questions about 58-60 beetle

[66vwman]

what is the difference about the doors from a 58 to a 60 beetle ?? i know the 58-59 has the ice pick handles outside and the 60 has the push button but can you say use the ice pick handles on a 60 door and not have to change the whole door or ??? and 2nd question the steering wheels from a 58-60 i know 58-59 had the bat wing wheel and the 60 started the other type and i know that the spline shafts are different and could you put a 58-59 column in a 60 and with the shafts being different would you also have to change the steering box as well ???

[anthracitedub]

From what I understand, the 60 beetle has a lot of one year only parts.
If your working on a 60, you should read the sticky on 60/61 beetles at the top of the forum... I'm sure it will contain tons of useful info for you .

[tasb]

The 1958 Beetle does not have a true batwing wheel as stock.

True batwing

I believe the batwing wheel ended with the 1955 model year. The images above are from The Samba's very own photo gallery linked above.
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Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[mukluk]

You can use '60 doors on a '58-59, but you'll need to close up the foremost handle hole if you want to use the ice pick handles. The steering box used in the '58-59 is the same for the '60 as well, so the steering column will attach normally.
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1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[EVfun]

[Helfen]

[tisius]

What is your goal?
The VW beetle model year 1960 featured a few one-year-only items.
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drive it like you just robbed the bank
you don't have to be crazy to be into VW's, but it sure helps!!
.... if it ain't dutch, it ain't much!

[66vwman]

My Goal is i have a 60 beetle and im cloning it to be a 58 so i want all the 58 parts so i was under the impression that i was going to change the entire doors to 58-59s and i was going to get a 58-59 column and turn switch and bat wing steering wheel i was going to make it fool proof looking so the bat wing steering wheel is not original on a 58 ??

[Sharp64]

To play Devils advocate here a little.... If you aren't even sure what makes a 58 unique, why are you so intent to recreate one to such a detail...? As always, your car, your choice, but why not embrace what year the car is before you start swapping fenders, doors and everything else. Fix the 60 up as a 60, sell it and use the money to buy a 58 if that's what you want.

With that said, the front fenders are slightly different. Look in the FAQ section and there is a thread concerning it. Another thing to consider is if you are going for "foolproof", you are going to have to change out anything that has a datecode on it such as the speedometer. Werent the sunvisors different? Again, check the thread above, there is an entire thread dedicated to this subject.

My .02.
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
1985 Westy Money Pit
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine

[tasb]

As above, and then if it were me judging your car I'd be looking for all electrical connections to be screw terminal nothing with spade connections. That would be true with the 1960, as well. So if you have any spade connectors especially in the engine compartment where it's all visible I'd call a foul. Get that kind of stuff ironed out first.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[panicman]

"Foolproof" will be more than the doors and steering wheel.

-Wires will be routed differently for the headlights, and you'll need to weld hold down clips into the spare tire well
-sun visors will be different
-spark plug wires are routed differently
-I think 59-down had front fenders with a 'flare' at the running board, and a 'bulge', or more pronounced projection under the headlight.

If you do these above and change out to a 58/59 steering column, wheel, and switch, if swap doors, and choose the right color combo, you'll have a pretty convincing mimic.


This is assuming you have a non butchered 60 to begin with. It should have all the same sheet metal essentially, it will have all screw type electrical connections, a 36hp engine, split case trans, cloth headliner, anthracite floor mats, hump back tank, no fuel gauge, etc...

Please re read tasb's explanation about the wheels. The "skinny batwing-style" wheel that was on cars from 56-59 is mistakenly referred to as the "batwing".
There hasn't been a name for the 56-58 wheel that has really stuck, so people continue to call it a batwing, and that's not accurate when you compare it to a 55-down wheel.
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Plate of shrimp

[60ragtop]

can't forget that pesky one year only transmission and mount either
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986

[panicman]

[66vwman]

thanks pretty much thats what it will be a 58 on the outside doors and such all the other stuff wiring and etc will remain 60 i know a true die hard vw will be able to pick it apart but luckly there is none of them even close to living around me so im putting on the 58 fenders and doors and column and wheel so that its at least in there eyes if they roughly look at a 58 vw pic of one it will mostly def look like one at least im doing this to save the life of 2 cars a 1960 with a title and parts from a 58 that has not got a title and i know its hell to and illegal to change vin plates and all that so i figure run it as a 1960 but looks like a 58

[tasb]

ok, finally got your explanation as to why you would want to go to all the effort. I thought maybe you were born in 1958 and wanted a car to match, don't laugh its not that unusual.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[Sharp64]

Might be worth checking your local DMV. In some states all you need is a bill of
sale and you can get it titled and registered that way. If not your state, I believe Vermont has a way to do it by mail. You may be able to save both. Alternatively, most states title by the pan. Maybe you can find a pan with a title and use it to put the 58 body into.
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
1985 Westy Money Pit
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine