Škoda typ 742 / 742 chronology - year-by-year visual changes

August 1976
Series production started as 1977 model year.
Visible part of equipment in available versions:

105 S

- Color-keyed crate of horizontal air outlet in tail wall,
- dull aluminium wheelcovers,
- chromed exterior door handles and wipers,
- any rockers' claddings under doors,
- any decorative slats under door windows,
- pure black windshield and rear window sealings,
- grille without horizontal slat,
- rear door windows fixed (!)
- square instrument cluster from Š-100 with oldfashioned horizontal speedometer.

105 L, 120 L

Has 105 S equipment plus:
- one-bar horizontal strip on grille,
- tiny silver slat surrounded grill and headlights,
- polished aluminium rocker claddings under doors,
- chromed decorative slats under door windows,
- chromed wheelcovers,
- decorative slats on windshield's and rear window's sealings.
- rear door windows lifted-up,
- hazard warning lights,
- circular gauges on dashboard.

120 LS

L equipment plus:
- four headlights,
- three-bar slat on grille,
- silver rims around side windows,
- horizontal air oulet crate on tail wall made from polished aluminium,
- larger chromed wheelcovers,
- head restraints,
- tachometer.

120 GLS, probably pre-series sample lacking chromed side windows' surroudings.


120 LS equipment plus:
- different grille with richy chrome rims,
- chrome eyepits around headlights,
- tiny silver rim surrounding tail wall,
- different & larger "Skoda 120 GLS" emblem on tail wall.

On UK market the new car played as Estelle, here 120 L:


BEWARE! Since 1979 these upper rules didn't work exactly in cars exported to "special treatment" markets (e.g. Switzerland, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway & Finland).

1978
- April: base 120 added. 105S body with 1174 cc engine plus reclined front seats & brakes booster.
- Optional heated rear window (at least L trim level, available on selected markets only).
- British importer proposed a fancy 13" alloy wheels in 105 L Super Estelle:

and 120 L Super Estelle


1979
- Redesigned bumpers with more rounded edges and mounted closer to body, for improving pedestrian safety. Very subtle difference...
- No air outlets on tail wall, so painted crates cancelled. Extraordinary, 120 LS & 120 GLS kept their richy decorative crates.
- Hazard warning and reverse lights in all cars.
- Version 120 LSE for UK equipped with vinyl roof, sunroof, tinted glass, radio/casette player.

1980
- Black plastic spoiler-deflector on engine cover edge.
- Horizontal black ribbed strip on tail wall for 120 LS & 120 GLS
- Smaller black plastic caps on steel wheels; wheelcovers cancelled.
- 13" wheels for all (export & domestic) 120 LS & 120 GLS
- The black wipers, black door handles (in various configurations) on limited numbers of export cars.
- Heated rear window for all 120 LS & 120 GLS.
- 120 GLS with black side protection strips and black eyepits around headlights:


1980 120 LSX, Swiss version:


1981
- The steel bumpers painted satin black for 120 GLS on part of markets.
- New plastic bumpers (typ 1) for 120 GLS on selected markets only.
- 13" wheels for all cars.
- Black handles in most cars.
- 120 LS lost silver rims around door windows.
- In March introduction 105 GL version shared body with 120 GLS, however with no silver trimming around side windows.


- Curious black plastic bumpers (typ 2) for limited export cars (e.g. UK, Netherlands & Belgium market); sample of 1981 120 LE for Belgium and UK, used in 1981-1983 period:

Limited edition 'Black Arrow' based on 105GL/120GLS:


1982
- The introduction of 2-door coupe Garde/Rapid/Coupe (name depends of market).
- New bigger horizontal tail lights on selected versions: Garde/Rapid, 105 GL & 120 GLS and every UK Super Estelle.
- Rear badges landed on spoiler-deflector (Garde, 105 GL & 120 GLS only).


- Plastic bumpers (typ 1) for all 120 GLS and Garde (since her begining).
- Rectangular headlights for 105 L, 120 L and sometimes 120 LS & GLS on few markets (e.g. Scandinavian where headlight wipers are obligatory).
- Black plastic vertical strip on tail wall in L cars for selected markets.
- Black wiper arms & exterior handles in all cars.
- Only 105 GL, 120 LS/GLS and Garde keep their silver slats in windshield's sealing. L cars have pure black sealing.
- The horn hidden behind radiator.
- Front interia-reel seatbelts, except 105 cars.
- New dashboard (same in export coupe) for 105 GL & 120 GLS.

