Tail Lights

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg) 05/27/2020 at 19:24 • Filed to: None

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How does Oppo feel about “euro” style tail lights? In this case I’m looking for my 240, which in some markets was sold with clear rear turn indicators. Not nearly as garish as the “Altezza” style lights that were popular in the early 2000s, but something a little different than the pedestrian US style 240 tail lights.

The Euro Style Lights

US Style Lights

I’m starting a punch list for the 240 and the current lights are roached so I need to source replacements. Its got clear corner markers up front, so I think the euro style lights work in the rear in this case but Im curious to hear other opinions.

Nibby > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 19:45

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yay

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 19:45

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I bought my first 240 (a rusted to hell ‘76 244DL) in 1990 or so. Can’t say I’ve ever seen those tail lights before, but my immediate reaction isn’t positive.

Maybe I’m an outlier, though - I’ve always found the E-codes headlamps abysmal from an aesthetic POV, despite the fact that they’re more effective. Any of the US market setups are far more attractive, even the ‘86-onward rectangles. 

RPM esq. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 19:54

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Depends on the car, but I usually like them on older European cars . My wagon has them, but then, it’s not like it had the U.S. ones before since it only came to the U.S. in December.

jeepoftheseus > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 20:07

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Keep it amber, there’s something agricultural about it that fits a Swedish brick. 

AestheticsInMotion > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 20:23

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I really like the US style lights in the bottom picture. Tri-tone!! 

RallyWrench > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 20:24

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I particularly like the “Euro” tails on 245s, but most other cars I can take or leave them. My old 245 was a ‘79 with the older style lights or I’d have bought these for it. 

Aremmes > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 20:29

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I kinda prefer the Euro-spec tail lights, but mostly for the novelty. Mind you, any set of new(ish) tail light housings will look infinitely better than the current ones buggered up seven ways to Sunday.

Did the Euro 240s come with that red stripe on the bumper? That looks spiffier than the Americano-spec bumper (or lack thereof).

facw > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 21:41

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I think the clear lenses (with amber bulbs, obviously) look better. I don’t think it’s a huge deal either way though.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Aremmes 05/27/2020 at 22:35

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Im leaning towards the Euro spec, too. As far as I can tell the red stripe was added to a little recess groove in the bumper. All cars have the groove, so I’m guessing the stripe was owner added. But Im planning to redo the janky rear and run a thin lip bumper.

Staples out tomorrow, Im slowly healing up. Ive been using all my time laid up to research parts and work on a strategy for my restoration/build. Can't wait to get started!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > facw 05/27/2020 at 22:41

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I don't think its a huge deal either. Mainly because the two are so similar, just changing one part of the lense, so it's kind of minor. But I do need to order the euro style from a european supplier, they don't seem to be readily available in the US. The price difference is negligible for OEM units, but I haven't checked shipping yet.  But there will be more lead time, so I may go ahead and order the euros.  

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 05/27/2020 at 22:43

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Mine has round headlights, which I love. But they've been made to work with the later model hood. I think its the only one I've seen like it and I love it, its part of the reason I bought the car. 

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 22:48

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Single-rounds with the coffin hood?! 

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 05/27/2020 at 23:14

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Snuze: Needs another Swede > facw 05/27/2020 at 23:25

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I just looked, the housings are €88 for a pair , or about $100 , similar to what they go for in the US. Shipping, however, runs €65 though, about $72.

Luckily , my sister lives in Germany and I can have them shipped to her for €5, and she can ship them on base USPS for normal rates, so I’m guessing around $20.

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/27/2020 at 23:32

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That’s a cool look! And that appears to be the same color as my ‘87 (but your clear coat doesn’t seem to have completely gone to hell the way mine has).

Was it a pain in the ass to cobble together the bit ‘n’ pieces for that front end ? I’ve thought about swapping mine over to quad rounds, but I can be a lazy sod. Gotta finish replacing the blower motor before I take on any non-essential brickwork.

edited, because that was a redundant mess. I blame the Rainier.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 05/27/2020 at 23:45

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The work was already done when I bought it. I just bought it a few weeks ago and it’s actually at another Oppos house. It runs but not well and wouldn’t make the 150 mile drive to my house. I was making arrangements to go trailer it home but 2 weeks ago I had to go in for emergency surgery and am still recovering.

The thing was fairly cheap, IMO, and the body is overall clean and straight with mostly good paint and only a little rust. It also has a nice Thule roof rack (not in that pic) and it has the folding rear jump seat! My plan is to sell the roof rack & those wheels - I should get almost enough to cover the cost of the car! I have a set of Corona wheels Im going to put it on for now.

