G/box: 164 Auto: Tranny conversion, who did it?

[Verstappen]

Hi there,

My Volvo 164E from 05/72 with totaly worn out automatic gear box BW35 needs your support!

It´s a little struggle to figure out, what to do with a fine, nearly rust-free ´72 dark blue 164-body with ~400´000km-engine and a worn out tranny. I would really thank you, if you can give me some links/hints/inspiration/suggestions, how this car could be kept running for ages again. It´s just pure pleasure, as you know quite sure.

*Scenario 1* - the tranny conversion

Renewing the never-really-fit-to-the-big-engine-BW35-tranny for a fortune (and now it would be for the third time), seems to be a never-ending-story, beside parts and know-how for a repair are rare to find.
My first thoughts about keeping my 164E running, were, fitting a AW-71L-tranny instead of the weak BW35.

From front to back: cutting the BW35 house for the torche-converter (wrong translation!?) to fit the one from the AW-71L, fitting an custom-made aluminium-plate between this and the AW-71L-tranny, adding a mechanical speedometer-wire from the BW55-tranny, shorten the cardan-shaft an maybe changing the rear axle ratio from a 240 (due to the the long transmission ratio of the overdrive...). That´s lots of work, and not quite cheap. Someone in my town did this conversion with aP1800ES/B20E-engine. We assume, that the fittings are nearly the same as the B30E´s. But it took him nearly two years to get it running well, and what it doesn´t do by now.

Are there any conversion-kits on the market to do anything like this? Did someone from your club - or anybody else you know - such a conversion? Any? With another tranny-model?

*Scenario 2* - the modern straight six

A renewed AW-71L with warranty comes the same price as a well maintained, good-runnig 960 with B6304F (drove this as an estate for just 3 months and loved the engine) with nearly 200´000km on the clock, catalytic converter(tax!) and acceptable miles/gallon(compared to the B30E). Picking out the needed parts off the 960and selling the body might be a solution. In addition to most of the work, described in scenario 1, it´s "just" plus fitting the engine... Sounds naive, but was possible, as two fotos show, (see attached pics). the white one is part of a "165-conversion-project" I´ve found by this link:

http://hem.bredband.net/themar/165/165.htm

(Tryed to get in contact via mail several times, but he didn´t reply yet. The latest up-date of the site was from 2003.


As in Germany started a new vehicle-emission-law this year, which leads to no-go-areas for old cars in many big cities, scenario 2 seems to be the more complicated but also more 21st-century-compatible.

I´m open for any suggestions to keep my pure pleasure cruiser on the road. What do you have in mind?

Thanxalot in advance

Verstappen

Oo ( / ) oO

[Pigeon]

It looks like you already have a pretty comprehensive idea of what's involved... don't see anything in your post which looks wrong to me.

I believe that this chap is the one for modifying B30 bellhousings to take an AW70 or 71: http://www.hukebasart.nl/

And you are in the right country and speak the right language If you can get him to clue you in then it would be cool if you could post the results in English... if I can get hold of a spare bellhousing, then I think he will be getting some business from me, as I want that fourth speed and torque converter lockup on my 164.

[fritzing]

I'd go for a manual M410 (4 speed + OD) instead. This box can take the torque and hp from the B30, you get better performance, mileage etc. And it keeps your car more original compared to using the AW7X. Everything is bolt-on.

[Pigeon]

Well, it depends what you want the car to be like. I must admit that before I got my 164 auto I was of the "won't ever have an automatic" persuasion. Now I do actually have one I love it - especially given the absolutely ridiculous traffic situation in Bedford, the amount of time I spend sitting in traffic jams makes the upgraded automatic a way preferable option to the pseudo-originality of a manual conversion. And I love the cruisy wafty quality of the 164 auto - the auto suits the character of the car much better than a manual would.

In terms of motorway economy, also, the torque converter lockup coupled with the slightly higher ratio of the AW7x in fourth compared to the M410 in o/d (0.69 vs. 0.797) should give me better results with the auto... especially given my tendency to go rather fast on motorways

[Verstappen]

hi there,

thanxalot for the quick reply.

At first, a conversion to manual will bring much more work and complications, due to different tranny-tunnels and the new pedalerie. I´d like to have a (modern) manual, but way to lavish.

I´ve already talked to huke basaard in the ned´s - found his adress and method of conversion in an german volvo-community.

His way is, to cut both bells in the middle and welding them together. looks like a relyable work at first sight, but has high potential for not-that-perfect fitting and durability. Welding aluminium isn´t easy.

The way, I want to choose, is to cut just the end of the BW-35 bell - you don´t need to cut that much, cause you only need to adjust to a different angle - that you still can use the threads of the BW-35 bell to screw the custom made aluminium adapter plate to it. just have a look on the attached pic of a BW-35-bell with AW-71L-box

years ago, there must have been a danish or swedish parts supplier or restauration garage, who offered this special adapter plate within a converison-kit, but I just found a link in a ten year old thread, but no way further.

Anyway, some germans had bought one plate early enough and are able to build new ones from it. If collaboration will succeed, I´m gonna post their adress and prices to this forum.


kind regards

Oo ( / ) oO