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Mon May 26, 2025 6:24 pm

Well I wrecked my thermostat housing turning around on a bumpy road.

Was able to find a replacement at O'Reileys and performed a coolant flush..

But I broke my flimsy plastic South African grille pulling it off to get to the radiator.

Any recommendations on a replacement grille that fits the 4 headlight setup on a 89 Vanagon? I don't really want to go with the SA grille again because it's so flimsy. Anyone have any custom grille setups?

Thanks[/img]

Mon May 26, 2025 7:33 pm

Look at the Small Car grill. The inner lights are different size.

https://smallcar.com/south-tacoma-grille/

Mon May 26, 2025 7:56 pm

l'd go back to stock, either stock early or late.

the tacoma grill, there's a decent camping trip in that cost.

l hate those south african things, if l have a customer who has one on his van, and for some reason it needs to come off, l tell him it's up to him to remove and refit the grill.
l have zero wish to be on the hook for any damage caused to them.

Tue May 27, 2025 6:22 am

Unless you’re completely sold on the SA look, for about half the price you can get a set of H4 E-code headlamps for the stock grille…and they’re glass.

…and you’ll be able to see REALLY WELL. 8)

- Dave

Tue May 27, 2025 7:58 am

Stock square light grills are great with the stock headlights if you install an aftermarket LED bulb. Nice bright light, plus the current draw goes easy on the fuse panel

Tue May 27, 2025 8:05 am

dhaavers wrote: Unless you’re completely sold on the SA look, for about half the price you can get a set of H4 E-code headlamps for the stock grille…and they’re glass.

…and you’ll be able to see REALLY WELL. 8)

- Dave

The stock grille on mine has the square lights which, I don't like. Will the 80-85 stock grille (with round lights) fit on an 89 Vanagon?

Tue May 27, 2025 8:29 am

Yes, you need the headlight buckets as well.

Tue May 27, 2025 9:19 am

Later square headlights with updated e-code lenses for the win!

Tue May 27, 2025 9:48 am

Ok deal on NOS round H4 with buckets.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2686585

BK

Tue May 27, 2025 10:08 am

Seeing my Vanagons side by side, square headlights make the van look like this =_= and round headlights make the van look like this (:

Very different vibes of the two vans. Round headlights are so much happier / friendlier.

Tue May 27, 2025 11:46 am

Perhaps, but square headlights more closely match the boxy aesthetic of the Vanagon’s body shape!

Tue May 27, 2025 1:04 pm

Likely more than you want to spend but I'm essentially happy with my South Tacoma Grille from Small Car. Nice to have bright LED lights.

Tue May 27, 2025 2:55 pm

I stick a radiator pick in the top corner and pry the grill away from the body, haven't broken or damaged the 3 that I have in almost 20 years.
The south tacoma grill was supposed to be designed to be more solid than the SA version.
Your only other options are stock single round or a square light grill.

Wed May 28, 2025 7:28 am

I use plastic bike tire tools on my grill, pops it off easily. I agree the SA grill is flimsy.
I was actually about using some fiberglass resin to strengthen it up.

Wed May 28, 2025 9:26 am

So here is what I'm working with

Does the S Tacoma grille fasten the same way as all the other grills? Through the clips?

It looks like for the S Tacoma setup I will need to replace my bright lights with 5.5" lights instead of my 5.75" ones.

For the 80-85 stock grille setup I would ditch the hella highbeams and replace my outer hellas with some H4 E-code lamps and different wiring?

My current brackets would work with either setup right? Just need some clips and radiator clip? (that broke too)

Looking like 4-500 vs 7-800 with tax and shipping potentially?

Thanks for the help guys

Wed May 28, 2025 11:00 am

mojav wrote: So here is what I'm working with

Does the S Tacoma grille fasten the same way as all the other grills? Through the clips?

It looks like for the S Tacoma setup I will need to replace my bright lights with 5.5" lights instead of my 5.75" ones.

For the 80-85 stock grille setup I would ditch the hella highbeams and replace my outer hellas with some H4 E-code lamps and different wiring?

My current brackets would work with either setup right? Just need some clips and radiator clip? (that broke too)

Looking like 4-500 vs 7-800 with tax and shipping potentially?

Thanks for the help guys

No wiring change, you just keep your outer lights, they're common to both set up, replace the clips if needed for the grille. Done.
These inner lights, even made in Germany were so bad, it's unreal.

I adapted some cheap inner lights I found to get rid of them.

I grease the pins on the grille to avoid ripping it out.

The Tacoma grille has stainless pins and is much beefier in itself.

Wed May 28, 2025 12:20 pm

so according to this bit I'm fine with my current lights, just get some clips? This seems the most straightforward as far as the durability I was looking for

Wed May 28, 2025 1:37 pm

Here’s my 85’ to which I added 1980’s Jaguar headlights and buckets that I got from the local U-pull. I am impartial to the four headlights myself….

Wed May 28, 2025 2:08 pm

Heres my cheap SA inner light solution, scary bright and still going strong
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=797617&highlight=

Wed May 28, 2025 6:11 pm

dougnlina wrote: Heres my cheap SA inner light solution, scary bright and still going strong
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=797617&highlight=

This is really badass but I'm on the road and don't have an angle grinder, sand blaster or 3D printer.

If you didn't smash the lights would they still fit or is this a necessary adjustment to meet the needs of the South Tacoma?