Estate with a B20

[BillKat]

I've got an Amazon estate, rhd, registered in the UK in early 68, on an F plate. The block is a B20 and is the original; though I can't make out the engine number the doc lists it as 8253/2682. It's a single carb with Stromburg 175 CD2.

Is there a website (or a person) that can decipher engine numbers? Because I was under the impression these were supposed to be B18s. It's a one-owner car bought new in the UK.

Also, I'm confused about the dizzys, as in the type which the vacuum retards rather than advances - is there a way to tell which it which? Not 100% sure which engines had vac retarders or advancers,

cheers
Bill

[amazondean]

If you look at the pasenger side of the engine, there should be some numbers stamped in a machined part of the block. The long number ie four or five digits will be the engines number. The two digit number stamped slightly further along should be a two digit number. This set of numbers will tell you exactly what type of engine you have, but off hand I am not sure. The number cast into the block should be 4969 I think for a b20 and 4968 for a B18 engine

By the way I presume it's the one off ebay. Is it any good or will you be requiring the welder shortley!!

Some of the later 2 litre amazons had a vacuum retard but I believe they can be troublesome. Get yourself a vacuum advance or better still one without a vacuum altogether.

[mike gilbert]

Bill,
This cannot be the original engine. B20's were not offered until the '69 model year, production of which began in August '68. and anyway they were never offered on UK estates only home market estates - see previous posts on the same subject. If it has an external vacuum mechanism on the side of the dizzy it will be vacuum advance. If you can get one without a vacuum advance, they are more reliable and sought after., but I wouldn't go out of my way to get one. Electronic ignition systems - which are worth having - seem to be cheaper for the vacuum advance models for some reason.
Mike

[BillKat]

Hi Dean,
Prob is I can't make out any no's on the pads at all, may have to sand off the paint or try rubbing ink into the stamped no's or something. It has a great big "B20" in cast (raised) letters at the front/pass side of the block though.

It was on ebay, though I'd been in touch before & during; very nice really, just not hardly used for years.... one bit will see some MIG action before too long but the rest is good. Needs a right sorting out - hard to start, stiff steering, weak heater, no screen washer, shot or missing doorlocks etc. And the leaky screen of course... Paint is microblistered but will do for now (moving house so will paint it after that). O yes, the little 'pod' silencer is blowing so the MIG will be a-sizzling on that too tomorrow : )

Mike, I read those posts, but this is a 1-owner car (before me) and he swears the motor wasn't ever swapped or out of the car. I have the orig bill of sale and other docs though none list a cc unfortunately. Maybe when I root out the stamped engine number that'll help ID & date it. Not that I'm bothered, more curious... Thanks for the dizzy info too,

cheers,
Bill

[mike gilbert]

Bill,
It is only of acedemic interest unless your showing or rallying the car of course, but it seems common for people to believe their Amazons or P1800's are B20's when they were B18's (I've had plenty of each and a good B18 is as good as a B20 anyway). as a quick reference all B20 cars had a cable clutch (as apposed to hydraulic system) and dual circuit brakes (as opposed to the single circuit with servo on the NS inner wing), so thats two easy ways to tell. If your the cars registered owner you can get a photocopy of all the previous log books and registration documents from DVLA for about a fiver. Not so interesting with a two owner car perhaps but it will tell you the original engine size and the engine number too. I've never found any other reliable way of telling if a cars engine is original because the numbering system is totally illogical, for instance my car has engine number 216 but it is not the 216th car built in the '69 model year, it may be the 10216th though, thinking about it, but that still leaves two cars with the same engine number.

Regards,
Mike

[BillKat]

Cheers Mike. It has a hydraulic clutch & single-circuit brakes. The block has no stamped engine numbers at all... neither pad near the dizzy has anything on it. Smooth, not ground off or anything. There's 7 small raised digits lower down that I can't make out plus the large raised "Volvo B20" near the front. I'll do the DVLA thing, the V5 shows 1986cc now and an engine number 8253/2682, but the service booklet has an engine number of a sort which is either 58220 or 58720. Guess it must have had a swap though the orig owner swears not. Thought maybe the no-number block could be a service replacement but again the chap says not. Just curiosity anyway...
cheers,
Bill