53 Zwitter Questions.

[vw356]

Thank You.I read the posts, but still didn't find out when zwitters started.I tried to get the pan number off the left/front brake bracket,but it is broken off. I'll find a way to get my pan numbers to show better.It's not rusted,it's just stamped very lightly for some reason.September of '52 for the body and pan #'s..I thought these came out in October '52?
My car has an aluminum tag riveted above the metal vin saying it was sold in France.
_________________
Current projects:
1951 11G
1952 Zwitter
1954 convertible
1956 356A Coupe
1959 15 window

[bwaz]

Progressive refinements says (end of month figures)

Month . Chassis . Engine . Rear Axle . Front Axle . Frame . Body

Sept. 52 397014 - 480355 - A-1 227 - 410428 - 414700 - 337454
............................................. 456613 ............................................
Oct. 52 408537 - 494569 - A-8 324 - 421868 - 426563 - 348672
............................................. 461735 .............................................
Nov. 52 418301 - 506974 - A-16 312 - 431888 - 436746 - 358168
............................................. 465916 ............................................
Which would say the last car made in September was chassis 397014 and so on. Although later in the book, it says a different chassis #, 1-0397023 for a zwitter. Possibly, there's a 1-397015 to 1-397022 that are oddballs.

Then it says as descriptions: 1 Oct. 52 chassis 1-0397023 unit# 410951 New front spings and shock travel, sycro transmission, 2nd, 3rd & 4th synchronized, rear axle number now in front of contact surface for gear shift housing, right housing half. Tires now 5.60x15 formerly 5.00x16, heating control now rotary knob with fine regulation, frame number now standard arrangement: on the inside of the frame end plate, right-hand side... for export:on the inside of the left front brake line clamp. As well, Body # 337823, mirror now more rounded, door check rod now reinforced, hinge mounted at door post, Body bolts front: now break-proof seating with rubber pad and metal plate, vent wings now in both doors, Instrument panel now radically modified,

there's more details, but these should be easy to see if you're looking. Answer to the question above, October 1, 1952 is a zwitter.
Brian Waz

[vw356]

I need one of these books...Thank You Brian.
Since my car's body number is 337517, it looks like my car is the 63rd zwitter made?Am I right?
I guess it's time to send off for the birth certificate...
My car's body parts,pan and seats are original, but the entire running gear is later model front and back.Used to be a hood ride rustbucket.
I bought it because I had the opportunity to own one of each style split and it has most of the zwitter parts original to it.Drove it untill it was just too dangerous!! Seats falling through the floor,qtrs. bouncing in and out as I hit high and low spots in the road at speed..It was a blast..
Thank You for the info. I'll study this some more.
_________________
Current projects:
1951 11G
1952 Zwitter
1954 convertible
1956 356A Coupe
1959 15 window

[vw356]

Also, My car has the heater knob behind the emergency brake and the choke on the dash and looks like the pan number is 0397492, but again, not positive on these numbers because they are very lightly stamped.(not 0387190 like I posted before.CLR cleaned it up a bit more.)
_________________
Current projects:
1951 11G
1952 Zwitter
1954 convertible
1956 356A Coupe
1959 15 window

[bwaz]

I believe the pan # is the most important when registering the car... at least where I am, as that's what's considered the serial number in the eyes of the law. The body # is a good reference, and a birth certificate will tell you if the body # matches the pan # from the factory. When I sent in for mine, they would not tell me the engine number until I replied with mine, then then confirmed that it was correct to my car. I don't get it, maybe a liability issue if people were re-stamping original numbers into blocks?

The heater knob position sounds like it's correct for the year, and choke on the dash for sure correct too. The birth certificate will confirm that if you really want to know.
Good luck!
Brian

[Bruce]

[EverettB]

[vw356]

Thank You all..I found the info. in another forum post here and will send off for the certificate.(It will be my first one.)
From what I'm seeing though, this car is the 63rd zwitter body and 478th pan. Again, I am not positive on the pan numbers, they're just too light for me to see.Seems like the body and pan numbers would match or be somewhere close...I'll look this up in the forums too..Thank You.
_________________
Current projects:
1951 11G
1952 Zwitter
1954 convertible
1956 356A Coupe
1959 15 window

[bwaz]

yes, the pan and serial number should be the same. Put a piece of paper over the pan number, and lightly rub a pencil on the paper to see if the numbers will transfer to the paper.
Brian