Would a cowl plate (sheet metal between windshield and hood) from a 740 fit a 940? For some reason most 940's are rusting there but 740's do better, and I am planning a trip to a "pick and pull" that has 740's.

As one of the other posters suggested, take your cowl off and take it to the pick and pull.

When you put the new cowl on, notice what holds the grille in place. I'ts just black goo. I used 8 small zip ties the same color as the cowl to hold the grille on better than stock. I had one fall off!
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2 8s & 2 7s 600,000 miles total

it does a body good. I caulked EVERYTHING in the cowling area, and its never givien me a probelm. Just take the cowling inside somwhere, flip it, caulk the edge around the vent openeing, and then just stick the screens on.

While your at it, caulk the plastic guard over the blower to the metal below the windshield... this uses the useless goo as well and pulls away with time.

-rt

the cowl plate on my 745 is, I believe, aluminum. At least it has teh same feel and look (white in the worn spots where tehre might be rust) as the tailgate does, and I know the tailgate is aluminum.

perhaps the 900 uses steel there instead of aluminum, causing the difference? on a sidenote my cowling, sunroof, and tailgate are NOTICEABLY more worn (different paint color, etc.) than the rest of teh car. I think this also has something to do with teh fact that aluminum doesn't hold a paint job as well as steel or something. They just look way more faded that the other parts of the car.

-rt

You could be right about the aluminum, with reverting to steel for the 940 being a cost reduction for what, by 1994, was the "entry level" Volvo. If it's true and the 740 item fits, then all the better because I know I have a good primer for aluminum (from the 745 tailgate experience) and my record at fixing up rusty steel parts is spotty, so to speak.

And yes, until about 1990 or so, Volvo did not know how to get paint to stick to aluminum. My secret is "Mar-Hyde" self-etching primer.

as long as you get the cowling off a later model 700 I think you should be good. I can't speak definitively, but I seem to remember that the earlier volvos had a flatter and less rounded cowling than the later models.

yes, I wish my brick were more alum and less steel. While the paint would probably be failing all over my brick (1985), at least it wouldn't have the various rust spots in all those little nooks and crannies. I could even sand it down and just clear coat the aluminum! now THAT wopuld be slick, although I might pose a serious danger to other diver's on a sunny day... ;)

-rt

I'm not at all sure, but I would think there is a good chance, especially if it is from a 91 or later 740. If it's easy, pull yours off and take it to the pick-n-pull with you.