GOLF MK1 history in Australia

[dado]

I am getting mixed information about history of the mk1 in Australia so i would like to ask the experts here what was the year when they started to be imported by VW? when did they start building them here and when finish? any numbers? How to tell if it is build here and difference between the one build in Germany?etc....
Cheers,
Mick

[Peter Jones]

Perhaps you need to read this book. VWCV HAS some copies or I'm sure Lloyd Davies from Volkswerke could sell you a copy as he and his brother are the authors!

Lot's of detail on the CKD Golfs out of Clayton.



VOLKSWAGEN IN AUSTRALIA: The Forgotten Story <br><font color=red>(In Volkswagen Parts slip case)</font>

[phaeton]

Good book.

Club VeeDub - Australian Volkswagen History 1976 - 1980

[dado]

Thanks Pete
i will try to get hold of the book.
also have a question on my mk1 :
chassis number WVWZZZ17ZDW500032 would anybody know to identify the year and place made etc?
Thanks
Mick

[Peter Jones]

Your VIN: WVWZZZ17ZDW500032

Region: Europe [ W ]
Manufacturer: Volkswagen [ V ]
Car Type: Passenger Car (VW) [ W ]
Body Style: Filler character: No meaning [ Z ]
Engine: Filler character: No meaning [ Z ]
Restraint: Filler character: No meaning [ Z ]
Model: Golf Mk 1, including cabriolet [ 17 ]
Year: 1983 [ D ]
Assembly Plant: Wolfsburg, Germany [ W ]
Serial #: 500032

VW Vin Decoder

[dado]

it is registred as 1976 model haha ... better 83 then 76 in my books anyway
i tought that this instrument console cant be from '76 but you never know.

[Peter Jones]

No way is that cluster from a '76. There's usually a moth/year stamp on the back of the clusters which might tell you something.

Sounds like the car may have been a private import and got registered as a '76 to satisfy the bureaucrats that it was legit.

[dado]

just found the stamp at the back
982
4 83
The dash is very similar to late gti, cabrio.the interior is cloth and so on.
I was under impression it was updated and then I come across some more unusual staff.
It helps that you have confirm it for me.
much better car then expected.

[greasykitchen]

Yep, def not a '76 dash!

I usually go by the general, loose, rule that, give or take a few months, '76s were CKD from Clayton Vic - LS Golfs - and later ones from early '77 onwards (GLS) were imported (and thought to be better). It's probably wrong but I take the 'G' in 'GLS' to mean 'Germany'.

[Lima]

Here's a shot of my 1980 (March build) dash ... no fancy computers in Mk1 until about 1983 anyway IIRC.



Oh, the other very easy way to identify the car is later than 1976 is because it has a 17 character VIN. My car only has a 10 char VIN and I think they changed over later in 1980 or perhaps early 1981???

On the 17 character VINs for Volkswagen the last letter indicated the assembly location and W is for Wolfsburg as has already been pointed out.