Date:         Wed, 23 Jul 1997 09:58:00 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         BLAINE_BACHMAN%PL-01M3@CCMAIL.PLK.AF.MIL
Subject:      Re: Euro-spec headlights tech (kinda long)

     Well yes-

     Nothing about the grille.  But the headlights themselves would have a
     "reversed" beam pattern.  In drive-on-the-right countries (including
     the US and continental Europe), the high-beam is usually shifted to
     the left (as well as "up") in comparison to the low-beam.  The
     drive-on-the-left comparison (UK, South Africa, Japan, ANZUS) would
     have the pattern shift to the right.

     Also, with regard to Euro-spec lenses (L- or RHD), these usually have
     a very sharp cutoff pattern on low beam.  If you shine the headlights
     (euro-spec, drive-on-the-right) on a garage door or similar, you see a
     light pattern like this (bad ASCII art alert!):


        (dark)  /| (dark) /|
        ______/  |______/  |

               light

     The angled-up cutoff allows light to shine further down the right side
     (shoulder) of the road.  On good lenses (Cibie comes to mind), the
     cutoff is very dramatic; you could almost use it as a guide to draw a
     straight line on the garage door!  Naturally, drive-on-the-left lights
     are opposite.

     US-spec low beam patterns are less defined, and frankly emit a lot of
     blinding light where it isn't needed or wanted (except on
     luminescently-challenged overhead freeway signs, trees (helps the
     squirrels find midnight snacks), and low-flying aircraft).  When
     euro-spec lights having the above beam pattern are properly adjusted,
     virtually no blinding light is emitted at oncoming traffic or in the
     rear view mirror of other cars ahead in the same lane.

     Note that there are likely exceptions to the above; this is not
     intended to be the definitive "primer" on euro-spec lighting, just a
     collection of my observations from having lived in Europe two years
     and made several subsequent visits.  But I have used euro-spec 7"
     round Cibie conversions on a Baja bug and seen the exact beam pattern
     shown above.  I also have Euro-spec tungsten-bulb "buckets" on my '66
     Bus which exhibit this characteristic (although the left lens is
     evidently a British version as it has the cutoff running just the
     opposite - fortunately the tungsten bulbs are not too bright, and I
     have the reflectors adjusted to lower the beam - when I hit the high
     beams on this one, they both head toward the center of the road -
     "cross-eyes").

     I also have a pair of 7" Cibie Z-beams - these have a fairly sharp
     cutoff and a slight shift to the left on high-beam, but the beam
     pattern is more symetrical.

     -Blaine


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Re[2]: Wanted - Euro-spec headlights for a '91 (rectangu
Author:  tony@moorelab.com at mailgw
Date:    7/23/97 8:53 AM


I'm not sure what that has to do with the headlights and grill tho'.

Am I missing something?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
tony
tri-state transporters
'57 oval beetle
'60 westy
'71 rustfalia
'85 westy
'86 weekender (the wife's :-) - for sale!
'97 golf trek (the wife's)

"rusty or not the stars are just as bright and the campfire just as warm
and the bed just as cozy"  -len alcamo

http://moorelab.com/tristatetransporters.html
http://moorelab.com
http://bluejordan.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------

----------
> From: BLAINE_BACHMAN%PL-01M3@ccmail.plk.af.mil
> To: tony@moorelab.com
> Cc: Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU
> Subject: Re[2]: Wanted - Euro-spec headlights for a '91 (rectangular)
> Date: Wednesday, July 23, 1997 10:00 AM
>
>
>      But-
>
>      They drive on the left side of the street in S.A., right?  Gotta go
to
>      Europe.
>
>      -Blaine
>
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
> Subject: Re: Wanted - Euro-spec headlights for a '91 (rectangular)
> Author:  tony@moorelab.com at mailgw
> Date:    7/23/97 8:00 AM
>
>
> Wasn't Chris Turner (JordanVW@aol.com) talking about organizing a group
buy
> of these from South Africa?
>
> Maybe we could shame him into getting back into the game ;->
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ---------------------
> tony
> tri-state transporters
> '57 oval beetlw
> '60 westy
> '71 rustfalia
> '85 westy
> '86 weekender (the wife's :-) - for sale!
> '97 golf trek
>
> "rusty or not the stars are just as bright and the campfire just as warm
> and the bed just as cozy"  -len alcamo
>
> http://moorelab.com/tristatetransporters.html
> http://moorelab.com
> http://bluejordan.com
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

> --------------
>
> ----------
> > From: BLAINE_BACHMAN%PL-01M3@CCMAIL.PLK.AF.MIL
> > To: Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU
> > Subject: Wanted - Euro-spec headlights for a '91 (rectangular)
> > Date: Wednesday, July 23, 1997 8:50 AM
> >
> >      Does anyone out there have a line on getting Euro-spec headlights
> for
> >      the late Vanagon?
> >
> >      I don't want to go retro to round lights (always wanted a Vanagon
> with
> >      rectangulars).
> >
> >      Do our Canadian friends suffer with the same S.A.E.-approved junk
> that
> >      we have?
> >
> >      Anyone in Europe with access to a few good wrecking yards want to
go
> >      into business?
> >
> >      -Blaine