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Hi all.I've searched high and low for plain old 7 inch round clear plastic (lexan,plexi etc) headlight covers.I'm looking for the kind that typically mount between the headlight and outter ring(they get sandwiched).the closest I've found were ones on ebay with british flags on them (not my "cup of tea"!)I use to see them on tacky Dodge vans and the like (with heart shaped bubble windows and such) in the seventies.I DON't need bubble windows but do need headlight covers! I have a new pair of cibie 7" rounds with 185/130 bulbs to stuff in them but need them protected first.I've searched all the headlight cover people I can find on line.I havn't tried JC whitney cause I don't have a catalog and their website yeilded nothing.(they are tacky enough to carry them though!).Ok onto the hard stuff.I'm also looking for a 140 front bench seat,headligfht wipers,fog or spot light grille Etc.(Might as well dream big!)
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posted by
someone claiming to be broken login guy
on
Tue Jan 7 20:00 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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I got mine from Daniel Stern Lighting.
http://lighting.mbz.org
I can't recall the exact price. They were fairly cheap, because I got them with my headlights at the same time.
But even if you just want the covers, I doubt you'd pay much more than $20.
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The reason you can't find headlight covers is the new high wattage bulbs melt them, but you may find steel mesh rock screens somewhere.
I have an original in box, never used 1.125" front (only) sway bar with hardware, from the days when ipd offered the 0.875" safety bar, the 1" sport bar, and the 1.125 racing bar. I believe they also offered an adjustable rear bar at the time. They only have the 1" bar for the front, with whatever the rear size is. I really don't plan to use it, so if you're interested email me.
Lee
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Lee I'm very interested but brickboard won't let me sign in to view emails.(no problem signing in to post things!) Please email me at Vovobub@aol.com
Thanks,Erik
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I've got a '72 grill with the factory cutouts for driving lights just next to the headlights. It's the best thing I've ever found. The best thing is having 2 extra lights up higher but also looking stock standard at the same time.
I've got them setup with osram 55w (+50) yellow globes (about as good as my 130w standard globes previously used) and 100w/130w in the headlights. The aux lamps come on with high beam automatically.
They put out MUCH better light than any other car I've driven and they DON'T look like "add ons"
I've never seen another grill like it to suit a pre '73 model, not even a picture. But I did once see a '71 144 with aux lamps bolted to the top of the bumper with white leather covers with "Volvo" printed in blue...........they looked absolutely brand new!!! It's really good when you see rare stuff taken care of like that.
--
Alex Shevlin (Sydney): '71 142S, '72 144S, '81 244GLE, '81 244GL, '01 V70XC
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OK...piece by piece I s'pose....
As for the headlight covers...yea, they could be useful. But I woudn't think necessary. For one, the Cibie headlights are still available, so if one breaks...it is replaceable. But, as you say...best not to break 'em. Sorry though...I wouldn't have a clue as to where to get 'em. You might check some British or German parts sources though. I used to have a set on an old Jag I had, and I've seen them on Porsches...
Bench seat for a 140...??? Never seen nor heard of such a thing. What year are you working with? It would have to be a "wobble stick" model built prior to '72, and even then, there would barely be enough room to shift. Unless its a column shift automatic... Maybe they put bench seats in teh 145 express models... I've never seen one. Never made it to the US. The other question...why would you want a bench seat?
Fog light grille.... again, what year? I've seen 'em on '73 and '74. And I've seen a picture of a early car ('70 or older) that had inset driving lights. But it was unclear if that was a factory thing (or even an option), or if it was aftermarket or a owner modification. Either way, if you have a plastic grille car, it's gonna be easier to find.
Sway bars bigger than ipd offers. Why? I have a pretty good hunch that IPD knows what they are doing in this department, and that the bars they offer will provide as much anti-roll as a Volvo can benefit by. If you want a car that corners flat, you are best to start with a lower center of gravity...rather than a brick. I have, however, seen sway bars doubled up. one on top of the other with about 1/2" space in between. That ain't hard to do... whether or not it helps is yet to be determined. I wouldn't recommend messing with suspension stuff that hasn't been thoroughly tested though...
For almost all of these things, keep in mind there is a significant difference between the early type '67-72 140s, and the '73-74 cars. Please specify what year you are working on...
Good luck!
-Matt
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Matt
The grille your talking about with the lights is probably stock.I have pictures of both early and late ones.As far as the year of my car it is a 69 but currently has a 73-74 grille in it.I might be willing to change to any year 140 grille If I find the weird stuff I want.
The bench seat I want because it is so weird.Once again any year would be fine.
My experience with sway bars has been bigger is better.I know you reach a ridiculous point where that isn't true but I don't think IPD's rear 140 bar is anywhere near that ridiculous point.I have also seen (was it Dave Bartons?) stacked rear sway bars also.I'm with you,not yet sure of the gains.
