Aircooled VW South Africa

splitbusahollic wrote:you are supposed to focus on the vin no. issue...not the background or the colour of the buses or anything else...for now !!
stay focused Jolas....stay focused !!

Hoyoyoyo You are teasing us now

The one starting with "128" is older, around 1964.

The "237" one is probably 1967.

Thanks Dawie
i'm still not sure why there is a difference....isn't the 3rd digit supposed to be the year of manufacture ?
and why would they change the numbers mid sixties ? very un- German or was this done locally at Uitenhage ?? does anyone know why it started with a 1 and not a 2 like all the others ?
some clarity would be great !
Fig ??
i will get a pic of the tag on the '67 for you on Monday...just had month end to deal with first.
thanks for the input here !

VW changed their numbering system about August 1964 from sequential to a system starting with "production year" as third digit.

Initially with 9 digits, and at the end of the sixties another digit was added to prevent confusion of seventies cars with earlier ones.

thanks Dawie
i am more confused now than before.....
can someone...in simple terms explain the two vin tag's and the differences clearly so we can all understand ??
sorry for being "dof" but it's all very confusing.... the buses seem exactly the same except for the vin tag's but somehow its supposed to be totally different..based on the numbers..... that's the confusion....

Before August 64, Vw used normal sequential serial numbers. (None of these digits referred directly to a certain year.) Usually only 7 or less digits.

Only in August 1964 did they introduce their newer system of serial numbers. That one bus was one of the last to have the old numbering system . (Early 1964).

237-xxx-xxx (9 digits) would be 1967 production year.
For the seventies, a tenth digit was added. 1977 will be 237-xxxx-xxx (10 digits).

splitbusahollic wrote:

First off, the full VIN is on the VIN plate on the overhead air vent. The VIN on the M-plate is short the first two digits, which give the model. So the full VIN 237110105 says it's a Type 2 (2), Kombi (3), 1967 (7) and it was the 110105th bus of the 67 model year.

On to the M-plate:
23 3: Build date 23 March
156: heavy duty oil bath air filter
240: low compression engine with dished pistons
368: Option package (usually safari widnscreens and six pop-out side windows)
010: Dust filters for engine compartment (this may refer to the aussie-style raised engine vents, or these could be M12)
012: unknown
069: with middle and rear seats and wood trim in load area
094: locking engine lid
106: heavy duty shock absorbers
KE: exported to Kenya
2342: Kombi, RHD, cargo doors left
414183: Grey over grey paint, mesh grey upholstery