1982 120 LSE (UK)


1982 105 S


1982 105 GL


The 105 S and L cars for 1982


1983
- Black plastic side mirror(s) for all cars.
- Black plastic bumpers (typ 1) for 105 GL.
- Black plastic bumpers and rectangular headlights came to cheaper cars for limited export markets. The sample of 105 L for Netherlands:

...and 120 LS for another market:

- The begining of export to Canada by SkoCar Inc. 120 L and 120 GLS were available for 1983 MY. They had sidemarkers, reinforced 5-mph-impact bumpers, the valve in carburattor keeping 1st stage throttle lifted when engine braking, the special equipment for petrol vapours capturing (actually these elements didn't work enough, that's why in 1988 all sold earlier Skodas were recalled by dealers, to try meet new restricted emissions standards. The Canadian specificated cars were assembled on dedicated production line in Vrchlabi factory.


1983 105 GL


1983 120 LSE 'Super Estelle', UK:


1984
- The major exterior facelift and body structure reconstruction. New front end with incorporated air dam. The aerodynamic drag cutted down from 0.415 to 0.39.
- Significantly wider wheel tread (+60...+70 mm) giving up to 10 % higher cornering forces with no spin out.
- Safer filler cap, no more protruding over fender. Old & new shape:

- Black plastic bumpers (with diferent shape than 1982-1983) for all cars.
- The exterior tow ears added.
- Foamed beefer cover of steering wheel rim.
- Only 120 GLS and Garde has silver slats inside winshield's sealing.
- 105S, 105L, 120 base and 120L got plain rectangular headlights. 120 LS and 120 GLS had trapezoidal, more streamlined headlights.
- The crate "a la Volvo" head restraints for 120 GLS.

1984 105 S


1985
- Side repeaters in front fenders.
- At least one rear fog light always added.
- Two air inlets in front spoiler for better brakes cooling.
- Trapezoidal headlights came to 120 base and 120 L cars also.
- 120 GLS lost extra silver slat around tail wall, however kept its unusual spoiler on engine cover, with badges ('SKODA' on left, '120 GLS' on right).
- The new model 130 L with 1289 cc engine, equipped similar to 120 GLS, with same head rests, dedicated streamlined wheelcovers and special protection side claddings (ribbed instead plain):

- The introduction of 120 LX version equipped as 120 L, plus 5-speed gearbox and 120 GL marriaging luxury GLS equippment with 38 kW (120 L) engine.
- The coupe Rapid 120 & 130 with new body production started.

1985 105 S, Dutch version:


1986
- Interior cross strengthening of bootlid added.
NEW

OLD

- "S.K. Distributors" tuner offers sedan 130 Sport with 75 BHP engine and color-keyed body kit.
- Sedan 105 S and coupe Rapid 120 ceased in July.

1987
- Black rocker (sill) claddings and waterchannels slats instead silver (polished aluminum) for sedans. Coupes keep their last jewellery.
- Interia-reel seatbelts for 4 passangers in all cars except 105 L which had four static belts.
- Heated rear window for 105 L and 120 L.
- The "fear handle" over door for front passenger, instead small interior lamp.
- Model 130 L changed name to 130 GL. The 130 L continued with worse equipment, as marriage of 1289 cc engine with 120 L body.
- The off-season for Canadian SkoCar Inc. Any car sold because the new emission standards which Skoda couldn't pass, coming into effect on January 1st, 1988.

1988
- New door mirrors. Views to compare 1984-1987 mirror and
1988-1990 mirror
- New instrument cluster for 130 and newly introduced models.
- New models 125L alias 120L 5-Speed for UK (instead 120 LX), 135L, 136L and 136 GL. The 135 GLi with electronically controlled, single-point fuel injection (Bendix) with catalythic converter for "green" markets, e.g. Austria, Canada, Finland and Switzerland.
- The 125 L is easy recognized by diferent shape of tail badge with smaller letters, bigger digits than 120 L. 130/135/136 has badges on rear bonnet spoiler.
- 105 L, 120 LS, 120 GLS and Rapid 130 ceased in July.

1988 Skoda 130 L:


1988 Skoda 135 GLi, Canadian market:


1989
- The export for Canada ceased. 6771 pcs exported total.
- December - Rapid 135 RiC with single-point fuel injection and catalisator for Austria and UK, rarity today. UK sample:


1990
End of production before holiday break. In 1976-1990 period were assembled:
- 840,561 pcs Škoda 105
- 1,070,693 pcs Škoda 120
- 50,041 pcs Škoda 125L
- 49,749 pcs Škoda 130
- 6603 pcs. Škoda 135
- 5832 pcs Škoda 136
- 8248 pcs Škoda Garde
- 2931 pcs Škoda Rapid 120
- 10,285 pcs Škoda Rapid 130
- 1272 pcs Škoda Rapid 135
- 9708 pcs Škoda Rapid 136.

