TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:59 am

After some great input from 53Oval and use of the seach function I have learned much about this gauge set. The questions I still have are as follows:

These are dated '56, yet have the warning lights in the gauge. A previous post by 53Oval stated that the light in the gauge was '55 and earlier?

These say 'Motest', not 'Motometer', yet they look like every other set I have seen. Admittedly, I have not examind the others this closely. All 3 gauges are 'Made in Western Germany'. Is this a bobo brand Motometer?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:48 pm

I own several sets of the MotoMeter Rally packs. I own both 1953-55 & the 1956-57 versions. In my opinion, the Pre 55 versions are printed with the MotoMeter logo and have the indicator lights on the mounting fascia. While the Motest logo'd gauges with inboard lights are for 1956-57. Here's a few pics from my collection:

[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/88729.jpg[/img]

[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/88727.jpg[/img]

[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/88725.jpg[/img]

If you want to see more pics, just visit the gallery section of this web site. Then use the search function: MotoMeter

Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:54 pm

My gauge panel has red lights in the gauges. They are trade marked MotoMeter and they are stamped 55. They are original to the panel and the panel has no lights. I have restored two other sets , both original with gauges original to the panel. The last being gauge dated '57 in a panel with lights, and no lights in the gauges. Gauges were stamped Motest. It seems that the MotoMeter with lights were too expensive so the panel got the lights and gauges lost the lights. North Hollywood Speedometer agrees with me. All the MotoMeter gauges they restore are six volt only where the Motest stamped gauges can be 12 volt. They have never seen a 12 volt MotoMeter guage with the red warning light although they have been asked to change them. Their opinion is the same as mine with regard to the panel. The third set was NOS and in the box with all instructions. Phil Weiner purchased this and it now resides an advanced collection in Tennessee. All stamps were '55 all gauges were six volt. All were marked MotoMeter with warning lights in the gauges.
Glenn knows as much as anyone I know in this hobby and his opinions are based on his experience with the panels he has restored. I can only speak from my limited experience,but Paul Frech at C&F Automotive in Costa Mesa has wired several panels and converted a couple to 12 volts for customers. In each case the gauges were MotoMeter with lights and 6 volts. He also is of the opinion that the early panels had gauges marked MotoMeter and the later Motest gauges belong in the panel with the lights.
Glenn has seen my panel and has seen that my gauges are MotoMeter with lights. Not Motest with lights. We have both our opinions based on the sets we have owned and the restoration problems we have faced. Far be it from me to tell you what is correct. I am sure that MotoMeter changed the panel for a reason and it is my opinion that it was cheaper to put the lights in the panel. It made the gauges less complicated and less pron to failure especially since the lights in the gauges would have difficulty with 12 volts as was seen in the later Motest gauges.
Isn't this hobby wonderfully confusing. :wink:

Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:39 pm

How about the change of logo use from MotoMeter to Motest? I've never heard anyone refer to the Rallye Package as Motest gauges, lol. They (owners/sellers) all seem to call them MotoMeter gauges regardless of the fact that their (owners/sellers) gauges have Motest printed rght on the face. Case in point, DoveBlue3 now has his "Motest gauges" 4-sale at $1000 yet he refers to them as MotoMeter gauges.
Is MotoMeter and Motest the same company? Kinda like VDO & Perohaus?

Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:18 am

Hey everyone,

Good topic. I have 3 complete sets of these rally gauge packages. All of the gauges are Moto-Meter. One early set dated 6-54 on the gauges also has the warning light on the oil temp and fuel gauges. The two other sets are 56 and 57 include the warning light option on the panels. I have an understanding that Moto-Meter and Motest are the same company but Motest being a subsidiary??sp or another sister branch maybe to reduce competiton in the gauge making industry. I am not %100 on this ....just a hunch. The reason I think this is because I have spare gauges that have the Motest print and are exactly %100 identical except for the name. I have a Motest 6-56 fuel gauge with the warning light on the gauge like the 53,54,55 panels. I have an NOS "2 in 1' Moto-Meter gauge in the box with the one with the fuel idiot light. I have also owned the "3 in 1" which was a Motest. Another example I have is a Inside/ Outside temperature gauge also made by motest. You can view it at:

http://vintage-vw.site.ne.jp/

Under 'Motest gauge"

Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:33 am

[email protected] wrote: How about the change of logo use from MotoMeter to Motest? I've never heard anyone refer to the Rallye Package as Motest gauges, lol. They (owners/sellers) all seem to call them MotoMeter gauges regardless of the fact that their (owners/sellers) gauges have Motest printed rght on the face. Case in point, DoveBlue3 now has his "Motest gauges" 4-sale at $1000 yet he refers to them as MotoMeter gauges.
Is MotoMeter and Motest the same company? Kinda like VDO & Perohaus?

I think the Motest/Motometer relationship is much like VDO and Perohause as Glenn suggests. I have seen several Motest gauges come out of South America and I believe that MotoMeter used different names for different countries. That is just a rough guess though. :?

Sat Dec 11, 2004 8:19 pm

Does anyone have some experience with these reproduction MotoMeter gauges?

http://imageevent.com/mrokrasa

They look very nice. I've emailed the person making them but have never gotten a response. Are they still available/in production?

Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:37 am

My 15 window has one of the Motest fuel gauges intalled as well as the MotoMeter sending unit. Walked around alot at shows and have never been able to find any information on it. The holes and wiring all seem to be dealer installed and the date on the gauge is correct for the bus.

Thanks for the pictures and info on here. :D

Tue Dec 21, 2004 3:51 pm

[email protected] wrote: Does anyone have some experience with these reproduction MotoMeter gauges?

http://imageevent.com/mrokrasa

They look very nice. I've emailed the person making them but have never gotten a response. Are they still available/in production?

anyone answer this as i would like to know if avaliable and how much???

Mon Jan 21, 2019 8:17 am

Hello! I also have a motometer question, does anyone know how early the motometer rally clusters were offered, I’m wondering in a technical standpoint if it would be correct for a Zwitter

Sun Dec 07, 2025 4:14 pm

The glass on the rallye's central clock is flat or convex. I finally managed to acquire a part to complete my kit, but it's missing the glass, and from the photos, I couldn't be sure if it's flat or convex.
I would be immensely grateful to anyone who can help me with this information.

Sun Dec 07, 2025 6:03 pm

Cr!s\56/VW wrote: The glass on the rallye's central clock is flat or convex. I finally managed to acquire a part to complete my kit, but it's missing the glass, and from the photos, I couldn't be sure if it's flat or convex.
I would be immensely grateful to anyone who can help me with this information.

Convex

Mon Dec 08, 2025 7:22 am

My clock, dated July 1954, has a flat glass

Mon Dec 08, 2025 5:14 pm

lardawge wrote: Cr!s\56/VW wrote: The glass on the rallye's central clock is flat or convex. I finally managed to acquire a part to complete my kit, but it's missing the glass, and from the photos, I couldn't be sure if it's flat or convex.
I would be immensely grateful to anyone who can help me with this information.

Convex

Thank you very much for your attention.
I analyzed the entire site and there is little information, and the images don't provide enough certainty, but based on the two answers here, I imagine that both models must exist, and that's why their reflections in each photo or model change.
I ended up seeing your two reconstruction posts and I greatly admire your work.

Mon Dec 08, 2025 5:21 pm

insanitize wrote: My clock, dated July 1954, has a flat glass

Thank you very much for your attention. Based on the two responses here, I imagine that both models exist, and that's why they are reflected in each photo or model.

Mon Dec 08, 2025 6:49 pm

Mine was a March 55 for reference. The "glass" was not glass, it was some sort of polycarbonate. For sure original, but unlike the smaller gauges, it was not glass.

Tue Dec 09, 2025 1:33 pm

lardawge wrote: Mine was a March 55 for reference. The "glass" was not glass, it was some sort of polycarbonate. For sure original, but unlike the smaller gauges, it was not glass.

Thank you for the additional information!