Volvo PV444 wins 1957 Petit Lemans at Lime Rock!

[arcturus]

First reply from my query
The M4 gearbox was planned to be called M3 but before the production started the namn was changed to M4. But there are workshop manuals with the designation M3 published.

[Derek UK]

M3 is 3 speed as is the M30. Oddly Volvo also had a spec which added an overdrive to the M30.

I don't think this car has ever had an overdrive. The tunnel needs to be widened a lot to accommodate the extra width and length.

[blueosprey90]

Had the car up and running on jack stands to check the amount of transmission wobble.

Car didn't start as readily as I had hoped, but a spritz of starter fluid did the trick. Motor was a bit rougher than I remembered.

Initially, I was unable to get the transmission to shift into any and all gears while the car was running. But when shut off, I was able to shift into each gear without difficulty. Ultimately, I started the car while 4th gear was engaged. This freed up whatever was binding and I was thereafter able to shift into all gears without difficulty.

I didn't have much transmission wobble, but it did feel like my driveshaft was unbalanced.

I got the car going to about 50 mph before I decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and shut down.

Otherwise, no progress as I keep getting side tracked by other projects. Winter is closing in.

[blueosprey90]

I finished the transmission’s shift housing cover and used a piece of neoprene to seal off the hole for the shifter.

I initially attached the neoprene with some 3M spray adhesive, but the neoprene turned out to be a bit too stiff and pulled away at the edges. I added three pop rivets to insure it stayed in place. A major improvement over what had previously existed.



I test fit the completed cover and started the car. Seemed to work fine with what transmission shake I had when starting and shutting down.


I also finished the passenger seat and installed the seat adjustment lever that I had fabricated. The seats had been previously recovered and the covering material butchered. Despite needing a real sewing machine and some talent, I sewed up some tears, sewed in some hems and inserted reinforcement wires. I using zip ties rather than hog rings to hold everything together, somewhat fearful that the zip ties will break in cold weather.

The seat adjustment lever, however, seems to function correctly.

[blueosprey90]

Spent the day mostly contorted on my back trying to prep the passenger side upper firewall, kick panel and under dash areas for some paint. Mostly soundproofing adhesive and surface rust to be removed. After struggling all day, I finally got smart and removed the glove box and the radio blanking plate. Now I can see and this should make the painting a bit easier. Plan to use Eastwood Rust Encapsulate as the primer.

[blueosprey90]

harpgirl's thread on the 1800 B20e cam profile has been truly enlightening.

Although I'm wanting to soup up my B-16B engine, I haven' found any sort of special tuning or competition preparation manual to guide me. And when I see advice about the B-18 or B-20 engines, I see somewhat vague suggestions of different lettered camshafts. In one of the linked threads, this was a complete summary posted by ClassicSwede

"A cam is for single carb engines
B cam twin carb engines
C cam P1800 and 123 GT
D fuel injection cam
K cam fast road B18 or mild street B20
R cam Very fast road B18 or fast road B20
S & T full race B18 Very fast road B20
U & V full race B20

I hope that explains all the cam profiles"


Well, of course, it doesn't explain anything about the cam profiles, e.g. duration, lift, lobe separation angles and the like.

But the link by Ian R., also linked in that thread, has outstanding camshaft information.

http://www.1800philes.com/ianr/_superlist_grinds.html

So, for example, I can now see that a Volvo K cam has 222 degrees of duration at 0.50" lift, lobe separation of 111 degrees and a max lift of .420" at standard rocker arm ratios. (This is useful because, although I am a mere rank amateur engine builder, I can still relate the information to the camshafts in my primary and spare MGA engines.)

So even if the B-20 camshaft information doesn't translate directly to the B-16B engine, Ian R's data gives me a huge jumpstart on the data that I'll need to start developing to build up my engine.

That's a couple years away most likely. In the meanwhile, I'll keep looking to develop the information for the B-16B and in the meanwhile try to get that lump humming like a well oiled sewing machine.

[Derek UK]

The Superlist info is very impressive but also very old. I would get in touch with KG Trimning for advice re a suitable cam that is based on modern ideas of cam design. Very few people will be able to source a blank for the B16 but KG may be able to help. They may also be able to help you get the best out of a B16 crank. It won't be cheap but they may be able to supply that too.

[blueosprey90]

My rust stabilization project is getting out of hand!

This time I want to pull the firewall soundproofing, paint the firewall and kick panel areas, then replace the firewall soundproofing with new. By new, I ordered some matting material from VP-Autoparts listed for the 544. On the 444, what I have is some sort of linoleum faced mat. The 544 is just matting painted with a plastic type paint on the inner surface. Cheezy, but better that what's on there now.

So I'm pulling stuff apart on the driver's side. And I come to the heater control valve. I have no idea how it works and if it works.





Attached is a long copper wire (?) that seemed to be stuffed in a very haphazard fashion into the ducting that feeds the Heater control Valve.




Where do I run this long coper wire? What is its purpose? And how do I test to determine if the heater control valve works?

Thanks.

[Ron Kwas]

bo90;

"Copper Wire" Connected to Heater Control Valve is temp sensing capillary tube (one input to HCV), similar to engine temp sensing, it senses temp of Heater Box and varies HCV slightly to keep temp at HB at constant level set by driver (other input to HCV). See: http://www.sw-em.com/Heater_Control_Valve.htm

Cheers

[blueosprey90]

1957 PV444 Rat Rod restoration. Saving the link as a resource.


http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/...ornia-survivor