TheSamba.com :: View topic - Help with Oval 53 Vin and rare body number

Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:39 am

Hello

I have the opportunity to purchase a rare Oval.

Vin number is 1-05232XX ; that is a September 1953 oval;

The body number is 3923XX, according to this should be a early march body number;

What do you think?

The car only has one owner until 1997 , and stand until today in a garage.

Any comments are welcome

Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:40 am

I know the body normally is made before the chassi, but that was a long time. Your body# must be one of the first ovalbodys ever to be buildt (production changed 10. march to oval from switter), maybe VW wasn't satisfied with the body and put it aside for repair/modifications.
Or it was build as switter and changed to oval.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:48 am

you could buy a replacement body shell from VW. I don't know if the bodies would have had numbers stamped or not. I believe replacement pans had no numbers stamped.

Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:07 pm

karpink wrote: I have the opportunity to purchase a rare Oval.
Ovals aren't rare.

VIN tag swap?

Post a pic of the VIN tag.

What is the chassis number?

Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:17 am

All VIN numbers are rare. They only made one of each.

Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:24 am

Chassis number is 1-0523232

I don't have pics at this moment

Regards

Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:26 am

karpink wrote: Hello

I have the opportunity to purchase a rare Oval.

Vin number is 1-05232XX ; that is a September 1953 oval;

The body number is 3923XX, according to this should be a early march body number;

What do you think?

The car only has one owner until 1997 , and stand until today in a garage.

Any comments are welcome

I'd say buy it since it's a rare Oval, rare in this case meaning that it's so early in the Oval era production.

Bruce wrote: Ovals aren't rare.

I think this is a tricky term. Ovals are far and few between where I am, but they're a dime a dozen in Southern California. They also may be 'rare' in a small country where few Ovals were imported and then survived the last 59 years.

Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:18 am

I have search on forums and body numbers were reset on 1955.

Maybe could be a 1953 body, or a late 56 too.

I have found this details;

Heart tail lights are present, ribbed doors as well, ashtray without handle; steering wheel is a batwing, speedometer isn't original.

What more should I considerer to differnce a 53 to a 56 modell?

Thanks

Mon Apr 16, 2012 5:19 am

karpink wrote: I have search on forums and body numbers were reset on 1955.

Maybe could be a 1953 body, or a late 56 too.

I have found this details;

Heart tail lights are present, ribbed doors as well, ashtray without handle; steering wheel is a batwing, speedometer isn't original.

What more should I considerer to differnce a 53 to a 56 modell?

Thanks

You've already ID'd most of the pertinent items that would make this a 53. IF you are still concerned with this somehow being a "late" 56, if the og floorpans are still intact, check them against the photos in this thread (below) and you can be pretty much assured as to what you have chassis-wise. If you have what look to be 53 pans and with all the items you mentioned, you have a 53.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497541

Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:42 am

Thanks

It's a 53 for sure; pans are 53 and are original

Thanks for the info

Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:56 pm

I have the same problem with my oval.

VIN #: 1-0650524 (april 1954)
Body #: 346798 ( september 1952)

The car had one owner since 1958 when a family friend bougth it used from the dealer. It was sold in 1955 the first time.

I know the guy who bought it in 1958 didn't do anythig other than change the hood in the time he owned the car. Also I've called the dealer but they said they never sold a car that required any tipe of major repair like changing the body.

But my oval have everything mixed.

Heart shape tail lights
Batwing steering wheel
Dual exhaust
Speedo, gas & temp gauge
No ribbed doors
Grooved door hinges
55'-56' gas tank

In other words a 54 chassi with a 56 body and a 52 body #.

I tought our family friend wasn't saying the truth untill I saw this forum. I have ordered a BC from Germany, lets see what they say.

The car was exported from Germany to Mexico in 1954 and the original invoice contains the #'s I mentioned before.

Does any body knows if this is possible?

Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:16 pm

Darriola wrote: The car was exported from Germany to Mexico in 1954 ....
If it was exported in 54, how did it get all those 56 parts?

Darriola wrote: .... the original invoice contains the #'s I mentioned before.
Post a pic of the invoice.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:55 am

Hey Darriola, welcome to the Samba.

(Ignore Bruce - most of use do, although 5% of the time he comes through with some amazing information which is particularly useful)

Seems like some strange things with your #s. I also would appreciate it if you could post a picture of that original invoice.

1-650924 would be built in May 54, the numbers in the listing are the last chassis built in the month. (I've got 1-644929, built May 18, 1954)

I can't explain the body number. Any chance someone transposed the first digit to be a 3 instead of a 5?

Simon

Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:41 am

Why no love for Bruce (at least on this one)? The car does have an array of different parts. Things to note: can you date the gauges? Can you examine for any damage such as to the spare wheel well, aprons, fenders (are they dimpled type). Is the engine og? What's its serial #? Is it possible that you are looking at the wrong body number and it might be a 10-56 body. I think Karpink noted that body #s were reset in 56. That makes a little more sense, but doesn't fully explain things. If not you're looking at a zwitter body. Could you in fact NOT have a dash in the vin# which could put it in the 56 model year? Not trying to be a hater (wouldn't want to end up being accused of Bruce-ish behavior). Just trying to piece it together. Keep us posted.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:50 am

Sorry if you girls don't like my pessimistic stance. Anyone who's been on the Samba for a while can attest, these claims come up a couple of times a year. It's always something like:
Hi, I have this super rare prototype Beetle with early VINs, but late body features.
In the end, they ALWAYS turn out to be a frankenBeetle.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:41 pm

Bruce wrote: Sorry if you girls don't like my pessimistic stance. Anyone who's been on the Samba for a while can attest, these claims come up a couple of times a year. It's always something like:
Hi, I have this super rare prototype Beetle with early VINs, but late body features.
In the end, they ALWAYS turn out to be a frankenBeetle.

On a '53, what's really "rare".............. is when all the numbers...... MATCH. :wink:

Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:59 pm

53 0val wrote: Bruce wrote: Sorry if you girls don't like my pessimistic stance. Anyone who's been on the Samba for a while can attest, these claims come up a couple of times a year. It's always something like:
Hi, I have this super rare prototype Beetle with early VINs, but late body features.
In the end, they ALWAYS turn out to be a frankenBeetle.

On a '53, what's really "rare".............. is when all the numbers...... MATCH. :wink:
Agree!!

Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:09 am

Hi,

Thanks you all for your comments, I really appreciate them.

I’m just starting in this ”Love for Classic Beetles”, I don’t know much… I’ve been reading about them lately but I still have a lot to learn.

To be honest with you guys, I always tough like Bruce, that I have a “fakekenBeetle” LOL… the only thing throwing me off all the time was the body #.

The guy at the body shop working in the car said there is no sign that someone change the apron and fenders are dimpled type… and no, I don’t have the engine!.. I’ll check the gauges.

I didn’t know VW reset body #’s in 1956, it would make sense to me and since registration only cares about Chassis # it was registered as 1954; I hope the BC clarifies that.

I’m out of town right now, but I will post a picture of the Invoice dated 1958 with the #’s, I only have a couple of pictures in my mobil but i can't upload them here fir some reason.

By the way.. Paint will change to Polar Silver or Strato Silver.

I guess later on I should look for a 54 body and a 56 chassis..

Thanks a lot..
Donald.

Sat Apr 21, 2012 1:45 am

Ther are the pictures I have in my phone.

[/img]http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/918228.jpg[img]

Thanks,

Donald

Sat Apr 21, 2012 1:00 pm

Don,
If you go here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/bugchassisdating.php
You will see that your car's body is from Oct 1956.
In your pics, the door, A-pilar and rear apron are all 1957 parts.