When did the speedos change?

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:02 pm

Mmmmhhh.... I have always noticed something strange about the speedo clocks on the dash's I have seen in pictures...Like there was something slightly different between some cars and my car....

WELL- I have figured out what it is...the newer 480's have a more squareish numbered font where as the older 480's had a more normalish font. I just had to say something as it has REALLY been bugging me!!!

Here is photo proof...

Older style...

and newer style...

Now which do you prefer?! Any idea what the changeover year was?

Rob

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:16 pm

Lol, theres many more variations than that. Some have "use unleaded petrol" written on them for instance.

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:27 pm

Nice detail!

I guess around the facelift in 1992, but VAdis or the partsbook should give a clue.

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:29 pm

JohnTurbo wrote:Lol, theres many more variations than that. Some have "use unleaded petrol" written on them for instance.

I've encountered those bad boys but the typeface was what was bugging me! So glad I finally figured it out!!!

Dan the 480 Man · Post by **Dan the 480 Man** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:29 pm

It was similar situation in the 440. The changeover year for those was 93/94, so i presume the 480 may be around the same time??

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:37 pm

Ettore Bugatti wrote:Nice detail!

I guess around the facelift in 1992, but VAdis or the partsbook should give a clue.

Yeh I guess it must of been around 92. The interesting thing is the newer typeface is still used on volvo's now..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-VOLVO-S80-AU ... dZViewItem

(just an example - the first newish vovlo on ebay with a pic of the dash!!!)

Rob

Agwa Moose · Post by **Agwa Moose** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 1:59 am

Mines an (early) 93 and it's got the older typeface...

J

robin_xr4i · Post by **robin_xr4i** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:43 am

Mines as a 92 and it's got the older clock face...

The new style looks nice, but not nice enough to change it

strangegame · Post by **strangegame** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:07 am

and newer style...

also the words got changed

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:28 am

Thats 86/87 right? Because that is the old school infocentre with two red bars at the bottom and the different words!

It seems there are 3 main types not including "unleaded petrol" varients!

86-early 88 - Old typeface on speedo and rev counter. Red bar Info centre with old font type and different words.

88-92(we believe) - Old typeface on speedo and rev counter. Normal infocentre with green bars, old font.

92-95 - New type face on everything.

Got to love volvo standardisation! Do we have any more variations?
Rob

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:52 am

I've never seen the new typeface on any 480 younger than a '94.
Both the '93 Turbos i've had didn't have it.

Website · Post by **coyote1980** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:44 pm

Hi guitarcarfanatic, I took the liberty to add a poll to your thread so we can see what font (old or new) people prefer. I myself prefer the '94 / '95 font with the rounded characters, it seems 'lighter' and 'friendlier' in my perception.

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:42 pm

Pre 1988,

Red leds are so cool!

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:19 pm

\i hate you all, no dial peel in those pics...

kennymac · Post by **kennymac** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:45 pm

Dial peel, whats that?

catgroom · Post by **catgroom** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:41 pm

1994 cars on had this.

Im back to a 92 and prefer it.

SteveR · Post by **SteveR** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:48 pm

Just for Martin - Dial peel is (sorry about focus) 2L LReg:

Replaced by spare from anonymous presumed 1.7:

Oh and not forgetting the TT:

Ral · Post by **Ral** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:49 pm

I would have liked the red bars at the bottom of the fuel gauge with the new words around the IC. Other than that, I think the old font is much clearer and less fussy.

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:28 pm

I have the newer font but now Ive see both of them together I much prefer the older style.......well actually I just prefer a speedo that works

jamooga · Post by **jamooga** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:11 pm

Mines a 88 and i like the way it looks, however i dont heave the two red bars in bottom of fuel indicator. Must say i would like mine to be red too, since with my eyesight i often have difficulty dicerning whether there are two or just one bars left.

Volvo 480 Club Europe

When did the speedos change?

What speedo font do you prefer?

When did the speedos change?

Re: When did the speedos change?

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