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Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:43 pm

Hello
This past summer I bought a stash of N.O.S. parts. I've pulled out what I am gonna keep, and gonna sell the rest. My question is, I have a rear bumper blade that is still in the VW paper that someone wrote '53 rear. I thought european blades were the same from split to the early 60's. Does anyone have a idea? Any thoughts on a fair price?
Thanks

Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:14 am

late Split blades are different from Zwitter - 67 blades.
NOS late Split = $600-800+
NOS Zwitter - 67 = $150-275
seem to be the range of most asking prices I've seen.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:24 am

water guy send me some pics and a price if you can i might be interested :)

Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:11 pm

Sure i read Zwitter(52-53) bumpers were slightly different to 54-67.
If thats the case and you have one surely it's very rare(1 year only bumper).

Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:47 pm

George Lloyd wrote: Sure i read Zwitter(52-53) bumpers were slightly different to 54-67.
If thats the case and you have one surely it's very rare(1 year only bumper).

how is this? can you post some pics or pm me please!

Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:30 pm

Here are two pictures. I dont know how someone can tell the difference, It's hard to photograph a bumper.It does have a VW stamp in the middle.
[img]
[img][/img]

Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:28 am

56vwrag wrote: George Lloyd wrote: Sure i read Zwitter(52-53) bumpers were slightly different to 54-67.
If thats the case and you have one surely it's very rare(1 year only bumper).

how is this? can you post some pics or pm me please!
I'm also curious what the difference is?

Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:08 pm

HerrrKafer wrote: 56vwrag wrote: George Lloyd wrote: Sure i read Zwitter(52-53) bumpers were slightly different to 54-67.
If thats the case and you have one surely it's very rare(1 year only bumper).

how is this? can you post some pics or pm me please!
I'm also curious what the difference is?

Not sure myself but there was a guy from Belgium selling a very original Zwitter here on the Samba and he stated this fact in his advertisment.
Might have been seller BS .

Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:13 am

Following this post with interest, I am glad to find that I am not alone in my belief that the very earliest post Sept 52 bumpers are slightly different that in later versions.
I want to believe in a theory I've formed. I know " Oh gad, NOT one of those kind of thinkers"

I have a rear bumper obtained from a very original Nov 52 that came from Belgium. A friend who HAD to have nos bumpers, in spite of my pointing out that his bumpers were different.

Noting that this rear blade I now have is more curved, I placed this Zwitter blade along side a rear bumper from a double glove box split. The shaping was remarkably similar.
A more rounded profile, curving inward where it radiused to the fenders. As if in the initial run of new style blades, VW followed the same contours as found on earlier bumpers.

Sadly, the car I obtained the rear blade from did not have it's original front bumper blade.
I have wondered if, from my theory, if the front blade might have been flatter in profile, as found on an early bumper?

Knowing that it would take the worlds most perfect original example of a first month production Zwitter to prove or dis prove any of this, I'll never say I am correct in all I choose to believe.
But I can say that after owning my Oct 6th '52 for 35 years, I've sure done a lot of looking, research, and discovering about the oh so many seen and unseen differences VW made when moving forward as they began building new dash split windows.
So whatever bumper it is that you discovered Waterguy, you truly could have what is amongst the Rarest of the rare!
Steve

Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:53 pm

Thanks for your two cents Zwitter. It just seems odd that that was written on the sleeve. Maybe it 's not anything at all. I know VW did alot of quick changes on parts over the years, and it could be true.. or not. This goes along with a N.O.S. pair of windshield wipers I have that are said to be '55' only. They are the same size as oval era wipers. The arms are the same length, but the arm is at an angle and attached to the base with bent over tabs. Like mid sixties wipers. The bases have a VW stamp on them. Another part I'll never use, but maybe another very rare part for a perfect car. Who Knows. Since I do not own an oval anymore, and do not want one (Because of garage space), I am gonna sell this stuff. Not lookin' to screw anyone, just would be nice to have info. on what my toys belong on and in.
Thanks

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:48 am

if you look at the ends of the bar in the bottom pic it is finished very differently to a "normal" euro style bar. on a normal bar the tip is rolled back so the end cut follows the back edge of the blade and on this bar the end is open.

i hope this makes sense, it is hard to describe.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:14 am

It appears that the ends of the bars do not curl in.
If anyone has a copy of Etzolds book, "The Beetle, The Chronicles of the Peoples Car", Volume one, have a look at page 32 top left corner pic. The bar ends look the same.

Now look at page 54 of Peter Keetmans book " A week at the factory" April 1953. Page 54 shows a stack of rear bumpers, the bar ends look like he version we all know and love. Look at page 75 also.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:30 am

Yeah the ends look different to me. May be more square like?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:23 pm

Page 32 from Etzhold 1

Guido

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:51 pm

tazm wrote: Page 32 from Etzhold 1

Guido

Does anyone know what those dots are on the tires?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:16 pm

I've seen many new tires with them. Usually you mount them with them on the inside...

Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:44 pm

It's so the pit crew can see how much tire spin is happening off the starting line.... :lol:

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:55 pm

Does this mean they something special? I'm not clear on the last statements. I have four perfect ones just like the one in the picture! If they are rare, they could fund some work on my double door!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:10 pm

water guy wrote: Does this mean they something special? I'm not clear on the last statements. I have four perfect ones just like the one in the picture! If they are rare, they could fund some work on my double door!

One could say you could say you have a bumper crop.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:25 pm

Get the hook!! HA!HA!