"Correct " FM radio for a 74 - Sapphire XII or XIX?

[bill iler]

Have 2 FMs I can install in my 74 - Sapphire XII or XIX (with the slider bar in the middle). Never saw a Thing factory radio housing with the slider bar in it so I would have to modify mine with a slider from a flat=face plate.

Anyone know what the 'best' correct choice is for the FM? Kubeltreffen181 shows a mint 74 with the XII in it. OldvolksHome site lists the XII as a 1970 release, & the XIX a '73 release- I am sure dealers grabbed whatever they had around, too).

One of the accessories catalogs,shows a blurry pic of what appears to be an XIX with slider bar on one page, but I am not sure. Just interested in anyone else's opinions/experiences on this topic

[Al Capulco]

There is a copy of the actual radio instructions for the Thing in the Technical section here on Samba. There you will find that the correct FM radio for the Thing is the XIX model.

[bill iler]

Thanks Just looked in each section but can't find it. All I see is paint, M codes etc. Further info on exactly where?

Does this mean the XII is not correct? I've seen one in at least one mint untouched car. Any place I can see good photos of an XIX installed in a Thing?

[Al Capulco]

Here you go..

[77kafer]

bill iler, keep in mind that ALL VW radios back then were dealer installed. Not factory installed. That includes Things Beetles Busses etc., the sales person would show the buyer a display "A" frame with all the available radios mounted. The buyer would point to a radio, and someone would check stock and before leaving the music would be installed.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"

[jmstu76]

My '73 happens to have a Sapphire XXV.
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James

'76 Deluxe Sage Green Westy
2258 cc GD case 78mm CW crank, 2.0 H-beam rods 5,325” 22mm pin, JE forged pistons with 15cc dish, JE rings, type 11 clearanced oil pump, CB Eagle 2205 Type-2 “Torque Special” hydraulic cam with matched lifters fed by CB Dual Weber 40 IDF MX with 6” foam air filters, currently 55 idle, 130 main, 200 air correction, 32 mm venturis. 27in General Grabber AT2 All Terrains, Berg Shifter, stock '76 exhaust HPC Ceramic Coated. 11/18/2020

[bill iler]

Thank you.

XIX instructions appreciated.

I mistakenly typed 'factory' but I did know that dealers installed these. Guessing that is why the XXV was in the other poster's 73 Thing.

Still wondering if anyone else has a verified-oriignal FM radio in a 74 and if so what number is it