I have a 72 super beetle. The fuel gauge that is in my speedo does not work. Finding it hard to find another so i was thinking of an aftermarket one. My question is can i use the original sender in the tank? Has anyone else changed there fuel gauge. Any help welcome.

its usually the volt stabiliser that dies in them. you can get them rebuilt at any vdo instrument repairer. there are a couple out there. ive had two done so far in two different cars.

When i took the fuel guage out is saw the workings. It looks like an old kettle or toaster as in ther is a small wire coiled around and making contact with both sides. My fuel gauge looks like a burnt out bulb, the filament is not conected.

where are you located... able to help if ur in melb.

Rommel is a Canberra car.

ok.... you'll need to check it with a multimeter and measure the resistance of the sender.
if there is an open circuit - which is what you are describing by it being like a burnt out bulb - then the sender will not work.
depending upon where the wire has broken ie snapped in the middle or broken at a solder point will determine if you can fix it easily.
a vdo gauge shop will be able to rewire it if broken in the middle.