Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 18:34:03 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Golf II instruments fit Vanagon cluster? White faces?
Backlighting?
In-Reply-To: <v01550111b6dd068238d9@[210.54.197.16]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
The tachometer isn't a direct fit, there is some plastic trimming that has
to be done to the tachometer body and you also have to do some electrical
stuff to make it all happen. It takes me about 2h to install a Golf
tachometer when I have everything sitting infont of me. If you were to
remove the pod cover you could instantly tell it was converted. Yes, the
7000 RPM is nice, but they will go up to center of your fuel gauge if you
have a gumption to revv it that high! I estimate "F" is about 8000rpm :)
The speedometer may be a different story. I am pretty sure the revolutions
per significant digit is different between the A2 and T3 (the 950 at the
bottom of your speedometer - 950 turns of the input results in one turn of
the Least Significant Digit) - I have taken 180km/h Golf faces and
transplanted them on the front of the Vanagon gauge. This make the font
correct for both the tach and the speedometer. Do you really need a 220km/h
speedometer in your T3? I have had my T3 Westfalia up to 160km/h and that
is pretty scary! =:o
David Marshall
Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
mailto:info@fastforward.ca http://www.fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
. Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
. Transporter, Unimog and Iltis Sales
. European Lighting for most Audi and Volkswagen models
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Andrew Grebneff
Sent: March 20, 2001 5:27 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Golf II instruments fit Vanagon cluster? White faces?
Backlighting?
I scored an instrument cluster from a Mk II Golf CL today, used import from
Japan. It has a 220kmh (138mph) speedo and a 7000rpm tacho which
incorporates fuel & temp gauges. Just about right for an SVX engined van,
though 8000+ rpm would have been better.
I remember being told that the Golf II tacho can be made to fit the Vanagon
pod and look like it is made to fit there.
BUT... can the speedo be done likewise? It is cable-driven, not electric,
and can either be recalibrated to run from the Caravelle's drive cable
(odometer will still be inaccurate however) or an inline gearbox can be
fitted to the cable to correct it (best option). But will the speedo fit
the cluster?
What about the wiring? Anybody done this? The Golf instrument lighting is
the same crude indirect setup as the Vanagon. No backlit faces here.
Regarding Sean Birkner's idea of getting white faces done for listees'
instruments, it should IN THEORY be easy to convert to backlighting. This
would require fitting of (say Toyota) holders into the back of the
instrument housings; cutting the holes should be easy as long as you know
where and what shape exactly. Plug fittings in from behind and turn to
secure. For this application the new white (or whatever color) faces should
be uniformly translucent, to allow the light to shine through; tacho red
(or green or whatever) zones should be translucent also. Lettering should
be opaque, to show up at night. Bulb color can be owner's choice; could
even, given enough room, install several different sets of light fittings
with different colored bulbs, with a rotary or slide switch to select the
different colors!
Like Sean, I think blue in particular would be really neat (the Nissan
Presea has intense blue backlit instruments, and they look amazing).
Of course if there are shadow-producing obstructions within the
instruments, the backlighting idea may be in trouble.
Thoughts?
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin, New Zealand
fax 64 (3) 479-7527
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
VW van (something for every man), Toyota diesel & seashell nut
Macintosh 7500/200/64, 6116/60/24, LCIII, LC, Classic, Plus
Even though Mac Users may be only 10% of the market,
always remember that we are the TOP 10%