Front ends

1977-1981 105 L


1977-1981 120 LS


1977-1979 120 GLS


1980 120 GLS for domestic market, note the naked horn (in all 1977-1981 cars):



1981 120 GLS for domestic market


1981 120 GLS for selected markets, with plastic bumper type 1


1982-1983 105 S, the horn hidden behind radiator


1982 120 LSE (United Kingdom), with plastic bumper type 2


1982 120 L (105 L also)


1982-1983 120 GLS


1982-1984 Garde


1983 105 L (for Netherlands, Austria) & 1050 L (for France)


1983 120 LS (105S/L, 120/120L for special treatment markets also)


1984 105 S (105 L, 120 L also):


1984 120 LS (GLS also):


1985-1987 120 LS, note two air inlets for brakes cooling in spoiler:


1986 130 Sport (UK)


1986-1987 130L, note "Skoda130" badge:


1988-1990 136 GL, note "Skoda-GL" badge:


1989+ rarity, the Belgian 136 GL


Tails

1977-1978 105 S
Horizontal air outlet on tail wall painted in body colour.
S-trim cars hadn't active reverse lights.
It seems they had same tail lights as L-trim, just with reverse clusters not working!


1977-1978 120 L (105 L also) with aftermarket fog light:


1977 120 L Estelle:


1977-1978 120 LS
Polished aluminium horizontal air oulet.


1977-1978 120 GLS
Extra silver slat around tail. Diferent "Skoda-120-GLS" rear badge.


1979 105 S (105 L, 120 and 120 L)
The air outlet in tail disappeared


1979 120 GLS
Silver horizontal crate just "simulates" air outlet.


1980-1983 105 S/L, 120, 1980 120 L
Black spoiler on engine cover added.


1980-1983 120 LS
Black plastic ribbed vertical strip with any air vents.


1980 120 GLS on domestic market


1981 120 GLS on selected markets. New plastic bumper (type 1).


1981-1983 120 L


1981 120 LSE Super Estelle (for UK). New plastic bumper type 2, unique for selected export markets.


1982 105 GL
New tail with horizontal lights (since 07/1981)


1982-1983 105 S & 120 L Super Estelle (for UK)


1982-1983 120 GLS and 1983 105 GL:


1983 105 L (for Netherlands, Austria) & 1050 L (for France)


1983 120 LE Super Estelle (UK)


1984 120 L (120 base, 105 S, 105 L also)


1984 120 LS looks exactly same, excluding tail badge.


1984 120 GLS
The silver slat around tail still.

1984+ cars had rear tow ear. The 1982-1983 bumper was single-pieced, 1984+ double-pieced, split in the middle, good visible here:


The split bumper's middle is visible here also, 1985 105 S for Dutch market:


1985, 120 LS, no major changes


1986 and 1988 105 S (with extra side slats for NL market)


1986 Rapid 130
Garde & Rapid has different engine covers and badges.


1986 130 Sport (UK market)


1988 130 LSE (UK)


1990 125 L, note diferent shape of tail badge with smaller "SKODA" letters:


Interiors:

1977 105 S


1977 105 L (120 L also)


1982 105 GL


and its twin, 1982 120 GLS


1984 120 LS


1985 120 GLS


1985 Rapid 130 (sedan 130 L also)


1990 125L


Steering wheel shapes

The silver decorative slats on sealing around windshield & rear window.

(What is the KEY of model years and trim levels?):
105 S / base 120: never applied
105 L / 120 L: 1977-1981 (till 1983 for export)
105 GL: 1981-1983
120 LS: 1977-1983
120 GLS: 1977-1984
Garde: 1982-1983
130/135/136 sedan & 1985-1990 Rapid: never applied

Perfect typ 742/742M cars & colours samples:

1977 105 L, no. 1001 White (bílá), 1977-1986


1978 (pimped-up) 105 S, no. 8165 Pepper Red (červená paprika) 1977-1980


1977 120 L, no. 4140 Teal (šedomodrá), 1977 only


1977 105 S, no. 5031 Light Green (zeleň světlá), 1977 only


1978 120 LS, no. 6520 Wheat Brown (zlatohnědá) 1977-1979


1978 120 GLS, no. 5322 Brilliant Green / Teal Green (zeleň ostrá / zeleň brčálová), 1977-1978


1978 120 L (United Kingdom), no. 4456 Medium Blue (modř střední), 1978 only


1978 105 S, no. 5016 Linden Green (zeleň lipová), 1978 only


1978 105 L, no. 6090 Canary Yellow (kanárková žluť) 1978-1981


1978 120 L, no. 8877 Maroon (maronová), 1978-1979 and 1982


1979 120 LS, no. 5123 Palm Green / Paprika Green (zeleň palmová / zeleň papriková) 1979 only


