Volvo 744 XXL stretch limousine kicker
19.09.2022
What is the most nonsensical thing you could buy in the time just before Corona? Here are a few choices: Toilet paper, FFP2 masks, flour or an XXL table football table where 8 people can play at the same time, crowded together without any distance between them? Many will now say of course the XXL kicker, but the converted Volvo 744 stretch limousine screamed soooo loudly "PLEASE BUY ME" - we couldn't help but say YES.
The whole story of the conversion to the XXL table football was broadcast in the programme "Abenteuer Leben am Sonntag" on KABEL EINS.
And this is how it all began:
When the owner Bernd visited his sports friend Rudi in his workshop to have his beloved Volvo stretch limousine checked out by him, it immediately became clear that quite a few things needed to be done.
It quickly became clear to him that a complete restoration would be too expensive, but the beautiful 1987 sedan would also be too good to be stripped. But then the mechanic Rudi had an idea!
He suggested converting the limousine completely into a mobile XXL kicker. He succeeded in getting the owner Bernd enthusiastic about his idea. In order not to lose any time, the friends Bernd and Rudi, together with another mechanic, made their way to Harburg in Bavaria, to a professional in table football production. On site, the table football professional took a look at the Volvo to check whether the boys' idea could be realised at all. Since the table football professional had no reservations about the project, the boys went back home or to the workshop. Here Bernd handed over his beloved limousine to the workshop team with complete confidence, to pick it up again after a few days as a finished funmobile.
Now it was a matter of creating as much space for the kicker as was somehow possible. First, the rear two bench seats were removed and the side windows taken out. When the entire interior was gutted, the next step was to flex off the roof to get the desired convertible pick-up. It was important here that the flex edges along the window wells become especially straight so that it would look really neat later on. When the Volvo at least had the right shape and space for the built-in kicker, the workshop team went to the kicker manufacturer once again. On site, the exact measurements for the kicker were taken, it was checked whether the vehicle could withstand the 400 kg kicker weight and then the construction of the kicker was ordered.
In the time that the kicker professional was busy with the construction, the workshop team still took care of a suitable design for the hitherto orange-brown Volvo.
As another highlight, the guys came up with a pull-out multifunctional drawer, which they mounted in such a way that it would later be located under the kicker and could be pulled out towards the rear.
The pull-out drawer was divided into 3 compartments, one serving as a grill, one as a storage compartment for the grill accessories and one for ice cubes to keep beer "cold".
In the meantime, the construction of the kicker was also finished, so that the fun mobile could finally take place the most important part of the work. The kicker has a weight of about 400kg, is 2.53m long and almost as wide as the Volvo itself. Normally, a kicker has 22 game pieces, this one has 88 pieces, so it is as big as four "normal" kickers, just to imagine the whole thing in terms of size. Because the kicker was completely glued into one piece, it had to be placed on the Volvo from above with the help of a crane due to its enormous weight.
Fortunately, no one made a mistake in the measurement at the time and the oversized kicker fit exactly to the millimetre, as calculated, in the place intended for it. Just a few "mini stadium headlights" were installed and after a week of hard work the car could be presented and returned to the owner Bernd. Bernd was amazed how such a conversion could take place in such a short time. The boys quickly put on a football jersey and set off for the first barbecue party with Germany's 1st car kicker. The guests were just as enthusiastic about the outdoor fun mobile. Up to eight people can play at the same time, and those whose turn it is not at the moment can take care of the barbecue next door, so there is no chance of boredom.
After several changes of ownership, the Volvo 744 finally found its new home, where it was technically overhauled during the Corona pandemic. It was also welcomed visually at SKANDIX during that time.
To the vehicle
- Comfort equipment: Electric windows, power steering, heated seats, central locking
- Power output: 96 KW
- Type: Sedan
- Fuel: Petrol
- Transmission: Automatic
- Brand: Volvo
- Model: 744
- Interior material: Velour
- Number of doors: 6/7
- Number of seats: 2 only
- Capacity (in cc): 2316
Special features
- Kicker size: 2.53m long x vehicle width
- Kicker weight: 400kg
- Players: 88
- Up to 8 people can play at the same time
- Extendable drawer with integrated grill
- Beer cooler compartment & storage for barbecue accessories
- LED floodlight
- 1st car kicker in Germany
- Convertible saloon
