I have a 1989 740 non-turbo sedan which has twin headlights. In 1990, they changed the front and use a single headlight. Can I convert my 1989 to the 1990 look or would I need a whole new grille? Also are the inside door panels compatible between 1989 and 1990 and between sedan and station-wagon? Lastly what alloy wheels will be compatible with the steel wheels on my 1989? Thanks, hope you know more than I do.

 

I think a lot changed when the headlights changed, like radiator location and size. But I'm not too sure. You would definitely need the 1990 grill. I almost think that the hood lines are different. I remember the 1990 year being a very unique year. I don't think a lot of stuff is compatible with later year after 1990 too, when it comes to the front lights, grill and that area. I actually don't know for sure. I think the door panels are pretty much the same, but they could have changed connectors and such. The door metal should be identical, so I would think that they would at least be able to fit on the door with the right connectors, or just as is. Any rear wheel drive Volvo wheels should fit your car. The front wheel drive wheels can fit too if they have spacers added. They just have a different offset. Rear wheel drive wheels don't fit on front wheel drive Volvos. Dracos (15") were stock alloy wheels for the turbo. Geminis (16") where the offered, but are rare. Hydras (16") were common on 90's+ turbo cars. I think you can fit 14" Coronas one them, but it may interfere with the brakes. Pretty much any 15" or larger will fit. I'm not sure about 18" Pegasus since they are so wide, but I have seen 700 series cars with them.

 

You cannot swap front ends, '89 to '90, wayyy too much trouble!
Door panels, should swap just fine.
Wheels, you should have ABS so only 15" and up...

 

the later FWD volvos used a different wheel offset, 40 or 45mm ET, while the classic RWD 2x0/7x0/9x0 used a 20-25mm ET, so if you use FWD wheels like the Pegasus, the wheels will be too far 'inboard', unless you use a 20mm spacer, which is a pain each time you install/remove the wheels.

I wouldn't go bigger than 16", your ride will really suffer. I have Hydra's on my 745T



re: grills and headlights... the 1990 was a one-of transition year, they changed again on 1991, they *LOOK* the same but there's subtle differences in the grill, and headlight surround and fenders (the 1991/1992 740's are really 940's). AFAIK, to use the new stuff on a 1989, you'd need a 940 grill, and all the bits around the headlights, and the fenders. anyways, the US version of the single rectangular lights suck, they are plastic and yellow in a few years and cloud up after that, and they have a lousy light pattern.

if you can find them, the E-codes for 1989 and earlier years would be a better conversion. you'll need the turn signals, headlight surrounds, and the e-code lights themselves, but the grill and fenders and hood should line up perfectly.

the 'new' larger radiator came in with the 1992's, at least in turbo configuration, along with electric fan only. the 1990 and 1991 still used the older smaller radiator with a mechanical fan.

 

I always learn so much here. It's interesting how much information we can pull together. What year is your car Pierce?

 

mine is a 1992, 740 turbo ... for all practical purposes, its a de-featured 940

 

Thanks for all the great information guys. I knew you would know more than I do! I think I can live with my headlights and grille for now but I'd sure like to replace the steel wheels with alloys. I looked on eBay and the prices are insane so I think I'll try the local junkyards. I would have thought with the number of 240's and 740's that have been scrapped, wheels would now be cheap. I saw some wheels on eBay that looked real nice. I think they were called 'Virgo' wheels and were from some 240 models. Would they fit the 740? I also like the ones I've seen on 240's that look like they have about 20 'spokes'. I'm not into big wheels so I want to stick with the standard sizes.

 

here's all the classic volvo 2xx/7xx/9xx wheels.
Volvo 200/700/900 Alloy Wheels

a 740 with ABS should be able to use any 15 or 16" just fine, 14" will probably scrape the brake caliber.

the Nova (new) 15" wheels are very nice wheels, found on many earlier 960s (1991-1994). they ride well.

draco were common on turbo 740s. corona are common on later 240s, I think they'll scrape. derseus were common on 740s, but I think they suck (really ugly without the big steel plate cap).

with the 16" hydra, you run a 205/55-16, and its a perfect match. my car came with Aries (2 were bent), they took 195/60-15 on a 1992 740 wagon.