As far as best improvement,I would disagree about lowering (my car is).I've lowered several and installed limited slips in several and lowered and installed limited slips.The stock ride height car with limited slip easily handled better than the lowered car (without) and ride quality wasn't sacrificed.
Erik
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You'll probably get more handling benefit from heavier springs (i.e. higher pounds-per-inch of compression) than from bigger bars than what IPD carries. Look at what the 142's are doing in SCCA IT racing. 142E's have DOMINATED Improved-Touring B for years. CLass champions at the national level, in 30-year old cars! They use VERY heavy front springs (750 lb/in? comes to mind) and fairly heavy rears (250 lb/in I think) - they were thoroughly documented in Grassroots Motorsports within the last year, along with a Volvo sedan retrospective. I'm at work or I'd look up the month, but it was in a 2002 issue. If you're going for ultimate handling, everything willhave to be changed out to a coilover shock arrangement. This allows proper adjustment of ride height, corner weighting, as well as swapping out springs for different conditions and changing shock valving. All more important for winning races than for street driving, but it would look very cool under any 140 in any case.
As for that bench seat, kinda reminds me of the car I taught myself to drive on... '76 Dodge Aspen Wagon, red vinyl bench seat and a 4-spd OD transmission, with a floor shifter. Very creative shift lever design.... not very ergonomic, but it did work.
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: 86 244DL, 87 244DL, 88 744GLE, 91 244: 808K total
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I agree with you about the spring rates etc.I wasn't looking to go that agro unless I dedicated the car to the track.I don't have the time or money to do that.I also agree about the ITB cars.I have one at work that has the coil overs etc.I've put together 140's different ways over the years and wanted to try something different this time.While I didn't want to spend the loot to spring for shocks and springs I probably won't use on the street ,I may get a shot at the parts anyway since the owner is thinking of having me change them.I'd love to drop them in since it's simple enough just to try them.All the cars I've done so far have had IPD bars.You should see the Front bar on the ITB car.MUCH bigger than IPD's.I will snap a picture next time I have it in the air.Incidently while I don't have the higher rate springs my car is lower (or as low I think) than the ITB car.I'll get a picture of them together for comparison.I've only run the ITB car on the lift since the local cops wouldn't take kindly to zippin' on the streets of soquel! If my butt fit in the seat I'd do it just once around the block though (at least!) For now check the gallery for the ITB car.I have a friend that has all the suspension out of my bosses old ITB car also.It's (the car) is rusting in the redwoods right now.I keep waiting for the day he'll let it go
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The grille pic I mentioned was *I think* from an old Road & Track article, so it could well have been stock. Personally, I'd love to have one for my '70. I'm not counting on finding one though, and I've been toying with the idea of adjusting a slightly bent spare that I have...
As for lowering...by all means, lowering a 140 would improve its stability. My point was that if you lower it to the furthest extent... will you gain more with bigger than ipd sways...? I personally don't thing you'd gain much if any improvement. Obviously I could well be wrong... When I said you'd be better to start with something with a lower center of gravity, I's talking about starting with a sports car. A RX7 or something...Preferably a 3rd generation RX7 with twin turbos. A Volvo 140 can be made to handle well...heck, they do that stock. And great improvement can be made from that, bout you'll never get over the fact that they are rather tall family trucksters with a lot of weight up high....
I think the front sway bar does a LOT more than the rear, and if the rear sway was too strong compared to the front, I expect it would be a liability rather than an asset. The front of the car has to dig in around the corner, and too strong of a rear sway could compromise the effectiveness of the front.
Of course, I don't know. THats just how it seems to me....
-Matt
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I have a plastic 140 grille that I'd furnish at an unbeatable price.
--
George Downs, The "original" Walrus3, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
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Covers: Sorry, can't help you there. I'd say either DIY something (get some lexan sheet from Home Depot or wherever) or just realize that generic 7" H4 rounds are only about $40 so you can afford to break the occasional one and do without (IMO ugly) covers.
Bench seat: Although Volvo originally planned for one (hence the column gear selector on early US spec automatics) I don't think they ever fitted them, only the seats we all know. Doesn't stop you from making this into a DIY project, too.
Headlight wipers: Rare, but available, especially in Sweden. Pretty funky circular things on the early models, reciprocal on later years.
Spot/fog grille: again rare.
Bigger than IPD bars (your next message): I think IPDs are about the biggest, again custom items could be made at a cost. Maybe even IPD themselves could help you there.
Bram
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Oh yeah I'm also looking for "bigger than IPD" swaybars.I've emailed "flying V racing" (is that their name??) but they would rather not say apparently!
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