how to change a speedo in 1970 Beetle - tips please

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 11 Apr 2012, 12:09 am

#896400

Hi all,

looking at changing to a Km/h speedo and was wondering how difficult it is to change the speedo over?

After marking all the wires and undoing the 2 screws does the speedo come out towards the steering wheel or does it come out behind the dash?

Also do I have to inform the RTA or not?

if the speedo is not acurate what is the best way to fix it?

Cheers

Simon.

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 11 Apr 2012, 12:51 am

#896405

If you've got a metric Beetle speedo, they are more or less a straight swap. I think they come out from the back? The only trouble I had when changing mine was that instead of having one flashing indicator arrow, the new speedo had two (or possibly the other way around, can't remember). This is solved by simply re-wiring the indicator warning lamp to trigger from different wires. I was going to swap mine over myself, but I ended up having some other wiring done by an auto electrician, so I got him to change the indicator wiring at the same time.

1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
1968-onwards Beetle panels and glass for sale

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 11 Apr 2012, 11:32 am

#896450

Really easy.
It's just a matter of unscrewing the cable, unplug all the electrical and loosen the 2 mounting screws.
You'll see how they twist out of them when you do that.

waveman1500 wrote:The only trouble I had when changing mine was that instead of having one flashing indicator arrow, the new speedo had two (or possibly the other way around, can't remember). This is solved by simply re-wiring the indicator warning lamp to trigger from different wires. I was going to swap mine over myself, but I ended up having some other wiring done by an auto electrician, so I got him to change the indicator wiring at the same time.

Ah, you had one of the mutant aussie 72 speedos.
The only bugs you will find in the whole world with those speedos are Aussie made bugs built from april 72 till November 72.
They had seperate left and right indicator lights but you won't find that in any other bugs till the real early stuff.

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 11 Apr 2012, 2:20 pm

#896468

Joel wrote:Ah, you had one of the mutant aussie 72 speedos.
The only bugs you will find in the whole world with those speedos are Aussie made bugs built from april 72 till November 72.
They had seperate left and right indicator lights but you won't find that in any other bugs till the real early stuff.

Absolutely fascinating! Joel, as always your knowledge is astounding. I suppose that the '72 speedo makes sense, given that it's in a '72 S-Bug. For some reason it had a mph speedo in it when I got the car, but the metric one came with it as a spare.

1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
1968-onwards Beetle panels and glass for sale

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 11 Apr 2012, 7:42 pm

#896513

Hi

The other thing about the Australia only speedos was that they had different size thread for the speedo cable where it bolts onto the speedo.

Steve

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 11 Apr 2012, 7:55 pm

#896517

Hi

With the speedo reading, you could always make a note of the indicated reading when you changed it and add it to your current reading every rego.

Steve

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 11 Apr 2012, 11:08 pm

#896558

Installed it tonight.

A lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 12 Apr 2012, 10:54 am

#896583

waveman1500 wrote:I suppose that the '72 speedo makes sense, given that it's in a '72 S-Bug. For some reason it had a mph speedo in it when I got the car, but the metric one came with it as a spare.

They were in both supers and standards of that time.
No idea why they came up with a whole new speedo just for a few months of production as they were very different to the usual speedos - seperate left and right indicators, high beam and odometer in different spot but main difference is the face was blank and the numbers printed on the perspex like late type 3s had.
They went back to Euro speedos in late 72 and changed to KM/H in mid 73

1303Steve wrote:Hi

The other thing about the Australia only speedos was that they had different size thread for the speedo cable where it bolts onto the speedo.

Steve

I'm guessing another reason why you don't see many of them, speedo cables probably aren't available anymore.

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 12 Apr 2012, 9:41 pm

#896667

Joel wrote:
waveman1500 wrote:I suppose that the '72 speedo makes sense, given that it's in a '72 S-Bug. For some reason it had a mph speedo in it when I got the car, but the metric one came with it as a spare.

They were in both supers and standards of that time.
No idea why they came up with a whole new speedo just for a few months of production as they were very different to the usual speedos - seperate left and right indicators, high beam and odometer in different spot but main difference is the face was blank and the numbers printed on the perspex like late type 3s had.
They went back to Euro speedos in late 72 and changed to KM/H in mid 73

1303Steve wrote:Hi

The other thing about the Australia only speedos was that they had different size thread for the speedo cable where it bolts onto the speedo.

Steve
I'm guessing another reason why you don't see many of them, speedo cables probably aren't available anymore.

I have one of those 72 super bugs , is it worth more .😂 then I got it for. is it rare

😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 13 Apr 2012, 1:37 pm

#896741

vvwbeetle wrote:Hi all,

looking at changing to a Km/h speedo and was wondering how difficult it is to change the speedo over?

After marking all the wires and undoing the 2 screws does the speedo come out towards the steering wheel or does it come out behind the dash?

Also do I have to inform the RTA or not?

if the speedo is not acurate what is the best way to fix it?

Cheers

Simon.

Unless You want to have it made accurate at a speedo specialist...$$$
just mark where the correct speedo is...
remember the speedo changes with different sized tyres or wheels..
they are usually more accurate than many new cars now they are up to 10% out..??

I've never told the RTA etc about speedo changes.. as I've changed mine a few times.. lol

Joel...
I wish You had just told Me about that odd aussie Speedo..
I've never heard of it before.. or seen one..???

seperate blinking lamps... YIKES...

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

vvwbeetle Officially Full-On Dubber

234 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 13 Apr 2012, 4:08 pm

#896758

Thanks lee.

Drove the car yesterday to get new tyres and noticed it still reads slight faster than I am traveling.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 13 Apr 2012, 5:06 pm

#896767

It's because of the tyre size you have on the front
They are way smaller than stock.

They look like about 195/50s?

Lee, I've got a pic of one in a freinds bug somewhere I'll find for you.

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 13 Apr 2012, 6:10 pm

#896784

i have one but to lazy to take a pic 😂

😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 13 Apr 2012, 7:47 pm

#896815

Here ya go,
Numbers printed on the glass not the face like normal, the high beam is on the opposite side under 40 and you can just see the 2 little indicator triangles under 90 and 20.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 14 Apr 2012, 1:34 am

#896866

well really strange...

If I saw that in a beetle I would have thought someone had modified it,,,

especially the numbers on the glass face????

front or back of the face>>

who made them??? VDO??

Lee

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 15 Apr 2012, 11:38 am

#896999

heres mine

😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 15 Apr 2012, 12:54 pm

#897011

😂

Well as long as you do "highbeam" in 60 zones you'll be fine 😉

Or just do this to it
Slow, faster and flat out

Oh ya or the LOLvo gauge rage 😎