There's a couple of little jobs that need doing on my '77 bus and I'm sure some of you know how I can attack them. Any knowledge passed on is greatly appreciated!

1. The odometer hasn't worked since I bought the vehicle...
a) can I get a new one or do I salvage one from an old VW?
b) how much will a new/salvaged one cost?
c) does it have to be from a similarly aged kombi?
d) could a determined hack remove/install one?

2. The fuel guage went haywire about a year ago. When you fill her up it reads that it is full. It drops at a normal rate until stays there at the top until you've used about an eighth of a tank and then drops to just above empty. It then drops at the normal rate until it reads below empty after you've used about a quarter of a tank. Not a major problem but a bit annoying. My mechanic said getting to the fuel tank is a bit of a hassle...
a) what do you reckon the problem is and is it fixable?
b) how much will it cost to fix so I can decide if it's worth spending the money on?

3. The horn only works after you hold it down for a few seconds... but only when it's on certain angles. Very kombi!
a) what do you reckon the problem is?
b) I'm assuming it'd be fairly cheap/easy to fix. Could a determined hack fix it?

Cheers!

Haven't shanged the speedo in the kombi yet, but in the beetle it was just a matter of changing the speedo cable; that connected to the front left wheel... it was simply spinning on itself.

Not sure about the kombis, but if it is anything like the beetle - it won't take you too long to do ...

Fuel thang - don't know??

Horn thang - The previous owner must have had the same problem, and stuck a little stalk that polks out of the dash, it is very cool ... plus I don't think he could figure out the passat steering whell horn hookup (which is what is currently steering the old girl) ...

Good Luck

Thanks guys!

Anyone else know anymore/anything else?

And if someone going to the Gold Coast Swap Meet on Sunday has a working odometer from a '77 kombi or a compatible one and wants it off their hands for CHEAP (otherwise I can wait for the time being) could they please bring it along!

Thanks again for any info! :bounce

i have just recently replaced the speedo/odometer on a 74 bus for the same reason. i found that the small plastic gear that presses onto the odometer shaft had cracked hence it was slipping and not turning the odometer. my brother sent me a spare he had so no cost to me, try stokers siding garage (near murwillumbah) they have lots of wrecks shouldn't cost more than $100. the hardest part in replacing the speedo is taking off and replacing the panel do not unscrew the four holding screws all the way out they each have a spring steel clip behind them which holds the panel in place and if the clips drop off its a hassel to get the whole thing back together. to get to the fuel sender you have to drop the motor better just to get an odometer and fill up every 400 or so ks

I had a broken gear in my L bug speedo, and it only cost $65 to replace and have a full service (inspection and lube) on the speedo. better than new, and cheaper than $100 which may die in a few months anyway.

Kombi instrument panels are fun undo, but can be a trial to reassemble! You have to pull off the red and blue heater knobs, then undo the four screws holding the panel to the dash (one at each corner). The screws bit into little spring clips, which as kombidaze said will fall down behind if you don't catch them. The whole panel can then be pulled forward a little way. Unscrew the speedo cable and you can then pull the panel 20cm out and lay it down, still with all the wires attached.

Your '77 will have nice black-face instruments; models a few years earlier will have dull silver face instruments. They are interchangeable. You can either pull and replace one instrument, or replace the whole thing.

Take the time to pull the speedo apart and put in nice new green and red plastic inserts under the warning and blinker lights. I also made the high-beam light opening a bit bigger.

As Barry said, the horn just sounds like a bad contact.

Speedo cables brake, check by jacking up side where cable comes through hub, remove from back of instrument, get someone to spin wheel and if it spins its ok, then look at instrument, save taking wheel off and cable out. Fuel gauges never work, you can cut out a hole above sender unit,remove it and replace, a 76 kombi sender about $105, Andy gave me the measurements ,, 800mm from the back edge (DOOR) and in the centre, gauge is 100mm dia, 30mm below surface.Did have pictures but can't remem where. Horn: could try removing it and put the termanals on battery to see if it works, the gap between the steering wheel and the plastic cover that has the ignition key wires etc gets bigger and the horn looses contact,, try loosening the ellen key on the left side of this cover and pull up and close the gap, apart from that,,,, I duno Cheers :kiss