This page could be found on VCNA's website but suddenly disappeared. Since we think it contains some useful information we have put a copy of it here on our website. Volvo 164 Club of Sweden, January 15, 2001.

PARTS FAMILIARIZATION WORKBOOK NO. 3 700 Section 3: Suspension/Body
Does anything above look familiar? If you remember Workbooks No. I and No. 2, probably more than a few of the parts do! Consider the following: The front suspension is similar to the 240/260 because of the spring/strut design. The rear suspension on all 1983-87 760/740 models is a unique "live axle" design exclusive to the SE models. Power-assisted rack and pinion steering is standard equipment on all models. These general statements need further explanation. The front suspension locates the lower ball joints, strut and control arms differently than the 240/260. Although the design is similar, not many parts are similar between the two cars. Bushings, strut-type shock absorbers and wheel bearings are typical replacement parts.
	The rear suspension on the 1983-87 models is still the proven and dependable live axle but with some important changes when compared to previous Volvo cars.
The unique design shown above and pioneered on the 700 creates excellent roadholding properties and stability. In a nutshell, the suspension parts that control the movement of the live axle have been fine tuned. The torque rods are now connected to a separate subframe -- not to the car body as on all other earlier cars. By the way that the rods are located, the twisting and pulsating forces from both the engine and the rear axle are controlled better. Rubber bushings are used to isolate the components from the car body. The axle assembly rides in two rear support arms that contain removable upper and lower bearings. The 760 Models have Nivomat shock absorbers as standard equipment that produce automatic leveling. This allows the car to maintain its normal level even when very heavily loaded. The Nivomats are available as an accessory on other 700s. All 1983-87 700 cars came equipped with aluminum alloy wheels. The 740 Models without a Turbocharged engine have a 5-inch wide by 14-inch diameter wheel (5.5 x 14) as standard equipment. The 760 and 740 Turbo models came equipped with 6-inch wide by 15-inch diameter wheels (6 x 15). The 15-inch wheels are available in a variety of styles. Body
	The 700 was first introduced in North America with the 1983 760 GLE sedan in the fall of 1982. The 740 models and the station wagon were first available in late '84/early '85 as 1985 models. The 780 (built in cooperation with the Italian company Bertone) was introduced to Volvo dealers in November of 1986 as a 1987 model.
Let's leave the 780 for the time being. More about it later. The 760/740 body design borrows from a tradition of sound design with particular attention to comfort and durability. The shape of the body was developed with the help of a wind tunnel. For many years, Volvo has used hot-dipped galvanized steel for certain sheet metal parts. This important feature was carried over to the 700s. Further rustproof ing include the expanded use of zinc-coated steel on the ENTIRE body (except the roof) on all 1986 and later models.
A major effort was made before introduction to keep the cost of 700 body parts at a competitive level. The Volvo body parts market in the early 1980s was beginning to be threatened by the growth of non-genuine sheet metal. The threat has developed into a tough challenge and continues today. As you now know, years of research and development by Volvo body engineers have made each successive Volvo cars even more durable. The North American Volvo of today is the result of more than thirty years of time and investment. A reputation for quality body parts cannot be developed overnight. However, a reputation for high quality can be damaged overnight if you recommend poor quality to your customers. As the saying goes, "Quality isn't cheap, it's priceless!" Quality applies to paint work also. Individual Volvo paint colors are available for the most recent model years. Front grilles, side/door frame moulding, outside mirrors, upholstery, emblems and carpeting are listed by VIN and model designation.
Now for the 780! The 780 body is completely different from any other 700 car. For example, from the firewall forward only the wheel housings and lower frame crossmember are identical to the 760/740. Most other "under the skin" parts carry a different part number. Fenders, grille, headlight housings, and hood are exclusively 780. The same is true for the middle and rear of the 780. Unique parts for a very special limited production automobile.