Success,

        That rubber boot was so tight I would never have dared pull on it without knowing I had to!  All these great descriptions and tips did the trick.  My marker light is working again. 

I remember clearly doing this on my old busses pre vanagon and it was much easier! 
Thanks for helping with a question I was almost too embarrassed to ask.

Eric Caron 
85 Westfalia GL Automatic 

On Jul 8, 2013, at 9:43 PM, Scott Ohana <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:

> twotips to add..
> 1. spary wd-40 under the edge of the rubber boot .helps it come off nicely.
> 
> 2. when assebling the unit back onto the van, do it with the parking
> lights on ..
> that way if any little bump makes the bulb loose contact ..you'll know
> it while you are working  on it.
> 
> 3. yes..lens must face the right way ..upside down and the screw holes
> won't line up so well..
> and ....what keeps those white plastic tabs from spinning in the body
> sheet metal ?
> look at the back of the lens ..
> there are little 'wall's that engage the white plastic body part, where
> the screws go, to keep them from spinning as you remove or tighten the
> screws.
> 
> On 7/8/2013 3:21 PM, David Beierl wrote:
>> At 05:50 PM 7/8/2013, David Beierl wrote:
>> But now your troubles are beginning.  If you have good spatial
>>> perception I'll describe what you'll find; otherwise you'll be better
>>> off getting help.
>> 
>> Ok, here ya go.
>> 
>> Once the boot is free you can follow the two wires down to two
>> fast-on type terminals which you will not disturb.  These terminals
>> extend perpendicularly from a metal plate which is the lamp fixture
>> itself, and which is clipped onto the back of the plastic lens assembly.
>> 
>> You will feel two clips at the periphery of the metal plate, a short
>> one somewhat by itself, and opposite it a long one in between the
>> terminals.  Each one engages a slot in the plate.
>> 
>> The short clip is immovable.  The long one is slit down the length of
>> the tubular lens assembly and can be pressed outward slightly to
>> release one side of the plate, which then pivots up and out.
>> 
>> Once the plate is out, the bulb is a regular bayonet-base lamp,
>> slight press in and quarter-turn to the left to remove.
>> 
>> Press in and quarter-turn to the right to replace.  Stop and test for
>> working light now!
>> 
>> Now you come to the interesting part.  The plate must be oriented
>> correctly as there's an extension on the lamp side that fits into a
>> relieved area of the plastic barrel.  The plate must be offered up to
>> the fixed clip at about a 45 degree angle and the notch fitted
>> exactly to the clip.  If you succeed in this you can then rotate the
>> plate down flat, engaging the movable clip as it closes.
>> 
>> If you or your assistant breaks a clip I suggest using double-sided
>> mounting tape to secure the plate onto the plastic barrel.
>> 
>> Then you slide the rubber boot back down over the barrel.  All done.
>> 
>> You may find that the mounting screws line up better with the fitting
>> oriented one way or the other.
>> 
>> Yours,
>> David
>> 
>> 
>>> Yours,
>>> David
>>