TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:03 am

Hello,

How do I find out whether a German or Swedish van is (truly) US spec?

Thanks

Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:10 am

Depends on what parts you're talking about and what year. For instance, US vans all have DOT compliant headlights, taillights, front turn signals, and an extra set of side markers at the rear.
Later models were all MV engine types. I don't think we ever got the DJ version.

Does that help?

Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:37 am

windwing wrote: Depends on what parts you're talking about and what year. For instance, US vans all have DOT compliant headlights, taillights, front turn signals, and an extra set of side markers at the rear.
Later models were all MV engine types. I don't think we ever got the DJ version.

Does that help?

A little bit (the part about the engies)... I've read in different threads that some people bought their US spec Vans in Germany while stationed there and that eventually brought them back into the US w/o the hassles of having to make them DOT complaint, so I was wondering if there is a way to tell whether a van (the whole thing, in its entirety) is US spec :?

Thanks

Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:09 pm

The reason that vans were brought back from Germany with out trouble is because the ones that were sold to GI's were made to US specs. or the cars they would have shipped to the US anyways.
Cars made for the USA have to meet stricker safety standards then in Europe, The biggest one is the Window glass.
Look at the white lettering on the corners of the glass, it should have a DOT 28 on it somewhere, if not you may have to have all new glass put in to get it registed.
If it's in Europe it's not very likely that it's US speced.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:23 pm

I don't think there is an easy rule. I would say it's almost a case by case issue. US spec vans are quite all alike, mainly depends on model years. A van not fitting in those, like post 83 diesel would stand out.
Some accessories would stand out at well, like a 220v plug in a westfalia. Different accessories, but it's hard to tell for aftermarket fitting.

But for the case you mention, I think if you have access to the van, you could always look at the documentation, the door stickers, etc.
German only suggests it's a German van. US will have Eng-Ger. Canada will also have French.

It's fakeable though.

Carfax should tell you from the VIN: if the van arrived later than it's model year in the US, it must be . Also you may have the 1st owner (not a dealer) with Carfax, it should tell a lot.

JP

Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:50 pm

A year ago I imported a 1990 caravelle from Germany. Not US spec. Windows did NOT need to be changed but headlights, taillights etc did.

One way to tell I suppose could be to look for the "DOT" letters on all of those parts. Your speedo and odometer will also have to be US; that's another thing I had to have changed.

If you're just looking at a photo, look for the red side marker lights behind the rear wheel wells. Euro versions (or at least deutchland versions) don't have those and were required in the US for my 1990. I don't know how far back that requirement goes.

The vin# was also not in the usual place on the left side of the dash near the window. The importer had to add a sticker for that. The original is on the right side door frame near the hinges.

Oh, and get this, the importer also had to install a sticker on the right side mirror that says "Items are closer than they appear".

The MV engine did not need to be modified in any way for California, except that some kind of CA emissions sticker was placed on the inside of the rear license plate door/oil access.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:14 pm

Quote: Cars made for the USA have to meet stricker safety standards then in Europe
:lol:
Sorry but that is funny, do you mean things like the dim DOT headlights?
Different Standards, I agree but stricter depends on the part it self.

As far as I know are all Vanagons pretty much the same all over the World.
The glass and lights have a DOT writing on them and are made to DOT standard.
European cars also had safety glass just to a different standard (bureaucrats :roll: )
The lights look the same, well the US headlights are worse than they’re European counterparts and the US rear lenses are missing the fog light option
US vans have the side marker lenses in the rear.
The 1.9(DH) and the 2.0 (CV) are the same engine than in Europe (DG/CU) they just have fuel injection instead of a carburettor because a catalytic was required in the US at that time. As far as I can tell the 2.1 (MV) is always the same. And no question the US never saw the 2.1 (DJ) because the DJ has no Catalytic.

US spec was only the CV, DH and MV engine every thing else was never sold here.
The Swiss 1.9(SP) had a catalytic and the Swiss 2.1(SR)/German 2.1(SS) hat the stricter European standard catalytic and could be to DOT spec.

That should be it, I hope because a lot of parts on my van are replaced be German parts :wink: .

The US only saw a few of the many option for the Vanagon, if you look at old catalogues the M-list (options) is endless. The US/Canada/Australia only got one size fits all.

@ Acciughina

to make it short a German or Swedish Vanagon can never be US spec.
The above parts would have to be changed.

Michael

Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:08 pm

Model years that were petitioned for "gray market import" are easier to import to the US because the manufacturer (in this case VW) has certified that the non-US spec cars will meet the same standards as the US spec cars regarding saftey. Small things will need to be changed Instrument cluster, pass side mirror. Make sure the van you are importing has a US spec engine.
Go to the NHSTA website to find the model years that are importable. Years not on the list will be a huge PITA.

Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:08 am

Thanks everyone, I have a clearer view of the foggy picture..

Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:13 am

@ suebicum ,

"
The Swiss 1.9(SP) had a catalytic and the Swiss 2.1(SR)/German 2.1(SS) hat the stricter European standard catalytic "

:?: i never seen or heard of this SP engine in switzerland.

Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:48 am

grüezi
Or Hi if you don’t speak Schwizerdütsch got only a 21.2% chance that you do :wink:.

The "SP" is identical with the German "DG" just has a Catalytic and is the same base engine then the American „DH“ . The “SP” was build from 08.1986 to 07.1989 then replaced with the “SR”.
SP 1,9L 4-Zylinder Vergaser für die Schweiz 54kW, 73(DIN) PS
SP 1.9l 4-zylinder carburetor for Switzerland 54kW, 72 (SAE)HP

This means Switzerland like the US only had one engine option for the Vanagon.

Güssle

Michael