In 1976 I visited to "Volvo Competition Service" (later R-Sport) in Gothenburg, Sweden. That time they were rally crossing in European Championship with an ugly 343. The engine was a Renault 1.4L turbo about 250hp, which wasn't enough to win.
Then I saw this on the table:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/mrtee7/R-Sport/V-B19-16V-RallyCrossProto-1976.jpg
THAT looked like a REAL racing motor. And 100% Swedish one (well... almoust 100% Swedish... rumour has it that the head was designed by Swiss Mario Illien - same as man behing ILMOR/MB/McLaren F1 engines). My host, Mr Andersson, said it'll be the ERC winner engine - and he was right! When ready it looked like this:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/mrtee7/R-Sport/V-B19-16V-RallyCross.gif
Volvo made two different models; One straight-up for 343 and one slanted for 240. For FIA homo reasons they marked blocks "B19" for 343 and "B23" for 240. Both were 2.3 liters.
Later they punched them out to 2.8, 3.0 and rumour has - even 3.3 liters! The ERC winning engine was 3.0 liter and turbocharged. Hp figures were 350-500, dep the boost and who you asked!
Pär Inge "PI" Walfridson (Peter Solberg's wife's, Pernilla's, father) won the ERC in 1980. In 1981 he was 3rd. 343s were spectacular where ever they raced them; rallycross, hill climb, ice racing, rally sprint and so on. The engine was, and is, awesom!
This was a time VOLVO was an exciting, fun and forward looking car company. Even their ugliest car (343)
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/mrtee7/R-Sport/V-R-sport-343-B21-1.jpg, was more exciting than anything now. They fucked up by connecting drive to wrong wheels and lost the company to Wall Street pinstripes and bean counters. No wonder they look like jellybeans now...
One of these 3.0L turbos (I was told it was 3.0L but who knows...) came to the States. Dwayne Baldwin had it and drove 240 to 5th overall at Reno International Rally in 1981.
I always wanted one and now, 39 years later, I got one! And it's brand new, too.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/mrtee7/R-Sport/B23-16V-Top-1.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/mrtee7/R-Sport/B23-16V-Top-2.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/mrtee7/R-Sport/B23-16V-Header-1.jpg
- RWD rocks -