Volvo 480 Club Europe

This is a question many will find pedantic but it's quite important to me.

I thought I was comfortable in my knowledge that early cars had red bumper stripes and later cars had satin black bumper stripes.

This is supported in press photos which you can only assume to be standard...



Zapcity's green GT has satin black stripes and that's a nice original car...



My question is, do the black cars have a black stripes!?!

Unfortunately all the brochure images are just too dark to tell...



I was of the opinion they do, and was going to pay a graphics/car wrap firm to apply.

They will want a three-figure fee so I want to do the right thing for a) originality and b) my wallet!

However, I have just bumped into these photos of the metallic black 480 in the Volvo museum...







Clear to be seen it doesn't have a stripe

The museum 480 must of been plucked from the line so you would expect it to be the most original possible.

The internet in general makes it very tricky to tell because many bumpers get painted over the years and lose their stripes.

Would appreciate any input. If you have an original late car in any of the blacks (305, 319, 323) does it have the factory satin black stripes?

Thanks as always,

Jay.

Sorry for the off topic, I don't have info about the stripes but on your picture I see something new to me. Is it a protection for the bumper or just a reflection from the camera?

Yep, they’re standard. They are anti-vibration pads to stop the nose cone chafing the bumper. I think there should be some more by the indicators.

They fall off in time, or the bumper gets painted and they never get restored.

I have used some gel blobs for kitchen cupboard doors. The little self adhesive “domes” to stop cupboard doors slamming.

Jay-Kay-Em wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 14, 2023 10:54 pm

Yep, they’re standard. They are anti-vibration pads to stop the nose cone chafing the bumper. I think there should be some more by the indicators.

They fall off in time, or the bumper gets painted and they never get restored.

I have used some gel blobs for kitchen cupboard doors. The little self adhesive “domes” to stop cupboard doors slamming.

I like that style, 'anything goes' , not your usual 'exact factory fit / replacement'

As far as I know, once the red stripe was discontinued the black cars had no stripe. Presumably satin black on metallic black was not a desirable look?

323 is storm grey metallic, not actually black. As the previous owner of Pudsey/Pud/R2, though, I do know that she has no satin black stripe either. I first noticed it wasn't on the bumpers and wondered if it had somehow been "lost", so I checked the sides and there were none there either...

Hope that helps a little!

David

Yep, they’re standard. They are anti-vibration pads to stop the nose cone chafing the bumper. I think there should be some more by the indicators.

They fall off in time, or the bumper gets painted and they never get restored.

and if there is no gap between the nose cone and bumper it's virtually impossible to get the auxiliary lights out

dcwalker wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 15, 2023 10:16 pm

As far as I know, once the red stripe was discontinued the black cars had no stripe.

Thanks David; much appreciated.