V70: Headlight Reflectors

[Nucktheking]

Thanks again Steve: the lid of the can had what looked like the tape I bought afterwards! So I'm not sure that I could buy a more shiny spray...

Have tried to find reflectors on eurocarparts, etc: no one seems to do them.

Given how much of a problem this seems to be for everyone, perhaps there is a market for re-"chroming" them...?!

[rudi dudi]

I've had a few pairs done by Peter Franks company Dual metalising in Brum over the years and the quality is second to none
Haven't done any in years as It was just not cost effective.
A pair (going back a few years) was £150 all in.
I tried some company recommended by another member who claimed to be able to do so for £75.00 all in.
It transpired to be £120.00 come invoice time and the finish wasn't as good as Dual metalisings.
I now just get the Depo branded complete units which are absolutely fine.

[Nucktheking]

Thanks for that. Any chance you could give me a link as to where to buy them?

[CosmicBike]

Originally Posted by Nucktheking

Thanks for that. Any chance you could give me a link as to where to buy them?

Eurocarparts stock aftermarket

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/after...lamp-471660411

[DaveNP]

Having started the thread only right that I should post an update/conclusion.
In short it's a massive thanks to Steve who sorted me a pair of good headlights and I've now got an MOT But for more detail and ramblings read on -

Firstly as said a massive thanks to Steve Sarre who having read my problem PMed me and after a couple of phone calls and some more messages I sent a modest amount of money his way and he put a pair of nearly new aftermarket units in the post on the same day. When one looks at some parts of the forum such as the bickering over brexit one can start to wonder what it all about? but Steve's actions really show the value of the forum. Unfortunately Parcelforce were not aware of the urgency and took a few days to deliver but in fairness I work for one of their competitors and we don't offer premium services to the West Country beyond Exeter, then ad in staffing issues from covid etc.

The units are from DJAuto and look identical to the old Volvo ones, I did find one of the adjuster motor push rods had come away from the reflector and since it was the easiest way to hold the reflector while I put it back I popped the lens off of that one, interestingly the reflector had RHD moulded in to it which would suggest they also have LHD, but then that may be that DJAuto took measurements from some originals to create theirs and didn't realise that they might be the same.

Fitting the headlights is fairly straightforward with just three bolts but to get to one of them and to get the headlight out it's best to remove the indicator light. When I took off the right indicator (which was an old aftermarket one) the lens fell off which revealed the reflector for that was a bit rough too. I figured the reflector lens wasn't so critical as the headlight so set about trying to resilver it. The foil that I bought from Hobbycraft was actually a thin plastic film with the even thinner metal on the back and once it was stuck down I found it was possible to peel away the plastic leaving just the metal which conformed to the shape better. Unfortunately the glue recommended on the foil packet was a thick type which can be used to add texture to the finished article which meant the brush marks from applying it showed through in the finish, OK for the indicator (and I ended up opening up the other one to do that too) but I wouldn't want that in the headlight. That experience did lead me to wonder whether if one were to clean off the old reflectors a good furniture restorer might be able to regild them, even with gold, to a good finish.

All of the sidelight bulbs had that metalised effect on the inside of them so I got a couple of led bulbs from Halfords, they are a bluish white but should run cooler and do less damage to themselves and the reflector and bulb holder. I know they are technically not legal but the MOT examiner didn't even comment so don't lynch me.

Looking back through the thread
I did have the 150% brighter bulbs fitted, they made a bit of an improvement, but the MOT fail was due to the pattern not being clear rather than a lack of light. If you've got to the point of using brighter bulbs I'd say start seriously planning to replace the headlights as they will only get worse. I knew mine were getting bad and really should have sorted them sooner which would have eased the timing.

I have the new lights fitted so I'm OK but I still have the old units (I tend to put stuff like that in the back of the shed in case I end up needing bits from them like the adjuster motors or lens later) so if someone is looking to get together a number of reflectors to send to get resilvered I'd be happy take the reflectors out and donate them to the cause.

[SteveSarre]

Hi Dave

Glad it worked out.

I hadn't spotted that one of the "adjuster motor push rods had come away from the reflector", but glad that you did.

Steve

[john.wigley]

David, I've just attempted to reply to your post #25 above and received the following message:

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /newreply.php?do=postreply&t=322599 on this server.

Your IP address is: deleted

I don't know what the system didn't like, but this seems to happen to me from time to time ...

I quoted you as saying:

When one looks at some parts of the forum such as the bickering over brexit one can start to wonder what it all about? but Steve's actions really show the value of the forum.

My response was to thank you for your fulsome report, adding that it is always good to read of a successful conclusion.

I concurred that Steve's actions, which should come as no surprise, are to be commended and show the forum at it's best.

I concluded by saying that I believe this is the sort of service in which the club might assist members, and that I will take the opportunity to 'bend an ear' when the occasion arises.

I'll now click on 'Submit' and see what happens ... fingers crossed!

Regards, John.

[DaveNP]

Thanks John. It took me three attempts to post that reply to my own thread, I'm not sure whether it was my laptop, my internet, the forum systems, or just technology gremlins doing their worst.

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by SteveSarre

...
I hadn't spotted that one of the "adjuster motor push rods had come away from the reflector", but glad that you did.
Steve

It was not a major problem, I was sat indoors in the warm looking at them and seeing what bulbs were in them in the context of Nucktheking's question and it's easy to spot from the cover over the main beam, I vaguely recall that someone else had the same thing, possibly from a jolt in transit as it's not a very strong push-click fit.
Thanks again

[bob12]

Originally Posted by rudi dudi

I've had a few pairs done by Peter Franks company Dual metalising in Brum over the years and the quality is second to none
........................................
.................................................. ...................

I now just get the Depo branded complete units which are absolutely fine.

If you can find them DEPO are the only decent non-oem lighting parts.

Bob