Went to local volvo boneyard today looking for rear hatch panel as mine is completely missing on my daughters project car. They had a couple of marching panels from a V70, are they the same panel? Will the gas struts fit also?

Unrelated but i purchased some sway bar bushings and it looks like mine are not made to be replaced, was that something they changed? Do I just have to replace the whole bar and use replaceable brkts and bushings, these are a pain to get to.

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/topic/25473-850-sway-bar-replacement/

As far as the hatch goes, I don't know. If you wind up getting new hatch struts, get OE struts. The cheaper aftermarket struts just don't work right - lesson learned.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Yep, lear ed that lesson. Almost got a divorce a few years back when replaced the struts on our 940 wagon with aftermarket and it fell and hit my wife in the head!

BTW - I called the dealer about the hatch panel and what I found out was that the hatch sheet metal has the same p/n and he couldn't confirm the inner panel because different colors have different p/n's. Thinking that if the sheet metal is the same then the mounting should be the same. Don't know if brake lights or wiper parts changed that could affect the fit.

If the sheet metal is the same, the panels will inter change. Go for it! Unfortunately, my P&P would charge me the same for the panel as the complete hatch. $30. For what it is worth, the top rear lights swap, but not the bottom. If you do swap the top lights, you will need orange turn signal bulbs.

Which reminds me, mine rattles like crazy and I need to take it off and really fix it.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

My salvage yard specializes in only Volvos and some Volkeswagons in addition to doing service work on the same. I'm going to get the panel this week and a used PS pump and will let you know what happens. I love getting my hands dirty again...