I have a rear end from a PV544 - can this be used as is in the 210?
Although I can currently make a 90-degree right turn at the corner of the block in 4th gear, I also keep trying to find the next gear when i'm just driving down the street at 45 mph. Freeway speeds are even louder of course.

Thanks all for your input on my question.
I hesitate to cut into my tunnel for OD installation as my wagon is in really good shape.

Trying to covert the 544 axle seems to be less of a risk and less trouble than cutting and patching the tunnel and shorting of the drive shaft not to mention the cost of acquiring the OD unit.

So, having heard that one brave soul has accomplished this feat, I am encouraged to have a go at it myself.

IMHO; the Duett is a wonderful and unique vehicle. You get 1940s looks, Swedish indestructibility, with European economy and technical quirkiness. I think it's important to remember that despite all these factors, it's NOT a 1934 Duesenburg, or an Isotta-Fraschini, or even a Mercedes Gullwing. It's just not all that rare, and valuable. Excellent examples can be had for 10 or 11 $K, and that's barely Hyundai money!!
So, unless it once belonged (and can be documented) to Jimi Hendrix in Seattle in 1963, or was used to take the Apollo 11 astronauts to the White House, I think you should be able to modify it to your own needs and desires with a completely clear conscience! Maybe if it is totally original, with 50K miles, it's worth preserving in a pristine state, but I don't see any problem with discrete modifications to improve performance or comfort. Installing an overdrive, or better rear axle certainly falls within this area. If it's done with reasonable skill and planning, then no-one will be able to tell until you actually take it out for a drive. These Duetts were designed as local use delivery trucks back in the early 1950s (how else can we explain the tiny gas tank?), and even when new they must have handled like shopping carts and had a ride like rolling down a flight of stairs in a metal trash can!! They're barely better than a 1960s VW microbus in those regards. So this old Volvisti says do whatever you need to do to make it yours, and make it more enjoyable. Go with BOTH the rear axle conversion and the overdrive, but no small block Chevy engines, please!!
I bought my 1957 Duett as a failed project, just about the time a friend wrecked his 1968 Volvo 1800S. So, making the best of circumstance, I installed the whole 1800 driveline, and haven't regretted a thing. The transmission cover was a major fabrication job, but if you're interested I can send you photos and tips to make the job easier. A B-18B, with overdrive and a 4:11 rear axle ratio, plus insulating the **&&^^%$$# out of the interior makes it a pretty enjoyable ride. I highly recommend spending the time to at least doing whatever you can to quiet the vehicle down.

They're barely better than a 1960s VW microbus in those regards.

Now Richard, I had a '66 VW bus, the Duett is better in every imaginable way. Remember in a '60s VW you hit a dog you loose.

I also say go for the OD conversion if you live in an area where traffic moves at 65+. I have an M41 J type ready to drop in that I brought with me but things around here are so much slower than San Diego that I'm not going to do it, 60mph is fine and that's only on the main road.
--
Dave Shannon
Durango, CO
'63 P-210
'67 1800s
'88-240
'06 F250 Diesel
my pages

Congrats on your move, hope it went as well as expected. Did the 1800S convertible conversion go through? Can we see pictures?

OK, OK, no real comparison between a Duett and a VW Microbus, except for the noise and rattle factor, no? I'll even admit to a failing memory, because I not only drove at least 4 PVs before I came into a Duett, but my very first car was a '67 VW Transporter (the last year of the split window, but it had 2, count 'em 2 sliding cargo doors!). The difference in the ride between the Volvo PV sedans and the Duett was enough to remind me of the VW Bus. The next vehicle I bought was a '69 Morris Minor van, (not a woodie), so offbeat cars run in my blood. It was more solid car than the VW, and I never looked back.

The overdrive is one of those items which falls under the catagory of "might not need it, but good to know it's there,..". After all the sound deadening material I put into the Duett, it's so quiet that I sometimes forget to engage the overdrive!
Does anyone have any insight on swapping the guts out of a rear axle as opposed to welding mounting brackets on a replacement?

Congrats on your move, hope it went as well as expected. Did the 1800S convertible conversion go through? Can we see pictures?

No, time got in the way, never got it up to LA, just tossed in the engine/trans and drove it on a trailer to get it up here. To be honest the Duett kind of stole my interest, the 1800 is on the back burner and I sold the ES. I may well just end up with the Duett as my only vintage car.

Lots of cars used the Dana 27/30 so there are gear sets available, any good rear end shop should be able to re-gear it for farily short $$ if you don't mind keeping the rear drums. A Duett/544 with disc/drum setup will stop well especially if you use a Lockheed booster on the disc part.
--
Dave Shannon
Durango, CO
'63 P-210
'67 1800s
'88-240
'06 F250 Diesel
my pages

I have a 1-ton Cushman Truckster (the dump truck model) that's equipped with an underdrive unit attached to the differential. I'm going to remove this unit before selling the truck chassis, and I'm thinking of flipping it end-for-end and making an overdrive for my BW35 automatic transmission.

