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MaineRich
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2011
Posts: 61
Location: Maine
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 Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:09 pm Post subject: LED Headlights |
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Hoping to get my Westy back from Foreign Auto Supply next week. Will be driving from home (Portland ME) to visit my parents in Raleigh NC.
Transporterwerks is close to where we will be staying. And they have a set of their LED headlights for a square grill in stock.
https://transporterwerks.com/product/square-led-headlights/
Does anyone have this on their van? How well does it light up the night?
I've had the van for 30 years and hope to have it another 30 (if I live that long). Have a new Steedle transmission with Peloquin, FAS Gen V engine, their proprietary AC unit and a bunch of other new stuff.
Why not get new headlights?
On a side note, if I do change them out, I will have a pair of European code headlights for sale. These were purchased from Transporterwerks years ago.
Thanks and would love to hear your feedback on this LED setup. |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6833
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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MaineRich
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2011
Posts: 61
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:49 am Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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Thanks for the reply. I do have a pair of E Code headlights. I will take a look at your thread.
I spoke with Sean yesterday at Transporter Werks and he does have a set in stock.
Just looking for feedback on this setup. It's a lot of money to part with!
Rich |
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?Waldo?
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006
Posts: 9752
Location: Where?
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:26 am Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| It says they are "out of stock and unavailable". Those are also silly expensive and IMO hands down the ugliest Vanagon headlights I've ever seen. |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6833
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:48 am Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| ?Waldo? wrote: |
| It says they are "out of stock and unavailable". Those are also silly expensive and IMO hands down the ugliest Vanagon headlights I've ever seen. |
Yep...I'd ask them if they'd give me $500 for taking them off his hands.
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There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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coqcitywesty
Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2018
Posts: 401
Location: Coquitlam, BC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:58 am Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| ?Waldo? wrote: |
| It says they are "out of stock and unavailable". Those are also silly expensive and IMO hands down the ugliest Vanagon headlights I've ever seen. |
I was waiting for others to be the first to chime in, but this was pretty much my exact sentiment. I had new E-codes installed last year and while they too, were silly expensive (in CDN$, but not that silly expensive), the upgrade certainly delivered the results I was looking for with respect to visibility. I suspect that there may be some advancements in LED bulb technology to work with the stock headlight pots in the coming years, but in the interim, I will be sticking with the E-codes.
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1991 Westfalia EJ251, 1972 Volvo 1800 ES |
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MaineRich
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2011
Posts: 61
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:14 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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Ok. Sounds like we have a verdict. No to the lights.
R |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6833
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| coqcitywesty wrote: |
| I suspect that there may be some advancements in LED bulb technology to work with the stock headlight pots in the coming years, but in the interim, I will be sticking with the E-codes. |
That's what I suspected too so I did some looking and testing.
ttps://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=751234&highlight=led+bulb
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There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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Red Ryder
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2021
Posts: 952
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| MaineRich wrote: |
Ok. Sounds like we have a verdict. No to the lights.
R |
For what it’s worth, I went with the E-code upgrade with H4 bulbs for our van after researching the currently available LED technology. YMMV…
_________________
“Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed I am not quite all there myself.” — Cheshire Cat, Adventures of Alice in Wonderland
“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition
Tornado Red |
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?Waldo?
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2006
Posts: 9752
Location: Where?
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| If the priority is keeping the rectangular grill and headlights, then the H4's are a decent choice. If the rectangular grill/headlight shape isn't a priority, or if you already have a round light grill/buckets then there are LED headlight options that are much less expensive than the H4's, give much better lighting and are less work to install. |
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Dickz
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2015
Posts: 31
Location: MA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:26 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| MaineRich wrote: |
Hoping to get my Westy back from Foreign Auto Supply next week. Will be driving from home (Portland ME) to visit my parents in Raleigh NC.
Transporterwerks is close to where we will be staying. And they have a set of their LED headlights for a square grill in stock.
https://transporterwerks.com/product/square-led-headlights/
Does anyone have this on their van? How well does it light up the night?
I've had the van for 30 years and hope to have it another 30 (if I live that long). Have a new Steedle transmission with Peloquin, FAS Gen V engine, their proprietary AC unit and a bunch of other new stuff.
Why not get new headlights?
On a side note, if I do change them out, I will have a pair of European code headlights for sale. These were purchased from Transporterwerks years ago.
Thanks and would love to hear your feedback on this LED setup. |
My Westy is also at FAS and I’m hoping to get it back soon. Getting the new AC installed a few other other things. It’s the blue 1980. Check it out and let me know if they are working on it 😜😜. |
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RBEmerson
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011
Posts: 2108
Location: SE PA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:17 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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IMNSHO, that's another design from the renowned (on Car Talk, when it was Tommy and Raymy)Bud Tugly (say it fast).
I dropped in LED replacements for the bulbs, looking ofr the most brutal light output possible, and... works for me and looks dead stock. FWIW, I bought the "Euro" lens kit from GW. I'm lovin' it!
The LED replacements are "plug and play". No relays, no soldering, no nothing special.
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Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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bobbyblack 
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| RBEmerson wrote: |
I dropped in LED replacements for the bulbs...
The LED replacements are "plug and play". No relays, no soldering, no nothing special. |
I'd love a web link to what you got, I'm down a High beam right now, so perhaps good timing.
Thanks
-bobby
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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RBEmerson
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011
Posts: 2108
Location: SE PA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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EBay, research the offerings. Worked for me. YMMV :)
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Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6833
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| bobbyblack wrote: |
| RBEmerson wrote: |
I dropped in LED replacements for the bulbs...
The LED replacements are "plug and play". No relays, no soldering, no nothing special. |
I'd love a web link to what you got, I'm down a High beam right now, so perhaps good timing.
Thanks
-bobby |
https://www.amazon.com/HIKARI-Conversion-Halogen-R...mp;sr=8-19
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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MaineRich
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2011
Posts: 61
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:58 am Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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Dick Z
I am hoping to make a trip up there tomorrow and poke around. Really looking forward to the first drive with the new engine, tranny and all the other stuff. They had to move my propane tank to the passengers side in order to get the fan for the new AC unit to work.
A few weeks ago I was able to see the engine install, very clean and was able to hear the engine run. I'm like a frickin' kid waiting for Christmas to come!
R |
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Dickz
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2015
Posts: 31
Location: MA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:35 am Post subject: Re: LED Headlights |
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| MaineRich wrote: |
Dick Z
I am hoping to make a trip up there tomorrow and poke around. Really looking forward to the first drive with the new engine, tranny and all the other stuff. They had to move my propane tank to the passengers side in order to get the fan for the new AC unit to work.
A few weeks ago I was able to see the engine install, very clean and was able to hear the engine run. I'm like a frickin' kid waiting for Christmas to come!
R |
They did my engine and transmission and a bunch of other stuff a couple of years ago and it was a HUGE difference in both drive ability and confidence. They do great work. I needed the van for a planned trip (which was pleasantly uneventful with the new engine) and didn’t have time to leave it for the ac upgrade - hence the return to them. I am sure you will love it when you get it back. Enjoy! |
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