I mounted my Inner Lights using Scott's method several years ago on my
Westy.  It was simple and easy.
-- 
Jim Thompson
84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
75 914 1.8 "Nancy"
Full Timing Since March 1999
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
***********************************
On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 1:39 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> regarding mounting the headlight buckets to the vanagon body solidly..
> one could also use a 'bedding compound' ..
> something pliable to fill in uneven areas..
> to help 'stick' the thing in place..
> to seal out moisture , etc.
>
> nothing too permanent of course.
> The Right Stuff would be about right ...a very thin bead..
> helps seat everything, hold it in place, yet comes apart easily when needed.
>
> on a boat ..any cleat or deck fitting is mounted with screws or
> through-bolts and *always* a bedding compound of some sort. �It only makes
> sense.
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 8:26 AM
> Subject: Re: Mounting SA Grille Inner Lights
>
>
>> �Some concern has been expressed about vibration loosening up the
>> screws and the lights getting out of alignment. This won't happen
>> because there are four screws put in for each light. Only two screw
>> holes are enlarged, leaving the other two exactly the size of the screw.
>> Once those two screws are put in place, the light mount will not move.
>> If there is any insecurity about this, then it is easy enough to put in
>> another screw or two.
>>
>> Since I did this, I have realized that I could have simply drilled a
>> single �hole - aligned with the factory holes but bigger in diameter -
>> centered in both the upper and lower mount bracket, and used this to set
>> the light in the right position, using the same concept of the screws
>> being tight - but not so tight I could not move the light with some
>> pressure from my fingers. Once in place, the grille is removed, the two
>> screws tightened, and the existing factory holes in the frame used as a
>> guide to drill new holes in the vehicle body. Once mounted, those two
>> center screws could be removed. Doing it this way, the factory screw
>> holes are not modified, but left intact.
>>
>> But that whole business of trying to tape the lights in place to get the
>> new screw holes right is anathema.
>>
>> John
>>
>> John Rodgers
>> Clayartist and Moldmaker
>> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
>> Chelsea, AL
>> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>>
>>
>> On 8/22/2011 1:49 AM, Aristotle Sagan wrote:
>>>
>>> You are not worried vibrations gonna knock them out of �wack eventually?
>>>
>>> tim in san �jose
>>>
>>> On Sun, Aug 21, 2011 at 9:24 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net
>>> <mailto:inua@charter.net>> wrote:
>>>
>>> � � I have finally gotten around to installing the VW South African
>>> � �grille
>>> � �on my van. When attempting to install the lights, I found the the
>>> � �alignment issue to be a royal PITA!.
>>>
>>> � �On my van, I needed to drill new holes for the inner light mounts,
>>> � �since
>>> � �the old ones didn't match. To position the lights, they have to be
>>> put
>>> � �in place, then the grille installed, the lights positioned, then the
>>> � �lights held in position and the grille removed. Then the new holes
>>> � �drilled. I've got news! Holding the lights so they don't move while
>>> � �screwing around with that grille is almost if not outright
>>> impossible.
>>> � �The light would move slightly every time, and then would be wonky
>>> � �inside
>>> � �the grille when the grille was again mounted. I had to find a way
>>> � �around
>>> � �this.
>>>
>>> � �The solution:
>>> � �I set the lights in as near the correct position as possible, then
>>> � �drilled one upper hole and one lower hole diagonally opposite. Next,
>>> I
>>> � �dismounted the light, and drilled the holes in the mount that were
>>> � �diagonally opposite to match those just drilled in the body. I then
>>> � �remounted the lights. I installed a screw in each enlarged hole, and
>>> � �snugged it down just ever so slightly. This put pressure on the
>>> � �mount so
>>> � �it would not move, yet not so tight that I could NOT move it. The
>>> � �enlarged holes allowed me to move the light mount left and right,
>>> � �up and
>>> � �down just a little bit. I then mounted the grille, and with modest
>>> � �finger pressure, positioned the light exactly in the center of the
>>> � �grille light opening. The enlarged holes allowed me to do this. I
>>> � �removed the grille, and the lights stayed put. I just tightened the
>>> � �screws, then �added the other two, and was done.
>>>
>>> � �This method was far easier than anything I saw described
>>> � �elsewhere, and
>>> � �the fact that two screws are through slightly larger holes in the
>>> � �light
>>> � �mount matters not a whit. One can always throw in an extra screw
>>> � �here or
>>> � �there if needed.
>>>
>>> � �Hope this helps someone else trying to mount the SA Grille Inner
>>> � �Lights.
>>>
>>> � �John
>>>
>>> � �--
>>> � �John Rodgers
>>> � �Clayartist and Moldmaker
>>> � �88'GL VW Bus Driver
>>> � �Chelsea, AL
>>> � �Http://www.moldhaus.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Where ever you are, there you be. Unless you're driving my van, in
>>> which case, you ain't got there yet.
>

-- 
Jim Thompson
84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
75 914 1.8 "Nancy"
Full Timing Since March 1999
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
***********************************