Early 140 front end sheet metal

Are the lower (behind bumper) sheet metal interchangeable on early 140's?

My '71 145 took a right-front hit long before I got it. The RF fender and sheet metal behind/below the bumper were replaced with non-original parts (the fender is an earlier low-arch), and the center piece doesn't have the vertical slits.

Certainly seems like it should bolt to the lower radiator support, but the holes on mine are not in the same places as the support, and there is a ~1/2" gap that someone filled with what looked more or less like caulk. A few years ago I took it apart, scraped the caulk stuff out, then put everything back together with the gap and no bolts.

This is my front end (I promise it's a '71, just has an early grill):
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Can sort of see how things don't meet up in front of the radiator.
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It also doesn't follow the bumper line exactly, though I think I've seen a few other 140's that look similar:
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Mine doesn't have the vertical slits that I believe a '71 should have. I believe this photo (not my car) shows the correct one.
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Did Volvo change the shape and bolt spacing between different years?

My 71 142E has the slits in front if that helps. As for the bumper, might just need to re-align as there is about an inch of play if I remember correct.

Seems to me that the front part of the frame is twisted.

1971 is first year of the x-flow radiator & air pickup (slits) front metal.

Plan accordingly.

Not such an easy piece of metal to find anymore; '71-'72 only before the giant cutouts for the front shock rubber cover deals ‘73 & ‘74.

Have a spare '71-'72 front filler panel painted white that has the usual little tow sling/parking ballard dent & 50-year-old 140 antique surface rust starting at the edges, but workable & local.

Air pickup and good x-flow radiator with a good clutch on the original yellow fan & updated pedestal or OE flex fan works well on the 140s.

The top-bottom '67-'70 radiator struggles a lot more to keep up climbing hills with the car fully loaded.

Sold the good high-cut fender and most of the good Early 140 bumpers / rubber trim where the studs weren’t so rusty you could get them apart and front metal to someone that had a front end oops who’s the original owner of a 71 142S.

Guy was happy to have it / upstanding citizen / civilian / not on TB & a lowlife criminal / ingrate

Someone probably really had to molest yours to jam the x-flow radiator (if it was still good after the wreck?) back in after a front end oops if they didn’t backdate to the top-bottom rad to go with that early front filler panel accordingly (presumably they had a '69 & earlier parts donor or something?). I could definitely see the scenario being likely that the radiator's good/car runs and whoever did the body work didn't want to mess with the mechanicals/didn't know and just made it look acceptable being a cheap car likely to have a weirdo volvo owner that either wants to keep roaching it down forever or fixed it on the cheap knowing 140s didn't have much resale value in the day anyway.

I’ve seen mis-match high & low cut fenders on 140s a bunch of times by cheapass 140 owners when they were fully depreciated and younger and you could just go find one in your color and bolt it in.

Wasn’t aware the filler panel bolts were in different spots for the fenders, just the difference to accommodate the radiator that goes with it.

That said, they’re prone to rust there like the old mopars (tire sprays right next to the bolts/sharp sheetmetal edge) between fender/filler panel/radiator support there..

They don’t have the piping like a vw bug fender, but there should be a sort of body sealer gray putty/goop that’s all dried out when you change one out often times many moons later .

OttoB said:

Seems to me that the front part of the frame is twisted.

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I hear ya, but the gap and holes and everything are at least symmetric from side to side.

Kjets On a Plane said:

71+ is first year of the x-flow radiator & air pickup (slits) front metal.

Plan accordingly.


Have a spare painted white front filler panel from a ‘72 that has a little dent but is workable If you’re in the mood to do surface rust abatement and paint-less dent repair In Portland...

Air pickup and good x-flow radiator with a good new clutch on the original fan or flex fan works well on the 140s.

Someone probably really had to molest yours to jam the x-flow Rad back in after a front end oops if they didn’t backdate to the top-bottom rad...

I’ve seen mis-match high & low cut fenders on 140s a bunch of times by cheapass 140 owners when they were Fully depreciated and younger and you could just go find one in your color and bolt it in.

Wasn’t aware the filler panel bolts were in different spots.
That said, they’re prone to rust there like the old mopars (tire sprays right next to the bolts/sharp sheetmetal edge.

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This is my radiator set up. It cools very well in all conditions. Obviously there's some misalignment with the hood support, slam panel, and radiator. Maybe that's a result of the older lower panel and cross-flow radiator?
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I am very interested in the spare 72 panel you have. It can't be in worse shape than what I've got now, and it would nice to take everything apart and take care of some rust anyway.

I'm going to pop the grill off today and measure the hole spacing on the car and the current panel.

That's the 71+ x-flow radiator there kludged back together with what appears to be '69 & earlier metal of various kinds. Mounting tabs on the radiator broken or cut off or something on the driver side there?

X-flow works well when clean/in good repair and will last well/nearly indefinitely in our climate with distilled water & volvo coolant.

Just don't let the fan jump off the pedestal into it and ruin it (usually happens when the clutch gets all whooped out/starts spewing grease out the hub in cold weather) and locks the fan solid & the earlier allen-key non-keyed pedestal works loose. It vibrates/starts screeching/spinning on the hub and and starts working the bolt loose.

