I would be very cautious about a wattage upgrade on tail lights.

I went to higher watt bulbs for  running lights and got a meltdown in
one tail light assembly and had to replace the entire tail-light
assembly. On the other side, I got some buckling of the plastics but was
able to salvage the assembly.

I  still have the higher watt backup lights installed and they work fine
and have not overheated the plastic. Their operation is intermittant at
best and for me anyway they are never on long enough to cause a heat
problem.

Just a caution.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

George Goff wrote:

>I just saw this on the Syncro List and after creeping home last night through
>some pretty nasty conditions, I thought it might be good if those 18-wheelers
>could see me.  Are these lights a lot brighter?
>
>George
>
><<From: CTONLINE@webtv.net (Terry K.)
>Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 21:34:45 -0600 (CST)
>To: Vanagon@yahoogroups.com, Syncro@yahoogroups.com,
>    Vanagon-Westfalia@yahoogroups.com, WetWesties@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Bigger Amp Front Turn signal Bulbs
>Message-ID: <22099-3E335755-6586@storefull-2352.public.lawson.webtv.net>
>Content-Disposition: Inline
>Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit
>MIME-Version: 1.0 (WebTV)
>
>Hey all---
>
>In the last several weeks I have had several requests from Vanagon
>owner's who were purchasing the 50 watt tail lamp bulb update--if in
>fact I had any brighter front turn signal / parking light bulbs--and I
>didn't.
>
>Well---I have been doing some research and now I have found some.
>
>They are the standard 1057--1157 bulbs--but with 10 watt parking light
>bulbs which won't affect the plastic lenes--and the turn signal
>filiments are 48 watts--almost 50---and reallly put on quite the light
>show in the front end--
>
>There is absolutley no question for the other motorists to be thinking
>about in what your intentions are--
>
>Looks real nice and bright---a better bulb--
>
>$2.99 each--plus whatever it takes to get to you--which in most cases
>will be short money--just for the two bulbs--
>
>I also still have a few 50 watt tail lamp bulbs left--so belly up and be
>seen at night----:>)
>
>
>Later,
>
>            ______________
>           |[  ] [  ] [ ]\
>           |    |    |    |
>     ~~~ ~||-(())----(())-|
>
>Terry--
>
>       "Zoom, Zoom, Zoom">>
>
>
>