TheSamba.com :: View topic - What are the REAL color options for a 1956 Convertible?

Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:59 pm

I recently purchased a 1956 (built late 55) karmann convertible with original paint, top, and interior. The car was obviously white from the factory. I even did the trick of "looking under the vin badge", and it showed perfect, glossy white paint.

Every single possible reference for a 56 or 57 convertible never shows white, or off-white as an option.

I went through the color charts on wolfsburgwest.com, and any other source I could find, but nothing showed up. So what's the deal? Is there another color reference with more options. I couldn't imagine someone would special-order a white car from the Karmann factory.

Any help or feedback would be appreciated. (The interior is a dark navy blue with white piping. The top is black)

Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:07 pm

Until you get a birth certificate you will never know what the original color was. I don't think that white was available from the factory. Nice vert BTW. :D

Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:14 pm

Yeah, get a birth certificate, hopefully it will have option M901 on it:

M901 - Special finish of body, Convertible ONLY - 10/1955 Salesman's Manual

Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:47 pm

I also have a '56 convertible that was original white...someone once told me that you could special order colors.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:08 pm

Really? M901? That's a trip. I've never heard of that.

Believe it or not, this is a 10/55 car (last week of October production).

First thing in the morning I'll have the request to the factory in. I'm very curious to see how it turns out. I have an entire binder of paperwork that came with the car, including every registration card for the car dating back to 1957. It was originally sold to Leon Felton VW in San Rafael, CA, and was "Volkswagen's feature car at the 1956 San Francisco Import Car Show". I wouldn't be surprised that the option is for this car. I spent the past hour crawling all over it, and there is zero doubt that the original color was white or off white.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:13 pm

Awesome find, congrats! :D

Sat Jun 14, 2008 2:39 am

Hi,

Parchment white L81 was available sometime during the 51 model year and continued through Feb of 55.

Why yours is white? I don't know except to say that I've found that a LOT of old VW information and especially details about the convertible which was NOT assembled by VW in Wolfsburg to be in question at times. Might this be one of those times?

Best of luck with the birth certificate

Dave