Early 411 2-door Sedan in EFA Museum, Bavaria

[Rome]

Last week I was in Bavaria, Germany on business. On the weekend I drove to the EFA car museum in the village of Amerang, about 40 miles east of Munich near the Chiemsee. The fully-original appearing 411 is deep sea green with beige cloth interior. Since it does not have a day/night mirror nor mid-body side chrome trim (at least not at all on the driver's side) indicates a base 411 instead of a 411L. Unfortunately the information plaque did not list any specifics about this particular car, only about the entire model production range. Seems to be missing the factory polished alu wheel trim rings .

Yellow car in background is an NSU Ro80 with the Wankel rotary engine.

Here are links to this very well done museum which I highly recommend to spend a few hours; it also has a huge model train setup-
http://www.automuseums.info/germany/efa-museum-german-automobile-history
http://www.efa-automuseum.de/home/

[Mike Fisher]

200 cars plus the model trains sounds cool!
http://www.efa-automuseum.de/efa-museum/modelleisenbahn/
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https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Rome]

Absolutely. The cars range the entire spectrum from basic to extravagant and rare over the decades- from a '20's Hanomag Kommissbrot to a Mercedes-Benz SS, a '30's BMW Dixi to am M-B 540K and a Horch Woodie wagon , from little known '50's microcars such as a Kleinschnittger to a M-B 300SL gullwing; and a '60's Glas V8 coupe.

Other ACVWs were a sea blue ~'64 notchback 1500 S, a brownish-bronze colored late Karmann Cabrio with 5.5" ATS wheels, a mouse grey ~'51 standard Beetle, a '70 silver Karmann Ghia cabrio, and a dark grey Kuebelwagen.

[kgarchivinusa]

Cool pictures, thanks for sharing.

It looks like a Luxus version with some missing parts. The "L" version came always with the rubber stripe on the bumpers and the side marker lights.

Greetings Lutz
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1958 Ghia Coupe aerosilver/graywhite
1966 Ghia Coupe lotoswhite/black pigalle
1968 sunroof bug savannah beige
1968 VW 411 4-door royal red
1968 VW 411 L 4-door cobaltblue
1988 Porsche 924S Targa alpinweiss

(O = i = O) Karmann Ghia rassig und charmant [hot-blooded and charming] [O o\ i /o O]

[Rome]

Thanks for clarifying, Lutz. The mid-body side trim was my guessing point that it might be an "L". I first checked theSamba archives for 1968 and 1969 411 brochures but did not come to a definite conclusion. Actually I did not even know that a 2-door was offered in those years.

When I was taking the photos I remembered that you have a very early 411 as well. Have you not yet been to this museum? I realize WOB is nearly at the other end of the country; I lived there for 3 years myself in '80 thru '83.

[Lahti411]

Did you guys know that there was a "luxury" package available as an optional extra? The luxury trim package included the same exterior chrome trim as the L-versions.
There were also some extras you couldn't buy for the basic models like the adjustable head rests for example. And i believe the basic models always had rubber matting and the carpets weren't available for them even if you were willing to pay extra.
But ofcourse in a 40 years old car there might be lots of changed parts even if they looked like they were factory standard. I have adde lots of original extras to my 1972 Variant and only someone who really knew these cars could say those are not original
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My cars: 1972 VW 411 Variant; 1973 VW 412 4d sedan

[raygreenwood]

The packages appeared to be very mixed over here in the US...probably meaning the dealers (like they are now)....were willing to sell you anything they can on top of the baseline package you bought....and simply install it on site. Ray

[Lahti411]

I beleive the U.S. cars were always the "L"-spec with chrome trim and wider front seat back rests etc. In the U.S. market they just weren't marked that way but only as VW 411 or 412. Even the wagon versions didin't have the "Variant" script in their tail gate.
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My cars: 1972 VW 411 Variant; 1973 VW 412 4d sedan

[raygreenwood]

[Rome]

Looking at my first photo you can actually read the info plaque listing the car as a 411 L. With the rear seat backrest center armrest clearly visible, that coincides with the info that Lutz presented above.

Lutz- I can imagine that those early headlamp surround chrome trim rings are nearly "unobtainable"?

The fact that the mid-body chrome side trim did not utilize drilled holes for the retaining clips led me to believe that the trim might've been self-adhesive, something quite new in the auto industry at the time. I doubt very much that the holes would've been filled in prior to a possible repaint, since the car appears very original otherwise.

[kgarchivinusa]

In September 68 the option list was very limited

M 050 Control light 2 way brake system
M 089 Safety windscreen
M 093 Pop out (only 2-door)
M 095 Radio "Wolfsburg"
M 097 Radio "Emden"
M 102 rear window defroster
M 172 Radial tires
M 174 White wall textil tires
M 237 outside trim
M 244 rear window tainted (sun protection) (not with M 102)
M 560 sun roof
M 561 vent windows in the front doors
M 562 reclining seats
M 563 backseat with middle armrest

The original "belt" trim was installed with the clip 113 853 585 C (36 pc)

Hope everything is correct translated
_________________
1958 Ghia Coupe aerosilver/graywhite
1966 Ghia Coupe lotoswhite/black pigalle
1968 sunroof bug savannah beige
1968 VW 411 4-door royal red
1968 VW 411 L 4-door cobaltblue
1988 Porsche 924S Targa alpinweiss

(O = i = O) Karmann Ghia rassig und charmant [hot-blooded and charming] [O o\ i /o O]