Main differences of a later ‘facelift’ 740?

[kelvinp]

Originally Posted by bob12

Feb 1990 GL 745 Facelift (B200F) .... front indicator lenses are unique, but can be sourced relatively easily; those made by 'DEPO' are the only quality ones to get. The only other difference you can't see in the pic is the word 'catalizer' on the tailgate, and a slightly modified back bumper shape. To the front end if you need to replace anything you have to find another similar as the wing shape/shut and light metalwork is unique as is the size of the grill. Bob.

Forgot the front headlight wiper blades are 5" not the regular 6" ones!!

I've got a 1990 745 (SE) and have nearly been caught out with the front indicators and the wiper blades, I guess that people don't realise that they are not all the same.

The only thing I've not quite worked out yet is what colour the bumpers should actually be, were they black when new or did they fade to/were grey from new?

Catalyser does sound posh, mine's the B200F auto and certainly won't set the world on fire, for fuel economy it's not much better than my 2.5 V6 MG, but wouldn't be without the usefulness of having an estate.

[bob12]

Originally Posted by kelvinp

I've got a 1990 745 (SE) and have nearly been caught out with the front indicators and the wiper blades, I guess that people don't realise that they are not all the same.

The only thing I've not quite worked out yet is what colour the bumpers should actually be, were they black when new or did they fade to/were grey from new?

Catalyser does sound posh, mine's the B200F auto and certainly won't set the world on fire, for fuel economy it's not much better than my 2.5 V6 MG, but wouldn't be without the usefulness of having an estate.

Saab 5" headlight wiper blades do the trick , but I use the same metal and just re-rubber with those cheapo £1 packs of replacement blades cut to size. You get about 6 out of a pack!!

The bumpers should be black but they are a pain in the posterior!! The plastic degrades with UV light and goes to a grey colour (as are mine at the moment!). The best treatment is to use a hot air gun on them (very gently) and, wonder of wonders, they change back to black. Other remedies are rubbing with peanut or other oil, but the black effect doesn't last that long. Things such as Simonize 'Back to Black' are useless.

As to performance mine turns in very acceptable mileages per gallon in the mid 30's to 39/42 mpg, but it is manual on the M47 box. To the surprise of a lot of BMW and Audi boy racers it can keep up with modern cars on a motorway ... oops I didn't say that. The cat is still the original one!!

Bob

[bob12]

...... and my final word on this ... here as a bonus are a couple of pics of of my H reg later 1990 745 facelift breaker. Although not in the pic the car shows the part of the further morphing into a 900 with all the faux chrome work gone being replace by dull black trim. The wing mirrors have not yet changed!

Best wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year,

Bob.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by bob12

What you have to remember is in 1990 that the front end was quite a radical style change from the then current 'square look' at a time of transition when the 850 (Renault collaboration) had just been introduced, and the 740's were morphing into the 900 Series to get the product range sequence numbering 'sorted'.... and Volvo were hemorrhaging money.

When you look now at the front end lines of most modern cars you can see that the 700 Series facelift of the 1990's actually carries a likeness to modern front end styling with the bonnet line and a gap between the headlights and grille although today's style the lines are far, far more sweeping.

As you can guess I actually like the front end lines of the 1990 700 Series facelift.

Bob

The front end of your B200F looks like it has a nod towards the S/V70/90 and 850 ranges in a "planned family identity" kind of way Bob. Moreso than my 1988 760 Facelift :



That's more like the rest of the facelifted 7xx range launched in 1990 and then the 9xx after.

Originally Posted by kelvinp

I've got a 1990 745 (SE) and have nearly been caught out with the front indicators and the wiper blades, I guess that people don't realise that they are not all the same.

The only thing I've not quite worked out yet is what colour the bumpers should actually be, were they black when new or did they fade to/were grey from new?

Catalyser does sound posh, mine's the B200F auto and certainly won't set the world on fire, for fuel economy it's not much better than my 2.5 V6 MG, but wouldn't be without the usefulness of having an estate.

The good thing is the B200 lump will probably outlast the KV6, Catalyser was just a short way of saying "catalytic converter" and if your car is pre-1992, you can legally remove the cat and gain some useful mpg and bhp with improved throttle response. Convert it to LPG and you can legally remove the cat from a post-92 car as well!

[Pete940]

I'm sure they've used a few different plastics for the bumpers over the years. Many 1990 models have grey looking bumpers. My 1988 740 has darker and smoother black bumpers than my 940.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Pete940

I'm sure they've used a few different plastics for the bumpers over the years. Many 1990 models have grey looking bumpers. My 1988 740 has darker and smoother black bumpers than my 940.

It doesn't help when previous owners change things they shouldn't either - look at the body coloured door mirrors on mine in the post above.

[loki_the_glt]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

It doesn't help when previous owners change things they shouldn't either - look at the body coloured door mirrors on mine in the post above.

And the Exxon Valdez, my 1997 estate, has been retrofitted with early 940 lamp clusters to give a second rear fog lamp and orange-coloured indicator lenses fore and aft. I also used Tamiya Clear Orange to paint over the clear indicator repeater lenses.

To paraphrase the model railway community: it's my car.

[bob12]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

It doesn't help when previous owners change things they shouldn't either - look at the body coloured door mirrors on mine in the post above.

Haven't yet quite worked out those mirrors yet on an 'F' plate Dave. No 1 how did someone get standard black mirrors on a silver door faceplate - a near impossible task?

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by bob12

Haven't yet quite worked out those mirrors yet on an 'F' plate Dave. No 1 how did someone get standard black mirrors on a silver door faceplate - a near impossible task?

Look again Bob. They're not standard black mirrors. They're meant to be body-coloured mirrors, as per standard 760GLE spec (the 740GLE had black ones) and if you can see in that pic, some of the BLACKBOARD PAINT is flaking off and the Silver-Green body-colour can be seen underneath.

Either way that black 5h17e has to be rubbed off and the mirror casings smoothed out but i'd like to either put them back to 403-03 Silver-Green with the rest of the car or .......

......... i have some chrome, self-adhesive film, Fablon type stuff. If i can work out how to stretch/pull the film while applying just enough heat from a heat gun or hairdryer to bend it smoothly round the compound curves of the mirror body/back-shell, i'd like chrome door mirrors.

There have been several things altered/removed for either no apparent reason or a badly misdiagnosed reason on this car. For example, the oil cooler between the block and the filter, the A/C evaporator from the heater box, the jacking pad on the front crossmember - all missing when i got it.

That's really the point i was trying to make. There's no knowing what a previous owner has done, it's possible on one persons car it has suffered a frontal shunt and been treated to a newer or older set of front end panels/lights etc.

Sometimes the front end swaps are done because the owner really wants the look of a different aged model - for example i know of several Mk2 Rover 800s with Mk1 bonnets and grills.
I can see why people would like that idea and did for a while toy with that idea on my Sterling but the blackboard paint on the door mirrors of my 765?

[bob12]

Originally Posted by Pete940

I'm sure they've used a few different plastics for the bumpers over the years. Many 1990 models have grey looking bumpers. My 1988 740 has darker and smoother black bumpers than my 940.

They have only got 'grey looking' bumpers Pete because of the UV derogation. They all came out new from the Ghent factory as black.