HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph speedo

Oct 16th, 2002, 09:56

I've just arrived from Belgium with my V70 T5 which I bought in May 2000. We are on a posting in the UK for about 3 years and need to get a mph/kmph speedo fitted (amongst other things) to bring the car up to UK specs before we can register it here and get plates. We intend to take the car back to Belgium with us in the future so we'd like to hang onto it. Volvo Sweden have been VERY unhelpful and told us to sell the car (!) and all the Volvo dealers around us tell us they are not allowed to modify the car. Can anyone out there help us?

Oct 19th, 2002, 14:19

You should have taken it to Vermant in Mechelen, Londerzeel or Rumst, they would have helped you. They are into exports and imports. Guy Vermant is a very nice man and very helpful.

George

Resident near Leuven in Belgium

'87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler
'88 745 Turbo Intercooler

Oct 19th, 2002, 22:07

There are a lot of Japanese cars imported to the UK which also require the speedo to be converted and consequently there are lots of companies supplying kits to do just that. Some modify the electronic signal to the speedo if the speedo is electronic, while others fit a small gearbox on the end of the speedo cable. This changes the gearing as necessary from KPH to MPH then all you need is a small sticker so the speedo says MPH aswell. Should be easy to convert back when you return and should cost a lot less than £100. Try searching on the internet, I'll post again if I find someone.

Dave

Oct 19th, 2002, 22:35

I know nothing about V70s nor about Japanese cars but on my UK spec 745, which I imported to Belgium, all I did was replace the face on the speedo; the face is made so that there is no need to recalibrate the signal.

George

Resident near Leuven in Belgium

'87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler
'88 745 Turbo Intercooler

Simon Linton · Oct 21st, 2002, 07:20

The UK spec face plate on the speedo gives both mph and kph, so if you convert as suggested above, you can keep the converted speedo when you return.

Oct 26th, 2002, 21:13

Hi All,

at last i can post!!!

curious isnt it..

all uk spec vehicles hame speedos that read in mph and KPH

yet all non uk vehicles have kph only..

i drive quite frequently on the autobahn's and it never ceases to

amaze me why the cars have no MPH on the inner dial..

what legislation is this.... of did the uk know they were going to

adopt this all along ???

matt

Oct 26th, 2002, 21:41

But there is, if only I could get hold of a Canadian speedo face plate because they have kph big and then small mph, for when you pop over to the States. I would love that for whenever I go back home to England.

George

Resident near Leuven in Belgium

'87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler
'88 745 Turbo Intercooler

Simon Linton · Oct 27th, 2002, 23:23

And here's a question for the archivists...

UK-spec speedo, but "Park Brake" legend on the handbrake light instead of the normal UK exclamation mark inside a brake disc and pads.

This car was a Volvo press car before its import into the UK - has it got a US dash with a UK speedo, or is it something else entirely?

Oct 16th, 2002, 09:56	#1
Louise Guest Location:	HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph speedo I've just arrived from Belgium with my V70 T5 which I bought in May 2000. We are on a posting in the UK for about 3 years and need to get a mph/kmph speedo fitted (amongst other things) to bring the car up to UK specs before we can register it here and get plates. We intend to take the car back to Belgium with us in the future so we'd like to hang onto it. Volvo Sweden have been VERY unhelpful and told us to sell the car (!) and all the Volvo dealers around us tell us they are not allowed to modify the car. Can anyone out there help us?

Oct 19th, 2002, 14:19	#2
George Holmer Guest Location:	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee You should have taken it to Vermant in Mechelen, Londerzeel or Rumst, they would have helped you. They are into exports and imports. Guy Vermant is a very nice man and very helpful. George Resident near Leuven in Belgium '87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler '88 745 Turbo Intercooler

Oct 19th, 2002, 22:07	#3
Dave_G Guest Location:	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee There are a lot of Japanese cars imported to the UK which also require the speedo to be converted and consequently there are lots of companies supplying kits to do just that. Some modify the electronic signal to the speedo if the speedo is electronic, while others fit a small gearbox on the end of the speedo cable. This changes the gearing as necessary from KPH to MPH then all you need is a small sticker so the speedo says MPH aswell. Should be easy to convert back when you return and should cost a lot less than £100. Try searching on the internet, I'll post again if I find someone. Dave

Oct 19th, 2002, 22:35	#4
George Holmer Guest Location:	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee I know nothing about V70s nor about Japanese cars but on my UK spec 745, which I imported to Belgium, all I did was replace the face on the speedo; the face is made so that there is no need to recalibrate the signal. George Resident near Leuven in Belgium '87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler '88 745 Turbo Intercooler

Oct 21st, 2002, 07:20	#5
Simon Linton 850/70 Register Keeper Last Online: Apr 24th, 2008 19:02 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Leicester	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee The UK spec face plate on the speedo gives both mph and kph, so if you convert as suggested above, you can keep the converted speedo when you return.

Oct 26th, 2002, 21:13	#6
Matt360 Guest Location:	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee Hi All, at last i can post!!! curious isnt it.. all uk spec vehicles hame speedos that read in mph and KPH yet all non uk vehicles have kph only.. i drive quite frequently on the autobahn's and it never ceases to amaze me why the cars have no MPH on the inner dial.. what legislation is this.... of did the uk know they were going to adopt this all along ??? matt

Oct 26th, 2002, 21:41	#7
George Holmer Guest Location:	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee But there is, if only I could get hold of a Canadian speedo face plate because they have kph big and then small mph, for when you pop over to the States. I would love that for whenever I go back home to England. George Resident near Leuven in Belgium '87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler '88 745 Turbo Intercooler

Oct 27th, 2002, 23:23	#8
Simon Linton 850/70 Register Keeper Last Online: Apr 24th, 2008 19:02 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Leicester	RE: HELP! Left hand drive and need a mph spee And here's a question for the archivists... UK-spec speedo, but "Park Brake" legend on the handbrake light instead of the normal UK exclamation mark inside a brake disc and pads. This car was a Volvo press car before its import into the UK - has it got a US dash with a UK speedo, or is it something else entirely?

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