1990 760 -- Headlight Substitute for the Destitute?

Discussion in 'Volvo 760' started by Dunstin Merry, Apr 3, 2004.

  1. The headlight on my 1990 760 got busted while parked on the street. No
    note from the guilty, no nothing. So I have to replace it. But of
    course the price on this thing is astronomical (over $300). I'm pretty
    poor right now and since my Volvo isn't in the best shape anyway
    (body-wise that is, mechanically it's sound), I was hoping to get
    suggestions for substituting this headlight with another.

    It's just the headlight glass that was shattered--the foglight next to
    it is fine as is the turn signal.

    Thanks.
     
    Dunstin Merry, Apr 3, 2004
    #1
  2. Dunstin Merry

    Rusty Guest

    Where are you located?

    RS
     
    Rusty, Apr 3, 2004
    #2
  3. Dunstin Merry

    Peter Milnes Guest

    You can replace the glass on it's own with genuine Volvo headlamps.

    Cheers, Peter.

    : The headlight on my 1990 760 got busted while parked on the street. No
    : note from the guilty, no nothing. So I have to replace it. But of
    : course the price on this thing is astronomical (over $300). I'm pretty
    : poor right now and since my Volvo isn't in the best shape anyway
    : (body-wise that is, mechanically it's sound), I was hoping to get
    : suggestions for substituting this headlight with another.
    :
    : It's just the headlight glass that was shattered--the foglight next to
    : it is fine as is the turn signal.
    :
    : Thanks.
     
    Peter Milnes, Apr 4, 2004
    #3
  4. Perhaps you could try www.volvolamps.com. A great assortment of aftermarket
    replacements. The lens you are looking for is $89.

    RF
     
    Ritchard Findlay, Apr 4, 2004
    #4
  5. Dunstin Merry

    James Sweet Guest

    I've seen these occasionally at salvage yards, ebay is another possible
    source.
     
    James Sweet, Apr 4, 2004
    #5
  6. I'm on the west side of LA in California.
     
    Dunstin Merry, Apr 4, 2004
    #6
  7. I'm sorry for being ignorant, but there's a difference between the
    horribly expensive headlights I've been seeing and headlamps?
     
    Dunstin Merry, Apr 4, 2004
    #7
  8. Dunstin Merry

    brackenburn Guest

    Hi Dunstin,
    The only difference is:
    "headlights" is UK English, and "headlamps" is N. American English. They
    both cost the same...........
    too much!

    Andy I.
     
    brackenburn, Apr 5, 2004
    #8
  9. Dunstin Merry

    Peter Milnes Guest

    Different across-pond talk that's all. AFAIA all Volvo front light units have
    replaceable glass lenses. Try IPD in Portland Oregon http://www.ipdusa.com

    Cheers, Peter.

    : > You can replace the glass on it's own with genuine Volvo headlamps.
    : >
    : > Cheers, Peter.
    :
    : I'm sorry for being ignorant, but there's a difference between the
    : horribly expensive headlights I've been seeing and headlamps?
    :
    : > : > : The headlight on my 1990 760 got busted while parked on the street. No
    : > : note from the guilty, no nothing. So I have to replace it. But of
    : > : course the price on this thing is astronomical (over $300). I'm pretty
    : > : poor right now and since my Volvo isn't in the best shape anyway
    : > : (body-wise that is, mechanically it's sound), I was hoping to get
    : > : suggestions for substituting this headlight with another.
    : > :
    : > : It's just the headlight glass that was shattered--the foglight next to
    : > : it is fine as is the turn signal.
    : > :
    : > : Thanks.
     
    Peter Milnes, Apr 5, 2004
    #9
  10. Dunstin Merry

    Mike F Guest

    Unfortunately for us on this side of the "pond" American law forbids
    replacing the headlight lens without the reflector assembly. Very few
    car companies bring "unamerican" headlights to Canada, so we suffer
    too. Our headlights
    for these cars don't look like what you're used to "over there."

