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Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:18 am

A March of '53 (oval) speedometer IS different from a Zwitter speedometer. Look at the arrows. It is one of the differences between a Zwitter and an Oval of the same year.

Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:26 am

surfindo wrote: 53 0val wrote: Here is what a true '53 Zwitter speedo looks like:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=483298
Hi Bob thanks!! i've seen that add yesterday, my question was the oval speedo pic I post and the one above, they both come from 53 (one 5-53 the one I post 4-53)but the arrows look diferent?? if the theory there are 2 types of 53 speedo,
1. zwitter speedo with separated arrows
2.speedo with joined arrow that is smaller than the 54
my question why this one dated 4-53 but has fat arrow??

I don't know the answer to your question of why an April of '53 speedometer would have the fatter arrows. I would think it should have the smaller arrows.... :? Unless like all VW parts.....the factory was using up everything they could before changing over to the "oval" parts. My October of '53 has the fatter arrows and the correct shift marks for the 25hp motor......also in MPH instead of KMs.

Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:44 pm

Hello,

the change from the separated to the joined arrows was earlier, in February 53.

My february 53 zwitter has a 2/53 stamped speedo with the small joined arrows like the 53 ovals. This car is untouched/unrestored.
I was confused, but other feb/march zwitter owners confirmed this.

But my january 53 standard zwitter speedo has the separated arrows.

It`s like the small filler tube of the fuel tank. The last "real" splits of august/september 1952 were equiped with the small filler "zwitter" tank.

Hey, if it would be easy, it wouldn`t be VW.... :-)

Best Regards,
Wolfgang

Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:12 pm

This one is out of a 4/53 speedo that I am doing for a friends zwitter.

Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:23 pm

my march 53 zwitter has the 1 joined small arrow
hope it helps.
i found teh speedo in the bottom of 1 of the boxes of parts that came with the car

what is funny is the car also came witha 3/53 speedo with the big arrow
maybe they changed over in march

Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:47 pm

john7 wrote: my march 53 zwitter has the 1 joined small arrow
hope it helps.
i found teh speedo in the bottom of 1 of the boxes of parts that came with the car

what is funny is the car also came witha 3/53 speedo with the big arrow
maybe they changed over in march

March was "supposed" to be the change over from split to oval and all that went with that change. Didn't happen that way though. VW continued to use up things like wiper blades and semaphores until sometime in about October. It is really difficult to know exactly when things did change. :?

Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:58 am

My march 3rd 1953 zwitter has a 3.53 stamped speedo with the large joined arrow

Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:58 pm

My Oct 1952 Zwitter has small split arrow and date stamped 9/52

Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:49 am

The Speedos are normally dated 1 or 2 Months earlier than the Car.

Sat May 24, 2025 10:59 am

Our car stays with what supposed to be the og speedo. Maybe somebody forgot the old “zwitter” type speedo in a shelve, mount it later, and shipped if with our car to Colombia on June / 53. Food for thoughts.