TheSamba.com :: View topic - Zwitter trafficators / semifore / semiphore thingys

Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:12 pm

ZwitterND wrote: I remember one of my first experiences driving my zwitter in CT in 1975. After making a lane change on I 94 I noticed out of the corner of my eye a car pulling ever so close to me, not passing but keeping pace with me. He moved closer swerving away & then closer. I finally got the nerve to look. Here the guy was leaning over rolling down his passenger window with one hand steering then beckoning me to roll down my window. You can imagine my fear being 19 and some crazed old guy shouting and swerving at 55mph "Hey what year is that and what are those things" (pointing to the semifores). I told him, but what I wanted to say is "get the F#$% away from my car you crazy old fart. Ironically, I am that crazy old fart now when I see a nice car. :lol:

I would have said "Its a '52, and those things are German, folding barrel automatic 9mm Artillery guns band-fed from inside the rear quarters. I suggest you move along......."

Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:32 pm

88 westy wrote: repaint your car black so they don't notice!!
or paint the semaphores the color of the car like they are supposed to be. seems alot easier. i still dont get why people paint the semaphores black. just to be noticed?

Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:52 pm

john7 wrote: 88 westy wrote: repaint your car black so they don't notice!!
or paint the semaphores the color of the car like they are supposed to be. seems alot easier. i still dont get why people paint the semaphores black. just to be noticed?

Early std sems were black from the factory.

Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:37 pm

John , Count on you to provide the photographic proof , my sticks were / are black and left that way because I thought I read that they left the factory that way on the Standards . Then again , I could keep a roll of masking tape to put over the trafficators when I park ? Of course if you make something idiot proof , someone will invent a better idiot !

Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:45 pm

geneL3c wrote: John , Count on you to provide the photographic proof , my sticks were / are black and left that way because I thought I read that they left the factory that way on the Standards . Then again , I could keep a roll of masking tape to put over the trafficators when I park ? Of course if you make something idiot proof , someone will invent a better idiot !

I think some early deluxes went out with black sems too, but a lot of them were painted body color. I don't think I have ever seen a pic of a std with factory body color painted sems though. Any one have any data, period pics to establish this? I know replacement parts sems were black too and they were probably replaced fairly often.

Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:47 am

Maybe on Standards, but not Deluxes.
Many semaphores are black because that's the colour all NOS ones are.

Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:54 pm

From repair manual 1953 edition, note page is dated 5/54. Note first paragraph. Confirms John's thoughts. Lower picture shows the ribbed style, correct? The upper picture appears to be ribbed also but I do not see a VW logo on the lens, perhaps the photo has been touched up?

Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:00 pm

Both are ribbed Bill, I can tell the bottom is because of the sliding "door" contact. And yes, the lens should have a VW logo, but we know the pics in these manuals were pretty heavily edited and re-touched.

Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:12 pm

They were probably just illustrating one of the different 'several makes'
available on purpose.

ZwitterND wrote: repair manual 1953 edition, <>page is dated 5/54.

Note first paragraph.

The upper picture appears to be ribbed also but I do not see a VW logo on the lens, perhaps the photo has been touched up?

Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:24 am

ZwitterND wrote: From repair manual 1953 edition, note page is dated 5/54. Note first paragraph. Confirms John's thoughts. Lower picture shows the ribbed style, correct? The upper picture appears to be ribbed also but I do not see a VW logo on the lens, perhaps the photo has been touched up?

The semaphore on the upper picture is from a convertible. Vert semaphores are different and did not have VW logo on them. Vert semaphores are always SWF.

Ken.

Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:01 pm

noheb wrote: ZwitterND wrote: From repair manual 1953 edition, note page is dated 5/54. Note first paragraph. Confirms John's thoughts. Lower picture shows the ribbed style, correct? The upper picture appears to be ribbed also but I do not see a VW logo on the lens, perhaps the photo has been touched up?

The semaphore on the upper picture is from a convertible. Vert semaphores are different and did not have VW logo on them. Vert semaphores are always SWF.

Ken.

No I don't think so. I think the picture gives the illusion that it is the "wraparound" steel arms, but look close you can see the end of the arm and "hook" at the tip.

The real giveaway though is the B pillar and rear quarter glass. Vert sems are rear quarters and not that close to the door.

Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:48 pm

very early commercial showing a zwitter with ribbed semaphores at 1:26. :D

Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:30 am

It says 1948 but that's a zwitter, and the semaphores are painted the same as the body? hmmm

Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:31 pm

ZwitterND wrote: Oh crap why do I know this is going cost me, Who said zwitters are the poor man's split was right....I am going to be poor after this restoration. My zwitter is 11/52. Personally I like the smooth but I want to make it original. Now your part numbers differ from the book. And why does the book give two? Who was running this outfit?? OK who has some and which organ do you need?

Two Part #s? The 15 part # is convertible (I think!)