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spooky65 Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2004 Posts: 118 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 9:38 pm Post subject: VW 30 details? Questions |
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I have always been kinda obsessed with the VW 30 prototype. I have been looking over some pics of the originals and have some questions. What is the thing mounted in the lower center front of the car? I am thinking its the horn?
And I am wondering also about the original color. I know of two prototypes and they are different colors so it leads me to believe the original color is a complete mystery??? VWs version is hard to stomach I really cant believe the originals would have been that color blue. It just seems like there should be some documentation of what color they were or atleast a recorded eyewitness account of what color they were.
And the last thing I was wondering is most pics I see the VW30 has no bumpers but a few I have seen do have bumpers. Did they add these at some point during testing?
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allsidius Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2010 Posts: 1475 Location: Norway
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:34 am Post subject: |
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Go get "the birth of the beetle" by Chris Barber. It will tell you all you need. Although there will always be some tiny detail that only may come forward in a forum like this, that book is well researched and free of all BS. And it covers the VW 30 series well.
Christ I just checked Ebay and Amazon, looks like this one is ripe for a reprint, people want 300 $ for it. Well anyway, good luck hunting. _________________ 1973 1303S w sunroof Click to view image
1978 1303 convertible (sold)Click to view image
1966 1300 RIPClick to view image
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Undis Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2006 Posts: 1396 Location: Riga, Latvia & Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:23 am Post subject: |
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This thread I started a while ago may be of interest to you.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=343304&highlight=
The round thing is the horn. There were numerous colors used on the VW30. You can see in the old photos different shades of B&W, even two tone color schemes but so far I have not seen any color photos. I read somewhere that even the people who worked on these cars can't seem to remember the exact colors used. You have to keep in mind that over the years of testing and use these cars may have been repainted several times and all kinds of updates were added like bumpers and tail lights (taken from the VW38/39 range).
This is demonstrated well in the pictures taken at the "demolition" event at the end of line for the VW30. See different colors and the addition of bumpers and tail lights.
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spooky65 Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2004 Posts: 118 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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Nice pics. I see they were probably all different in some way. Cool. And yes I would love the book but its not in the budget at that price! |
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Jack O'Neill Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2009 Posts: 102 Location: Israel
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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I'm obsessed with this particular batch of prototypes as well (look at my avatar...). Actually I've found this forum searching info on this car, and landed on the very thread Undis menioned.
The Chris Barber book is very prohibitive here were I live, so, like you, I try to gather whatever info I can find on the Internet. So far I've collected a lot of pictures, but I suppose there many more on the net to be found (I didn't have one of the pictures Undis posted, for instance).
As for the colours, I too remember reading something about not even the workers remembering them correctly. I guess one of them saw the VW recreation (that one with the funny headlights) and mentioned that. On my scale model I went with silver, but no doubt black or white would've been a much safer bet. But, let's not rule the blue out - since the NSU 32 is some sort of greenish-grayish-blue, I'm forced to acknowledge that Dr. Porsche was very creative with his prototypes' colour palette... |
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Shadd Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2007 Posts: 883 Location: Lancaster, Ohio
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Wow
...Um I am going to go get my copy of "Birth of the Beetle" out of the bathroom and put it back on my bookshelf now... |
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ZwitterND Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2005 Posts: 1451 Location: Fargo, ND
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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A few years back there was a semi in town here selling books at a discount. I found "Birth of the Beetle" in a stack, at least ten copies. Thinking it couldn't be that good since it was on the discount rack, I bought it anyway thinking "Oh well it's a VW book"...errrgh ...I need to find a flux capacitor. _________________ Bill |
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Bruce Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003 Posts: 17273 Location: Left coast, Canada
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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allsidius wrote: |
Go get "the birth of the beetle" by Chris Barber.
Christ I just checked Ebay and Amazon, looks like this one is ripe for a reprint, people want 300 $ for it. |
The prices demanded for those books are meaningless. There are always sellers asking a ton for books that are still "in print", waiting for the odd dummy to come along and click the buy-it-now. The ads cost pennies, so it's worth a shot. _________________
overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
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allsidius Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2010 Posts: 1475 Location: Norway
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 2:10 am Post subject: |
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Bruce wrote: |
allsidius wrote: |
Go get "the birth of the beetle" by Chris Barber.
Christ I just checked Ebay and Amazon, looks like this one is ripe for a reprint, people want 300 $ for it. |
The prices demanded for those books are meaningless. There are always sellers asking a ton for books that are still "in print", waiting for the odd dummy to come along and click the buy-it-now. The ads cost pennies, so it's worth a shot. |
¨
Totally agree, but I don't think this book is "in print" i.e. available to buy as new at the original suggested retail price anymore. (unless you find that back street vendor in Krakow, Poland that has the last 5 copies). I agree that internet advertising at top dollar is a dubious practice that has escalated in later years. The best place to get a book like this is in my experience Ebay, since the sellers are mostly independent and some would just like to get their money back after they read it and got bored with the details. Put up a search on ebay and wait until a good one comes by. Don't be afraid to use the "make an offer" button. I was just lucky and got a part at nearly half the advertised price. But don't expect to get this book for 10 bucks, I think the word is out and a realistic price is around 50 to 80 bucks. Good luck! _________________ 1973 1303S w sunroof Click to view image
1978 1303 convertible (sold)Click to view image
1966 1300 RIPClick to view image
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Stetoppingphoto Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2012 Posts: 475 Location: Darwen
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Stetoppingphoto Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2012 Posts: 475 Location: Darwen
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ZwitterND Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2005 Posts: 1451 Location: Fargo, ND
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:26 am Post subject: |
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Exchange rate ??? _________________ Bill |
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manxcraig Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2006 Posts: 617 Location: pendelton (indianapolis) indiana
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:44 am Post subject: |
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$46.47 _________________ 69 Meyers Manx II on 65 pan, 1 owner !
WANTED, Meyers Manx license plate frames, repo OK, don't like the new smiles per miles ones. |
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allsidius Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2010 Posts: 1475 Location: Norway
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Stetoppingphoto Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2012 Posts: 475 Location: Darwen
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:55 am Post subject: |
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well that must have been the original price im presuming!
i really want this book bad, i cant justify spending that money on it though.
Im gonna search the book shops for it! _________________ stetoppingphoto |
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79SuperVert Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2002 Posts: 9758 Location: Elizabeth, NJ & La Isla Del Encanto
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:10 am Post subject: |
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That pricing is really insane. I bought "Birth of The Beetle" in 2007 from a seller on Amazon for $32.54. Someone must have started a rumor among booksellers that this book is some kind of rarity. Classic example of a bubble. _________________ Central Jersey VW Society
Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt. |
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johnshenry Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2001 Posts: 9359 Location: Northwood, NH USA
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:21 am Post subject: |
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For $500 I might consider sell my copy..... _________________ John Henry
'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab |
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usariemen Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004 Posts: 1745 Location: Germany
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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You can buy the german version for 35 Euros any time.
I bought the english one for the same price if I remember it right. _________________ Master of my domain! |
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79SuperVert Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2002 Posts: 9758 Location: Elizabeth, NJ & La Isla Del Encanto
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Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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johnshenry wrote: |
For $500 I might consider sell my copy..... |
Sure, and the buyer will certainly get their money back when they decide to sell it because the prices of these books will only keep going up...
Wait, where have I heard that before? Oh, yeah, a mortgage broker back around 2008... _________________ Central Jersey VW Society
Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt. |
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79SuperVert Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2002 Posts: 9758 Location: Elizabeth, NJ & La Isla Del Encanto
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