850 Headlights

[Paffel]

Are all 850 headlights the same, or is there a difference between earlier/later models?

I have some that are 1996, and want to see if they will fit someone who has a 94 (it has the RIP if that helps)

[Thanatos]

very early ones did have h4 bulbs but not to sure on years

[lightyears]

is to my 850 if anyone is interested. defently has h4 bulbs as i had to change them a few weeks ago

edit, H4 are the little ones with wires arnt they?

[warninglight]

The little ones with wires are (I think) either H1 or H7. H4 is just a 3-spade bulb, and is quite large.

[lightyears]

im gonna have a look in the morning to confirm this as im not entirely sure what i have now.

[S70 B5254T]

The 91-93 cars (and some older stock '93 cars registered in early '94) had the taller, flatter headlamp unit with a single H4 bulb; they also had squarer bumpers.
The '94 850 was the first with the slimmer looking and shorter in height headlamp which used dual H1 bulbs.
There was a short period where the 850 saloon had the new headlamps, the newer curvier bumpers, but with the non-tinted and flat rear lamps (as is mine); the smoked and slightly curvier rear lamps followed for the 95 model year (generally M-reg onwards).

Looking at the cars head-on, it really is very easy to see whether you have a single reflector headlamp unit (H4) or a dual one (H1) - the pattern of the glass lens is different in front of the dipped and main beam reflectors.

Google "1992 Volvo 850" and amongst all the erroneous pics of newer ones, you'll see some with noticeable squarer faces and bigger headlamps (the original H4 type).

[S70 B5254T]

Originally Posted by Paffel

I have some that are 1996, and want to see if they will fit someone who has a 94 (it has the RIP if that helps)

Should be okay, as long as the '94 car is a '94 model year onwards. The dual headlamps were redesigned for the T-5 models, but they were quickly adopted by the whole range.
If you're sending them, I'd double check by asking your buyer to measure the height of the headlamp lenses to check they are the same as yours.

[S70 B5254T]

Originally Posted by lightyears

im gonna have a look in the morning to confirm this as im not entirely sure what i have now.

T-5? - it'll have dual H1

[scutyde]

USA moldels have a differnt type of bulb . Looks similar to this http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts...-60-w/1014068/

[S70 B5254T]

Managed to find a clear photo of the original shape car - for owners of the more prevalent 1994-97 car, the differences are striking - the size and shape of the headlamp lenses and the more angular bumpers front & rear with chunky plastic inserts, complete with ribs on each quarter and exposed tow-eye. This is obviously the fully colour-coded GLT spec model, and it's a handsome brute, but I personally prefer the headlights and bumpers of the facelift models which give a slightly more modern, aerodynamic look.

Dual reflector lenses do tend to throw more light out too, as you obviously still have your dipped beam illuminating the road directly in front of you when your high beam is on; high beam on single reflector H4 lights does sacrifice quite a bit of illumination low down to give you high beam, so the facelift was good for safety too!