David,
My '87 Westy had the same lame headlights that I could barely see with so I tried the GoWesty headlight upgrade kit, which includes the brighter bulbs.� Some folks thinks it's pricey and say that similar setups can be sourced elsewhere for less, but it has everything you need and is easily obtained.� Pretty painless for a novice.� Here's a link to my install:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bike2vcu/HeadlightUpgrade#�  

Stephen

--- On Fri, 12/17/10, David M <covrambles@YAHOO.COM> wrote:

From: David M <covrambles@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Vanagon rear lights and the pathetic headlights
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Friday, December 17, 2010, 3:59 PM

I have my rear light problems all fixed. I went with 23W bulbs for the stop and reversing lights and 10W bulbs for the tail lights. Cleaning the rear lenses also helped a little and I fashioned some reflective surfaces in there with reflective tape.

I'd love to do something about the pathetic headlights. Now that I drive home in the dark I can barely tell my headlights are on, they shine no pattern on the road in front of me. I see more modern vehicles and it looks like a floodlight is illuminating the road in front of them. I then have to
 check my switch to see if I actually have mine turned on. It's very disconcerting. The only way I can tell for sure is when I come up behind another vehicle and check the reflection.

-David (1987 Wolfsburg)