Last week, I obtained a triple gauge bezel assembly through an ebay seller. The plan is to move the radio down and install gauges in the radio's original location. Question is: How do the gauges attach to the bezel assembly? The bezel assembly doesn't have any clamping fixtures with it. Should there be some to attach to the plastic assembly? The triple gauge bezel that I have probably came from a mid 80s turbo. I'm planning on installing it into my 93.

A related question: From ebay, I also found a flat plate adapter to move the radio from top center to the bottom center dash location where currently there is a catch-all tray. The plate adapter seems to be for the older style radios with small dial and a knob on each side of it. If you know which plate I'm describing, can this plate be modified to use with the original 93 radio which only has one knob on left and the rest button controls? There is a rectangular outline molded into the plate. Should the plastic material inside of this rectangle be cut out for the later style of radios?

Thanks in advance for any tips and pointers.

There is a specific kit especially for the lower mounting location. The plate you have won't work with the radio you have. It's worth the few bucks for the kit.

Second, there is an amplifier mounted to the lower junk box. It's behind it, and it doesn't have another place to live since the 93 has ABS brakes, with the ABS module and fuel pump relays taking up the former home of the amplifier.

Basically, if you want to do it right, you have to chuck the amp and get an aftermarket DIN head unit to go in the lower dash. I've played these games before (several times) and the Volvo radios are not very good to begin with. The amp just complicates matters more than it is worth to have it. With a good aftermarket unit you can just rip the amplifier out--most aftermarket units have far more power than the Volvo amp gives you anyway.

The upper gauges theoretically require no special mounting. There are/should be rubber mounting feet that hold the gauges in place in the mount. If you don't have the metal mounts that screw onto the back of the gauges, wrap the hidden perimeter of the gauges in electrical tape until they fit tightly, and it's done. There's more than one way to get the job done, just be creative.

I have a picture of exactly that conversion in a '91, which has the same radio setup and under dash ABS unit as a 93--hence the same problems remounting the radio. The gauges came from my old, old 240GL wagon and have followed me in one car or another, until today.

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chris herbst, five volvos.

Crutchfield supplies a nice mounting kit for cheap. They're the best IMHO. Maybe this is the time to upgrade to a CD player. Ditch those tapes!
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'86 245 DL Volvo Blue/ Blue Vinyl M46

You need the 3 little aluminum brackets and 6 knurled nuts. Should be easy to get, but they should have come wiht your gauges or with the trim pieces. Any car audio place that is not completely out to lunch should have or get teh Volvo radio mounting kit. $20 and it does a bunch of different 240 and 700 installations.