volvomania wrote:Sorry I need to say there are 4 versions of the car, not 3.
As not to many early cars remain it is a mistake often made.
Differences can be found in body, brake system, gearbox, interior and engine.

You're right volvomania, the differences between an '77 MY and a '78 MY car are so great, that you can speak of a whole new "phase" of car from '78 to '81. I guess most people tend to see mainly the exterior differences, and at least from the outside the biggest changes came in '82 (different front) and '85 (different back, bigger bumpers).

antiekeradio wrote:never ending discussion, it seems.

interesting to see that the brown and black dashboards have been sold concurrently.
did that brown versions still have the pushbuttons?

The parts catalogue isn't much help here ...

Tom

Found this on Retro Rides earlier... compares the Daf 77 prototype vs the Mk1 343

SteveP wrote:compares the Daf 77 prototype

correction; "a" prototype rather than "the" prototype.

in this stage there were still 3 or 4 design versions in the running.
The later (more definitive) version was exactly the same as the 343, except for the grille and bumpers, and some other minor details.

SteveP wrote:Found this on Retro Rides earlier... compares the Daf 77 prototype vs the Mk1 343

Nice comparison!

trabitom99 wrote:

antiekeradio wrote:interesting to see that the brown and black dashboards have been sold concurrently.
did that brown versions still have the pushbuttons?

The parts catalogue isn't much help here ...

Tom

Actually, the parts catalogue is a help, you just need to look properly If the black dash was available from early '78 on (acc. to Volvomania), the pushbuttons would've been phased out before black became available.

Some geeky info here, straight from the parts cat:

< CH 338990 (up to around June / July 1977)
pushbuttons for headlights, heated r. screen, foglights (no mention of colour differences)
in brown dash type 1

CH 338990 - 388000 (June / July '77 to Sep '78)
rocker switches and rotary switch (lights)
in brown or black dash type 1

> CH 388000 (MY 1979-)
different rocker / rotary switch arrangement again
in black dash type 2

##

< CH 388000 (MY 1976 - MY 1978)
brown or black dash type 1 ("DAF style")

> CH 388000 (MY 1979-)
black dash type 2 ("Volvo style")

Tom

antiekeradio wrote:

SteveP wrote:compares the Daf 77 prototype

correction; "a" prototype rather than "the" prototype.

in this stage there were still 3 or 4 design versions in the running.
The later (more definitive) version was exactly the same as the 343, except for the grille and bumpers, and some other minor details.

Do you mean this one?

nomead wrote:

EDIT: you can see the early pushbuttons in that pic too ...
Tom

antiekeradio wrote:

SteveP wrote:compares the Daf 77 prototype

correction; "a" prototype rather than "the" prototype.

I said 'the' mainly because I thought that the later one that Tom has pictured was an evolution of the one that I posted, which looks like an earlier design.

trabitom99 wrote: Do you mean this one?
EDIT: you can see the early pushbuttons in that pic too ...

well, the bumpers match with what I had in mind for the "last DAF-named but already very much alike 343" prototype.
If this thing is real it is even closer to the released version, still carrying DAF 77 designation. Must have been 1975?

A slightly earlier version of the front had the front of the grill strips flush with the headlights, and perhaps even more distinctive, only the bottom half as a grill. The edge of this area was supposed to have a similar Stainless steel trim as the headlight surroundings. optically, this makes the front of the car much lower, as there is a piece of smooth bodywork above the grille and partly between the headlights.

however, optical smoothness did not translate in decent Cw values. The protruding nose saved a remarkable 18% in wind drag....

antiekeradio wrote:If this thing is real it is even closer to the released version, still carrying DAF 77 designation. Must have been 1975?

nomead found that pic here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/thebear5454 ... ls19591976#

antiekeradio wrote:A slightly earlier version of the front had the front of the grill strips flush with the headlights, and perhaps even more distinctive, only the bottom half as a grill. The edge of this area was supposed to have a similar Stainless steel trim as the headlight surroundings. optically, this makes the front of the car much lower, as there is a piece of smooth bodywork above the grille and partly between the headlights.

however, optical smoothness did not translate in decent Cw values. The protruding nose saved a remarkable 18% in wind drag....

Interesting! Do have any pictures of that one somewhere?

Tom

they exist.... not sure where i saw them though..

There's a picture of it here: http://gromsoun.cloud.prohosting.com/autos/daf77.htm (scroll down to about two thirds of the page, it's the black and white one with a 'Nedcar' credit on it)

I have serious doubts about the authenticity of that DAF 77 leaflet shown here. The chrome inserts on the bumpers are just a part-coloured bit, clearly diverging from the other bumper lines, added very crudely in MS Paint or something. The doorhandles on the white and blue car do not match, and the DAF-style gearknob had already been replaced by then in the DAF 66 and 46, so 1974 at the latest. I'd figure a final stage prototype would already have the definitive gear selector, ie the PRND as found in the Volvo 66.

Maybe just ask John de Bruin who uploaded the pic to Picasa ... Would people make the effort to "hoax" a DAF 77 prototype?

I'll ask our Photoshop expert at work tomorrow, he'll definitely be able to tell if the picture's been tampered with.

Tom

volvomania wrote:Sorry I need to say there are 4 versions of the car, not 3.
As not to many early cars remain it is a mistake often made.
Differences can be found in body, brake system, gearbox, interior and engine.
#######
# Mk1 #
#######

Totally agree with this, having been lucky enough to have a true mark one (and unlucky enough to loose it ) There are quite a few differences between that car and the 1980 "MK 1" I've just got hold of. I think the confusion is because we are giving
basically the same shape of car Mark numbers when they are all the same body shell. When you talk about Mk1, Mk 2 Mk 3 etc Ford Escorts for example they are all different shapes and easier to tell apart.

Another difference I've noticed is that the true Mk 1 has non opening rear windows... a fact I remember from those long hot summers of the late 1970's as a child, couped up in the back, either gasping for fresh air or blasted by the front window being down (I'm I right in thinking the mid 80's models went back to that for a while? I think my dads 85 340 has fixed rear windows)

Hell Driver wrote:
Another difference I've noticed is that the true Mk 1 has non opening rear windows...

really??

thats a nice feature.

On 3drs it depends on trim level for late cars (sod, it, I'll say mk3's, as that's still the current convention even if wrong ) No idea about earlier though.

sure; L = no folding windows, DL did have them