Date:         Thu, 7 Feb 2002 23:24:07 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      South African grills fitted finally
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Well, I finally got to fit my South African grills today after work.

The full-width 1-piece lower grill fits easily; remove old grill,
unscrew indicators, thread through the openings in the ends of the
grill, fit new grill, fit 5 old clips and screw the 5 screws back in
the old places.  Screw indicators onto the grill ends, ensuring the
ground wire on the left indicator is grounded by one of the screws
(anyway, mine had a ground wire there).

Top grill is a bit more fiddly... the two small inner high-beam-only
headlights are attached to galvanized sheetmetal brackets which hook
under the grill mounts and do not locate exactly at all. You have to
sit them there (careful they don't fall off) in the radiator opening,
then install the grill. Move one light until centered in the grill
opening, then hold it firmly and unclip the grill. Almost certainly
it'll take several tries before the light doesn't slip out of place
when you pull on the grill. When you're sure you've got it, mark the
upper hole positions with a felt pen; then do the other side. Check
again, then drill the upper holes and install the lights with
sheetmetal screws. Rrefit grill. If lights are now uncentered, you
can bend the mounts slightly before marking the lower holes and
drilling. The lower holes go through triple-thickness sheetmetal, a
dn no way will selftapping screws work here. you'll need 3-4mm bolts
with nuts & springwashers. You will also find that the bright metal
brackets will peep over the top of the grill, so you'll need to put
some black paint on them there.

I won't actually do the wiring now; there is a headlight relay
installed by a PO and I'll have to check this out.

It's a huge improvement in appearance, though lack of a front bumper
means it still lacks something.

This weekend I can pull off a front wheel and see if the 16" ET37 CLK
Mercedes wheel/tire will fit!
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
Friends don't let friends do Windows