Most of the side moldings are gone, and the previous owner took the rear bumper off. Im going to finish de-molding, fill in the holes, and then make a rollpan for the back. Then I want to run a thin lip bumper, like off a 240 Z or similar, on the back. I also have some i deas for the front I want to explore.

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/28/2020 at 02:24

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Excellent! Sounds like quite a score. Glad to hear you’re swapping out those wheels for something smaller & better suited. These look great stripped of molding too, although I’m partial to the mostly-stock look.

Despite being a wagon lover, I’ve never really understood the appeal of those rear-facing seats. My V70 has them, and as I don’t have kids, they’ll never get used. You sure as hell can’t put adults back there (not that I ever want to have that many bodies in my car, either). I need to figure out what it will take to lose those seats & gain a little bit more underfloor storage space.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/28/2020 at 05:27

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Aussie car there.

they’ll fine

Cé hé sin > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 05/28/2020 at 05:45

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What, you prefer the first of these to the second? To each his or her own I suppose but I think those square light s hammered into a space meant for oblong ones with chrome to fill the gaps are weird and not in a good way.

Cé hé sin > Aremmes 05/28/2020 at 05:46

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Not usually, no.

duurtlang > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/28/2020 at 09:14

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Those white taillights are most certainly not ‘euro style’. I don’t think I’ve ever seen those before. This is what a ‘euro style’ 240 looks like. Probably the same units as the US spec, with the bottom red ones being rear fog lights.

I actually double checked this on used car websites, which is where I stole the picture above. I checked the first 10 hits. All 10 had the amber lights you see in my picture.

Those white tail lights remind me of the V90 from the 1990s. They did have the white lenses.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 05/28/2020 at 09:59

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So you’re going to hate this... I love the way the car looks, lowered and on bigger wheels. But, the whole package is a little janky currently . I’m pretty sure it was lowered on cut springs, and the wheels are ASAs for a Ford Mustang held on with adapters.

I’m going to put it back to stock ride height and on the Corona wheels for now, while I fix other issues. That extra ground clearance will be helpful for getting under it to work on some stuff.

I have a set of Propus wheels sitting around, the factory 17" BBS wheels off the C70. The eventual plan is to put it on those, but with rubber equal to OEM diameter, for a nice wheel/sidewall ratio, and then massage the inner fenders and lower it correctly so it retains a decent ride (it currently rides like a cob, which is why I think they cut springs).

I also need the 17" wheels because I want to run the S60R big brakes on it. And out back Im looking at doing the Ford Ranger FX4 axle conversion - its an 8.8" unit with heavy duty 31 spline axles and a Torsen limited slip diff.

All this is in preparation for a V8 swap down the road. I ‘m planning to liberate a B8444S out of an S80 or XC90 and run it longitudinal and adapt it to a Tremec TR6060 close ratio out of a Camaro.

As far as the rear facing seat , I think its more of a novelty than anything at this point, but I find it fun. It seams like the 240 seat comes in and out of the car fairly easily, but Im not sure on the V70. If you can’t tell, this car is just a fun project for me so I don’t mind leaving it in.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > duurtlang 05/28/2020 at 10:03

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Thank you for the info. Pip bip pointed out in another reply t hat the pic I linked is an Aussie car. So “aussie” lights?

Regardless, I think they are an interesting option, and as you point out they do look like V90 lights.

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/28/2020 at 13:52

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Aw, man, I didn’t intend to crap on your choice, but props for sticking with Volvo wheels - especially if you need to stuff some big brakes under there . This sounds like it will be a cool build, and I love the plan of using that particular V8 .

Those Propus should be a little bit easier to clean than Coronas, too!

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > Cé hé sin 05/28/2020 at 15:03

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Short answer: yes.

Long version: an apples to apples comparison would be better - flat hood to coffin hood is gaming the system, and the chrome on a silver brick would be much less garish. But still, yes .

Those half-orange Euro corner lamps certainly don’t help your case.

edit: Oval? wtf are you on about? There’s nothing oval in either of those photos.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 05/28/2020 at 21:40

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You’re fine - I know some people prefer stock cars, some prefer modified. I want to modify it but I’m trying to do it right and make it look nice, not like some cobbled together rattle trap. Honestly, based on my very limited knowledge of the seller, Im pretty sure I saved this thing from becoming a drift missile.

I like keeping similar parts in things - hence the S60R brakes, Propus wheels, and the B8444S engine! Sadly Volvo doesn’t make a rear or rwd trans that will hold up to all that, but I’m keeping as much Volvo stuff in the car as possible. Im also planning to redo the interior with a bit sportier seat, and make some new door cards with bigger speaker mounts so I can put a nice stereo in it - but I want to use the new Blaupunkt Bremen head unit that looks like their old ones that came in the 70s/80s BMWs and Porsches.

Basically my concept is “ what if Volvo made an M5 fighter?”