Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a cargo area cover for a 245, much like those found on newer SUV's which keep people from seeing whats underneith. If anyone has transplanted a retractable one out of a later model SUV I'd like to know.

Second, has anyone installed speakers along the sides of the rear seat, behind the door in those vinyl covered areas along the seat. They look like they might fit my 6.5" Alpines.

Thanks
Rob K
Raleigh, NC
'87 245 DL

I have 4" speakers in the position you mention. It looks like you could maybe fit 4" x 6" speakers in there but would require some decent customizing.

When I get around to getting some decent speakers (the fully enclosed kind that would typically mount behind the back seats in a sedan), I plan to mount them on the roof with magnets. My neighbor drives a GMC Safari cargo van and has some nice speakers mounted with magnets. Works great. And if you need to haul some big cargo and the speakers interfere, jusr disconnect the wires and pull them off the roof.

The security cargo covers are availabel at VolvoWorld.com. They are new OEM kits but seem a bit on the spendy side - $200+.


-Steve in Minneapolis
1987 245DL 243k

Those speakers could come off in a frontal collision and become dangerous missiles for the people inside. Is there a way to prevent this? This problem is easy to overlook. It is in my mind right now because I watched a TV program this week in which a woman talked about nearly being killed when she had a wreck with unsecured tools flying around inside the car.

I was thinking of your mentioned saftey issue while I was posting that post, but ignored it. So now thinking about it again in response to your post, the speakers could be attached to mounting blocks that are TEK screwed into a roof cross brace bar thing. The speakers could be keyholed, or secured by some other simple locking mechanism, that would still allow for a speedy dismount in the event of cargo carrying interference. I think I shall pursue this idea some more...

Thanks for helping keep us safe.


-Steve

I'm pretty sure there is one for sale on ebay right now...check in the page 7,8,9 area...
--
'90 245 DL 253K M47

Volvo made just such an optional gizmo for the 240. It was much like a window shade, and you could remove it when the rear seat was lowered for carrying large loads.

I have one somewhere in my junk pile that'll be installed in one of my 245s someyear.
--
Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Mine actually has a Volvo-made retractable cover. It slides into
slots mounted just aft of the rear seat back, and hooks onto
hooks bolted to the rear pillars beside the tailgate opening. The
installation looks stock, though I don't know if it actually is.
The car is an '88 240DL.
.
-b.

I had 4" speakers in those exact spots when I purchaced my wagon. Not sure if you could fit the bigger ones though...

The cargo area cover sounds like a rare thing, something worth looking for in the scrap yards.....or E-bay.

Jay
84 245 GLTi 227k