TheSamba.com Forums
 
  View original topic: Dehne Ashtray Lights - Differences? Page: 1, 2  Next
Not Safari Izzy Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:26 pm

I have seen pictures of various models of the Dehne ashtray light, some have plastic, some have metal. What are the differences? Are any of these repros? Did they change over time? ...I have these two, they are very similar but the plastic cases are slightly different. The white one has slits with the light exposed. The slits on the black one dont expose the bulb:



How about these all metal ones



RareAir Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:15 pm

I've got a few NOS Dehne lights all intheir original boxes. They all contain the metal version. never sen a plastic style until 30 seconds ago.

Kochs did repro them about 10 years ago, not sure if they're still in production though.

These are the exact same light housing used on the Dehne fuel gauge as well.

53 0val Wed Apr 04, 2007 6:02 am

RareAir wrote: I've got a few NOS Dehne lights all intheir original boxes. They all contain the metal version. never sen a plastic style until 30 seconds ago.

Kochs did repro them about 10 years ago, not sure if they're still in production though.

These are the exact same light housing used on the Dehne fuel gauge as well.

I've never seen the plastic either............I also stay away for the aluminum ones................I think the chrome plated ones are the earliest versions. I know the ones that Koch reproduced were aluminum.

Not Safari Izzy Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:33 am

It is strange that when looking for the light, I was able to find 2 different people with the plastic versions. The white one came in the original box; it is exactly the same box that is pictured above with one of the metal lights. I always thought the lights were all metal as well. Ideally I'd like one of the metal chromed versions to feel comfortable drilling the hole in the dash or at least know some background on the plastic ones. Thanks for the help so far.

coad Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:36 am

I wish I had never installed one in my car. I can prove to you that it is centered exactly above the ashtray. Despite that from the driver's side the thing looks off-center. It drives me crazy.

53 0val Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:48 am

izzy wrote: It is strange that when looking for the light, I was able to find 2 different people with the plastic versions. The white one came in the original box; it is exactly the same box that is pictured above with one of the metal lights. I always thought the lights were all metal as well. Ideally I'd like one of the metal chromed versions to feel comfortable drilling the hole in the dash or at least know some background on the plastic ones. Thanks for the help so far.









The aluminum one looks correct................I just believe it is a later version. The only part that is chrome is the part that you see when installed............the rest of the light is steel. (not chrome) Your second picture.....the one with instructuons and box.........looks perfect. The third picture looks like the later one and the last picture looks like the ones Koch had made up. That's how I see it. :wink:

Not Safari Izzy Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:59 pm

53 0val wrote: izzy wrote: It is strange that when looking for the light, I was able to find 2 different people with the plastic versions. The white one came in the original box; it is exactly the same box that is pictured above with one of the metal lights. I always thought the lights were all metal as well. Ideally I'd like one of the metal chromed versions to feel comfortable drilling the hole in the dash or at least know some background on the plastic ones. Thanks for the help so far.
The aluminum one looks correct................I just believe it is a later version. The only part that is chrome is the part that you see when installed............the rest of the light is steel. (not chrome) Your second picture.....the one with instructuons and box.........looks perfect. The third picture looks like the later one and the last picture looks like the ones Koch had made up. That's how I see it. :wink:

Thanks Bob. I've recently been told the same thing...that the plastic version is the later model and the metal the early model. Also that the metal has been reproduced and the plastic has not.

alexwoa Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:35 am

please let me allow some words on that dehne lights because 3 of 4 pictured dehnes are/were mine ;-)

pic 1 - both are 100% original dehnes - later plastic version in black and white.
pic 2 - repro - sold and clearly declared as repro - in the former days by exvwdealer - made in germany - no koch.
pic 3 - not mine - so i would never allow me to say one single word about real/unreal because how could i know from a pic? ...
pic 4 - 100% original - part of a complete dehne fuel gauge.

so you see in this single add were so many wrong statements about somebody elses stuff...

my way is: do not call something unreal just because you do not even know that it exists ;-)

take care and keep lovin those wonderful parts vw and all of the accessory producers gave us ...

alex (alexwoa)

53 0val Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:19 am

Damn.............since I have an example #2 in my car and have owned it for 30 years I must have an early fake. :roll: It is chrome and steel and has the original instructions in the original box.

Pictures can tell a lot Alex, especially when comparisons can be made between similar items. I can tell the difference between a Ford and a VW as easily as I can spot most fake accessories. A good example would be the reproductions sold by a well known German dealer.........like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/5-red-beauty-rings-...3309QQrdZ1 The question was not what were fakes but rather what were the differences. I would much rather see sellers list their repos than have to look at pictures presented without honesty.

