VDO gauges question - red and green bands

OK, I'm pretty sure what the green and red bands on the VDO tachometer are for: Keep the revs up in the green - but don't go into the red.

But, can anyone enlighten me as to the purpose of the narrow green band (30-40 mph) on the VDO speedometer?


Also, I've seen quite a few different red bands on the VDO tachos
eg.45-50 rpm 50-55 rpm 55-60 rpm

I assume this because of the different engines that were used in the 356's ?

Which brings me to my next question: What is the recommended
maximum revs on a stock 1600 Beetle engine?

Thanks,
Mitch.

Hi Mitch; if I recall correctly, the green band gives you the range for city driving. With regards to your Beetle engine I'd say don't rev it unnecessarily; redline shold be around 4500 RPMs.

According to the 356 restoration guide I just received yesterday, Ricardo is correct. It sigifies "City" driving speeds.

If my memory serves me correctly, which increasingly it doesn't, the green band on the tach, or green line with certain other marques, was the point in the RPM range where full throttle could be applied. This at least was the contention of an article I read in one of the sports car magazines when the then new 356B Super 90 was first being introduced.

Thanks guys, the green band on the speedo is going to come in handy as my gauge is in MPH (for authenticity) and we converted to the metric system sometime ago - all our speed limit signs are in KPH

BTW In the US have all the states converted to the metric system?
I'm pretty sure I've seen some road signs still marked in MPH.

Also, (and this might be an urban legend) I heard that at one time in the states, the schools still taught the imperial system and that science students struggled a bit when they went on to college because higher education institutions had been using the metric system for some time.

I know what that's like because I grew up with the imperial system and also had to switch over to metric later in school
However, I still think in pounds, feet and inches!

Mitch

The US, which co-signed the UN proposal to convert to the metric system world-wide back in the 60's, has been kicking and screaming about actually DOING it ever since.

We have had a few states that posted dual speed limit signs in MPH and KPH, but I haven't even seen any of those in a long while.

Most day-to-day things are still Imperial, but much industry has converted to metric, especially if they do business internationally, which most now either do or aspire to. The company I used to work for made a big effort to go metric in the early 90's which was pretty much successful (it helps to have something like that decreed by the CEO) and we required all of our suppliers to work in metric measurements with us as well (not quite so successful, but it caught on).

Now, both standards are taught in schools, especially in colleges, so it's becoming less of an issue over time.

Robert,

according to "Buying

Hola Ignacio; congrats on the new car. I remember seeing it on the classifieds somewhere; I thought it had nice attention to detail. I suggest swapping your wheels to the wide five pattern for the sake of accuracy. I really like the way they tired to approximate the engine's appearance to a real one. Very nice. How long did it take to get to Spain from the States? I wish you many miles of enjoyment!!

Hola Ricardo,
thanks for the compliments and yes the car is pretty accurate to the real one, it is really nice and gets all the looks here in Barcelona, you can go driving and seing the other drivers turning their heads, even though the paint is all faded away and the chromes were starting to get spots.

I say were because yesterday I had a hard all day cleaning the underneaths of the car sanding superfitial rust aplying 2 coats of rust treatment and a coat of anti-rust paint. Next week sometime I'll apply a further coat of anti-gravel (I hope it is called like that). In the meantime between coats I polished all the wheels and fixed the interior handle of the right door.

Hopefully my wife will let me go to the garage today to polish the whole paint and see if I can make it look any better before I have some extra money to get a black paint job for it.

As for the time it took to get here, a lot let me say. I bought it mid July thinking I would have it here by the end of August. But apparently because of all the hurricanes and staff you guys had over there the ship had to enter port near New York (it was coming from San Diego!?!) and stay there for 8 days. Then other delays, and blah, blah, blah customs, holydays ... I finally got it here last 13 of October.

Now I'll fix it a bit before going to get the spanish license plate:
-Sync the Kadron carbs
-Work on the brakes as tends to go left when braking (a good source for front disk kits conversions anyone)
-...

Great! It was a long wait but I'm sure it was worth it. Go for the wide-five (are you switching?)front disc brake kit from SoCal Imports. It's great (German ATE VW Golf calipers so replacement pads are easy to find) and great rotors. You are right in rust proofing your chassis; that's a smart move. Again wishing you many years/miles of enjoyment with your new baby.

<<<<
We have had a few states that posted dual speed limit signs in MPH and KPH, but I haven't even seen any of those in a long while.>>>>

Well, I-19 ls the PC Interstate. It runs from Tucson to the Mexican border. Everything is in meters. I usderstand next year all baseball and football fields will be converted to meters. Track and Field went that way years ago. BTW, the MILE is run more in Europe than in the USA. They love the MILE in track. Maybe the mile is here to stay.
Paul McGuffin, Green Valley, AZ