Date:         Thu, 20 Feb 2003 02:44:10 EST
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      SA dash? was:Re: Custom Instrument Pod
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I'm still curious to see how the instrument pod and dash were upgraded by VW
in the later model South African Vanagons (Microbus and Caravelle) up to the
year 2002. It would seem they had to offer something more than the same old
offering that was in place in 1991 carried up since 80. There are signs of
upgrades on the later South African models as far as larger windows, larger
brakes, larger wheels, upgraded grill, the option of fancy alloy wheels and
leather steering wheels, height adjustable seats--and all this I'm getting
from a 1997 SA brochure. The brochure of course does not show the dash or
really anything much of the interior..except.... One extremely small photo
suggests the 97 SA bus had a fully modern-looking padded dash like you might
see in a Golf. Of course it is for a right hand drive vehicle. But the pod on
some year SA buses might mount on the left side as in the US application.

Logic, combined with wishful thinking, would suggest the dash pod-however it
was upgraded--most likely bolts to the dash the same way the clusters have
since 1980. Could they have been available with an oli pressure gauge, or
voltage gauge?

Either way if I were in a Right hand drive country, well, I'd move back to a
civilised country. But if that was impossible I'd sure look into putting one
of them fancy SA complete padded dashboards in my bus.

Anyway, I'd sure like to see a pic of the interior of those SA busses from 92
through 02 and see how the dash changed, what could be retro fitted onto a
USA bus and the like. I's like to see the steering wheel options as well, if
only for curiosity.

Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA


n a message dated 2/19/2003 10:55:01 PM Pacific Standard Time,
andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ writes:

<< I'm thinking of it, making a custom (fiberglass) dash fascia with
 hidden stereo components (using old computer CD drives as sliding
 doors) and with backlit Golf instruments (lots of work there). >>