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P80 headlights Possible to Remove Headlight Reflector, rechroming discussion 8628402 8628403

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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matthew1
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Re: P80 headlights Possible to Remove Headlight Reflector, rechroming discussion 8628402 8628403

Post by matthew1 »

With a thin enough material, I think I could reduce the wrinkles to a possibly passable low % of surface area. I'm good with an X-Acto knife, but I've never covered a concave object.
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1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

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matthew1
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Post by matthew1 »

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1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

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RickHaleParker
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Post by RickHaleParker »

matthew1 wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 17:46 Maybe thin enough, and maybe reflective enough. Maybe.
Perhaps Reflective Mylar. Mylar is good to 200℃
⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙
1998 C70, B5234T3, 16T, AW50-42, Bosch Motronic 4.4, Special Edition package.
2003 S40, B4204T3, 14T twin scroll AW55-50/51SN, Siemens EMS 2000.
2004 S60R, B8444S TF80 AWD. Yamaha V8 conversion
2005 XC90 T6 Executive, B6294T, 4T65 AWD, Bosch Motronic 7.0.

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matthew1
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Post by matthew1 »

Requirements:

heat resistant to (?)
reflectivity, enough (?)
under $50
easy enough DIY application
long life

Any others?
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1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

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RickHaleParker
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Post by RickHaleParker »

matthew1 wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 18:19 Requirements:

heat resistant to (?)
reflectivity, enough (?)
under $50
easy enough DIY application
long life

Any others?
What I thinking is:
  • 1. Clean the reflector.
    2. Attach a vacuum source to the port the bulb goes in.
    3. Attach or clamp the film to the other side of the reflector, get a air tight seal.
    4. Heat the film and draw it with the vacuum source.
    5. Remove the heat and vacuum let it cool.
If all goes well. this will form a reflective insert that can be bonded to the reflector.
⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙
1998 C70, B5234T3, 16T, AW50-42, Bosch Motronic 4.4, Special Edition package.
2003 S40, B4204T3, 14T twin scroll AW55-50/51SN, Siemens EMS 2000.
2004 S60R, B8444S TF80 AWD. Yamaha V8 conversion
2005 XC90 T6 Executive, B6294T, 4T65 AWD, Bosch Motronic 7.0.

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Sveedy
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Post by Sveedy »

Seems like this would work fine. And a roll would do 72 cars ! :wink:
Try to learn life's bad lessons vicariously through others.


1996 850 Turbo GLH ( Goes Like Hell )
1999 V70 GLT

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matthew1
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Post by matthew1 »

RickHaleParker wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 18:41
4. Heat the film and draw it with the vacuum source.
Heat gun hitting the outside of the housing maybe?
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1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

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Post by dj_v70 »

Another option, but not as cheap as tape (or film). Heck it is close to the price of a TYC headlight ...

"Great For Re-Plating Headlight Reflectors"
https://www.amazon.com/E-Z-Way-Restorat ... B00HFER3AE

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Post by RickHaleParker »

matthew1 wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 18:46 Heat gun hitting the outside of the housing maybe?
I would think that by the time a heat gun got it hot enough the reflector would melt.

Radiant heat lamp would have a more even distribution ... infrared space heater aimed at the film?

Infrared heat just what the light falls on.
⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙
1998 C70, B5234T3, 16T, AW50-42, Bosch Motronic 4.4, Special Edition package.
2003 S40, B4204T3, 14T twin scroll AW55-50/51SN, Siemens EMS 2000.
2004 S60R, B8444S TF80 AWD. Yamaha V8 conversion
2005 XC90 T6 Executive, B6294T, 4T65 AWD, Bosch Motronic 7.0.

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matthew1
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Post by matthew1 »

RickHaleParker wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 18:57
matthew1 wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 18:46 Heat gun hitting the outside of the housing maybe?
I would think that by the time a heat gun got it hot enough the reflector would melt.

Radiant heat lamp would have a more even distribution ... infrared space heater aimed at the film?

Infrared heat just what the light falls on.
Aimed at the back or the front? The front will reflect most of that energy.
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1998 V70, no dash lights on

1997 850 T5 [gone] w/ MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace

2004 V70 R [gone]

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