[T3] less than 2 weeks, getting real now!

[Jim Adney]

On 3 Jun 2018 at 20:55, Soren Jacobsen wrote:

> The copy of Progressive Refinements I have doesn't go beyond 1968, so the
> only documentation I could find on these changes was a listing for the
> addition of the hump, which happened on 1967-04-26 (VIN 317 186 575)

Okay, good, I was thinking the J-style hump started in mid-66, but it was 
mid-67. I looked at the parts book and this change isn't documented. I may 
have a couple of the early non-hump 4-bolt wheels, but I don't know why 
anyone would want those.   

The change to the small valve stem IS documented: That started at the 
beginning of '69, but you have to look at the listing for the valve stem, not the 
wheel. Oddly, it looks like the first 10,000 cars got a small valve stem, after 
that, thru '68, they came with the large stems. Apparently only small hole 
wheels were supplied after some point, and it appears that there was no 
change in wheel part number when that happened.

The  parts book actually lists 4 different wheels, all 4.5" wide and all with the 
J-hump. So the J-hump was supplied as replacements for wide-5 wheels, 
too. Anyone have any of those?

The last of the 4 wheels listed is a special for M263 cars only (Squarebacks 
with the Z-bar, starting in '67.) I have no idea what that is/was, although I 
must have some. It makes me wonder if it is a stronger version that used 
thicker metal. I would have to weigh some to see if I can see a difference.

> Speaking of Progressive Refinements, does anyone know if there were
> later versions of it?  1968 is the latest I've ever run across, but I
> haven't really needed anything later, so I haven't actively looked.

I'm not familiar with Progressive Refinements. I'd love to see a copy, or 
perhaps you could scan it. Oops, I see it's already scanned on thesamba.

I have a copy of something for Beetles from the early '60s that I think they 
called "What Year Is It?" But that just calls out things that are pretty obvious 
and external. Made for public consumption and not nearly as detailed as 
Progressive refinements.

I have an early Robert Bentley manual for Type 3s (VW 
Fastback/Squareback Handbook by John Fitzgerald) published in 1970 that 
has a list of changes for Type 3s that I always wondered how they came up 
with that info. Maybe they got it from Progressive Refinements. The latest 
changes mentioned are in early '68.

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