| Author |
Message |
syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
 |
|
| Busdepot wrote: |
| Maybe if people don't know any better. But if you know where to look, $299 buys you a pair of rectangle E-code headlights that accept any H4 LED bulbs. |
Engineered LED light assemblies are much better than drop in LED bulbs, they are easy to locate in 7" round. Dropping LED bulbs into housing not designed for them is good for throwing light everywhere and being a hazard to other drivers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Busdepot
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 1314
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:53 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Engineered LED light assemblies are much better than drop in LED bulbs, they are easy to locate in 7" round. Dropping LED bulbs into housing not designed for them is good for throwing light everywhere and being a hazard to other drivers. |
All-in-one 7" assemblies with their built-in non-replaceble bulbs exist because the LED bulbs themselves cannot provide proper dispersion/control and must be compensated for by using proprietary nonstandard lenses. Once the LED burns out the whole assembly is trash - just like an old sealed-beam headlight but sometimes 10x the price. Hopefully you can find an identical match or you're buying a whole new pair. (And as for their claims of longevity, I've already had to replace "10 year" LED or CFL bulbs in my house after 2-3 years, how about you?) By comparison, E-code H4 lenses have excellent beam control, and replacement bulbs are cheap. If/when LED bulbs get better and cheaper it's a 2 minute swap, but meanwhile you have excellent vision - and if a bulb burns out you only have to replace one $10 bulb.
I spent all last week talking to LED headlight vendors at SEMA (the largest auto parts trade show in the country) looking to be convinced that the situation had changed. I must have spoken to 20 vendors. Believe me, for profit motives I would love to have been able to say that LED was now better/cheaper and I had the answers. But at the end of the day it's just not ready for prime time yet. Eventually it will be. Hopefully by next SEMA. Meanwhile it's like buying an early generation flat-screen TV - the good ones are $$$$$ for what you get, and the cheap ones are pretty crappy. Even big players like GE are just now getting into it, introducing their first 7" round LED's after rebranding other people's products until now. I've been around long enough to know better than to buy anyone's first attempt at anything. Sorry, I'll let someone else's customers be the guinea pig. I'd rather wait a year for 2nd gen when they're half the price and better. Especially since in the meantime tried-and-true technology is better and a whole lot cheaper. This is a case where being first-in-line just doesn't make sense. The time will come, but it's not now.
_________________
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot
www.busdepot.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12007
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 10:40 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
Your sales pitch was based on someone asking about LED lights not halogens.
You know that drop in LEDs are not correct for the product you are pushing and they will throw a poor beam unlike a engineered unit as you confirmed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Busdepot
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 1314
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 4:51 am Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
My "pitch" was that LED's of ANY sort are not the best choice yet, for the reasons I outlined (and referenced in the Consumer Reports article). Therefore I continue to recommend halogens until the LED technology improves. I am sure that in time better LED's will become available - including, very likely, drop-in LED H4's that mimic the beam pattern of halogens and can be inexpensively replaced when they burn out. I spoke to a few vendors at SEMA who said they are working on just that. But for now, the only decent LED's are expensive proprietary 7" round sealed beams with non-replaceable bulbs, and the cheap knockoffs aren't very good. Even big players like GE are only now starting to roll out first-gen product of their own, so the technology is nowhere near mature. That's where we stand right now.
_________________
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot
www.busdepot.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Busdepot
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 1314
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:14 am Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
As an update to this, I have heard unconfirmed rumors that an aftermarket grill will be available before the end of the year. So if you have your heart set on one, it may pay to bide your time rather than paying the inflated prices that used ones are going for at the moment. (Or maybe not; time will tell.) Now you know everything I do.
_________________
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot
www.busdepot.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
beach_creature
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2014
Posts: 532
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:46 am Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
That’s great news. Thanks for the info! I get worried I’m going to snap my grille every time I take it off...
_________________
84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
stonesoupvt
Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2015
Posts: 20
Location: Jeffersonville, Vermont
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:54 am Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
Amazing news thanks Ron! Fingers crossed!
_________________
// 1987 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Bostig. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bogle
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2018
Posts: 8
Location: San Antonio
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
Installing a SA grille and lights in my '87 and the left, used 7" bucket came missing a "standard 7" retaining ring". I'm having a hard time finding one from the usual vendors of choice. Anyone know where I can find this?
I believe it would be the OEM part from an '80 - '84 headlight. Left or Right, are they the same as each other? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HackAl
Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2016
Posts: 338
Location: Bergen County, NJ
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
| Busdepot wrote: |
| As an update to this, I have heard unconfirmed rumors that an aftermarket grill will be available before the end of the year. So if you have your heart set on one, it may pay to bide your time rather than paying the inflated prices that used ones are going for at the moment. (Or maybe not; time will tell.) Now you know everything I do. |
I'll stop holding my breath now.
_________________
91 Westy.
Ever consider temporarily trading your van? Join the list. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CessnaJon
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2008
Posts: 677
Location: Senoia,GA
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
The grills are now up to $800, if you can find one. And this does not include lights or brackets. Is it possible to print these?
I’d love to have one, not for $800 though.
_________________
1973 Westy (shared birthday)
1990 Westy Multivan
2015 Passat TDI 6sp
2015 Sportwagon TDI 6sp
LR-JET, Gulfstream 159 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bobbyblack 
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
Print, carve, sculpt out of bubble gum, whatev'
My Bro often used wood, and a set of carving knives for NLA plastic stuff.. Some of his Ghias were well done with wood.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bradgt74
Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2009
Posts: 251
Location: Minneapolis
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3050
Location: MD
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
I think that looks way better than the SA grill. Do you have a link to where he built it?
Edit: I checked his thread creation history, if he has it documented it's not in it's own thread.
_________________
'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
Last edited by 4Gears4Tires on Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bradgt74
Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2009
Posts: 251
Location: Minneapolis
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16879
Location: sticksville, ct.
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
| I think that looks way better than the SA grill.. |
same here. i think the SA grill looks like a chinese company trying to make a copy of a vanagon, but they call theirs a vanaching. i always thought the SA grill looked horrible
the one in the photo looks far more German than the SA does and is very well executed imho. looks more period correct for the van
_________________
| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4097
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 6:26 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
| I think that looks way better than the SA grill.. |
same here. i think the SA grill looks like a chinese company trying to make a copy of a vanagon, but they call theirs a vanaching. i always thought the SA grill looked horrible
the one in the photo looks far more German than the SA does and is very well executed imho. looks more period correct for the van |
You may not like the look of the SA grill, but it was made by VW for the Vanagon. 
I completely agree that the things are kinda flimsy. VW coulda used a more robust plastic. However, if you're careful and know how to remove they do last.
I installed that grill in 2012 and about 50k ago.
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec
The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
Help the fight against Truth Decay.
Defend democracy, support Ukraine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bradgt74
Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2009
Posts: 251
Location: Minneapolis
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3050
Location: MD
|
| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 6:55 pm Post subject: Re: South African Grille Kit |
|
|
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| 4Gears4Tires wrote: |
| I think that looks way better than the SA grill.. |
same here. i think the SA grill looks like a chinese company trying to make a copy of a vanagon, but they call theirs a vanaching. i always thought the SA grill looked horrible
the one in the photo looks far more German than the SA does and is very well executed imho. looks more period correct for the van |
I like the SA grill, but just not enough to ever pull the trigger on it since it's so expensive. But I definitely agree, the CY grill looks far more German and period correct.
_________________
'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
