Greetings all!
Just thought I'd say Hello to you all, not quite sure why I've joined given that I have a 764 and a 262, but I did start my Volvo ownership with a 1981 345GL and progressed to a 360GLS before moving on to the bigger Volvos.
I have many happy memories of the 300's - the old 345 took lots of punishment including being hit by a Van, ramming a stag (male deer) at 65mph, and regular long motorway trips at 80-85mph (it topped out at 106 according to the speedo!). The 360 I had for 3 years and did 55k miles and it managed to survive an 18month spell of living in Ireland with their crappy roads.
I'm glad to see that there is group of people willing to keep interest in these much underated cars going, and wish you all the best!

P.S. As a Mk1 has the short bonnet, proud grille, big bumpers, round h/lights and original interior, the Mk2 the smoother front, new interior but with original style rear lights and the Mk3 the new rear lights and indicator repeaters in the bumper - What is a 1981 car with the newer front but the old interior?? A Mk1.5? or a Mk2/1???

i'm not sure when the interiors changed - i know there were 3 (possibly 4) generations of dash, and 2 interiors - think they changed in 81.. didnt know the origional bonnet was shorter though - maybe this is because they had no plans for the 1.7/2l options at this point?

I was only asking because my '81 345 had the Mk2 bodyshell but with the early style dash with the square instruments (it was 'X' registered so was reg'd between Aug and Dec '81) and I wondered if it was quite a rare beast. Sadly it is dead now.....

Good opportunity to summarize again:


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MK1 1976 > 1981

1976: first generation seats, brown dashboard (dashboard 1), orange needles, chrome mirrors




1977>78: second generation seats, black dashboard with some changes (dashboard 2), black mirrors




1979: new mirrors, indicator repeaters on the wings + new "volvo" badge on it, new instrument panel with white needles & dashboard changes (dashboard 3)





1980: new bumpers, new steering wheel & first B19 version





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MK2 1982 > 1985

1982: new front, new headlights and grille, third generation seats





1983: new dashboard (dashboard 4) and door panels





1984: new mirrors, new front windows



1985: Vdo instrument panel with leds, new heating system (dashboard 5)




_____________________________________________________________
MK3 1986 > 1991

1986: new bumpers and rear lights, new boot, indicator repeaters in the bumper, number plate screwed on the front spoiler (funny detail: the Volvo badge on the front wings is back!)




(there are pics from the dutch Volvo 300 club)

V6 Man wrote:P.S. As a Mk1 has the short bonnet, proud grille, big bumpers, round h/lights and original interior, the Mk2 the smoother front, new interior but with original style rear lights and the Mk3 the new rear lights and indicator repeaters in the bumper - What is a 1981 car with the newer front but the old interior?? A Mk1.5? or a Mk2/1???

It's a Mk1!

5lab wrote:i know there were 3 (possibly 4) generations of dash, and 2 interiors - think they changed in 81.. didnt know the origional bonnet was shorter though - maybe this is because they had no plans for the 1.7/2l options at this point?

No, there are 5 generations of dash! And 4 interior generations...

when did the volvo badge go??

In 1984 and 1985, no badge on the front wings...

fair enough. good overview chap, musta been alot of work

I see,
I had a Mk2's with the first style of interior, but the 3rd gen dashboard/instruments BUT it was definately registered in 1981 so it must have been one of the first Mk2's

i.e. this interior-


with this exterior-

possably when they were trying to use up bits from the parts bin, but had the new chassis or something

5lab wrote:musta been alot of work

True... An overview like that is interesting for the real Volvo 300 maniacs!

V6 Man wrote:I had a Mk2's with the first style of interior, but the 3rd gen dashboard/instruments BUT it was definately registered in 1981 so it must have been one of the first Mk2's

Yeah what I did was a global overview, variations are always possible!