Midnight Blue(s), does your high beam indicator work? Options

[chmillman]

So, while I had the steering wheel off to fix the ignition switch, I thought it would be the perfect time to fix the other problem I had - the high beam indicator light wasn't working.

Previously I was able to pull the gauge panel partially out with the steering wheel still on, in doing so I was able to replace the existing dash lighting tungsten bulbs with LED's - but I could never get the bulb for the brights indicator out - it was stuck in place and impossible to remove in that position.

So finally with the steering wheel off, I disconnected the various wires and pulled the whole tach gauge out. Then, on the bench, I was finally able to gradually work the brights indicator lamp holder out of the socket in the gauge. Mine is a '74, but it actually has a '73 or earlier tach, with the individual left/right turn signal arrows at the top (which I much prefer over the later version) and the brights indicator at the bottom.

I pulled the existing bulb out and tested it... and it worked. I was like huh? Why am I not seeing it light up in the gauge? So then I held the gauge up to the light and looked into the socket hole to see if I could see anything. Nothing. Then I tried holding the soocket side against a really strong light and looked from the front - and then I dimly saw some blue light...

So I surmise that over 50 years, the blue plastic has simply aged and gotten darker, to the point where it's almost opaque.

Nothing I can do about that short of having the gauge rebuilt - which it doesn't need, the tach works perfectly, as do the turn signal indicators. I put in the brightest front-facing BA7 LED's I have been able to find - the right one in the image below. I have one of these already in the green parking lights indicator on the speedo and it's almost too bright.



Now I can kinda sorta see a faint blue glow if I'm driving the car in the dead of night with the high beams on. During the day though, it's still invisible. So if you think yours is not working, it might be the same as mine.

[Montreal914]

Early 74 had silver button gauges which would make the tach like the 73 with separate blinkers. Maybe this is your case and your speedometer was replaced? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[chmillman]

Early 74 had silver button gauges which would make the tach like the 73 with separate blinkers. Maybe this is your case and your speedometer was replaced? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Well, mine is an “early” ‘74 in that it came off the Karmann assembly line November 1st 1973. So it might still have had some “leftover” 1973 parts as delivered originally - no idea. The main gauges are definitely all “silver dot” centers.

The most interesting is that it also has a ‘73 motor number and ‘73 EFI with the Bosch 037 MPS and control box and the 270 ohm resistor. Again, no idea if that was original or not when delivered, it’s also possible they could have changed the motor when they restored the car. The chassis number is definitely 1974.

As far as changing out the old blue lens goes, I’m not sure I want to mess around with opening up what is an otherwise good working tach…

[wonkipop]

Early 74 had silver button gauges which would make the tach like the 73 with separate blinkers. Maybe this is your case and your speedometer was replaced? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Well, mine is an “early” ‘74 in that it came off the Karmann assembly line November 1st 1973. So it might still have had some “leftover” 1973 parts as delivered originally - no idea.

The most interesting is that it also has a ‘73 motor number and ‘73 EFI with the Bosch 037 MPS and control box and the 270 ohm resistor. Again, no idea if that was original or not when delivered, it’s also possible they could have changed the motor when they restored the car. The chassis number is definitely 1974.

As far as changing out the old blue lens goes, I’m not sure I want to mess around with opening up what is an otherwise good working tach…

the "early" 74 2.0s are for all intents and purposes pretty much 73 2.0s in terms of parts apart from some obvious necessary changes for regs. notably rear over-riders on bumper. your car if it is nov 1 73 is pretty much the last of these early 74 2.0s. right at the end of october they started building the 1.8s which were delayed due to the new L jetronic EFI. (they may have built euro 1.8s before october but not the USA cars). they pretty much pump 1.8s out for nov, dec 73 and jan 74 and if any 2.0s were built were few and far between (possibly only to satisfy special order customers). thats when the cars begin to get truly updated with all the new 74 changes in detail. after feb 74 the 2.0s go back into serious production volumes again and all the LEs are built during that time. thats why there is a difference referred to by some as early 2.0s and late 2.0s in 74. i have on file an example of a very early 1.8 dating from oct 30 73 and its got the black dials. its right about then that they stop using the silver dot dials and switch to black. all the updates seemed to get held back until the moment they start producing the 1.8s. however its bound to be pretty smudgy right around then as the parts get used up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)