Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 15:17:09 EST
Reply-To: THX0001@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: George Goff <THX0001@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: which type of headlight upgrade would you recommend and why?
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Andrew,
These are the reasons I installed a SA grille listed in some manner of
hierarchy from most to least:
1/ I became determined not to suffer the stock lighting anymore.
2/ A group purchase brought the price of the conversion within the amount I
would want to spend for it.
3/ I already had a pair of 7" headlight buckets which also factored into the
amount I was willing to spend.
4/ I was able to get Hella 7" lamps at a fair price, once again, an element
of the total cost.
5/ The main headlamps are a standard industry size which is in stock
everywhere.
6/ I like the idea of a truly parabolic reflector, the physics of which was
worked out centuries ago with no considerations for what the stylists wanted it
to look like.
These are my thoughts in hindsight:
1/ The constuction of the SA grille appears to be far less robust than the
grille which I removed. I can only hope that the formulation of the material
from which it is made is tougher and highly UV resistant.
2/ In order to install the SA grille as was intended, at least on an US van,
the mountings for three captive spring fasteners have to be fabricated and
secured to the grille opening. While I imagine that most go without these, I
have to think that it is not the best thing to do considering the flimsy nature
of the SA grille.
3/ Unfortunately, the SA inner hi-beam lamps are application specific in that
they have integral mounting lugs instead of using a bucket with a retaining
ring. Should I need to replace an inner hi-beam lamp, I am again stuck with
something which will be hard to find.
I am more than satisfied with the amount of lighting the SA setup provides,
but, in hindsight, I would have taken a more direct path to improving the
lighting; I would install quality, standard 200mm (nominally 5X7) H-4's in the
stock grille which is by far the cheapest solution to the problem at hand. This
would require adapting buckets from another car or else fabricating a suitable
adjustable mounting, but, I sense that you are a resourceful enough fellow to
make a good job of it.
As I have said before, one man's approach to installing 200mm H-4's was
reported in the Limbo newsletter some years ago. Although I would not think that
you need it, perhaps this article is archived by someone.
George