TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:32 pm

I recently picked a Sapphire XI radio out of a 71 bus and was wondering if someone would be able to clarify if this radio could be correct in my 72.

From a previous thread:

Bookwus wrote: For the most part Volkswagen did NOT install radios in the cars they shipped for export. Rather they let dealers install the radios and pick up an extra few bucks of profit on the sale. Dealers in the USA had a choice (generally speaking again) of two makes of radios to install. VWoA had contracted with Motorola and Bendix to produce the Sapphire series of radios.

So I did some digging and found the following

http://homepage.mac.com/stokester/dub_tunes/PhotoAlbum5.html

Here the Sapphire XI is listed as a 70-71 bus year radio

http://www.oldvolkshome.com/vwradios051112.html

Old Volks has it listed as a 70-72 year for all models.

My bus rolled out of the factory Sept of 71, Model year 72.

Thanks in advance for the help. I want to make sure that this would be a correct time period radio before going through all the trouble of installation.

Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:51 pm

The oldvolks site says it's correct. Seems like a pretty reliable source. I have one in my '71.

Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:19 pm

I believe the radios were a dealer installed option so the year ranges were an estimation. I say put it in. 8)

Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:19 pm

Who's to say a dealer didn't have stack of XI's leftover from the volume buy they did last year and gave the customer a super deal on it?
I agree with Caleb, put it in, now you have tunes and an XII to look for at the next swap you're at.

Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:26 pm

Hiya Martin,

Offhand I'd say it's close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades - put it in.

The XI model (am only) was in dealer's inventories probably through the end of the 1972 sales year. About halfway through the 1972 sales year Motorola started supplying VWoA with the Sapphire XV (also an am only). So.............either one of these radios easily could have been found in a 72 year vehicle.

Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:20 am

I put the XIV in my 72 and it looked just fine. The added bonus was getting to listen to FM.