Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2002 12:00:20 +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: Re: vanagon grill pics
In-Reply-To: <20020215104155.43917.qmail@web20607.mail.yahoo.com>
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>Andrew:
>
>I would like to see some pics of your new grill. I enjoyed your
>recent post regarding installation. I seem to recall that you
>mentioned the new grilles are much more flexible than before, and
>maybe less likely to shatter on impact with a road hazard. Are you
>saying that the plastic is thin, soft, or simply more capable of
>being "twisted" than the stock grill? Any additional comments? A
>year or so ago, there was talk on the list about how hard it was to
>remove the SA grille because of the use of pins(?) instead of the
>std. type fasteners. Can you describe this pin setup? And are the
>Hella "driving lights" actually between low and high beams, or is
>the beam pattern more like a high beam? Thanks for all the info!
Hi Cary
I have only one pic so far, installed; ought to pop the grills back
off and take some closeups of details, I guess.
When I received the grills a few months ago I was dismayed at the
thinness of the plastic of the upper unit. The new upper grill is
pretty flexible, as well as thin; rather softer plastic, I think;
more like polyethene or polypropylene in texture. If twisted
forcefully it feels as though it might kink rather than snap, as the
old grill would. I think it'll be far more impact-resistant than the
old styrene unit. I think the lower isn't too dissimilar to the old
grills in composition, but I'll have to have another look at it!
The new upper is designed for hidden fasteners. It has pins with
grooves near their tips; these are in the same positions as the
old-style turn-fasteners. If you look at your mounts, you'll see that
there is a slot for the turn-fastener, but in addition behind this is
a pair of angled springplates which pinch the new grill's pins,
locking into the grooves. Merely fit the tabs on the lower edge into
place, as with the old grill, and push pins home. To remove, it's a
bit inconvenient; force fingertip under edge of end of grill and pull
forward, then slip fingers further in and tug until the outermost pin
pops out; slide hand along and pop pin inboard of headlight. Here you
can see the grill straining. Bad design. Repeat at other end, then
pop center pin. I think that the grill may eventually split at the
two inner pins due to fatigue if you pop it off too many times...
The smaller inner lights will be high-beams, not driving lights; same
setup as a Golf 1 or 2 GTi. I THINK. I haven't used them, as the van
isn't a going concern right now...
--
Regards
Andrew
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