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Love My Westy
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007
Posts: 1837
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 Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 12:46 pm Post subject: Headlight Protection |
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Since I am replaceing my 25 year old bra with a new one, I will be losing the headlight protection offered by the screen that went over the headlights ( I will also be gaining brighter headlights due to the lack of screen over them)
GoWesty sells this kit:
http://gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3958&category_id=349&category_parent_id=
I gather it is like ClearBra material. Does anyone have it and would you recommend it? Will it really prevent a broken headlight, or does it really just hold the broken pieces together? I'm talking about if it gets hit by a rock that would normally shatter a headlamp. |
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teej
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2010
Posts: 897
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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We have the kit sold by GW and it seems to be pretty good. It is actually made by xpel (www.xpel.com) and the film backing is labeled 3M. We put it on right after spending silly money for a couple of new low beam lenses. We did hi/low beam but skipped the turn signal pieces included in the kit.
A year and a half later, still clear, and lenses unbroken. We do drive in winter=sanded roads, grit and gravel flying. So far so good, but maybe we've just been lucky.
I'm not familiar with ClearBra.
Bottomline for me is after paying too much for at times hard to find lenses, $40 is cheap insurance, and it has stayed clear, 18 months later, test in progress.
I seem to recall a Samba member has experience with this type of thing. Maybe he will chime in or you can find it searching.
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1986+ Wolfsburg Weekender Pop-Top 2.3 WBX Manual Trans |
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IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10248
Location: N. Idaho
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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My company installs 3M headlamp protection and some advice would be to ensure the material is not vinyl. The GW site identifies the material as "vinyl" and in a few years it will yellow and chalk up from UV exposure. Similar to the gold/brown hue a convertible top back window gets. The 3M material is a polyurethane - thinner but with excellent energy absorption even in cold winter when vinyl is rock hard and will transmit rock energy directly to break a lense. It will last a decade or more.
DougM
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7917
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: Headlight Protection |
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| Love My Westy wrote: |
| Since I am replaceing my 25 year old bra with a new one, I will be losing the headlight protection offered by the screen that went over the headlights... |
Just a thought: You could always sew some screen to the headlight openings in the new bra.
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~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Captain Pike
Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2003
Posts: 3341
Location: Talos IV, Piedmont Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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| IdahoDoug wrote: |
My company installs 3M headlamp protection and some advice would be to ensure the material is not vinyl. The GW site identifies the material as "vinyl" and in a few years it will yellow and chalk up from UV exposure. Similar to the gold/brown hue a convertible top back window gets. The 3M material is a polyurethane - thinner but with excellent energy absorption even in cold winter when vinyl is rock hard and will transmit rock energy directly to break a lense. It will last a decade or more.
DougM |
I have them on my V 
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LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current....................... |
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teej
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2010
Posts: 897
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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Hmmm, I see they do describe it as vinyl. Perhaps their web text is inconsitent with the product they are shipping, or they changed suppliers since I purchased. Call and ask. Who knows, I bought it some time ago. I don't think what we received is vinyl. As I said, it is a 3M product, marketed by xpel.com, that gowesty shipped. Packaging says they are guaranteed 5 years, "will not crack, yellow, shrink, peel, or damage your lights in any way" . I'm sure there are some disclaimers if I cared to read the fine print.
I saw a car today with peeling yellowed lens protectors, if that is what vinyl does, it looked terrible.
Whatever we installed, it is still clear, tight, crisp as day 1.
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spitsnrovers
Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2005
Posts: 924
Location: Calgary, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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My mechanic installed something that looks a lot like that product 6 years ago. Don't know the product name. It is clear, looks about 4 mm (3/16") thick. Been through northern winters, Texas summers and all inbetween.
It even covered the holes in the original headlight lens.
Hasn't shrunk, peeled, yellowed or what ever. Guess I'll never know how many headlamp lenses it has saved me.
