Questions about matching engine to car

[Westy Steve]

Hey all,

I have an early May, 1955 Oval. My problem is that my engine is a '57 engine. I'm just wondering what my options are. Have some questions:

1. If I order a "birth certificate", does it include the engine number?
2. If the birth certificate does include the engine number, is it possible to get the correct number stamped onto my '57 engine and have it look correct?
3. If the birth certificate doesn't include the engine number, then what engines would be a good choice? Do the engines tend to be older than the car since they possibly took longer to make? For example, would an early May, 1955 car likely have an April, 1955 engine? Do engines tend to be earlier or later? Anyone have mismatched manufacture dates on their original car?

Thanks for any info,

Steve
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[EverettB]

1. No
2. Yes but this is fraudulent.
3. A '55 engine from the same month/year as your car.
From what I have seen the engine #s are at least the same month, usually within the same week too. Obviously if your car VIN # falls at a month start or end, the numbers could cross over the month change.
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[*Darren]

[EverettB]

You are right - I edited my post above to say 1955 instead of 1957.

I agree with all of your other comments too.
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[TheLadyBug]

You can dress a 57 case to look correct; save for the numbers.
The distributor (BR8) I believe was from 55 thru 57 so you'll likely have the right one. The thin slot generator will also be correct for both.
You'll need a big nut on the generator, thin lip pulleys, a round regulator and a wavy top fuel pump. I'm not sure which coil and bracket is correct for 55. TE6A3 or TE6B1.
Without looking at your stamps, with these items your engine would look correct to the glancing eye.
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Charmaine
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1954 Beetle - because I can
2016 Golf highline - hubby’s daily
2016 Golf R - my daily

[Kjell Roar]

The case got stronger in 57, so I think all earlier cases where scrapped when they build up a factory rebuild engine, at an early stage.

One reason earlier cases than 57 are hard to find,n I often see factory rebuilds from 57 and newer, nearly never a 56 or older 30hp.

My oval got a factory rebuild engine in May 64, it has a September 57 case. And I think that engine has a lot to do with my car's history, dont need to find another more maching# engine with no history.
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I got a historic car, every scratch got a history...

My car, Aug. 4th, 1955 / an early 56: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=610438

[EverettB]

[3foldfolly]

[sunroof]

I was thinking the same thing! She is on her way to becoming an expert.

Don
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[TheLadyBug]

[Westy Steve]

Thanks for the input.

I don't intend to defraud anyone because I have no intentions to ever sell the car. I plan to keep it for life.

I appreciate the list of items that may be different. I'll have to take some photos of my engine and post them here, but at first blush, it appears that the case was changed but the rest of the engine was swapped out. My '57 engine looks like a '55 engine, except for the engine number stamp (IIRC). Maybe I'll just locate the "correct" case for it and save it for the day that I have to do a rebuild. But thanks to you guys and gals, I know what date range to look for.

I hear what you're saying about the history of the car. From what I can figure, the car was parked for a long time, but was driven well early on. It has the wrong trunk lid, which dates to a '58 model, and a '57 engine. Makes me wonder if the car got scrunched between two cars early on and fixed appropriately in its first few years of life. But other than that, the car is extremely well preserved.

Curiously, it also has a '57 speedometer for some strange reason, which makes me wonder. I do know that the guy who sold it to me also owned a flawless '57 oval, making me wonder if he swapped out speedos, but I could be entirely wrong on that.

Thanks for the help in my decision making.

Steve
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[splitjunkie]

[Westy Steve]

Muhahahaha!

I'll use bondo too! Then they'll really be screwed!

Just kidding.

But that brings up an interesting question...is bondo unethical?

It's probably cheaper to find an old case somewhere than to stamp it anyway. No worries.
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[My57Oval]

Contact Joe Ruiz (Mr. Okrassa). He might me able to source a period correct case for you. He found one for me. Hope you dont mind Joe!

Rob

[empiracer]

I personally don't think it would be unethical to stamp the original engine number into a case, The objective is to restore the car to as close to original as you can, then why not.

[EverettB]

It's fraud, no different than stamping a new VIN #.

This is the reason VW doesn't give out the engine number anymore.
My understanding is they had to stop because it's illegal in Germany now to provide this information.
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[guyunico]

Lightner.net/ybdb/serno.html vs Samba

who is correct they are somewhat different?

[EverettB]

[Jonnyla]

I also have an early May of '55 car. I had a 'dream' of having the correct engine for it. I found a peg here in the forms that was a 'engine number hunt' of sorts. Post the range of numbers your looking for and see if anyone out there has one they would sell... Wishing a month I had a response and and engine case in its way.
Using some division of cars produced and engines produced during that month I figured the motor number I got was within 4 days of my cars production. Correct numbers car? Probably not but period correct for sure and I that's about as good as you can ask for if its not the original.
I'll search for the thread and post if I find it.
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'55 3 fold sedan, stock with lower stance (project)
'57 sedan, future old speed outlaw style (project)

[Jonnyla]

Found it faster than I thought I would...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7779889&highlight=#7779889
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'55 3 fold sedan, stock with lower stance (project)
'57 sedan, future old speed outlaw style (project)