Bus Depot New Vanagon Rectangular headlamps

[DubNuts]

Not sure if this was Posted, Looked but didn't see anything..

New Vanagon Rectangular headlamps by Bus Depot..

These things have been long extinct and out of Production.

But Ron at Bus Depot has resurrected the dead, and it appears that the Kit includes everything including the e-code Lights..

They even include a Cool Accent Light. So you can add a K@@L parking Lamp color of your choice..

Gots mine on Order what about You?

http://www.busdepot.com/255941105kit

[Paulbeard]

Busdepot posted a note to one of the existing threads on adding E-codes/H4 lamps. I rolled my own, with a lot of help from some other folks on here. It's not that hard to do it yourself, if I can do it.
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Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[jimf909]

Here’s the DIY thread PaulBeard mentioned. There are several write-ups of good conversions.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=583876

As with the GPS tracker thread that discusses several tracker options, this is one of those improvements that can be done several ways and the important thing isn’t which alternative one chooses, it’s that one chooses to make the modification.

Most old rectangular headlights are just plain unsafe and should be replaced (see my photo of the worn out “reflector” in the thread above). I hope Bus Depot sells hundreds of kits (I may have gone with his kit if it was available at the time I followed the DIY instructions in the thread).

Post a write-up of your install! I’d love to see how it all goes together.
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- Jim

[figborg]

Thanks for the heads up. I will pre-order a set. Interested to read other comments though these will not be out until February. I read the thread that Jim shared a while back and almost went that route but I’m happy to support the Bus Depot... and ultimately do less work

Edit: very interested in the answer to this question by Alaskaberrys posted on another thread, just in case it falls through the cracks. I have the GW relays:

[djkeev]

Yes, as mentioned Bus Depot has posted info about offering a plug and play rectangular kit.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=60

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=583876

If they are anywhere near as good as my Hellas that I modified and put in, it will be worth every penny keeping your 86 and newer Van looking like an 86 and newer only with the added bonus of night time vision!

I think I'll leave this thread open to discuss their lights when they finally hit the market.

Dave
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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

[Steve M.]

If they are the same as I have on my Syncro imported in 2016 they do work much better then the OEM VW.

However, my hopes of using the city lights(parking lights) as DRL's has not lived up to expectations.

The city light bulb is too far away from the optical center to show a concentrated beam that is what you need to attract attention.
I do have LED bulbs in for the city lights and they are bright, but just not enough uumph in daylight due to the offcenter of the bulb. The LED's I put in were the highest power I could find for the socket at the time and brighter then the H4 low beam.
I had to fit the LED from the inside out as they were too big to fit through the opening.
I'll post some pics tomorrow in daylight for a DRL evaluation.

Meanwhile here is a night shot showing the reflected light from the city light being too far away from the ideal optical center..

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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[DubNuts]

My Thoughts on the City Lights is that they would be Great when maneuvering through Camp Sites after dark not to blind or distribute other Campers late at Night..

Also think they could be Kool to use other color accent Lights when parked, etc..

BTW guys these are direct Fit Plug and Play Replacement Headlights..

[dougass]

What do you guys think of these Rigid Industries / Truck-Lite headlights?

https://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/55003
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'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.

#klausvan & @thisisklausvan

[Steve M.]

[Steve M.]

So the City Lights as DRL in Daylight...actually overcast and in the shade of the building.

City Light OFF

City Light ON

City light at a distance not jumping out at me!Overcast day in the shade too!

Low Beams ON

City light bulb inside the lens.

Now having said they don't light up my life I still use them as DRL's only because they are different and people do notice something different.
I plan on upgrading with some Cree light Strips.

I would still buy them to get a set of H4's in the size for the grill.
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[thatvwbusguy]

[mikemtnbike]

Jay-great sig. Practicing compassion is the best practice of all and truly promotes mindfulness and happiness for self and others.

Anyhoo, I think these buckets are awesome and are officially on my wishlist. Are wishlists mindful?😀
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[Sodo]

[Steve M.]

[jimf909]

I don’t believe city lights (the small ~20 watt lamp at the top or bottom of the reflector) were ever meant to project light forward. My impression is that they’re just meant to add some visibility of you. Perhaps they’re from the days before turn signals were used as parking lights?

My experience is with BMW motorcycles: before 1977 (and fed mandated headlights on all the time) there was a light switch setting that would illuminate the front city light and taillight, the key could also be removed to use these lights as parking lights; after 1977, for a few years at least, the switch was gone but the front city light and taillight could be left on as parking lights with the key removed. Then again, motorcycles aren’t cars and this answer may belong in the lazy persons stupid answer thread...
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- Jim

[kamzcab86]

[jimf909]

^^^ 5 watts...that makes sense, my decades old memory may recall folks using a 20 watt lamp so it would appear to meet the always on headlight laws for motorcycles. This was to gain a few watts (by replacing a 55 watt headlight with a 20 watt city light) in the losing battle of running a BMW motorcycle with its inadequate 260 or 280 watt alternator (always be cautious when a mfr. sells a brand new motorcycle with a complimentary battery charger).

Regardless, the origins of city lights may be for parking visibility, not for illuminating the road ahead while driving.
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- Jim

[DubNuts]

I think this Topic has gone off Topic.. It's just not about the City Lights of this Product but more the Availability of this once gone Headlight replacement Kit.

I merely posted the upcoming availability of these New Late Style Vanagon Headlights by Bus Depot for those who may wish to finally have a Plug-and-Play solution..

As for the 3rd separate Bulb aka City Lights.. It's simple enough to change that bulb or even bulb housing to the color and wattage bulb of your Choice and that's what I plan on doing since the Headlight Glass Housing already has the Bulb penetration manufactured into it.. It's a great option not an Issue..

The Beauty about this Product is Having New Glass Headlights with a New Mirror Finish. Win-Win..

http://www.busdepot.com/255941105kit

.

[sciroccojim]

Does anyone have any thoughts about this versus the S.A. 7" round kit (with 5" high beams)? We've converted to the S.A. kit (with relays) and I'm loving it, but I would have been happy to keep the O.E. look, as I think it suits the van better.

Just wondering if these would end up being as bright as the 7" rounds. I tend to think not, although I'm sure they'd be decent.
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1987 Westy Camper

[thatvwbusguy]

The rectangular eCode headlights are brand new, so we can only guess how they will compare to the output of the SA Grill.

To make doing any meaningful comparison more complex, it's important to remember that the quality of the lighting from the SA Grill setup is directly tied to the 7" round headlights installed. The beam shape and cutoff can be drastically different from brand to brand.

A few photos of the new lights shining on a wall can give us a decent idea of the cutoff. Getting an overall impression of the quality of the lighting will take some real world testing from the driver's seat.
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Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.