My girlfriend just purchased this car from a friend for a modest sum. It's pretty rad, and I've already been taken by its charms after driving it down from Portland OR to Oakland CA for her and then ripping through the Mendocino National Forest on a weekend camping trip.

 

My aim is to keep it running in tip top shape and make some minor improvements. (All my prior wrenching experience is limited to motorcycles.) She likes that it "looks like a sweet little car", so I'm not allowed to do anything aggro that might diminish that appeal, haha.

 

First order of business is the lights. Am I an idiot or does this car actually not have high beams? What are some good options for getting more light?

Yes because it is a DL trim level, the Highbeam filaments are in the headlamp (The GL trim level of this same era would have Quad headlights, separate set of lights for Highbeams) Since these are sealed beam the entire assembly needs to be replaced if something burns out (Their cheap and available at any parts store or Wal-mart)

 

If the highbeams don't work when you you pull on the stalk, then either the lights are burned out or it is a wiring issue somewhere in the harness or the actual stalk could have failed (Kinda typical)

 

Question, when you pull the stalk towards you to trigger the highbeams, do the Lowbeams stay on? If they do, I would suspect the stalk is the issue. If the lowbeams go out with the stalk pulled them I would think the lights need to be replaced or check the connector and wiring. 

(You can always test the lights out with a 12v battery charger, just touch the ground and the highbeam spade terminal on the rear of the lamp to see if it lights up)