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Date:         Tue, 2 Sep 2014 22:05:16 -0400
Reply-To:     "Chris S." <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Chris S." <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Headlights
Comments: To: "phishman068@GMAIL.COM" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <ACD045E3-4AA1-480E-9BFD-8389EDD0A364@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Craig,

I have a self-confessed and recently realized headlight fetish. I have tried many e-code headlights as a result. I can tell you that Cibie 7'' e-codes are the best. See Daniel Stern lighting website. Cry once, they say.

Chris.

Wysłane z iPhone'a

Dnia Aug 31, 2014 o godz. 14:59 Craig Cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM> napisał(a):

> Does anyone happen to have a spare set of round 80-85 headlight buckets they could sell me for use on my current syncro project? > I want both my syncros to match. : ) > > I really love the look of my rounds and have actually been sufficiently happy with the performance of sealed beam bulbs on my rounds with a relay upgrade in place, but I do intend to order some h4s to sweeten things up on both busses. > > -craig > > On Aug 31, 2014, at 2:09 PM, The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM> wrote: > >>>> Hi folks, I'm looking for advice on headlights. Mine are dangerously dim >> at night, >>> can I just put in new higher power bulbs or do I need to install a whole

>> kit including >>> new wiring? I have a '91 Vanagon. >> >> >> As long as you are using decent bulbs now (not cheapo Chinese ones of >> questionable quality/performance), switching to different bulbs of the same >> wattage (even if billed as "high efficiency," etc.) is likely to make only a >> marginal difference. Bulbs using similar technology will not have huge >> differences in output given the same input. So a significant improvement >> will require a higher wattage bulb, which calls for a relay. This makes our >> '86-91 VisionKit - http://www.busdepot.com/visionkit2 - the cheapest and

>> easiest upgrade worth bothering with if you have an '86-91. It includes >> high-output bulbs (100 watt for the inners, 80/100 for the outers) plus the >> necessary relays, fuses, wiring, and instructions. Part of the improvement >> is the bulbs themselves, and part of it is that you are "renewing" your >> wiring and simplifying the signal path. Your old wiring and connectors >> probably have enough corrosion, etc. that your headlights are not even >> performing as well as they originally did (as marginal as that was to begin >> with), so this kills two birds with one stone. >> >> '80-85 Vanagon owners have an easier path, because your Vanagon can accept >> true E-code H4 headlights as a direct swap. For various reasons (none of

>> which include safety or performance), the United States never approved the >> H4 standard for car use, only for motorcycle use, so while those headlights >> are the de facto standard in Europe and Canada, we here in the States got

>> crappy sealed beam headlights instead. All it takes to upgrade to the far >> superior European standard is to buy a pair of Hella E-code headlights for >> $69 - http://www.busdepot.com/0301600118 - plus an inexpensive pair of >> German 55/60 watt bulbs (which require no relays), and swap them out for >> your old sealed-beams. Just by switching to these European spec Hellas, you >> will notice a dramatic improvement in lighting even without adding a relay >> kit and higher output bulbs; using higher-output bulbs and a relay kit will >> improve it even more. (Our '80-85 VisionKit - >> http://www.busdepot.com/visionkit1 - includes the same Hellas plus >> high-output bulbs and relays.) Required disclaimer: Since H4's are not U.S. >> DOT approved, they must always be sold in the U.S. as "for off-road only," >> and technically I suppose a car could fail inspection of someone inspected >> the headlights and couldn't find a DOT approval stamp (not that I've ever

>> heard of that actually happening). If the DOT stamp is important to you,

>> there is a lower-performance cousin of the H4 called an HB2 which gets the >> DOT stamp, but is nowhere near as good. Sometimes these are advertised as H4 >> headlights but they are not; if anyone claims they have H4's that are "DOT >> approved," you can bet they actually use HB2's since no H4 is DOT approved >> for cars. The Hellas that GoWesty includes in their '80-85 headlight upgrade >> kit are HB2's, not H4's. We offer them as well - >> http://www.busdepot.com/70477 - for those who want them, but while better

>> than stock sealed beams they are a definite step below the real Hella H4's. >> >> Back to '86-91 ... you can buy an '80-85 grill and then and use the Hella

>> H4's noted above (with or without relays and higher-output bulbs), but you >> will need more than just the grill itself. You will also need '80-85 >> headlight buckets, which you may be able to find used or else we sell new, >> as well as an emblem to fit the older grill. That will run you about >> $200-$300 including emblem, etc., depending on whether you go with new or

>> used buckets. Plus the cost of the Hella headlights or the '80-85 VisionKit >> noted above. >> >> Both '80-85 and '86-91 owners can upgrade further by switching to the South >> African 4-round-headlight setup. This gives you all of the above benefits >> plus a set of inner driving lights, and is pretty much considered the best >> headlight upgrade you can do. This version - http://www.busdepot.com/1495 - >> includes the Hella H4's, and if you do not want to bother with relays it is >> all you need if you have an '80-85. If you have an '86-91 you'll still need >> to get new or used '80-85 headlight buckets (as mentioned above). If you

>> want to upgrade to higher-output bulbs and relays as well, for an '86-91 >> you'd simply add the '86-91 VisionKit in the first paragraph. For an '80-85 >> you'd buy this South African grill kit instead - >> http://www.busdepot.com/1495A - which lacks the H4's, and then the '80-85

>> VisionKit in the second paragraph, which adds the H4's, relays, and >> high-output bulbs. >> >> Hopefully this is more helpful than confusing. :-) Let me know if not. >> >> Ron Salmon >> The Bus Depot, Inc. >> www.busdepot.com


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