1800: Front Frame and Engine Block Questions

[ZTatZAU]

Originally Posted by Army

As I said before I don't know for sure but I don't think that sand casting forms would be changed on a monthly basis. The three large letters might refer to a whole foundary location however...

...I wouldn't be too polite and wait for a response from the museum. If you want to know ask (I for one will be interested to hear what they say)!

EDIT:-

Forgot to say - my PV544 has designer dimples on the chassis rails too (which must be for added stiffness I suppose)

Thanks Army! I appreciate your reply!

Can you tell me if the 544 front frame dimples are the same size and shape as those on the 1800s?
EDIT:- Heck! Can you tell me if the 544 front frame sections are the same size and shape as on the 1800s?

And I did in fact write (politely) to the museum again today to ask these additional questions. I'll share any info I receive from them.

ZT

[Army]

Originally Posted by ZTatZAU

Thanks Army! I appreciate your reply!

Can you tell me if the 544 front frame dimples are the same size and shape as those on the 1800s?
EDIT:- Heck! Can you tell me if the 544 front frame sections are the same size and shape as on the 1800s?

And I did in fact write (politely) to the museum again today to ask these additional questions. I'll share any info I receive from them.

ZT

I doubt if I'll ever be in a position to do a direct comparison with a 1800. As usual despite the silly amount of pictures I have taken and posted in my 544 thread (https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=277319) I don't have a decent picture showing the dimples I mean - typical!

At the moment all of my cars (and piles of crap) are in storage. I hope to get everything back under one roof soon though once the corona restrictions are eased and things get back to normal again.

You can a rough idea of what a stripped down front end of a PV544 looks like here =>

[ZTatZAU]

Your firewall and forward look quite nice in the pictures Army! Thanks for posting them!
Your 544 front frame rails are completely different than the 1800's.

ZT

[cassell]

Originally Posted by ZTatZAU

Thanks Paul,

If you wouldn't mind me picking your brain some, did you fabricate your frame rails by folding in a pan brake or make the bottom and two sides separately and weld the three pieces together?


Thank you! ZT

Sides and bottom made separately (bottom with edge folds) and welded together.

[cassell]

With regard to the block casting digits I think they are to identify the B18 casting and as you say, a mould identifier letter (L&M).

I have visited the Volvo foundry at Skovde in Sweden a couple of times many years ago when I used to buy Volvo Trucks, a very impressive place where engine blocks, diff casings, brake drums & discs and gearbox casings for cars, trucks and marine applications are produced alongside each other before machining in an adjacent factory.

I hope the museum are able to provide details for you at some time.

[ZTatZAU]

Thanks again Cassell,

Originally Posted by cassell

Sides and bottom made separately (bottom with edge folds) and welded together.

Good idea and something I hadn't considered. So it's not necessarily an either/or thing. (i.e. folded or welded.) Your "hybrid" option would mitigate the difficulties of welding and dressing a corner seam to look like a fold! It could also facilitate making the separate bottom with a depression and then adding the sides.

If you or anyone else is interested and hasn't seen any of the "Old Timer Team" P1800 restoration videos on YouTube, check out this short (2 minute) video on how this very talented guy created his own replacement frame rails. His work is amazing!

OTT-Making Parts for Volvo 1

Originally Posted by cassell

With regard to the block casting digits I think they are to identify the B18 casting and as you say, a mould identifier letter (L&M)... I hope the museum are able to provide details for you at some time.

Interesting that you and some others have mentioned a "mold identifier" code. Also interesting that my two 3-letter codes, LBG & MGB, are on a 1967 B18B 4968-42 engine and a 1968 B18B 4968-64 engine, respectively.

The -42 & -64 engines are both P1800 115 HP B18Bs. I don't know why the two different designations but there must be some difference between the two engines likely related to the LBG & MBG letters.

I'll be sure to share any info I get from the museum but in the meantime, I'm curious to know what three letter codes other P1800 owners might have on their B18 4968-42, -64, or -?? engine blocks.

ZT