Regarding the parking lights staying on when a Vanagon is shut off,
gmbulley suggested:
>...figure out WHICH wire VW
>'disconnects' to turn off the headlights when you turn off the ignition
>switch.  Then piggyback, (with a relay, or a Darryl-Boehler-designed
device)
>onto that pair of contacts, ALL of the juice for ALL of the external lights
>controlled by the UN-turned-off headlight switch. Now THAT would be smart,
>except you then have to have your car turned on (keys in the ignition,
switch
>to ON) any time you wanted even your parking lights on, and that might
suck.

One of the other cars my wife and I own, a Subaru Forester, shuts off all
the
external lights when the ignition is off. There is a separate "override"
switch
that will turn the parking lights on even when the ignition is off and the
key out.
I would be inclined to do just as gmbulley says above and put an "override"
switch across the relay contacts, so you could really leave the parking
lights
on if you want.

- Scott
  91 Westfalia Camper (for sale)
  ssminkey@xyplex.com