TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:18 am

Hi guys,

I have compiled the IIIA License plate list, with pictures.. Please help me to fill this list out.

Thanks!

IIIA-0426

IIIA-0427

Introducing the "NEW" cabrio... heh heh (coincidence same plate?)

IIIA-0686

IIIA-0811

IIIA-0838

IIIA-0842

IIIA-34992

IIIA-37014

IIIA-37015

IIIA-37020

IIIA-42801

IIIA-42802

Somthing is wrong the Museum one.. looks like it wasn't a hardtop!

IIIA-42803

IIIA-43002

IIIA-43005

IIIA-43006

IIIA-43009

IIIA-43010

IIIA-43011
Looks like the one with Porsche is a hardtop.. which one is really 11?

IIIA-43012

IIIA-43015

IIIA-43016

IIIA-43017 (IIIA-43026 - IIIA-43027)

IIIA-43017

IIIA-43019

IIIA-43021

IIIA-43023

IIIA-43025

IIIA-43026 and 27

IIIA-43027

IIIA-43031

IIIA-43035

Unvisiable or no plates

Can someone try to identify those ones below?

Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:19 pm

On the IIIA-0.... number plates (plates starting with the zero), note that these were swapped around from prototype to prototype and were not fixed to chassis. I suppose they were the equivalent to garage plates.

You will find pictures of IIIA-0426 / IIIA-0427 on various vehicles, from the V1 and V2 to W30's to later Porsche tractor prototypes.

IIIA was the area code for Stuttgart.

You will also find some Porsche prototypes had license plates starting with different codes such as Berlin if the car was registered there, or Heilbronn for the earlier Type 32 prototypes.

Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:02 pm

IIIA-0426 wrote: On the IIIA-0.... number plates (plates starting with the zero), note that these were swapped around from prototype to prototype and were not fixed to chassis. I suppose they were the equivalent to garage plates.

You will find pictures of IIIA-0426 / IIIA-0427 on various vehicles, from the V1 and V2 to W30's to later Porsche tractor prototypes.

IIIA was the area code for Stuttgart.

You will also find some Porsche prototypes had license plates starting with different codes such as Berlin if the car was registered there, or Heilbronn for the earlier Type 32 prototypes.

Yep, I saw some pictures even from motorcycles with IIIA-xxxx.. But do you think all of them were swapped around? like for example the number 06, which the guys from germany are working on?

Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:47 am

Great Job, but yes, plates were swapped around. Epecially in the early production days. Some times on purpose so as not to identify a particular car and owner. For example, IIIA-43011 was a sunroof car, yet Ferdinand Porsche is clearly seen entering the passenger side of IIIA-43011 which has no sunroof. It's a hardtop fitted with a radio. That photo was taken in Austria. Was this done so as not to identify F. Porsche? Possibly. You have to always keep in mind that these were experimental cars that were still being tinkered with, changed, even chassis swapped, etc.

Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:39 pm

Comparing the 111A-43006, which is the Lithuania find, the pics of it driving has different bumper over riders than the one the guy in peering into. Do you think it is the same car? but different bumpers?

Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:27 pm

On the last picture of IIIA-43017 ( the one of it going up the ramp) the rear windows look more like an oval window with a split bar. They are not as pointed on the outside edges.

Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:38 pm

IIIA-34992 ... headlights in different places.. same car?

Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:46 am

igtoth wrote: IIIA-34992 ... headlights in different places.. same car?

Yes this car had an upgrade facelift where the lights changed position. The subject of these changes is covered quite well by Chris Barber in his book "The Birth of the Beetle".

Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:04 pm

igtoth wrote:

IIIA-0811

WTF? Are those for attaching tracks? Or mowing through a crowd?