Volvo RWD 444-544 Forum

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B18 Buy opinion 444-544

posted by  Some Guy With a Volvo on  Thu Sep 10 22:59 CST 2020
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I have a 61 544 with a B18D. The motor runs really well, doesn't smoke, and sounds great.

I have the option of buying a rebuilt spare B18 from a reliable source for about $700. If I owned say a Jensen-Healey with the Lotus Twin-Cam I'd jump at it, but with the miles I put on my PV my current motor should last a long time and all the gaskets of the spare would probably be well dried up. I also have limited storage space. Then again, such options don't come up all the time.

What would you do?








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    B18 Buy opinion 444-544

    posted by  derek uk on  Fri Sep 11 05:10 CST 2020
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:33 CST 2014
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    Your choice if you have spare cash but IMO too expensive for something that will sit under the bench gathering dust for years. Maybe yes if was a B20 and you were planning an early conversion. Now if it was a known good M41 OD gearbox I'd consider buying and converting the PV. Yes it needs some floor work to accommodate it but a very worthwhile conversion.








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      B18 Buy opinion 444-544

      posted by  Fredneck Tom on  Fri Sep 11 05:43 CST 2020
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      I agree. The B18 is near bullet proof, extremely durable and easy to maintain. I'm betting it will last as long as you have the car with no problems.
      On the other hand, I agree that an OD tranny is the best mod you can make to a 544. I have 65 544 with original stock B18 and a M41 OD tranny. It is great fun to drive, has plenty of power, and can run 75 mph all day to keep up with the crowd on the interstate. It is amazing how much the engine noise level goes down when that OD switch is flipped. Tom








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        B18 Buy opinion 444-544

        posted by  Some Guy With a Volvo on  Sat Sep 12 10:55 CST 2020
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        Thanks for the replies - that's what I was thinking. I know he's flexible on price, but when factoring in space/money it's probably not worth it.

        I'm picking up an extra M40 from him for $80 or so as a spare - much easier to store, and having an OD would be amazing on the highway, but the 4-speed does ok. I wonder what rpm it's doing it 100km/h in 4th. Intalling a period tach is on my to-do list...








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          B18 Buy opinion 444-544

          posted by  someone claiming to be Clifford Yamasaki on  Fri Sep 18 09:35 CST 2020 [RELATED]

          3,500 rpm at 65 mph is about right for an M40. The OD (30% reduction) would bring that down to about 2,500-2,600 rpm.







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