? DPD and VPC A/C Center Console differences ?, A dealer installed option Options

[Dr. Roger]

I'm not sure what I have, so...

I have a hard plastic, 3 gauge, center piece which has the gauges angled facing the driver. The clock is quartz. It is short to accommodate A/C.

I also used to have a vinyl covered, 3 gauge, short center console in which the gauges sat square in the holes.

My research seems to show that there were two different types of A/C with each a particular center console.




~I'm curious to know which year has which type of air-conditioning/center console combination?
~Is it true that the short, angled, gauge console is the rarer of the types?
~Is it true that A/C was a dealer installed option only?


Thanks !

[Tom_T]

This is the DPD console & underdash AC unit, where the controls are usually centered under the regular dash vent/heat control sliders sit, & the leftmost vent outlet for the AC is closer to the steering wheel than in the VPCs below:



.

This is the VPC console & underdash AC unit, with the dials offset to the right of the dash sliders & the leftmost AC vent is further from the steering wheel & driver:



... The VPD in center console models has the 3 gauges flat mounted (as opposed to the DPD's canted ones), but more obvious is that they're in a triangular arrangement in the shortened gauge face board:



.

Also the DPD used a conical flat topped cover over the condenser in the spare tire well in the front trunk, over & around which the spare fit neatly without much if any added height to reduce front trunk storage space. I think it might have been a later development of the following & may have had the same designer.

Whereas the VPC (Volkswagen Products Corp. - VW of America's accessories arm) had a a square or rectangular shroud which the spare sat on to of, which raised the floor board height & reduced trunk space. Apparently there are a few examples out there with alternative locations in the rear trunk or under the car because of this issue.

All AC's on 914's were dealer installed options (excepting later conversions), &IIRC both VPC & DPD were available in all model years 1970-76. Apparently the "modern" unit sold by AA is also designed by the guy who did the DPD (at least that's what their catalog says).

I cannot say which are/were more prevalent,but most preferred the DPD for the above reasons & slightly better cooling effectiveness - & either could freeze your socks off in that little cockpit, but both robbed 5-8 HP when running, vs. only 1-2 HP on the Modern R134 ones sold by AA.

Hope this helps! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)