors.

I saw nearly the full process including the marriage where the body is fastened to chassis. The first start and final check area. Interesting the first few yards your Volvo drove are over some massive cobbles. This is to seat the components and level the car. Really was something.

I also visited the museum. I have been here before but this time I took my time as i won’t get the chance to visit again. The museum closes for good on the 20th of this month. The plan is move some of it to the world of Volvo which opens next year in the city. I don’t think it will be as in depth as the museum was however but it looks like it will be a good venue.

My wallet suffered heavily in the gift shop. For those of you in the club you will see in the driver magazine there may be a club trip to Sweden next year. Well worth the visit. I would go again!!

Oh and a Swedish Volvo dealer is like no dealer I have seen in the UK! Knocks them out the park!

[ITSv40]

That sounds an interesting visit.

I put my name on the list when the club first announced a possible visit, but have not heard anything yet.

[GrahamBrown1]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

That sounds an interesting visit.

I put my name on the list when the club first announced a possible visit, but have not heard anything yet.

Me to, yes not heard anything either but I’m sure in time we will.

[john.wigley]

We first went with the club back in '87 in our 145! That trip was to mark Volvo's 60th and the club's 25th anniversaries - we still have (and use) the commemorative key rings that Volvo gave us at the time. As well as the visit described, the trip also included a trip to Boras to the truck division. We stayed for a week in a cabin that was better equipped than our house at Herfallet near Arboga.

That was the start of our love affair with Sweden. Such a shame DFDS stopped the North Sea crossings. The boats were like a luxury floating hotel with an ever changing view. A most agreeable start to the holiday - sadly, it is much more difficult now!

Regards, John.

[tofufi]

It's a shame the museum is closing. I visited there last year as part of a work trip.

I didn't get to do the factory tour though!

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by tofufi

It's a shame the museum is closing. I visited there last year as part of a work trip.

I didn't get to do the factory tour though!

I think that statement may be a little misleading.

The museum's website does say it is closing its doors for good in December 2023, but then goes onto say it is re-opening at the new site of World of Volvo in April 2024.