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T3 Parts Books


Hi Anthony, and all else lurking,

Anthony asked me a question that I hadn't really thought about: 
>"I was just reading one of your old letters and I spied a reference to 
>a T-3 Parts book.  What's in it and how can I get it and how much will 
>it cost?
> 
> thanks for the info,
> Anthony Hauth

It dawned on me that there may be others who would like to know the same
thing.  Ok, here goes...

>"What's in it?"

What most people reffer to as "the Type 3 Parts book" (or type 1 book,
or Ghia book, etc.) is the book (or books depending) that dealership
parts departments used when a customer needed a certain part but only
had a description and not a part to reference or a part number. (ie.: "I
need that thingie between the thing that shuts the door and the
body...")

These books were used by parts departments that did not have a
microfiche system (although I'm sure there were some with both).  Each
dealer parts department was issued a book for all the current models. 
They listed EVERY part available for EVERY car VW made.  They included a
listing of the specific type body sytles, paint and interior colors, all
the info we restorers need to do a proper restoration.

They also include some very informative illustrations showing how to
assemble EVERYthing on a car, washers and all.

Each type of VW had it's own book.  There is a Beetle parts book, a Bus
parts book, a Type 3 parts book, a Ghia parts book (which included the
type three Ghia model except the mechanicals), etc.  

They would not duplicate information in the books.  The type one motor,
which was used in the Beetle, Bus and Ghia until about '72-3 (I think)
only had a few minor parts differences between the models, so only the
differing parts were shown in the specific books.  This is why the Ghia
parts books never have a complete engine reference.  

Now...
>"how can I get it?"

The ONLY was to get it is used.  Try swap meets at larger VW shows, try
non VW shows, try the guy who deals in general car literature, try your
buddy who buys out a lot of peoples collections (that's how I got my
first parts book). Try this list... I doubt anyone would have an extra
set, but you never know until you ask.  

Last...
>"how much will it cost?"

Many factors involved...

Factor 1:  Here's the trick, you kinda need to take a look at what's in
it and know what is supposed to be IN there to begin with.  Take some
time, find someone with the book(s) you want, and scope out what's in
there.  (Worse come to worse, take his book and copy it. Pricey, but if
you can't find one...)  A good honest VW parts book will be in a dark
blue/grey binder, the pages will now be light brown from age (should be
lighter than a "grocery bag" brown, any darker and the pages will tear
up with your touch.  They ARE 25 - 50 years old, you know.)  There will
be dividers with numbers on them. There will be an Illustration (that is
numbered) page then pages with the illustration number on each page with
corresponding parts numbers and descriptions.

Factor 2:  I am a believer in having a book whose last supliment is just
younger than the car being restored. Usually on the first page, or on
the inside cover of the binder, somewhere, there should be a handwritten
column of dates and a suppliment number (if the book came from an
ORGANIZED parts department).  It should say something like: 29 
8/25/69.  That means that suppliment (new revision or additions) page
#29 was inserted in this book on 8/25/69.  Now, look at the dates.  If
you are restoring a younger car you will have to get a book that is
covered in this book or it is useless. On the other hand, if you are
restoring an older car, and have a later supplimented book, you will
find that some hard to find parts will have the dreaded "No Longer
Available" tag on it.  This means "We have made changes to this part and
have stopped production and have depleated our stock and have this nice
new part to go in its place instead of that old nasty part that broke on
your now 30+ year old car that you can't find anywhere because you don't
even know what it looked like" tag (or something like that) and many
times they won't even show an illustration of it. (Try looking up
replacement parts for the '62-3 T-3 pushbutton dash with your '73
updated book sometime ;) )

Factor 3:  Supply and Demand. The more popular the model car, the more
demand on the book, the higher the price for that book.  (ie: We demand
the money and you supply it.)  The good news is that Type 3 books are
easier to find and usually cheaper than Ghia Books or Bug Books or Bus
Books because of the demand thing.  Bad news is that sometimes the type
3 books are the ones that get used to hold up the short leg of the table
at the swap meet to show off the Bug/Ghia/Bus books. :(

All that to say, a Type 3 parts book with a good binder, most of the
pages present and intact, can go for around $30-$50. Ghia's for $40-70.

OK?

I gotta quit, my keyboard's overheating and you're probably going
crosseyed about now.



Big Al
mailto:awpresley@earthlink.net

Homepage -
          http://home.earthlink.net/~awpresley
Houston Volkswagen Club -
          http://home.earthlink.net/~awpresley/hvwc1.html
Type 3 Cabriolet Prototype Project - 
          http://home.earthlink.net/~awpresley/t3cpp.html



"I figured that the message is long enough as it is, you probably
wouldn't notice a couple more lines..."


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