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Subject:Re: dim headlights
From:Stephen Arbaugh
Date:Wed, 11 Aug 1999 16:47:09 -0700

I got a quad grill from Ken at Vanagain.com (http://www.vanagain.com/).
There's a picture of it on his web page. Installation was pretty easy,
couple holes for the driving lights, a bit of wiring, and done. I also did
what Dave suggested, put in H4 headlights with higher wattage bulbs, and my
driving lights have 100watt bulbs as well, so enough light on the road is
never a problem. Because of the high watt bulbs, I can't use the driving
lights around other traffic, but there's usually enough light around there
anyway, but on dark empty roads, this combination lights up the county. I
do need to install a couple more relays to handle the H4's, but thats
pretty easy to do, I just need to do it. Eventually I'll have a couple
pictures on my web site.

Even just replacing your regular sealed beams with H4's, using standard
wattage bulbs, might make a difference because of the beam pattern the H4's
throw, much better than sealed beams, IMHO. Again, if you use hi-watt
bulbs, you'll want to put relays in to carry the current: the headlight
switch/dimmer is maxed out with standard wattage (mine should have melted
by now)...

steve
'85 westy
kent, wa

At 10:16 AM 08/11/1999 -0400, you wrote:
>>I'm picturing heavy "off-road" style quasi-cow-catcher for the front end of
>>the van.  Is this accurate?  What all does this "grille" include?  Do you
>>know if there are any still available?  Am I asking too many questions? ;-)
>
>No. This is a direct bolt in replacement for the upper grille on vanagons
>with the round lights and even squares can use it with a little conversion.
>Ask on the list if anyone has one for sale. It includes a grille and
>driving lights to mount inboard of the regular headlamps. When you couple
>the driving lights with the round e-code H-4's it's a powerful setup.
>Later,
>
>Dave & Sherrie
>Williamsburg, VA
>           zzzzzzzzzz__
>         |E[__] [__]|[_]\\
>         | _DC&SP | _ ||
>* * * =-( )---------( )--=