Date:         Fri, 03 Jan 1997 20:14:26 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Diebolt <jdiebolt@up.net>
Subject:      Re: Dealer response: hatch struts

At 10:54 AM 1/2/97 -0600, you wrote:
>okay- i couldn't wait for an answer so i called the dealer back.  he said
>that VW DOES use two different PNs on the hatch and that the even number
>goes on the right.  so, i'll mount the low pressure 251 828 332 on the right
>and the high pressure 251 829 331 B on the left.
>
>(and you do the Hokey Pokey as you turn yourself around)
>
>-dan
There is a method to the VW part numbering system. The first 3 digits
indicate the vehicle or engine originally designed for, 251=Vanagon 211=Bus
068=Diesel engine 025=Vanagon engine. The next 3 are group and sub group.
800 is body parts. 100=engine parts 200=exhaust parts 300=transmission
parts 400=front end 500=rear axle 600=brakes 700=cables and shifter 900
electrical. 829 indicates a body part and rear hatch. A 98 sub group, 898
is a body repair kit. The last three with letter and color code if needed
is the part identifier. Generally if the last numeric digit is odd it is a
left side part, even is a right side parts. Parts that don't care what side
they go on are usually odd. For the most part a 251 829 331 B part will
replace a 251 829 331 and a 251 829 331 A. And most times it is backwards
compatible although you don't get any internal improvements if there were
any, and that's usually why the number changes.
Greetings from Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Jeff & Jean-Marie Diebolt
jdiebolt@up.net