Raven42 I think we are all glad you were able to complete the task. To answer your question regarding the duct tape--no, Volvo does not use duct tape to secure a clutch cable. Someone used what he/she had on hand. There should be a flat headed pin through the cable end with a small cotter pin inserted into a hole in the pin - or a split washer like clip that fits into a slot at the end of the pin (I'm not absolutely sure since I didn't even realize a 740 could be had with a clutch cable rather than a hydraulic system with a master and slave cylinder as I've seen in any standard shift 740 I've come across). Curiosity led me to take a look at the Rock Auto catalog and at least for 1989 they list both type systems. WHICH LEADS ME TO THIS NOTE -- one of the two cables listed had an excellent suggestion - to check that the motor had a proper ground cable attached to the body. The reason being that in the absents of a good ground the clutch cable can act as a ground itself and become brittle leading to failure. That happened to me with a Fiat -- after replacing a cable, failure followed shortly after. That led me to look further and I found no motor to body ground. With one installed the 2nd new cable lasted as expected.
BTW--according to the "Hitch Hikers Guide To The Universe" 42 is the answer to "life, the universe and everything". -- Dave