The first Type 34s were full of one offs and the seats fall into that category. Those early seats had the recliners built into the side of the seat near the hinge point and a knob (343 881 161) different from the generic Type 3 knob (311 881 161) was used on the Type 34 seats.

Even that knob had a second “A” version during that half year that those seats were used. Then, as most of us are aware, Karmann went though the car and made a concerted effort to standardize the parts in use and a redesigned seat using the generic Type 3 knob was part of that changeover starting with chassis number 0 054 088.

The first picture shows the front of 5 different knobs I have seen on Type 34s although the one on the far left may be from another application. The knobs go from right to left in age. The second picture shows the back of the 3 generic T3 knobs to show how they changed over the years.

The first generic knob is actually 2 pieces of plastic glued together and was used up at least until Nov. 1963. The later ones, and the early Type 34 knob, are one piece. The second generic Type 3 knob (311 881 161 A) was used up through 1965. (If anyone could give me some data points from their ‘64-’65 car to help determine when the one piece knob came out, I’d appreciate it.) The last knob (311 881 161 B) used, from 1966, has a chrome face using basically the same mold as the prior, second generation, knob.

Steven Ayres has reported that this late knob was also done in red for ’66 only and presumably also in brown to match the special interior options available. A picture of the red one will be added when it is available. The later parts book indicates that there was actually a later generation knob (311 881 161 C) that was used on ’67 and later cars. It appears that the ’66 version was actually 3 pieces (the knob, the chrome, and a center button) which implies that one could replace those individual parts while the later one came as a single replacement part. Visually I believe both are the same (but you are welcome to prove me wrong).