Finally brought the split home
 

My father and I have had a 1950 VW split beetle for 25 years. But it's been on the showroom floor of his VW dealership for all that time. I only took it to occasional shows.

Now, I'm happy to say that the '50 has found a new home in my garage and on the mean streets of Half Moon Bay, CA. (They needed more room in the showroom.) It hasn't undergone any cosmetic work since the 1960's and is very original.

I must say it looks great in my garage and is a blast to drive, even with 25 HP, 4-ply tires, and 0 to 60 in "never". It's the only car I know that you almost want to hug.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1367114004.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1367114026.jpg

Although I said it's almost all original, there are 3 things the trained eye can pick out in the 2 pics as incorrect. What are they?

Here's mine

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/871892.jpg

I saw. The ghia is stunning. The bug is cool, too. How's that mirror way toward the front work?

The tail lights? and lemme see.... the mirror?

Nope. lights and mirror are good.

The tailpipe.
Rings around the headlights?

The license plate & frame! :p

Very cool bug by the way!

Horn grills? I am no expert on splits :) Nice though!

bumpers, horn grills exhaust pipe?

I'm no expert but I thought they all came with two tail pipes from the factory.

But then one may have just fallen off. ;)

Nifty...I had 3 bugs. a '60, '64, & a '67 (my fav).
What year did VW go balls-out & up the hp to 36?

Nice! Post real pictures, not from your cell phone please. Including interior, engine, etc. You know the drill. Does it have trafficators? You know the little flags that pop up for turn signals? I would really like to see them if it does.

Known as semaphores which are pretty cool I think.

They're called semiphores and I don't see anything that is a flag to me. It good enough.

First two are correct. I'll have to check on the tail pipe. Hint: The third incorrect thing is something there that shouldn't be there.

How's that mirror way toward the front work?http://pjal.info/h.jpg

2nd taillight?

It does have semaphores.

The single tail pipe tip is correct until late 1955.

From the factory, you would not have had an outside rear-view mirror, which is why I have the repro swan-neck mirrors on mine; I didn't want to dick with pulling the original hinge pin.

Shouldn't that have a grooved bumper and ribbed guard?

Should have the flat taillpipe.

The #1 problem? It's not in my garage :)



There's a strong possibility that it would have originally had a crank start bracket on the bumper (and corresponding apron hole).

Should have round horn grilles; can't recall if it should be one or two - I think just one.

Here's my original 25hp engine

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/682578.jpg
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/503200.jpg

Here's a lousy cell phone pic of a semaphore in action. I'm not sure other drivers know what to make of it when I'm turning.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1367121962.jpg

Ah, yes. It should have a flat tail pipe tip. I just checked on Kaefer-Nostalgie. As for the outside mirror, I wonder if it was routine for the dealer to install them. The car is from Europe and may have gotten the mirror when it got to the US.

It should have round horn grills. I think the standard had 1, and the deluxe had 2.

It should have grooved bumpers and grooved trim. You can't really see the trim in the pics.

There are two incorrect things on the hood. You can see one of them in the semaphore pic.

Man, that's nice. I hope you have an agreed value insurance for it with a classic car insurance company. These demand a lot of $$$ for what they are!

G

That is great....brings back a lot of memmories for sure.

0-60 in "never"! That is funny!.....next time try it going downhill!

That car is just so darned cool.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Very nice!

Okay, Chris. I'm baffled now. I think the Wolfsberg crest over the trunkhandle is from a '51, and it looks like the rearview mirror might be incorrect, but I don't see two things wrong with the hood.

But I would love to own this car!

even with 25 HP, 4-ply tires, and 0 to 60 in "never"

What do you mean "never"? I've had mine over 100 several times.

The Wolfsburg crest is, in fact, wrong. The crest was introduced in 1951. The hood should have trim that goes down farther, with no crest. The other thing on the hood is the VW emblem. It should be one solid piece that you can't see through.

Me, too. Of course, the speedo is in km/hr.

36 hp from '53 - '60. Here's a link for displacement & hp history from 1953 on:

Engine Number

That is all kinds of serious cool. Good for you for driving her.