The Cushman uses a Studebaker 3-speed manual transmission, and the whole drive train is overbuilt to stand up to industrial abuse.

I'd have to adapt the underdrive brackets to fit the Spicer 27 differential, and the driveshaft would need to be shortened, but this might make an interesting project.

NO, I don't know what the underdrive gear ratio is. Probably in the neighborhood of 2:1. I'll have to jack up the truck and turn the driveshaft and count the revolutions to figure out if this would even come close to working. A 1:2 overdrive would obviously be out of the question, even with my 4.11:1 rear end. That would change the rear ratio to 2.055:1, and I just don't have the power to go that high.

Thoughts?

Steve

I know that many differentials are built with a drive side and coast side to the tooth face. In other words the profile is direction specific for applying force to the system. They do work when you turn it all around but it is not recommended. I have no clue if that applies to your unit. Also if the unit you have uses a worm gear setup to get low gear ratios I don't think it will work very well as an overdrive. Worm gear systems usually don't work very well in the wrong direction.

Precisely. Good analysis. It all depends on the design of the gears. I've done more than my share of setting up differentials, and since finding a Spicer 27 in 3.07:1 seems impossible, this might be a workable solution. I also have a regular Warn overdrive unit that I used in my '47 Willys Jeep. I found that having 12 forward gears and 4 in reverse was a bit much. The little Jeep would top out about 80 MPH, 'way too fast for those tiny brakes, sloppy steering, and short wheelbase!

Steve

While this may not have any real practical implications, I believe the rear end on at least the later Duetts is posi-traction, where the 544s are not.

Though I've thought about OD for my Duett (hard not to given what everyone has said in this post and others), I've asked myself the question - do I really want to go faster than 65 MPH in my Duett??? I don't think so...

Kai S
'67 Duett

Just got back in town, and onto the the Board after a time out. Only my unsolicited opinion, but it seems that a good differential shop should be able to swap the guts out of the sedan (544) rear end into the existing Duett axle casing, thus avoiding all that messy measuring and welding biz. Probably would be a good time to replace, or at least inspect all the seals and bearings, too.

It does just so happen that I have a 140 (Volvo 30?) disc brake type rear axle which has already been set up for a Duett, with the correct spring perches welded on. It needs a few pieces, e.g. E-brake parts, and cable, and the backing plates are a bit banged up, but I'm willing to let it go for,.. well, anything someone has to trade that they no longer need. Extra B18/20 rebuild parts are always welcome, for example. In any case, it's here in SoCal, and I'm not using it.

Hi,

I would be intertested in the rear end if no one else has jumped in. I have a a 445 that screams on the fwy. I have two of the ENV axle/rear ends - one installed in the car and one inside the car :-) but both have the same low gearing. 4 wheel disks would be cool on this car.

Swap parts?

The only things I have of any value are:

A B18 out of my 122. The camshaft broke (rare I know. Only four of the valves open and close.) but the head was rebuilt by a local machine shop - Vellios in El Segudo - less then 5000 miles ago. I do a "C" camshaft for it.

Spare ENV axle rear end

I also have a small supply of cash which seems to work properly regardless of the Volvo model involved. What would be a fair price for your rear end?

Please let me know. I'm in the South Bay LA area but can pickup anywhere in So. Cal.

Richard
r_lazar@NOSPAMpacbell.net (remove the NOSPAM)

I just about doubled that figure before in my PV. *evil laugh*

But I've improved the suspension, tires, and brakes along with the engine and drivetrain.
--
I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.

I had a 445 with an ENV 5.13:1 diff that had been (poorly) upgraded from a B14/16 to a B18. After a year of driving it with engine RPM's in the stratosphere, it broke a rear axle half shaft.

I happened to have a 544 with a spare 4.56:1 Spicer axle and a neighbor that was a welder. I decided to fabricate spring perches & have him weld them to the axle tubes of the Spicer axle.

After measuring the spring perches on the old axle, I bought a short piece of 1/8" (I think) steel "U" channel the same width and cut it to the same length as the old. Knowing the diameter of the donor axle tube, I ground & filed semi-circular notches the same diameter as the tube into the parallel sides of the new spring perches. The welder recommended bevelling the edges at 45 degrees, which I did, along with drilling two holes in the bottom of the perches for the U-bolts that clamp the axle tubes to the anchorage plates. (See the attached image.)

The axle was set up with the pinion horizontal, then the new spring perches were clamped to align with the pinion, with the bottom of the U down, under the axle tubes. The welder did a quick weld to avoid warping the axle tubes and the donor axle was ready to mount in the 445.

I believe I had to put the old brake plates on the donor axle to make this work. Also, this was the time to replace the axle bearings & seals and shim the bearings.

The 445 was much nicer to drive with the new 4.56:1 ratio. With the B18, it still had the power to pass other vehicles going up a 2000 foot, 7% grade I was commuting over twice daily.

Now an M41 OD gearbox will make that commute even more pleasant.

Bob

Leroy,
What you want is OVERDRIVE - satisfaction guaranteed!!! Go