[T3] Factory Steering Wheel?

[Daniel K. Du Vall]

Would it be of any benefit if I took some pictures of my 72 dash? I am fairly certain it has not been frankensteined. 
Other than the factory FI having been RIPPED out, putting it lightly, and the rims which were rusted beyond sealing everything seems to be original. 

Daniel Du Vall

________________________________________
From: type3-vwtype3.org <type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org> on behalf of Jim Adney <jadney at VWType3.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 3:01 PM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] Factory Steering Wheel?

On 1 Mar 2016 at 12:20, Dave Hall wrote:

> When were the new year models in USA showrooms, Jim?  We had them on sale
> from the beginning of August back then, and they arrived in dealerships a
> few weeks before to allow time for pre-delivery de-waxing and inspection.
> There must have been some pre-production of the new spec. for this to
> happen.

I think we got the new models in very early Sept, but I always
thought production started sometime in Aug. According to the
microfilm, the new model year VIN numbers started on 8/1 each year
and ended on 7/31. Yes, it has always seemed odd that the dealers
could get them as quickly as they did, since my memory is that it
took ~6 weeks for shipments to arrive from Germany by boat, get thru
customs, move thru the distributors, and then get to the dealers.

The early '72 I had was one that was picked up in Germany under the
Tourist Delivery Program. I bought it many years later, but it still
had all the paperwork. VIN = 362 2 003 480.

Here are all the VINs when those various features were introduced.

VW diagnostics: 311 2 212 452

Larger front calipers: 311 2 268 738

E brain: 312 2 000 001

Black faced instruments: 312 2 000 001

4 spoke steering wheel: 312 2 000 001

3 rail front seats: 312 2 133 001

Black wiper arms & blades: 312 2 158 628

I'm beginning to think that my memory was wrong about my '72 having a
2-spoke steering wheel, and the microfilm says I'm wrong about grey
faced gauges. Does anyone else remember seeing a '72 with grey faced
gauges? I should have taken more photos. I scrapped out that car 16
years ago; doesn't seem that long....

There are a lot of "holdover" cars that seem like they belong in a
different year. For example, I've got a local guy who happens to be
into Type 4s. When he first contacted me, he told me he had a '74
Type 4 with D-jetronic FI. I told him he must be mistaken since
everyone knows that all the '74s were L-jet, but upon checking the
microfilm, I saw that VW actually made a couple thousand 1.7 L D-jet
Type 4s at the beginning of the '74 model year. He's got one of them.
He's actually got 2 Type 4s, both in very good condition, because
they were both parked in dry storage in about 1980. He bought them
for next to nothing and has been going thru them getting all the
mechanicals back in shape. They are now driveable, but he's waiting
for the salt to get washed off our roads before taking them out for
the first time in nearly 40 years.

--
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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