Very Happy 
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canasync
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2010
Posts: 656
Location: BC
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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I have the adhesive film on my aux. driving lights and lexan on the headlights. My windshield needs replacing but my light lenses are all okay, well almost  I sort of slipped with a screw driver while prying something a while ago and cracked a headlight before I had the protection installed.
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Timwhy
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009
Posts: 4002
Location: Maine
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randywebb
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005
Posts: 3815
Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe look to what rally cars have used -- usually a wire mesh held a distance off of the headlights.
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madspaniard
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2008
Posts: 3795
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Timwhy wrote: |
I bought the BD clip in plastic headlight guards, they work great and you can easily remove
them for cleaning. |
x2
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Love My Westy
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007
Posts: 1837
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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| I just ordered the GW stick on headlight protectors. I hope they work out. |
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cris torlasco 
Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2000
Posts: 1363
Location: Delmar, NY/Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Timwhy wrote: |
I bought the BD clip in plastic headlight guards, they work great and you can easily remove
them for cleaning.
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I used to have these and they work great. I don't remember where I bought them, and now can't find them...Need a pair asap. I checked Bus Depot and Eurocampers. Anyone know where to get them? Thanks,
Cris |
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Love My Westy
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007
Posts: 1837
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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| My GW Headlight protectors have been on for almost a year now. No problems so far. Anybody else have these and if so, have you experienced any yellowing? |
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BenT Syncro
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2005
Posts: 1085
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| cris torlasco wrote: |
| Timwhy wrote: |
I bought the BD clip in plastic headlight guards, they work great and you can easily remove
them for cleaning. |
I used to have these and they work great. I don't remember where I bought them, and now can't find them...Need a pair asap. I checked Bus Depot and Eurocampers. Anyone know where to get them? Thanks,
Cris |
Cris,
The headlight guards used to be available from VW Australia. Bus Depot had some US copies which were similar. The Aussie version screwed in place IIRC. The BD version clipped as someone had said. They are both NLA.
However, Trevor & Cheri in Canada (The Skylight Guy) is in the process of returning a similar product to market. They were in discussion with BD last time I checked. At some point, I offered to let them use my OZ & BD guards for prototyping. Cheri wrote that BD had already sent them samples. Hopefully they will be here sooner than later. Beats the stick-on film especially if you are trying to protect some very expensive & NLA e-code rectangular headlights.
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BenT |
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cris torlasco
Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2000
Posts: 1363
Location: Delmar, NY/Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Ben, for the thorough and informative answer. I will wait then...I hope they are as well done as the previous clip on versions, they were unbeatable for protection and practicality. I am indeed trying to protect my set of European H4 square set...
Cris |
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Mundopacheco
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 439
Location: Durango, Colorado
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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| cris torlasco wrote: |
| Timwhy wrote: |
I bought the BD clip in plastic headlight guards, they work great and you can easily remove
them for cleaning.
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I used to have these and they work great. I don't remember where I bought them, and now can't find them...Need a pair asap. I checked Bus Depot and Eurocampers. Anyone know where to get them? Thanks,
Cris |
I purchased mine from Vanagain....
Miguel |
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syncroserge
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2005
Posts: 553
Location: Okotos, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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| BenT Syncro wrote: |
However, Trevor & Cheri in Canada (The Skylight Guy) is in the process of returning a similar product to market.. |
Ooohh! gotta call Cheri to try to convince them to make a smoked version...don't it look cool
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Luckyphil
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2011
Posts: 156
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:49 am Post subject: |
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Here are the VW dealer fitted headlight covers from Australia. They are held on by double sided tape (very strong) no screws. They are molded to conform with the headlight shape and IMO look better than those posted above except those tinted ones, please no ofence just my opinion
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cris torlasco
Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2000
Posts: 1363
Location: Delmar, NY/Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 4:07 am Post subject: |
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I agree, they do look better.
Can you take them on and off to wash the headlights or is the adhesive permanent?
Can you get me a set??? 
Cris |
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