Vehicle 'year' can be a crap-shoot because in some jurisdictions the vehicle year becomes the date on which the vehicle was first registered. A 1971 model year purchased in 1970 December may be registered as a 1970 while a 1971 model year hanging around on the dealer's lot and purchased in 1972 January may be registered as a 1972. On the right door opening at the front (you need to open the door to see it) the type is stamped along with the chassis number.
My type number is 1424353, the last 4 numbers indicating
4- B20E
3 - no sunroof
5 - M41
3 - LHD not California
My owner's manual says that USA cars (and presumably Canada) do not have the 8th letter for the model year designation and I can confirm that. There is a separate plate that was screwed on to the door sill which shows the build location and date. My build plate is in storage some place; but, my recollection is that it shows Gothenburg as the location and 1971 June as the date. So, aside from the build date plate the North American cars do not appear to have a model year 'identifier'.
My North American spec 1971 142E has fixed seat belts in the rear and inertia reel belts in the front. This 'press item' says that Volvo introduced 3 point inertia reels on the front seat in 1969.
https://www.media.volvocars.com/glob...releases/18398
I remember a university friend with a 1970 142S with the inertia reels; but, interestingly, my friends North America spec 1970 P1800E has fixed belts which surprised me recently when he took me for a spin after completing his mega $ restoration. So, I don't know what the story is with the belts. Maybe they only introduced them on the latest model (140) and only in certain markets (if they didn't have UK type approval).
In North America the 1972 model year 140 still had the old style dash and bumpers. The 1973 model year appears to be a dog's breakfast of variants. I have seen 1973s with
- revised front grill with markers integrated into the turn signals but small bumpers (non North American)
- as above but with the fat bumpers
- most 1973s seem to have the revised (240 style) dash
- I think all 1973 received the revised rear tail lights
I have seen 140s claiming to be 1973 with no vent windows in the front doors. However, I think they might have been early production 1974 model year cars delivered and registered in 1973 as Volvo product literature all appears to show vent windows in 1973.
Almex's seat belts are interesting. The center buckle receiver in my 1971 looks just like the one in that 1972 photo I posted (car with orange seats). The buckle receiver in Almex's car appears to be a flexible stock aftermarket style. A previous owner might have replaced the belts when the retractor springs or belt webs got tired. That would be consistent with the car being obviously well cared for. My belts got tired; but, someone showed me how to unwind a new aftermarket belt off its retractor and thread on the original buckle so I now have new belts and retractor with the vintage Volvo seat belt buckle. Of course, a previous owner might have ditched fixed belts and installed inertia reel belts because the cars were set up to accept inertia reels.