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Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 2:03 pm
by Themasteryeti
I've seen a few pictures of 480's with coloured headlight surrounds like so
I was wondering if this was a factory option on some cars? It mostly seems to be red ones apart from a few with obvious custom paint jobs
Also if the wheel arch plastic covers were an optional extra as I haven't seen them before either!
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 4:43 pm
by Jan_Berlin!
This was my first 480 ES that I owned.
It was a 1988 model year.
red painted headlight panels from the factory.
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 4:55 pm
by Alan 480
Themasteryeti wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 2:03 pm
Also if the wheel arch plastic covers were an optional extra as I haven't seen them before either!
nae idea, but it would be good if they also did ones for the rear , fronts are OK as can easily remove the wing, not so the rear
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 5:26 pm
by Themasteryeti
Jan_Berlin! wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 4:43 pm
This was my first 480 ES that I owned.
It was a 1988 model year.
red painted headlight panels from the factory.
Lovely looking car that! Once again a red one though! I do wonder if any other colour cars did
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 5:28 pm
by Themasteryeti
Alan 480 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 4:55 pm
Themasteryeti wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 2:03 pm
Also if the wheel arch plastic covers were an optional extra as I haven't seen them before either!
nae idea, but it would be good if they also did ones for the rear , fronts are OK as can easily remove the wing, not so the rear
This car had both!
No information about them tho, found them on a old for sale post
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
by WillC9303
Painted headlight surrounds were standard on all models until 1989 when they were dropped in favour of black unpainted ones (due to cost-cutting by Volvo). Lots of other things were taken out of the cars such as the under-bonnet dome light, footwell courtesy lights and second rear fog light to name but a few.
The arch protectors are aftermarket addons and were never offered by Volvo.
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 2:21 pm
by Alan 480
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
The arch protectors are aftermarket addons and were never offered by Volvo.
Ah, never seen them before, I'll need to do some 'hunting' for next year.....
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 9:36 am
by Themasteryeti
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
Painted headlight surrounds were standard on all models until 1989 when they were dropped in favour of black unpainted ones (due to cost-cutting by Volvo). Lots of other things were taken out of the cars such as the under-bonnet dome light, footwell courtesy lights and second rear fog light to name but a few.
The arch protectors are aftermarket addons and were never offered by Volvo.
Interesting to know, learn something new every day!
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 12:18 pm
by jamescarruthers
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
Painted headlight surrounds were standard on all models until 1989 when they were dropped in favour of black unpainted ones (due to cost-cutting by Volvo). Lots of other things were taken out of the cars such as the under-bonnet dome light, footwell courtesy lights and second rear fog light to name but a few.
The arch protectors are aftermarket addons and were never offered by Volvo.
Some colours continued with painted pop up headlight surrounds throughout production, I think. Weirdly, it may have just been the black cars.
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:54 pm
by Themasteryeti
jamescarruthers wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2023 12:18 pm
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
Painted headlight surrounds were standard on all models until 1989 when they were dropped in favour of black unpainted ones (due to cost-cutting by Volvo). Lots of other things were taken out of the cars such as the under-bonnet dome light, footwell courtesy lights and second rear fog light to name but a few.
The arch protectors are aftermarket addons and were never offered by Volvo.
Some colours continued with painted pop up headlight surrounds throughout production, I think. Weirdly, it may have just been the black cars.
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 12:56 pm
by Martin63
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
second rear fog light to name but a few.
Weren't these retained, just never connected?
I have them on both my 1994 GT and ES
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 1:33 pm
by WillC9303
Martin63 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 12:56 pm
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
second rear fog light to name but a few.
Weren't these retained, just never connected?
I have them on both my 1994 GT and ES
Yep, the lens/housing was retained, but was never wired up making it just a dummy.
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:16 pm
by Martin63
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 1:33 pm
Martin63 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 12:56 pm
WillC9303 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:00 pm
second rear fog light to name but a few.
Weren't these retained, just never connected?
I have them on both my 1994 GT and ES
Yep, the lens/housing was retained, but was never wired up making it just a dummy.
How poor must Volvo's finances have been at the time to necessitate that?!
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 5:12 pm
by dragonflyjewels
The dummy foglight also had no bulb holder.
Talking to my brother, who was a senior design draughtsman at the Cowley works, all car manufacturers will remove the smallest items, including washers on nuts and bolts if they can. Seems really penny pinching, but then they need enough for hundreds of thousands of cars.
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 5:14 pm
by Martin63
dragonflyjewels wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 5:12 pm
The dummy foglight also had no bulb holder.
Talking to my brother, who was a senior design draughtsman at the Cowley works, all car manufacturers will remove the smallest items, including washers on nuts and bolts if they can. Seems really penny pinching, but then they need enough for hundreds of thousands of cars.
True - the economies of scale
Re: Coloured headlight surrounds
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:55 pm
by Baxter
To add context, the Fiat Punto, the most selling car of its segment in EU at that time was produced 3.000 units every day. So any little penny was multiply for 3.000 every day.