1980 105 S, no. 8840 Tobacco Red (dýmková červeň) 1980-1981


1980 120 L, no. 5500 Forest Green (zeleň lesní), 1979-1980


1980 120 LS, no. 5230 Leaf Green (zeleň listová), 1980 only


1980 120 L, no. 2270 Ochre Brown (okrová hnědá), 1980 only


1981 120 GLS, no. 4631 Sapphire Blue (modrá safírová), 1981 only


1981 Garde, no. 9101 Silver Metallic (stříbrná metalíza), 1981-1983 coupe only


1981 Garde, no. 9231 Brown Metallic (bronzová metalíza), 1981-1983 coupe only, rare.


1982 105 L, no. 7845 Brilliant Orange (brilantní oranž) 1979-1984


1982 105 S, no. 4086 Light Blue (světle modrá), 1982 only


1982 105 GL (Dutch version), no. 5225 Olive Green (zeleň olivová) 1981-1984


1982 120 LS, no. 2021 Champagne Beige (béžová šampaň) 1981-1984


1982 105 S, no. 6530 Topaz Yellow (topasová žluť) 1982 only


1983 105 S, no. 8125 Hip-Berry Red (šípková červeň) 1981-1985


1983 105 L, no. 4481 Normandy Blue (normandská modř), 1983 only


1983 120 GLS, no. 6512 Golden Ochre (okr zlatý), 1983-1985


1983 120 LE Super Estelle (UK), no. 8430 Terra Red (červeň zemitá), 1983-1984


1983 105 S, no. 4270 Light Turquise (tyrkys světlý), 1983-1984


1984 Rapid 120, no. 6142 Sunny Yellow (sluneční žluť) 1983-1984, coupe only


1984 105 S, no. 4780 Dark Orange (Oranž tmavá), 1984 only


1985 120 L, no. 2095 Nut Brown (ořechová hněď) 1985 only


1985 105 L, no. 4185 Turquise Blue (modř tyrkysová / modř blankytná) 1985-1987


1985 105 S (NL trim), no. 5122 Bright Green (zeleň světlá) 1985 only


1985 120 GLS, no. 8855 Mahogany Red (červeň mahagonová) 1985-1987 (1986-1987 at extra ost)


1985 Rapid 130, no. 4025 Pale Blue (bledě modrá) 1985 only


1985 120 L, no. 2290 Tobacco Brown (tabáková), Garde 1983-1984; sedan 1984-1985

From www.skoda-wirt.cz

1986 Rapid, no. 8155 Coral Red (korálová červeň) 1986-1988


1986 130 L (NL trim) no. 2094 Nut Brown (ořechová hněď) 1986 only


1986 Rapid, no. 6138 Autumn Yellow (žluť podzimní) 1986 only


1986 Rapid 130, no. 1001 White (bílá), since 1985+, coupe applied 1986 only


1986 120 L, no. 2301, Cinnamon Brown (hněď skořicová), 1986 only


1986 120 L, no. 5179, Agave Green (zeleň agave), 1986-1987


1987 Rapid 130, no. 1082 Agate Grey (achátová), 1987 only


1987 Rapid 130 Cabrio (UK trim), no. 1999 Black (černá), coupe only at extra cost: 1982-1984 for Garde, 1987-1990 for Rapid


1987 Rapid 130, no. 4147 Rock Teal (šedomodrá skalni), 1987 only


1988 120 L, no. 5178 Willow Green / Factory Green (zeleň vrbová / zeleň zakladni), 1988-1990


1988 120 L (NL trim), no. 5105 Poplar Green (zeleň topolová), 1988-1990


1988 105 Lux (for UK), no. 1046 Snow White (sněhobílá), 1987-1990


1988 105 SP, no. 1024 Road Grey (šeď silniční) 1988 only, pretty rare!
.

1988 130 LSE (UK trim), no. 1305 Dark Gray Blue (šedomodrá tmavá) 1988-1990


1988 Rapid, no. 4633 Cosmic Blue (modrá kosmická) 1988-1990, rare


1989 Rapid, no. 8302 Apollo Red (červeň apollo), 1988-1990, available at extra cost


1989 120 L 5-Speed Super Estelle, no. 2040 Beige (béžová), 1987-1990


1989 Rapid 136, no. 2315 Stone Brown (hněď kamenná), 1988-1989


1990 Favorit (also), no. 6245 Mimosa Yellow (mimosa žluť), 1990 only


Typ 742/742M colour charts (near) year-by-year:
http://www.veteran.wbs.cz/Vzorniky-barev.html
Other charts:
http://www.skoda110r.com/view.php?cisloclanku=2006072301&stromhlmenu=2
ftp://ftp.lhotkanet.cz/mirror/skoda.panda.cz/tisk.php3%3Fid=89

Enjoy!
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