The number 4 picture shows a light that is identical to the ones produced by Koch of which I have one I purchased from Bob a few years back............that's all that was said and that's all the Izzy said as well. :wink:

alexwoa Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:11 am

pic 2: it seems to be a good work if even bob can't point it out as an repro and rides it as an original on his car ;-)
pic 2 is neither chrome nor steel - it is polished ALUMINUM !

the red beauty rings are still manufactored by the original producer.
so do not mix to tell them repro. they are as original as they were for 50 years! they are new originals - not nos and not repro.

repro is if somebody takes an former original part and copies it like all that horn buttons, t-aircleaners and other cheap foreign copied stuff.

i only wanted to point out that it is hot to tell too fast that some parts are this or that.
too often it was shown that some so called "truck or tank" parts turn to very rare original vw accessories when the knowledge rises...

the foglamp for the front handle was called for a ford or a truck and the frese corner mirror was called non vw related also - but i would say the car on the pic having those original superrare accessories on is not a truck - right? ;-)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/342011.jpg

IN2VWS Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:37 pm

alexwoa wrote:
the foglamp for the front handle was called for a ford or a truck and the frese corner mirror was called non vw related also - but i would say the car on the pic having those original superrare accessories on is not a truck - right? ;-)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/342011.jpg

The Frese mirror and the double foglamp are for a VW, but not for one that early. They are not correct on that car.
That Frese mirror was not available until 1957/1958, and the double foglamp was also not available until 1957/1958.

All foglamps available up to 1955/1956 were round. The Hella 128 shape were not available when Hebmullers were selling.
It would be like installing a 1958 Blaupunkt Frankfurt in the Hebmuller......It just wouldn't be correct.

53 0val Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:01 pm

IN2VWS wrote: alexwoa wrote:
the foglamp for the front handle was called for a ford or a truck and the frese corner mirror was called non vw related also - but i would say the car on the pic having those original superrare accessories on is not a truck - right? ;-)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/342011.jpg

The Frese mirror and the double foglamp are for a VW, but not for one that early. They are not correct on that car.
That Frese mirror was not available until 1957/1958, and the double foglamp was also not available until 1957/1958.

All foglamps available up to 1955/1956 were round. The Hella 128 shape were not available when Hebmullers were selling.
It would be like installing a 1958 Blaupunkt Frankfurt in the Hebmuller......It just wouldn't be correct.

Just because someone puts them on a rare car does not make them rare or correct. I have seen many more Frese mirrors and Hella 128's than I have ever seen Hebmullers. They do not belong on that car.

IN2VWS Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:15 pm

They do appear in after market catalogs as being for VW. But I doubt they were ever offered by Volkswagen.
As you said Bob, they do not belong on that car.

Lind Sat Apr 07, 2007 12:11 am

53 0val wrote: IN2VWS wrote: alexwoa wrote: the foglamp for the front handle was called for a ford or a truck and the frese corner mirror was called non vw related also - but i would say the car on the pic having those original superrare accessories on is not a truck - right? ;-)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/342011.jpg The Frese mirror and the double foglamp are for a VW, but not for one that early. They are not correct on that car.
That Frese mirror was not available until 1957/1958, and the double foglamp was also not available until 1957/1958.

All foglamps available up to 1955/1956 were round. The Hella 128 shape were not available when Hebmullers were selling.
It would be like installing a 1958 Blaupunkt Frankfurt in the Hebmuller......It just wouldn't be correct. Just because someone puts them on a rare car does not make them rare or correct. I have seen many more Frese mirrors and Hella 128's than I have ever seen Hebmullers. They do not belong on that car.

there are plenty of good arguments that just about any accessory could be correct for any car (they are accessories, not stock items), however those two items look like crap on that hebmuller. just because something is rare, or even potentially "correct" doesn't mean that it looks good or right on a car.

twinwindows Sat Apr 07, 2007 12:27 am

RareAir wrote:
Kochs did repro them about 10 years ago, not sure if they're still in production though.
Yes Koch made them out of aluminum and spun them on a lathe.

RareAir wrote: These are the exact same light housing used on the Dehne fuel gauge as well.
I dont think so buddy, this one is from an early bus that goes attached just over the drivers head



coad wrote: I wish I had never installed one in my car. I can prove to you that it is centered exactly above the ashtray. Despite that from the driver's side the thing looks off-center. It drives me crazy.

Coad I was going to tell you that but I didn't have the heart for it! :wink:

IN2VWS Sat Apr 07, 2007 1:07 am

twinwindowsJHC wrote: RareAir wrote: ]These are the exact same light housing used on the Dehne fuel gauge as well.
I dont think so buddy, this one is from an early bus that goes attached just over the drivers head




I agree with RareAir. Here is a pic one of my old originals.




53 0val Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:50 am

They are the same..............Your's is "different" Carlos and much, much rarer. :wink:

IN2VWS Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:58 am

I was just comparing the faces on my old guage to the NOS one pictured above.
Does anyone know why they are different? The differences I noticed are:

The 'Dehne' on the NOS one has a white box around the writing, and the writing in black.
The old one has 'Dehne' in white writing, and it has the word patente underneath it.

On the NOS one the word FULL is partly covered by the aluminium knob, the used one isn't.

Brezelwerks Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:12 am

IN2VWS wrote: I was just comparing the faces on my old guage to the NOS one pictured above.
Does anyone know why they are different? The differences I noticed are:

The 'Dehne' on the NOS one has a white box around the writing, and the writing in black.
The old one has 'Dehne' in white writing, and it has the word patente underneath it.

On the NOS one the word FULL is partly covered by the aluminium knob, the used one isn't.

The Dehne face on the bus version above was a badly designed reproduction, the silkscreening was off, bad resolution, wrong color, but those were the only repros available for a long time, up until we made ours in the european liters version a few years ago. Our 3 different era versions are a dead on match of the originals.

Gary

IN2VWS Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:22 am

OK, makes sense.
Thanks Gary. :wink:



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group