Headlight fog lamps

[bob12]

I took the battery out of my 1990 745 GL Facelift today to give it a full 'Summer' recharge on the bench, and took the opportunity to look underneath each side of the front bumper underskirt on it, and the '91.

Low and behold on each side two equi-distant plugs on the under bumper that were clearly designed to take a fog light mounting.

Bob

[foggyjames]

Yeah, that's the position.

Here's a pic from eBay (probably won't last forever!) of a kit...



Pretty sure the bumpers are the same shape, so it ought to work, even if the holes aren't there on 940s.

cheers

James

[Nine40]

Originally Posted by foggyjames

Yeah, that's the position.

Here's a pic from eBay (probably won't last forever!) of a kit...



Pretty sure the bumpers are the same shape, so it ought to work, even if the holes aren't there on 940s.

cheers

James

Have got ebay link please? Cheers

[foggyjames]

Short answer is no - it was a (very) old listing, and only the image is now accessible. I found it via a Google image search.

cheers

James

[Laird Scooby]

Original Volvo Part Number for the kit is 6820653 and it's NLA but last price was E210.50 :

https://www.carparts-pros.com/page_1_3.php#oeformo

You may have to re-enter the P/No in the search box on the page but if you really want a pair, do a search on ebay for "Volvo 6820653" and save the search, it'll email when one is listed.

[Dippydog]

Don't recall ever using front fogs on any car I've had that had them fitted-most of them didn't]and it's been a very rare occurrence that I've used the rear ones[due mainly to town driving so nose to tail stuff where the rear fogs would cause glare to those behind].

[loki_the_glt]

I sometimes used the rear fogs if the Valdez's reversing lamps decided not to work as the lane at the back of the house that gives access to the garage is unlit and overgrown with weeds and wheelie-bins.

Front fogs are useful on unlit country lanes for picking out the verges; I used to run cars with one fog and one driving lamp under the bumper (yes, I know it was illegal) as this gave me both a wide and close and a long-range narrow beam at the same time.

PIAA in the States did a combi unit with fog and spot lenses which I assume were intended to do the same thing.

[Dippydog]

Many many years ago you didn't have two front fogs,you had one fog and one spot lamp.I seem to remember that the spot was to pick out the kerb/verge while the fog gave a broader light spread for the white line/centre of the road,and cars didn't have rear fogs at all.

[Laird Scooby]

Pretty much essential in this part of the country to have front fogs. Other parts of the country that i've lived in, barely any need but we get some real thick ones here.

Also useful in heavy rain and falling snow - the other two times according to the Highway Code you can legally use front fogs.

However, like Loki, i often use them down country roads, especially with so many potholes and no markings on the edge of the roads and the very real risk that the edge of the road has subsided into the nearest dyke or field.

As for the spot and fog lamp pairing, that was legal at one time as long as the spot lamp was aimed at the kerb about 30 yds in front of the car or thereabouts (can't remember the exact figure now) with the fog lamp aimed directly in front of the car and the cut off on the beam no higher than dipped beam.
Besides spot lights being outlawed in the mid 70s due to the arrival of KC Daylighters, they also became less effective in fog because halogen bulbs were more popular and the extra brightness just created a wall of glare in fog. Also with better fog lamp lens design, the beam reached further, aided by halogen bulbs, so the need for a spot lamp for the kerb was no longer there.

The twin unit lamps Loki mentions, combined fog and driving lights (not spot lights) are for people who want to add both to their car but don't have the room for whatever reason to mount more than one pair of auxiliary lamps.

Driving lamps can be any height above the ground, fog lights no more than 1200mm (4' in old money) from the ground so the twin unit things serve a good purpose.

[bob12]

Originally Posted by Dippydog

Many many years ago you didn't have two front fogs,you had one fog and one spot lamp.I seem to remember that the spot was to pick out the kerb/verge while the fog gave a broader light spread for the white line/centre of the road,and cars didn't have rear fogs at all.

Likewise .... many years ago on an early Austin 1100 I put on a pair of matching Raydot lights. A spot and a fog .... WOW the ultimate accessory!! Bearing in mind the poor light output of headlights in those days the spot was useful on many occasions on country roads at night around where I lived at the time, and the fog on murky days.

In those more sedate days with much less traffic around enhanced rear lights were not even thought of!

I have no intention of fitting front fogs on the 745 having enhanced the light output slightly on the headlights. However, I do find the enhanced output switch for the rear lights useful when barreling down a motorway in bad driving conditions. Bob