weekender fluorescent fixture

[WVVWFERG]

On both my 86 wolfsburg westy weekender and my 91 multi-van, the (I assume) plastic that covers the right-side (NOT the clear cover) is missing. Is there anywhere to get replacement pieces, or just replace the entire fixture?

[erdonline]

I've seen the covers available, I think at GoWesty. But places that sell dc lighting, like Arizona Wind and Sun, and others (search ThinLite) sell the whole light for about the same price or not much more.

Ed in CT

[captainpartytime]

http://gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3432&category_id=207&category_parent_id=
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-Kerry

1982 turbo diesel Westfalia

[BoneStock67]

Do a search for thin-lite on ebay. There is currently a seller there named yuuuup11 who has a seemingly endless supply of pairs of the Thin-Lite 171s that often go for the opening bid amount of $19.95 (although maybe not after I post this!).

I bought two of these last month because I needed a new ballast for my lamp, and I figured the price was right to replace the whole thing. These lamps have the separate (metal?) cover for the ballast area, which is I think the part you want. My existing fixture, on the other hand, has a plastic diffuser that extends the entire length of the lamp, with a piece of reflective foil hiding the ballast.

Also, I should note that if you want to replace the entire lamp, these new ones are not QUITE plug and play, as the power and ground lines come out from a hole next to the push switch (i.e., through the black end cap), rather than through the back, and the connector is pronged, not spaded. If you look carefully at the pics on the ebay ad, you can see what I mean.

However, the lamp housing was identical to mine, so I just rerouted the wires through the existing correct hole in the back of the fixture (salvaging the rubber grommet for this hole from my old fixture), and changed out the connectors for the correct male spades. I also replaced the black end cap with the one from my old lamp, so that there would not be an empty hole next to the push-switch.

I connected it up, turned it on, and it worked great.

The ebay transaction was not great, but not bad. No communication, but the shipping wasn't TOO slow. The plastic diffusers on both lamps were slightly scuffed, but not TOO bad. Bottom line from my POV is that I got two ballasts, two bulbs, two of those pieces you want, plus various other spare parts, all for $20.
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1986 Wolfsburg Westfalia Weekender 2.1L stock
1967 Beetle, now becoming my daily driver again, after a long rest in the garage

"There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've made a discovery.” -Enrico Fermi

[WVVWFERG]

Thanks, everyone. That's what I love about this forum: the wealth of knowledge that everyone so generously shares. Kim