Rectangular E Code Headlight Upgrade-Hella Kit/Ford Buckets

[1988M5]

[djkeev]

I am in the process of making the stock VW rectangular headlight metal bits accept a Hella E code head light.
Let's see how it goes..........
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[jimnto]

Cutting and shaping the fire buckets seems like a bad idea.
I bought two buckets and three retaining ring and I do not think it makes sense.
I am going to use aluminum plywood 'U' channel and sculpt it to sandwich the lip on either end of the new sealed beam. I am going to rivet these onto aluminum angle and either I will use the existing VW headlight adjusters or I will rivet a step off metal across the back of the headlight assembly and use rivet nuts to make my own adjusters

[jimnto]

I have my rectangular lights out and i don't want to cut them. What about using a 'U' on either side of a replacement 6x7 headlight - to 'sandwich' the edge and then use the existing headlight adjusters except mount them in your new 'U' one for either side.

Would the 'U' on either side - and perhaps install and extra adjuster (so you are using 4) and perhaps a spring to draw the "U's together would that not be easier to fabricate??
I am sure I am not seeing something - and I am not a fabricator - but I am imagining I can get a piece of metal bent into a 'U' and shape it with my angle grinder

[djkeev]

[xavior12]

After reading this post and all the other versions of doing this upgrade I thought I'd give a go at my idea of making the conversion.

I had two broke lenses already and so i broke out all the glass. I cut the mounting flange off the back of the broken lens but only enough to fit over the new H4. As you can see in the photos that the new H4 fit just right in the original lens housing. I carefully marked and drilled out the corners of the housing to mount it to the back of the H4 in the corners. The H4 corner holes needed to be drilled to an 1/8" hole to use an 1/8" steel pop rivet. As you can see fits just right. I then purchased all the new stock headlight adjusters and mounted the new conversion. I did just barely clearance the grill on the drivers side low beam but the fit is nice and uses the stock adjusters. I have yet to adjust but will report back and with close side shots.
So really the only cost is the new lights, bulbs, adjusters and pop rivets.

Hope this can help others.

[Sodo]

oooops this is the e-code/Ford buckets DIY thread.

Edited my post & copied over to Bus Depot New Vanagon Rectangular headlamps
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[metropoj]

[Sodo]

Same here! Except I'm on the West coast and they don't arrive until Friday...

I'm looking forward to better light looking forward!
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Aryana]

Bus Depot shipped my E Code lights last week. I’m excited to get them in hand and try them out.

[Aryana]

[calfredson]

[VicVan]

Same here...
wesitarz, I'm in Victoria. Whereabouts are you?
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[wesitarz]

With a tanked Canadian dollar and expensive shipping to Canada, a DIY is the way to go for me. Is there a list of Ford or other vehicles to salvage the headlight buckets from?

[Alaskaberrys]

[Busdepot]

[kkuemmerle]

Does anyone have a passenger side (LH) housing in poor condition they would like to sell, cracked or no lens OK. My driver side is poor so I don't mind disassembling that one to use the mounting features per T3's process but my passenger side is great and I figure someone can use that one so I hate to disassemble for the upgrade.

[Alaskaberrys]

[silversyncro]

That bus depot kit looks like the ticket! Figures that would come out about 4 months after I dropped almost a grand to move over to round LED's.

I whacked a deer on my way to Moab about a year ago and unfortunately, along with a fair amount of other damage, cracked my drivers side E-code....soooper bummed cause those headlights are the bomb. Anyway, finding a replacement proved very difficult at the time so after I got my insurance check, I reluctantly decided to jump ship and go for the SA grill & round lights. I actually much prefer the look of the stock rectangles too.

Anyway...I now have a full rectangular kit in my garage that will never get used if any of you guys are interested. All 4 light work fine - just the drivers lens got cracked, buckets & adjusters are all good I think. Shoot me a PM or I'll check back here.

[jimf909]