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Originally Posted by RedArrow
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That one looks like the other 1980 models I have seen, and like the '80 wagon I had. Contemporary road tests in US publications from when the diesel Volvos first came out in '80 also show cars that look like this one, with quad rectangular headlamps and clear corners, unlike the round lamps and clear corners shown on the car here.
I think the Canadian market theory could be the right explanation, if we have two members that have round-headlight 1980 cars, one in Canada and the other near the border in northeastern US. There were quite a few other examples of Canadian trim packages being significantly different from the US Volvo models, and sometimes even getting engine options we never had here (B23E, B21A for example).
If that is true, it would mean that the Canadian market 1980 diesels were sold in 240 trim while in the US they were in 260 series trim. Similar things happened with considerably different US and Canadian versions of the "240 GL" gas model right around this same year so I wouldn't be surprised if it were the case. It's also possible it started life with US spec quad squares and someone swapped on the round front end, but now that I look closer I see 240 spec mirrors and some other differences also, so it would have had to be a very determined and thorough effort to convert a 260 to 240, which I doubt anyone would have cared to do. I would bet it was built this way from the factory and was imported and federalized at some point.
markgiunta, out of curiosity if you look at the build plate on the passenger side shock tower under the hood, does it show a 240 or 260 body code? Or does it have 245 or 265 in the VIN? Say anything about Canadian safety/pollution standards, any French labeling, etc? Would be interesting to see a picture of the tag.
In any case it only makes your car more unusual and interesting if it has a Canada-special trim configuration.
Hope the trivia discussion doesn't bother you, you're helping us all learn something new here.