Best of course to avoid the original design that was half metal where the brown bakelite-looking plastic eventually got brittle and the neck would snap. A few places seem to still sell this design under the MTC brand name.
The newer Volvo all black plastic design is far better and does not have a bad reputation. They're solidly built and don't look like the necks will get brittle and break anytime soon. To see what the genuine parts looks like, check out Volvo p/n 1259327 at FCPEuro (https://www.fcpeuro.com/Parts/?keywords=1259327). Note that FCPEuro (and others) also carry an identical looking one sold under the ProParts (Professional Parts) Sweden brand name that is considerably cheaper, less than half the Volvo price. It very much looks OEM quality (as claimed on some sites), and is quite possibly from the same manufacturer Volvo uses. I have used the ProParts ones twice now and am totally happy with them. FCP, with their lifetime gauarntee, learned long ago not to carry inferior quality aftermarket parts and would have stopped selling them if they thought they were a problem. The same design is sold under other brand names, but I can't attest to them being 100% identical.
Note that the vacuum line attachment is at a different orientation from the original, pointing downwards. Volvo has a 90 degree rubber elbow that's meant for the job. I bought one and didn't need it, in fact it didn't fit snugly, leastwise on the ProParts one. What I've done is simply use the original rubber sleeve and turn it around to get a snug fit on the nipple, perhaps adding a drop of RTV part way down the vacuum line to help secure it from accidentally being pulled off (do not get any in the vacuum tube itself). The existing vacuum line will be a bit short for the job, so in order to prevent it from kinking I slip a rubber tube over it for added support at the bend.
For your emergency kit, I advise getting a couple of suitably sized barbed plastic plugs from a plumbing store (used with PVC/PEX). In case of a heater valve, heater hose or heater core failure, you can cut out the heater valve and the neighboring return line from the heater core and simply plug them. The pressure isn't that great so a properly sized barbed plug will hold, but if you're smart you'll pack a couple of ring clamps in your kit for safe measure.
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Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
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