Hey, all you experts out there. Got a question. I have an '86 240 DL sedan (picture attached). I'm thinking about changing the grill around a bit. I think I maybe wanna go with the euro-style black plastic round light covers and the longer, skinnier grill. But then in my searching I found this, which would be a little funkier if it would work:
http://www.philseed.com/images/volvo-142-bw-1971.jpg

Wondering if I could retrofit this kinda grill assembly onto my car This is a '71 142. Does it bolt in with the same plastic bolt and springs that the 240s use? And will it fit within a degree of accuracy? Slight modifications are okay, as long as it doesn't come out looking too contrived. I'm sure everyone will know what it is and that it isn't original and I'm totally cool with that, but I don't want it to look hacked.

Anyway I'm new here, and this 240 is a project of mine so I'm sure I'll be asking a lot of questions.

 

I'm pretty sure 140 front end parts won't work on a 240 flathood (1970s models), never mind a late 240 with the extended hood.

early 240 flathood:


note that the front edge of the early flathood is a straight line, and doesn't have the center protrusion of the later fathood(*) version (which, in Europe, was used originally on the 260 'luxury' model, but was put on all US models starting in the early 80s).

here's a flathood with the early euro lights:


and here's a hump-hood with the later euro lights.





(*) I have no idea what the 'official' name for the late model hood is.

 

"here's a flathood with the early euro lights:"
what year is this grill?

 

Well I bought the headlight covers from a 1976 Volvo 242, and had to work with them a little but they fit. My next question is this: The oem '86 grille doesn't extend out to the headlights. I knew they wouldn't, but I'm wondering if the '76 (which is available for purchase) grille is wider from left to right than the 86, or did the later 240s just get wider?

 

a 76 was probably a flathood, which didn't stick out like the later hoods did. if you look at my pics above, yeah, the older grill was wider, and didn't protrude. if you put that older style grill on a newer car, the grill won't be flush with the end of the hood, unless you can find a flathood. oh, I'm not sure the fenders are compatible, someone else will have to chime in there.

 

I'm not too concerned with it being flush with the top of the hood. My 86 has a protrusion hood so it won't for a fact. I'm really more concerned with whether or not the inside edges of the headlight covers and the outside edges of the grille will come together like the 76 ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting note the lack of space between the headlight brackets and the grille. That's what I'm looking for

 

Here's a better picture of what I'm talking about.

 

if you look at the second car in my previous post, with the smaller euro lights on the flathood, that was the /original/ configuration in Europe. your last picture is the US version of that, single round headlight with a flathood. you can see, that grill is a lot wider than the later 'hump hood' grills.



I dunno if that wide grill will fit on the mounting points of the later humpnose car or not.

 

These kinds of projects unless done well, seem to always turn out pretty cheesy in the end, destroying the car. Doing it "well" unfortunately is costly, and requires more than the car would be worth.