 

I usually look to pay $100 for a set of Hydras with usable rubber. Not impossible, Craiglist gets them now and then.
Virgos came on 240 Turbos, they are 15", and should fit but if you go with 15" better go with Dracos which came standard on 740 Turbos 1986-1989. 1990 740 had Hydras, 1991 740 Turbos went back to Dracos for cost reasons. 1992 740T are only wagons and came with 15" Aries, which are ugly, 740NA normally had steel wheels with caps or Aries...

 

Aries also bend easily, I sold my two straight Aries to a guy who had... 2 bent ones.

here in the greater SF Bay Area, a set of 4 straight Hydras is probably more like $200, and they most likely won't have good tires on them

 

If I run across a set for $100 Hydras, I buy them, needed or not... I do have two extra sets right now. But $200 is pretty much the going rate...

 

I guess my last post exploded as I tried to insert an image and it choked. Can't I upload an image from my PC rather than a hosting site (I don't have one)? Any way I tried to post a pic of a wheel I really like, its from a 780 and has a kind of wire-wheel look with criss-crossed spokes. The guy selling it has only one. Are these rare? Its on eBay 1989 Volvo 780 Original Wheel and Tire | eBay

 

The multi-X I believe. It may prove hard to find others just because they were on the 780, which is a really rare car.

So Lev, the Hydras were more expensive to produce?

 

I don't know about production costs--but a 16" is usually pricier than a 15"... And Volvo went to the Draco in 1991 after a Hydra in 1990 as a cost saving measure. Who knows what the real costs are? I don't believe Volvo manufactured any of those wheels in house--they are stamped Made in Germany or in Norway, or in Italy... Like most parts on a Volvo, they are sourced from all over. I believe the Red Block motor is the most Swedish thing on these cars.
The MultyX is rare but I don't like busy wheels--too hard to clean... I like the Hydras the best, better even than the Geminis of which I do have a set on my '92 GL... I hear how desirable the Geminis are, but nobody shells out the cash...

 

the multi-X were, afaik, only used on the turbo 780 bertones, of which only a few 1000 were made total. the V6 780s used the nova/sirius wheel

 

Just found out the 780 turbo wheel (Mult-X as you call them) are 15x7 rather than 15x6 so they would need a bigger tire 205/65-15 instead of 185/65-15. Do you think this would be a problem? Are there any other brands that would fit. I heard Saab wheels use the same bolt pattern but I don't know about the offset. I also found out that almost all the cars at the junkyard are stripped of their wheels. I guess they sell them all to the tire/wheel shops who mark up the prices. The only cars that seem to still have wheels are those with wheel locks and I have no idea how I would remove those. One more question, the VIN of my 740 indicates made in Ghent, Belgium. Are they all made there or are there any Swedish ones?

 

the standard tires on my 740 15" were 195/60-15, these can be mounted on 17" wide rims (although 6" is considered nominal).

195/60-15 is 24.2" in diameter, 862 turns/mile
205/65-15 are 24.7" in dia, 844 turns/mile
185/65-15 are 24.4" and 851 turns/mile


ah, 185/65-15 are only for 6.5" max width, nominal 5.5".

 

Saab wheels don't fit.
The junkyards sell the wheels for scrap--the alloy prices are super high. Removing the locks at the JY is not easy without power tools...
A lot of 740/940 were Made in Belgium, a few in Canada--hard to tell the difference as the quality is the same. 940s were also made in Thailand but I have never seen one. Doubt any made it to North America.

 

Ok guys, here's another wheel that I like. It says it's off of an early 90's 960. Supposed to be 25mm offset.
1992-1994 Volvo 960 15" 70173 - All Factory Wheels
Some guy in Connecticut has a set at $30 each but I'm in Arizona.

 

I think thats the 940 Aries wheel.



early 960's virtually ALL had the Nova wheel,


but yes, those will certainly work.