Date:         Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:11:33 -0800
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Can the pre 86 upper grill be fitted into a post 85 vanagon?
In-Reply-To:  <bfb5ccc40511171518m4b993161o5bf88ae7797f0a22@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

>
> The gist of this is - Don't see a problem, the grille will mount up
> without
> the tabs, but may be "flimsy" in it's stability. You may need to weld-in
> these mounting tabs to provide a more positive mounting for the uppermost
> part of the grille.


Yeah, the early round light grille mounts just fine to a late model. The SA
grille mounts exactly the same way, with the exception of using solid metal
grip pins to sit in the left and right side clips rather than the
slot-headed "twist 90 degrees to release" kind. Once you change to the round
light buckets the only difference between the early and late van is the two
inner tabs. It is indeed a wee bit flimsy feeling with just the outer spring
clips, but I haven't had my $300+ "investment" fall off yet. Still, I'll
probably either scavenge some tabs off a junker or maybe just make 'em
myself (I have spare spring clips already) and blind rivet 'em on. I'm never
going to put those old square abominations on again anyway-- I love my round
Hella E-code reflectors with 100w/80w bulbs (relays and 10ga feed wire, of
course). It's like actually having your lights on at night! I don't
understand why they "went square" in the first place. I guess everyone was
going to square headlights in the 80's and they didn't want to look "old
fashioned".
--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"