RE: [T3] Aussie gauges

["Neil" <neil@neil.us>]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jim Adney
>
>Right, but I think Keith was talking about those rather odd black faced
gauges
>that someone posted pictures of a few days ago. They were the ones with the
>black trim rings, black faces, and indicator lights built into the
speedometer
>that were claimed to be Aussie type 3 gauges. I remain skeptical.
>



That was me who posted the pictures (http://www.neil.us/type3/aussie/).
These are indeed Type 3 gauges used in Australia in the latter end of the
type 3 run. I am not sure which years they were used, but as Wayne Collins
(who lives in Australia and drives Type 3's there) stated in his earlier
e-mail, his Type 3's have the same gauges. I 'think' they changed about the
same time the late model ones here in the USA changed to the black face
gauges. They are indeed stamped with "VDO Australia". Both have the VW
circle logo followed by the part number. The Speedo is 31A 957 033C, while
the tach is 31A 909 003. The 31A is the prefix for type 3 part numbers for
VW of Australia. From my understanding, Australia offered incentives to VW
to have "local manufactured" cars, hence the CKD cars sent to Australia for
assembly. It seems that to make the cars even more local, after VDO set up
operations there, they went ahead and manufactured the gauges in Australia
for the Australian market. The Speedo is dated 12.72 and the tach is dated
3.72. I purchased them at different times from different people, but both in
Australia.

Oh, and by the way, Jason W., in reference to this picture
(http://www.neil.us/type3/collection.jpg), I am very married, and as Bryan
said, my son Spencer runs around with me collecting Type 3 stuff. Hopefully
Drew (only 4 months old now) will do the same in a couple years. I just
happen to have a very understanding wife. So the other day when she said she
went down and bought a new piano I just swallowed and said, "when do I have
to pick it up?" Luckily, she had it delivered.

Neil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list | mailto:gregm@vwtype3.org