TheSamba.com :: View topic - Speedometer Glass

Tue Mar 21, 2017 9:20 pm

I took out the speedometer from my 1973 Standard. The main reason was to replace the glass. I found out it's actually plastic which explains why it looked the way it did.

I thought it was interesting. I am curious if anyone knows what year they started using plastic instead of glass.

Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:05 pm

Is it yellowed? If so, maybe some Plast-x will help.

Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:37 am

I don't know what year they started using plastic, but I replaced my nasty plastic one with a piece of glass I cut from a picture frame. It's actually not that hard to do if you use the old plastic one as a template. And you can get picture frame glass with an anti-glare surface too, which is a nice touch.

Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:39 am

I thought about having some made. I'll go see how much they can make a piece the size of the plastic one out of the safety glass.

Be careful with the non safety glass in a car. It breaks into large pieces.

Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:56 am

It appears no one can make a 113mm diameter piece of safety glass. It's too small!

Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:21 am

I replaced the plastic on my speedo a few years ago, big difference. I had a glass shop cut a piece, not safety glass:
Before:

After:

Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:09 pm

I redid mine. I first bought 1/4 inch. Do not do this. It will be too thick and you will not be able to get the speedo cap back on. I think the next size down was 1/8 thick. It's so much clearer now.

I checked my 71. It has plastic in it as well. I wonder if they changed to plastic when they changed to using safety glass in the windows.

Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:39 pm

Crazy- my '71 and '74 beetles have glass- and the Thing as well. All three were made for the US market, if it's a clue.

Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:43 pm

That doesn't make sense. The plastic I found in it looks to be made for it. It has notches on the edges and is beveled. Maybe someone replaced yours before you got it?

Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:53 pm

The speedos in my 71 super, and 75 standard had never been removed from the cars, and were glass. I knew the original owners (I was the second owner of both cars, both purchased from friends parents) and know for a fact the speedos had never been out since they rolled out of the dealer. The speedo in my current 73 super is plastic, however, and needs to be replaced since it has some subtle cracking that is visible in certain light or when viewed at an angle.

Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:39 am

As with most other parts VW used more than one vendor although most of the guages are all marked VDO. If VDO had more than one factory supplying the speedos that might explain it. I've been into dozens of speedos from 50s on up and thought the plastic started around late 72 when the speedo face changed again.

Around 69-70 VW began cheapening up the interior in a variety of ways, the bezel around the speedo went from polished aluminum to flat black as well. Window winders went from chrome insert to shitty plastic, carpets went from bound edges to felt,headliners went from perforated to solid and finally to partial near the late 70s. In general cost cutting was the goal good news is you could retro fit the earlier bits the speedo glass being one example. You might want to change the dried out seals to prevent condensation later on. Using a thin tool and careful not to stab yourself its possible to work the pressed on cover off.

Thu Mar 23, 2017 8:17 am

I just had the factory speedometer apart in my 1970 - and pretty sure that mine is glass.

Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:14 am

I didn't see any seals when I opened mine.

Is there any issue with using cv joint grease on those plastic gears?

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:46 am

kawfee wrote: I didn't see any seals when I opened mine.

Is there any issue with using cv joint grease on those plastic gears?

There are three which means someone has hacked yours. Sorry :cry:

Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:11 pm

I have opened multiple speedometers up to 67, and they were all glass

Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:16 pm

kawfee wrote: That doesn't make sense. The plastic I found in it looks to be made for it. It has notches on the edges and is beveled. Maybe someone replaced yours before you got it?

"You are human and fallible."
Charlotte Brontë (Jane Eyre)

Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:09 pm

When was the last year VW use glass, on the speedmeter?