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1984 U.S. market Volvo 244 w/ four headlights.

F

Frank_Rizzo

New member
Joined
Jul 24, 2018
So this is a question in two parts:

1. Is it possible or advisable to swap out the four headlights for the 2 large headlight European configuration?

2. What about replacing the front headlights with two clear low beam headlights and two amber-tinted inside high beam headlights, as some hobbyists do? Are these easy to find and easy to do?

Something like this? https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/ac/55/57ac55983f7b1f9eb99962b4e97b5e14.jpg

What do you say?
 
1. Probably a lot more work then it's worth, gotta deal with the difference in hoods, grille and maybe core support
2. Change the light as if it was dead, but with a yellow one
 
Frank_Rizzo said:
So this is a question in two parts:

1. Is it possible or advisable to swap out the four headlights for the 2 large headlight European configuration?

What do you say?
Click to expand...


Yes but the early 'TV' screen E codes are very rare and expensive since they were a two year only thing and they are 40+ years old now.
 
To just make the four headlight system better. You can use European replacement H4 for the outer lights and European H1 high beam headlights. For yellow you buy the French spec version and they will be yellow glass or for the H1 you can buy a yellow bulb. I recommend that you also buy a wiring harness upgrade to handle the slightly more powerful H4 and H1 lighting. Plus there will be less voltage drop so the lights will be brighter.

As mentioned, the early ecodes will fit but are harder to find and more costly than the type of ecode for the 86 and newer design.
 
BTW I recommend using the Hella or Cibie versions of those replacement headlights. They are about the best you can do with the aftermarket halogen light housings. They will last a long time.
 
dl242gt said:
To just make the four headlight system better. You can use European replacement H4 for the outer lights and European H1 high beam headlights. For yellow you buy the French spec version and they will be yellow glass or for the H1 you can buy a yellow bulb. I recommend that you also buy a wiring harness upgrade to handle the slightly more powerful H4 and H1 lighting. Plus there will be less voltage drop so the lights will be brighter.

As mentioned, the early ecodes will fit but are harder to find and more costly than the type of ecode for the 86 and newer design.
Click to expand...

Speaking of the wiring harness upgrade, what one should I get? How could I tell if the wiring harness is "upgraded" from the options available when searching for compatible Volvo 240 headlight wiring harnesses?
 
If you are going to buy a premade harness, ebay and summit racing have been my sources. Ebay was the cheapest and has worked ok. But the harness wasn't as nice as just going one more tier in price to the $40-50 level for the harness. You buy the four headlight system harness. Outer is for H4 and the inner headlight connectors will be for H1 for highbeams. You can go to the daniel stern lighting page and see how it's wired there. The harness can be used on the US four headlight system if you move a couple of the wires in the connector for the high/low beam light.
If you want to do it in steps. Then I would just buy the H4 outer headlights and the harness. You don't have to change the wiring and it will work fine with US type or H1 highbeams so you can get the euro high beams later or if you are happy leave the US ones in there.

I recall I had to lengthen grounds, and mount the two relays which come with a bracket. I mounted it on the inside of the sheet metal for the radiator opening a few inches down from the latch panel. There was already a little hole there to mount the bracket. The harness plugs into one of your existing headlight connectors to trigger high/low beams.

The nicest harness I've seen is the one from wagonmeister. It's not a tbot budget prices but is a truly fine looking product made with quality parts.
 
I'm doing this front end. It does require changing fenders. The headlights are the 86+ e codes(81+ for euro models). Also need headlight trim to fill in top space of headlight & hood.

50120757731_8752880854_b.jpg
 
Find a pair of 1979-80 240 rectangular H4 E-codes. They drop in place of the dual rectangular 4x6 stuff. They are hard to find in the US and Canada, but there are people in Europe who have them.


1985 U.S. market model 245.


Lit up...
 
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