My trunk lid has nothing to hold it up. I don't see any place for a prop, but the hinges look like they might have had some torsion bar springs at one time.

Can anyone enlighten me?

ANYONE GOT A SPARE SET? :-)

Go to www.volvoclub.ch/Rohdaten/Anslagbrett/Kofferraumdeckel.htm. It's a long story and in German, but the picture that goes with it pretty much tells it all. If you want a translation of the key parts of the story, e-mail me, and I'll take a crack at it.
Bob S.

OK, it looks like I've missed the little 'ratchet' on the hinge. I'll go out and look at that later today.

Meanwhile, the German solution of installing a gas cylinder is really elegant and solves all the problems.

Does that article say what cylinders were used? I guess I can climb inside and measure the 'closed' length, then measure the 'open' length. I just hope the wife doesn't turn the latch on me! :-)

This has been a great help!

Now to post my next question...flex fan or not?

Steve - SoCal

The brand of the gas struts is Stabilus "Gasfedern" = gas strut or gas spring. The extension amounted to 205 mm with (including?) an 8 mm angle swivvel bracket. Pressure on the thing was 200 N, whatever "N" means. The Part number is 083739 03-08-205/0200 N, and they cost 52 Swiss franks a piece. The writer, Michael Krarup, says he used struts on both hinges because he got too much twist and too much of a gap with just one. (Don't call it a "German solution", the Swiss are rather sensitive in that regard ;-)) I tried to google up some more info, but didn't really come up with anything more enlightning.

If this winter turns out to be as long as the last one, I might get around to doing the conversion myself, probably starting at Napa to see if I could find something suitable.
Bob S.

"N" usually means Newtons, which is the metric unit for force similar to the foot-pound....just fyi

Man! Is his a great Board or isn't it? The agglomerated knowledge available is simply astounding and more than compensates for occasional displays of ignorance - mostly mine :-( Thanks for the input.
Bob S.

There should be a ratchet mechanism on the driver's side hinge of your trunk. The hinge gets bent sometimes and the catch no longer engages in the ratchet. I tried to straighten mine out and had it rewelded with marginal success. Should have tested a little better before having it welded. One day (after the lid hits me in the head a couple more times) a strut is going to get fitted in there.

Joe M

I use the ultra high-tech method of a cut-to-fit stick to hold the trunk lid up. Those latch mechanisms are notorious for sucking.
--Ethan
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'64 PVMoneypit, '93 945 Turbo

Even when they work the leverage of the entire trunk lid hanging on one corner inevitably bends down that turnk mount, eventually resulting on the top left corner of the trunk sitting out from the body (and leaking water if you let it get bad enough). A firm shove is enough to adjust it, but surely if you do that enough times you'll get cracks.
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I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.

Yep, particularly when someone who doesn't understand that you have to lift the lid first to disengage the ratchet tries to slam it closed for you.

I can't recall how many times the latching arm on our old 140 wagon got buckled by people accustomed to gas-cylinder supported hatches. Finally gave into convention and installed another cylinder on that side.
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I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.