TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:31 am

On a 1979 SB vert, is the speedo an 85 MPH max. or is it 100 MPH max.? I have no reason to believe my 85 mph isnt original, I just saw a 79 with a 100 mph speedo. Thanks.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:54 am

my 71 supers speedo is 100 mph max. I have a hard time believing that it would have been lower in 79 -- but I dont know for sure.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:55 am

85mph is an original USA only speedometer for your '79. They are getting pretty rare. Somewhere around that time most or all the cars in the USA had 85mph speedometers. There was some short lived law.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:09 am

85mph max is the original speedo, 100mph are after market.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:11 am

Thanks. It doesnt really make a difference speed wise but its nice to know what is original and what's not.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:20 pm

theres a 100 mph one in my 72 super, and i have no reason to believe its aftermarket either. is your 79 a standard? perhaps there lies the difference.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:20 pm

can you give chassisnumber? early ´79 convertibles has 100mph odometer and late ´79 has 85mph odometer!

i have ´79 us spec convertible and with 100mph odometer and it is original with original cables with that red "gum" where odometer and upper cable connect together!

Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:40 pm

Hydro626 wrote: theres a 100 mph one in my 72 super, and i have no reason to believe its aftermarket either. is your 79 a standard? perhaps there lies the difference.

The speedometers are entirely different between 1302 models -71-72 flatscreen supers, and the 1973 and later 1303 curved-screen supers.

1302 style,,,,,

1303 style,,,,, this one shows 100mph

1303 again, This one shows KPH

Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:46 pm

the top one is not 1302 odometer, its is late 70´s odometer... :!:

Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:01 pm

vw79 wrote: the top one is not 1302 odometer, its is late 70´s odometer... :!:

:roll:

My intent was to show the differences in mountings, the U.S. 1303 does not have the mounting tabs that the earlier 1302's and sedans have.

Here in the states, that's what was used. My wife has the original speedometer in her U.S. spec 1972 Super Beetle (1302). I shouldv'e specified. There were also 80mph, and 90mph versions of the first photo for U.S. sedans 1970 and earlier, IIRC.

I don't know what was used elsewhere on the planet.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:06 pm

And FYI, the 1302 models were 1971-72 only, here in the U.S.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:37 pm

Kelley wrote: vw79 wrote: the top one is not 1302 odometer, its is late 70´s odometer... :!:

:roll:

My intent was to show the differences in mountings, the U.S. 1303 does not have the mounting tabs that the earlier 1302's and sedans have.

Here in the states, that's what was used. My wife has the original speedometer in her U.S. spec 1972 Super Beetle (1302). I shouldv'e specified. There were also 80mph, and 90mph versions of the first photo for U.S. sedans 1970 and earlier, IIRC.

I don't know what was used elsewhere on the planet.

but also remember, std and super beetles have different odometers! I know us spec and european spec diffrences. i have both models in my garage.

and top one odometer is propably from mid/late std beetle, not super beetle because this has these ears. all 1303 ( 73-> super beetles ) are without ears.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:39 pm

DrDarby wrote: 85mph is an original USA only speedometer for your '79. They are getting pretty rare. Somewhere around that time most or all the cars in the USA had 85mph speedometers. There was some short lived law.
My 1980 Audi 5000S has a 85mph speedo.

It was a short lived law.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:01 pm

vw79 wrote: and top one odometer is propably from mid/late std beetle, not super beetle because this has these ears. all 1303 ( 73-> super beetles ) are without ears.

And again, this is what I said,,,,

Kelley wrote:

:roll:

My intent was to show the differences in mountings, the U.S. 1303 does not have the mounting tabs that the earlier 1302's and sedans have.
Essentially, you said what I already said. The odometer doesn't matter, because it has nothing to do with the point I was making. Good for you for pointing the odometer differences out. We can benefit from that info.

If you wanna get technical, the top picture is an Autostick Speedometer.

Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:46 pm

Does anyone have a photo of one of these late-model 85 mph speedos?

Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:25 pm

mnussbau wrote: Does anyone have a photo of one of these late-model 85 mph speedos?

From the classifieds,,,,

and another showing some perspective,,,

Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:31 pm

Cool, thanks. The Beetle must've been one of the few cars for sale that year where the speedo's top end was actually higher than the car's...

Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:52 pm

Kelley wrote: If you wanna get technical, the top picture is an Autostick Speedometer.

all the later speedos had the ATF on the face... even in the manual equipped cars... in MT cars there was a black plug in the front of the speedo where the bulb and holder would have went in an autostick car...

Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:30 am

"The Beetle must've been one of the few cars for sale that year where the speedo's top end was actually higher than the car's..."

Suppose so; though there was the Chevette which always seemed to be the slowest car on the highway.

That law was intended to reduce the psychological effect that a car can go as fast as the speedo shows. This was after a gas crisis (1978??) so that the gov't thought if you show the speedo going up to only 85mph people would be less inclined to SPEED beyond the 55mph national limit, thereby using less fuel. Still a farce since Porsche 928s, Ferraris, 'Vettes, etc had to comply with this law if they intended to sell new cars in the USA!

My 1980 Dasher diesel with all of its 48hp out of its 1500cc engine could pin the 85mph speedo and still build up some speed beyond that if given a long enough level section of road.

Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:31 am

Rome wrote: My 1980 Dasher diesel with all of its 48hp out of its 1500cc engine could pin the 85mph speedo and still build up some speed beyond that if given a long enough level section of road.
Cool! I used to drive an '80 Dasher diesel (wagon), it was surprisingly peppy given its power, and would still return 40+ mpg without even trying.