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Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:06 pm

From what I've seen from researching on these forums, the roundish headed "Vigot" jack is correct for Barndoor, the similar roundish headed "Bilstein" jack is correct for post-Barndoor through about 1963, then the doghouse headed jack seems to follow that. I went through the four unrestored jacks that I have for my Buses (I don't have a Vigot yet) and have two roundish headed Bilstein and two doghouse headed ones. None of them are alike which brings a few questions that I hope some of you out there can help me clarify.

For the earier roundish headed Bilsteins I've noticed the following differences (see pictures for clarifications):
1. The bottom jack pictured has reinforcement built into the head that the top one does not.
2. The base on the top jack is thicker and has clips holding it on from the bottom, while the bottom one has a smaller base, is open at the bottom, and no clips.
3. The bottom jack has "Bilstein" written with a slight rainbow arch while the top one is written flat.
4. Both appear to have factory paint from head to base (top to bottom).

64-early Bay Bilstein, later design with square head
64-67 Split Bus on top, Early Bay window Bus on bottom

For the Split Bus jack, note that it has no "triangle" to stop the fold-out portion from extending too far upward and the indent on the fold-out section is smaller.
More comparison details:

The following are early Bay Window jacks:
For the later doghouse headed Jacks
I've noticed the following differences (see pictures for clarification):
1. The top jack has a "B" stamped on one side of the head and the bottom has a "J" stamped to the opposite side.
2. The base on the bottom one is bulkier and has clips holding it in place while the top jack has a thinner base and no visible clips holding it on.
3. The top jack has "Bilstein" cast into the squared portion that would go into the jack-point, and the bottom one is blank in that space.
4. Again, as with the earlier style, both jacks seem to have been painted black from top to bottom from the factory.

Late early Bay Window on top, earlier early Bay Window on bottom:

Bus jack bags
There is some debate when jack bags may have been used in Split Windows but they may have been used from 1966-67.
Several Mesh Grey bags have been seen and believed to be original:

Aero Balearic, a 1966-67 Deluxe color, bag:

Grey bag, 59-61 Commercial upholstery, has also been seen:

It is unknown whether this is an original or home-made.

Bay Window style, Bay Window headliner material:

Size: 27.25" x 6.5" (approximately)

Early Squareback bag w/Bus jack / green color

Size: 26" x 5.5" (approximately)

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I would very much like to read productive and educated feedback on this thread so anyone else can know what details to look for. Maybe you have a jack that you are sure came from a particular year which would help clarify changes in these jacks. If you have additional differences and things to look for, please do share them.
Thanks for looking!

Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:34 pm

holy crap you just screwed the use the search crowd ....my 57 had a vigot under the seat for what its worth

Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:42 pm

If you or anyone else looking at this thread happen to have a Vigot Bus jack available, please let me know. I do not have one for my '54 and would like to find one. Contact Peter at [email protected] or (210)559-1214.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:01 pm

Agreed on the Vigot thing. My '55 & both of my '56's came with them.

Here's one for sale, BIG MONEY.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=682000

If they are really worth that much I'll sell you the one out of my bus for $350 shipped.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:36 pm

My understanding from postings here is that the Vigot jack was used up through 1957.

The round-head Bilstein jack is 1958-1963.

The square-head (dog head as described above) is 1964-up.

My 51K mile '64 Bus has the square-head style jack.

If someone has a '63 I am pretty sure it would be the same jack as my low mileage '63 Squareback. 62-64 Squarebacks use a Bus jack:

I have never seen a Bus with a jack bag but it is awesome.

I looked at my jacks and I only have one of the reinforced round head jacks, seen on the bottom here:

All of my round-head jacks have a base with the style seen on the bottom here:

So, combining my jack styles with Peter's, there are round-head jacks with both combinations of head styles and base styles.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:39 pm

VIGOT jack from the Gallery

There are also VIGOT jacks for the Beetle and 356. Both have non-folding jack point inserts. The 356 style can be seen here: http://www.356.ca/tools/Jack.htm

Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:14 am

Everett: Or anyone else: Can you post some details on the jack bag as to materials, size, etc.? Is anyone repoping the jack bag? And one final idiot question? Where is the appropriate place to store the jack in a bus, i.e. where were they stored when they came from the factory.

Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:32 am

"Underneath the cab seat you will find the jack and tool kit required for changing tires."

I believe the bag is a squareback and baywindow item...?
I would use the one above though!

Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:00 pm

Yes, Split Buses don't have bags to the best of my knowledge. I have wrapped the jack in a towel though to prevent under-seat vibrations.

I have seen one Barndoor Deluxe pictured with a bag made of black seat material but I don't know if it was original. I don't think any one is making bags but it would be easy to do.

When you buy a Bus, this is what you want to see: :)

Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:09 pm

Bus jacks....
I know they were black head to toe...

What shade of black....
Flat Black..
Semigloss Black..
Gloss Black..

Thanks,
Spanish Flea

Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:57 pm

I would consider them to be around 80% gloss...?
Kinda inbetween what most consider semigloss and gloss.

Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:07 pm

Here are the jacks, iron and bag that was under the front seat in my 63 when I got it. I know that they are not original but there was some interest in the bag. I think maybe bay? The material is square weave brown vinyl on the front side and smooth marble on the rear. the string is the smooth vinyl used on the rear

Bag measurements are:
27 inches long
7.5 inches wide

the one remaining string (supposed to be two) is
12 inches long

and sewn in the seam at
3.5 inches from the top

There was a como tool bag (empty) under the seat as well but at 18 i didnt know what it was and into the trash it went :cry:

Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:55 pm

Yes, I believe that bag to be Bay-Window.

Sun May 17, 2009 10:14 am

Here's a post I made elsewhere recently regarding the minimum height of 2 types of jacks:

I checked my 2 types of stock jacks and they drop to 4" and 5" off the ground:

This measured in the center of the jack arm.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=554451
for more comments.

Sun May 17, 2009 10:16 am

For reference, I recently bought a Bay-Window jack bag and both the Vigot and Bilstein round-head jack fit in them nicely.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:54 pm

I just bought one of these jacks and realized that they are not correct for a Split Bus. That little cast triangular "nub" keeps the arm from sticking into the jack point on a bus while keeping the body of the jack straight up and down on the ground. A quick search of the classifieds shows other "doghouse" style jacks that don't have this cast part, so those must be " split bus" and these must be Bay or Thing jacks. Hope that helps.

Split Bus - jack is straight up (1967 Manual)
Bay Bus - jack leans back (73 Manual)

pcalbar wrote:

Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:01 am

Here are two jacks I have....Which one is correct for my 1960 singlecab?
From the discussion, I would assume it is the one on the right without the triangular stop nub. They appear to have a few differences than the ones already posted.

Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:13 am

Sitka Steve wrote: Here are two jacks I have....Which one is correct for my 1960 singlecab?

Hi Steve, unfortunately neither of those are right for a '60. You want one like the top one in the first pic in this thread. All black, with the rounded head.

pcalbar wrote:

Sat Apr 10, 2010 12:09 pm

Good to know, Dan. Thanks!
What are the years of the two I have?

Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:45 pm

Sitka Steve wrote: What are the years of the two I have?

I think the one with the hump that keeps the arm from going up past 90 degrees is a Bay jack (see my post above w/ links), and the other one is from around '64 to (at least) '67.