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by Mark Hershoren donovand@pilot.msu.edu
With a sense of both duty and honor, I answered "Yes" this year when Michael rather sportingly asked if I'd like to go to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for some Vintage Racing and a Big Volvo To-Do on the weekend after Labor Day. With my going confirmed, Michael upped the ante: this year, not only would I go to the big event with him, but I would have to do it in my 544. I think my lovely wife Deb was in on this conspiracy, but I can't be sure. I do know both Deb and Michael (there may be others as well!) have been after me to get the 1965 PV544 back on the road. I've owned it since about 1977 and bought it from its original owners with 62,000 miles on the clock for rather modest sum. Back in the late '70s, I was just out of high school and this was my sole means of transport for about three years. There were very few other 544s operating in the Detroit area at the time and I realized, if I wanted to keep this car around, I'd better take care of some annoying detractions, such as rust. When I got the car back from the body shop in the early '80s, lack of funds and motivation interfered with my completing the job. I got the fenders hung, the glass installed, the wiring and the brakes sorted out, and then I began to drive it again -- minus bumpers and trim. Shameful it was, but I was young and foolish. Now I'm not so young! The car served as my summer commuter vehicle in urban rush-hour traffic in the mid-'80s without incident.
At some point in the later 1980s, I stopped getting the 544 out for
the summer -- other interests and commitments, I suppose. My brother Joel was good enough to transport the car several hundred miles to my new home when I left the Detroit area in 1990. Anyway, I've been unloading on you for several paragraphs and still have yet to share anything about an engine swap!
Mid-July, 1998: This particular engine was my first rebuild from back in the mid-1980's and has been a good unit, owing much to my mentors at the time, Steve Willey of Main Street Motors of Ann Arbor, and Bill Webster, who builds Celtic Harps for a living, but plays with Volvos for relaxation. This engine has seen rather hard usage for over fifteen years, having been used for enthusiastic driving and also for pulling other Volvos hundreds of miles. At the time of the rebuild, our motor got bored to an effective 2.2 liter displacement, courtesy of ipd's famed 2200cc. kit. I used ipd's pushrod and lifter kit and a "K" cam mated to a steel cam gear. A new oil pump below and a cylinder head set up to enjoy unleaded fuel crowned the effort. The combination breathes through a pair SU HI-F carburetors. Shortly after, I discovered the (now unavailable) Volvo Competition Service's "R-Sport" exhaust system and I had a rather neat sleeper in the form of a Dijon Mustard Yellow 145 -- Volvo sure had some interesting colors in the '70s, eh?. Okay, okay! I know! I'm off the subject yet again! Ahem! Where were we? Taking this brutish B20 apart to make sure to refresh the unit before it gets placed in it's new home. Everything has gone relatively well with the exception of two things I must resolve. The rearmost manifold stud broke years ago and will not budge. Today I broke the brass elbow that comes off the back of the head and is part of the interior heating system. Feeling kind of foolish about it actually; you see, the 140 cars had the elbow canted 45 degrees while the 544 had the same threaded brass piece set at 90 degrees. I thought I'd give it a little "twist" and set it at 90 degrees so, in the future, it would accept the pre-molded 544 heater hoses I've been warehousing for years. If I'd left it alone and just used regular heater hose from a roll, all would have been well. So, here's what I've planned for the month of August: I must de-grease and cosmetically prepare the engine and, while doing so, change those often-forgotten little O-rings which seal the feed tube between the oil pump and the block, convert the front and rear main seals to vinyl, and replace the clutch disc, pilot and throw-out bearing. I'll take my chances on the pressure plate. Having said all that, I have mercifully left out all the other things which may have to be futzed with in the course of accomplishing the aforementioned. Some parts I need have actually been located in various boxes out in the shop. Others are on order from various places. For example: the windshield and rear window seals are en route from Swedish Classics. Of course, with the car having been off the road for the better part of the past decade, I would be well advised to at least check over the brakes! I'll let you know how it all went in the next installment. Perhaps then I'll talk a bit about doing an engine swap or something.
Mark Hershoren manages Dave's Garage in Traverse City, Michigan, and has owned over forty assorted Volvos.
The photo of Mark's 544 was reproduced from Volvo: 40 Years and used by permission of Volvo Cars of North America.
The photo of Mark was taken by his insurance agent. Don't ask. |
This is supposed to be a story about an engine swap -- but first, I must get a few things off my chest. Last year, I was supposed to go to Watkins Glen for an event which included a large gathering of Volvos. My friend Michael Shultz asked me to ride with him in his freshly renovated 123GT and I told him I'd be happy to. As months went by and the date grew very near, I backed out as I was involved in a very extensive house renovation and did not feel as though I could spare even one long weekend for some Volvo fun. Michael's wife Martha agreed to go instead and they seemed to have a good time despite a broken valve spring in the first twenty miles of the adventure and, subsequently, some gearbox troubles in Quebec.
One thing that sold me on the place I'd bought was that there would be indoor storage for the 544 and a few other pet cars. Until now, that storage has been the 544's resting place.