    --
    Mike F.
    Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

    NOTE: new address!!
    Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
    (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
     
    Mike F, Apr 5, 2004
    #10
  11. Dunstin Merry

    Peter Milnes Guest

    That is why IPD are allowed to sell "European lights" over there as replacements
    for the awful lights that American (& Canadian?) law dictates should be fitted.
    I think American law states that the headlights should be sealed beam units,
    correct this if wrong please.

    Cheers, Peter.

    : Peter Milnes wrote:
    : >
    : > Different across-pond talk that's all. AFAIA all Volvo front light units
    have
    : > replaceable glass lenses. Try IPD in Portland Oregon http://www.ipdusa.com
    : >
    : > Cheers, Peter.
    : >
    :
    : Unfortunately for us on this side of the "pond" American law forbids
    : replacing the headlight lens without the reflector assembly. Very few
    : car companies bring "unamerican" headlights to Canada, so we suffer
    : too. Our headlights
    : for these cars don't look like what you're used to "over there."
    :
    : --
    : Mike F.
    : Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.
    :
    : NOTE: new address!!
    : Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
    : (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
     
    Peter Milnes, Apr 6, 2004
    #11
  12. Dunstin Merry

    Mike F Guest

    They don't have to be sealed in the sense old lights were sealed, lens,
    reflector and bulb all one piece. Now, however the lens and reflector
    have to be sold as a unit, the theory being that a replacement lens will
    not keep the proper orientation with the reflector. So the early
    attempts at this were like sealed beams, but with a replaceable bulb.
    Our current cars now have lights just like real European lights, but
    with a different lens. On Volvos this lens is held on with the same
    clips as yours are, but 1 or 2 of them are glued in place, theoretically
    making it impossible to change the lens. However this glue doesn't seem
    to accomplish anything except making the reinstall of that clip
    annoying. Thus lenses are available aftermarket.

    As far as I know the lights that IPD (and the aftermarket lenses) are
    all illegal in the US, as is any light without a DOT marking. However,
    in practice there's no problem running them.

    And in Canada, European headlights have always been legal, however for
    cost reasons, the car companies just bring one type to North America.
    When we had Ladas in Canada, they had real European lights (they weren't
    sold in the US so there were no DOT lights), and I know SAABs in the
    late 80s and early 90s had different and better lights in Canada than in
    the US.

    --
    Mike F.
    Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

    NOTE: new address!!
    Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
    (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
     
    Mike F, Apr 6, 2004
    #12
  13. Dunstin Merry

    Peter Milnes Guest

    Thanks for the enlightenment, Mike.

    Cheers, Peter.

    : Peter Milnes wrote:
    : >
    : > That is why IPD are allowed to sell "European lights" over there as
    replacements
    : > for the awful lights that American (& Canadian?) law dictates should be
    fitted.
    : > I think American law states that the headlights should be sealed beam units,
    : > correct this if wrong please.
    : >
    : > Cheers, Peter.
    : >
    :
    : They don't have to be sealed in the sense old lights were sealed, lens,
    : reflector and bulb all one piece. Now, however the lens and reflector
    : have to be sold as a unit, the theory being that a replacement lens will
    : not keep the proper orientation with the reflector. So the early
    : attempts at this were like sealed beams, but with a replaceable bulb.
    : Our current cars now have lights just like real European lights, but
    : with a different lens. On Volvos this lens is held on with the same
    : clips as yours are, but 1 or 2 of them are glued in place, theoretically
    : making it impossible to change the lens. However this glue doesn't seem
    : to accomplish anything except making the reinstall of that clip
    : annoying. Thus lenses are available aftermarket.
    :
    : As far as I know the lights that IPD (and the aftermarket lenses) are
    : all illegal in the US, as is any light without a DOT marking. However,
    : in practice there's no problem running them.
    :
    : And in Canada, European headlights have always been legal, however for
    : cost reasons, the car companies just bring one type to North America.
    : When we had Ladas in Canada, they had real European lights (they weren't
    : sold in the US so there were no DOT lights), and I know SAABs in the
    : late 80s and early 90s had different and better lights in Canada than in
    : the US.
    :
    : --
    : Mike F.
    : Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.
    :
    : NOTE: new address!!
    : Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
    : (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
     
    Peter Milnes, Apr 7, 2004
    #13
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