@nathanxnathan don't apologize for being a nerd.
step up from a wonk.
looks like you enjoyed cruising around in the VW classic website catalogues.
they have limitations. all in german so you got work your google translator or speak german! and they are not all up to the very end of the model in some cases and they do not seem to cover particular USA market variations. for instance the USA 412 L-Jet is not there.
you got some good stuff on your files.
interesting variation of parts catalogue you have there.
you got a hard copy?
can help you out with some things re the A B C D E and so on variations i think and maybe how the parts numbers work in chronological sequence.
and its typical VW inside out and back to front thinking.
but it made sense to them probably.
1) i believe that the first three numbers of the parts number sequence are the model the part is first used on. so if its a beetle its a 111. or if a type 3 for instance its 311.
so that is the first thing that can throw you out. some of the missing numbers of the wheel variants are because they have a different first three numbers depending on which model that particular steel wheel was first on.
2) the second bunch of two lots of three numberss describe the part. ie steel wheel.
for the most part the steel wheels in all their variations carry these numbers.
601 025.
i say for the most part, because there are some funny exceptions in there which i cannot explain. these are minor exceptions.
3) the letter at the end denotes the chronological sequence in the evolution or variations of the wheel. no letter = first. A = second.
posted below the pages from catalogue for one of the beetle variants. i think this is from the 1303 catalogue.
whats interesting is the star steelies follow on chronologically from the standard steel wheels with hub cabs. same part number. just a different letter at the end.
when you look at the 914 parts catalogue the star steelie does not get a VW part number - it is given a specific 914 part number. what that means is
that particular star steelie went on the 914 first - and is unique to the 914. offsets etc. it is not shared with other VWs. as a result its got a porsche parts # not a VW parts #.
wheels from beetle catalogue
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment wheels from 914 catalogue
Click to view attachment you can see a lot of the variation letter sequence between D and L is there in the beetle parts catalogue. not all. but most. the remaining missing ones are probably in other beetle parts catalogues (there are several) or possible in the bus catalogues?
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re type 3s and 1500s and 1600s.
not sure what type 3 s were badged as in the USA for marketing.
but this is how it goes and how we got them in australia where we had the same range as the german market cars right through the production run, including the panel vans.
1500s were the first version for about three years or so.
two models. the notchback and squareback.
the real early ones had a single carb and were awful.
very quickly there was a 1500 twin carb introduced.
maybe only one year of single carbs. 1963 or 64, something like that.
then the 1600 came in.
twin carb. bigger engine.
the fastback was introduced.
1967 or 68. around then.
full range down here was notchback, fastback, squareback (called a variant here).
all had the same engine. twin carb 1600.
towards the end they got extended noses. around 70 or 71.
some D jet fastbacks were sold in australia.
marketed as the most expensive and luxurious version.
called a TLE. the notchback and variant did not get D-Jet.
i used to know a bit about type 3s but it was half a life-time ago.
trivia. the nickname for the fastback in australia was "the pastie".
or pasty as sometimes spelt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty