60 Classic Car Mart Spring 2016
HOW IT WORKS
THE VOLVO B-SERIES
Introduced in 1944, Volvo’s rugged OHV four-pot would live
into the early ’80s.
Words: Paul Wager, Jon Burgess
V
olvo’s B-Series engine will be familiar to
most readers as the powerplant used
in the Amazon and P1800 lines but its
origins go back way further to the Volvo
PV444 introduced in 1944. The fi rm’s fi rst inline
four-cylinder engine since the 1920s, it was
known as the B4B and displaced just 1414cc
through its single downdraught carburettor.
Using a cast iron block and head with
valves operated by pushrods, it was a solid if
unadventurous design and later became the
B14A with the addition of twin SU carbs.
In 1957, the unit was bored out to 1583cc to
become the B16 (single carb) and B16A (twin
carbs), offered in the PV444 until 1958 and then
in its successor the PV544.
Although Volvo also used versions of the
B-Series engine in other areas of its business
including marine and agricultural powerplants, its
fi rst volume application was the Amazon range
launched in 1956, powered by the B16 unit.
The B16 was visually similar to the earlier engine
although the oil fi lter was sited under the manifolds
and the manifolds themselves were reshaped.
Bigger change came in 1962 when the B16
became the 1778cc B18, again offered in
single-carb B18A and twin-carb B18B formats
but now redesigned to use fi ve main bearings.
The engine now boasted a 12-volt electrical
system and would prove to be a mainstay
Volvo powerplant for the life of the Amazon. Volvo’s long-running B-Series engine fi rst made an appearance as the B4B in the PV444 with a 1414cc capacity.