What's so special about the instruments with the Silver buttons and how are they mechanically different from 'normal' red hand ones?

Also, why is the High Beam indicator on both the Spedo and Tach? On the gas guage the only difference I can see is that the "B" insigna is offset from center on the Silver button one. Is that all?

Inquiring Minds Just Want to Know!

The high beam indicator is in the tach and the parking lamp indicator is in the speedo.

Thanks Master. Butterfly learns..now for more brain stuffing. Which one - silver or not - is the best for daily driving, other than being pretty?

That I don't know, My 73 came stock with the silver buttons.

Silver buttons give better cornering...

Must have been an option on the Euro SE model.

Silver button gauges are from early cars 1970 to 1973. Black button gauges are late production cars 1974 and on

a silver-button yellow car is a mythical beast, so fast it's image cannot be captured... oh, nm its just a "prefrence thing" neither has jack nor shit to do with functionality.. that said, I like my silver buttons

914 2ltr build 4/74 silver button .....

This site describes everything you need to know about these gauges. Take a look at the navigation to the left.

My '74 (build date 8/73) 2.0L, Saturn/Chrome Yellow with silver IP buttons. So fast that it once got a speeding ticket while parked in my driveway.

Silver buttons rule!!!

No!!!!! the driveing lite(foglites) indicator is in the tack the high beam indicator is in the speedo...or vise versa....but it has nothing to do with the parking lites

Well, in my stock 75, which does not have driving lights, the Speedo "parking light" indicator comes one when the parking lights are on, only.

The manual supports this behavior.

I hope that helps.

I was reading that from my "73" owners manual. The manual could be wrong? But every time I pull the knob out half way (first position), my parking lites come on and the green indicator lite comes on in the speedo.

I'd love to get confirmation of the expected behavior.

I get the green light in the speedo any time any of my lights are on - parking or headlights, regardless of fog lights.

My High Beam indicator (in the Tach) doesn't work.

But I think my IP wiring is a little screwy - for instance, using either turn signal causes both arrows to flash, although the turn signals themselves actually work properly.

If anyone can confirm expected behavior, I'd be much obliged.

One question - do cars without fog lights have the green light in the Speedo? What activates it if there are no fog lights?

Well I never knew that - Probably because mine doesn't work What colour wire feeding the bulb in the loom?

I believe there is only one bulb inside the turnsignal indicator, which would flash both indicators when either side is activated. Mine did the same thing until about two months ago. Now, the left signal makes the indicator work but my right signal does not (both signals work on the outside front and rear)?

My green indicator light turns off when my headlights go on!

EDIT: I'm going to try and scan in the whole owners manual because I haven't seen anything like that on this site. I'll probably post it in my blog unless one of the admins would like it for the info area.

Interesting..come to think of it i never have just the parking lites on I always run with the fog lites with them ..so maybe i should see if the lite is on with just the parking lites .I dont think so ......Maybe there not the same from a six to a four I do know the wireing (Colors) are not the same ...........fog lites green! hi beams blue!

Hey mr. Crandel! How did Marks trans. turn out? I re-wired my fog's (driving lights) to come on when I turn on my parking lights! Do 6's do that without re-wiring?

In case someone wants to know how to rewire your foglights, here you go;

Foglight Rewiring Instructions

Green indicator light is supposed to turn off when headlights are on. It is for parking lights only.

There are two bulbs. You need a new relay. A turnsignal relay from a VW bus is a great replacement and will restore proper function of left and right dash indicators.

Nope. highbeams and parking lights.

Crap, Your right! I was thinking of the brake warning light.

I scanned in my whole owners manual. It's in my blog, but heres what it says about the indicator.

Click to view attachment

I gots 2 saturn yellow 74's, a 1.8 with silver buttons, and a 2.0 without.

Did I mention one of the silver buttons fell off inside the gauge???

A notso desirable trait for silver button fanciers....

Remember that Karmann used to throw whatever parts they had on hand into the cars. So a number of early 74s had the silver-button gauges, because that's what they had. The 74 wiring, however, was designed to work with the single turn signal indicator of the non-button gauges. So they put a jumper in that ran both indicators at the same time.

The manual page shown above is correct; that green light is the parking light indicator. The fog light indicator is in the fog light switch itself.

--DD

with the damp one ...