well, i looked through the Bildkatalog ... the german parts ordering
catalog for the 1980-85 buses ... and i cannot find anything that fits
the description given for this gizmo. NOTHING looks like a cigarette lighter
socket that is over by the steering wheel side of the radio-hole. nothing.

so: a conjecture: is it possible that all of these buses might have come
from the same regional area of the continent? like maybe the vancouver area?
and maybe one or more dealers in the area always installed these things as
a 'option', so that you didn't have any choice? and that what they are is
a plug in seat-heater or lap-heater? like a little electric blanket? some
such dealer-installed not-necessarily-vw option?

i can't find anything in the books or the brochures that i have.

joel