The later pedestal is keyed/tapered key that never works loose with a dab of loc-tite and has a much less irritating/more accessible to service hex-bolt to loosen with box end wrench with the radiator mostly in place.

Provided the fan clutch is any good and you don't rev it to the sky and give it a minute or two on a cold day to let the clutch fluid soften/warm at idle it'll last well...& if the blades aren't chewed/outta balance. Later yellow fans they updated the rivets on the blades, although I haven't seen one throw a blade. Watch your fingers!

Used to be able to buy the Holset clutch inexpensively from UK surplus places for the original yellow fan...you see surplus once in a while still online. Finding one of those that hasn't spewed its goo out the hub that feels pleasantly greasy/ smoothly slippery viscous and not like like gravel when you turn it in your hand has proven significantly more challenging of late in the last decade.

Happy supply large albatross metal or various 140 odds as needed, send PM if you wish.

Kjets On a Plane said:

That's the 71+ x-flow radiator there kludged back together with what appears to be '69 & earlier metal of various kinds. Mounting tabs on the radiator broken or cut off or something on the driver side there?

Happy supply large albatross metal or various 140 odds as needed, send PM if you wish.

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Cooling is not on the short list of mechanical issues with this car. It actually seems to run too cool... sits just below mid-way on the gauge sitting still at a stop light, then goes almost to the cool line whenever moving. No difference between summer and winter. Voltage stabilizer is new.

The radiator has tabs but they're bolted to the other side of the radiator support metal.
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It also has these ports on the passenger side. Transmission cooler? The car was originally automatic, but given it's history the radiator is likely not original.
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The whole front clip arrangement did change at 145 VIN ending in 61599, so I am guessing around '70 or perhaps with the intro of the cross flow radiator. I don't know what fit issues might exist associated with trying to interchange the early and late parts. Replacement lower valences for the up to 72 cars seem to still be available from Scandcar. However, I think the lower valence fit issue is just a symptom and its replacement is unlikely to solve anything (unless you just want the vertical slots). I might be inclined to go looking for a complete front end assembly if your objective deal with all the gaps and seam sealer issues.

142 guy said:

However, I think the lower valence fit issue is just a symptom and its replacement is unlikely to solve anything (unless you just want the vertical slots). I might be inclined to go looking for a complete front end assembly if your objective deal with all the gaps and seam sealer issues.

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Yeah, I think I wasn't considering the lower part as a single piece. I need the whole assembly that surrounds the radiator and headlights, and bolts to the inner fender wings and lower radiator support cross piece.

svinkle said:

Yeah, I think I wasn't considering the lower part as a single piece. I need the whole assembly that surrounds the radiator and headlights, and bolts to the inner fender wings and lower radiator support cross piece.

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So you'd be looking for a complete front clip, then.



(Example picture pulled off another post)

fatcatbestcat said:

So you'd be looking for a complete front clip, then.

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That is exactly what I need!

fatcatbestcat said:

So you'd be looking for a complete front clip, then.

Click to expand...

A front clip is hood, lower valance, headlight supports, filler and slam panels, fenders and all.

This is the hot mess I'm trying to address. Red arrows point to the holes in the lower cross piece.
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Other spots don't line up well either, like here behind the headlights.
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This whole assembly looks like it had already had a rough previous life before making its way to this car. The body is solid and not too beat up, so I'm hoping a correct year fresh(er) front clip will help line it up better in general, and that the changes they made ~70 included some geometry and mounting holes.

Redwood Chair said:

A front clip is hood, lower valance, headlight supports, filler and slam panels, fenders and all.

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Good point. Regardless, I need exactly what's in that photo.

Take a piece of string and check the front end for straightness, square and general dimensions. Use identical points and work across the front end (bottom of PS windshield to DS corner of fender, for example).

I suspect you have some frame damage, and should address that before anything else.

<c>

It was a pretty good crunch:
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The optimist in me says that visually, the damage is limited to the front of the inner fender wing, and stops before that reinforced part that goes up to the hinge area. I've had the crossmember out and it lines back up easily. Doors all shut fine, panel gaps are pretty 140-typical. Had it aligned at Trackside and everything checked out. I think there's not much point in knowing whether the frame is 100% straight, since I'm a cheapskate 140 owner and it's not like I'm going to pay to get it straightened .

Kjets was kind enough to deliver his '72 front valence assembly. We confirmed that the early and late pieces are different in shape and bolt hole spacing. The front radiator support/cross piece on the car has a different dip in the center, and the '72 valance matches perfectly.

Your car has definitely had more than a little love tap, but it's great that you found the piece you needed. Post pics of the work involved in swapping out front ends.

Out with the old:
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In with the couple-years-less-old:
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I did lots of test fitting and some hammering before painting the new piece, which required quite a lot of prep itself. All new screws and bolts from VP ("front mounting kit"), which was downright luxurious compared to reusing the old crap.

I decided to do the flat black because I think it looks cool, it's hard to clean behind the grille, and because I didn't want to waste $30/can spray paint from VP

The inner fender wing was pretty banged up at the front, and the front cross-piece was a little smooshed. The longitudinal frame sections were straight-edge straight, and everything bolted up pretty easily.