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| 009 | Centrifugal advance only distributor. Sold in the
aftermarket as a universal replacement distributor for VW engines. |
| 010 | Centrifugal advance only distributor
originally used on the Bus Bastard engine
and sold as a performance upgrade for early VW speed enthusiasts. |
| 019 | Centrifugal advance only distributor
originally used as the VJ4BR8 distributor on the 1954-1959 Bus 36hp engine.
Often used as a performance upgrade for early VW speed enthusiasts.
Sold in blue as a Screamer kit as well. |
| 1-Piece Windows | Slang term to describe a larger window that replaces the standard roll-up and wing window in a Beetle, Ghia, or Type 3. |
| 11-Window | See Kombi or Standard |
| 110 | See Basic Bug |
| 1200 | Engine size, e.g. 1192cc. See 36hp and 40hp |
| 13-Window | See Deluxe |
| 1300 | Engine size, e.g. 1300cc |
| 1302 | European name for the '71 and '72 Super Beetle sedan and convertibles. (Flat windscreen) |
| 1303 | European name for the '73 to '75 Super Beetle sedans and '73 to '79 convertibles. (Curved windscreen) |
| 1500 | Engine size, e.g. 1500cc For other engine sizes, see this Forums thread |
| 15-Window | A pre-1964 Hardtop Deluxe Bus. Identical in trim and appointments to a 23-Window Deluxe Bus but without the eight roof windows or sunroof. M-Code 130 - Deluxe without sunroof and roof windows. |
| 1592044140 | Vehicle Identification Number for the very last German-built Beetle, A 1980 Convertible painted in Mars Red, built on the 10th of January 1980 10:28 by the Karmann Factory. This Super-Beetle in stored in the Karmann Museum in Osnabruck, Germany. |
| 1600 | Engine size, e.g. 1600cc For other engine sizes, see this Forums thread |
| 19-Window | The "rare" combination that occurs when someone grafts a
Deluxe roof clip onto a Kombi or
Standard model Bus. Easily identified by the
lack of side windows in the rear-hatch cargo area. |
| 2-Fold | Term used for the sliding ragtop sunroof in a
1956 through 1967 (1963 US spec) Beetle, because it forms 2 folds when open.
 |
| 21-Window | A Type 24 (Deluxe bus) built from 1964 till 1967. The window count is tallied
like this: 2 windshields (pre-1967) 2 front door windows (the wing wings and sliding windows all count as 1) 4 windows down the left side of the bus 4 windows down the right side 1 in the rear hatch 8 skylights in the roof (4 each side) 2+2+4+4+1+8 = 21 |
| 23-Window | A Type 24 (Deluxe bus) built in 1963 or earlier. The window count is tallied
like this: 2 windshields (pre-1967) 2 front door windows (the wing wings and sliding windows all count as 1) 4 windows down the left side of the bus 4 windows down the right side 2 curved windows total on the rear corners (1963 and earlier only) 1 in the rear hatch 8 skylights in the roof (4 each side) 2+2+4+4+2+1+8 = 23 |
| 25 hp | The engine initially designed for the Volksauto which appeared during the split-window era of beetles and the early Barndoor Buses. |
| 29 series | Part number prefix used on original Barndoor era parts. The 29 designation is believed to be derived from the Type 29 prototype bus. |
| 2-Tone | Refers to a VW that is painted in 2 colors,
often top and bottom. For instance, a Standard Microbus might be painted in
Sealing Wax Red on the bottom half and Beige Grey on the top half. |
| 3-Fold | Term used for the sliding ragtop sunroof in a
1950 through 1955 Beetle, because it forms 3 folds when open.
 |
| 3-tab | Refers to the number of mounting points used
to hold the VW emblem on the top of the front hood. 3-tab hoods were
used after January, 1961. The term tab is actually a misnomer in this
case as the emblem is mounted via posts. The mounting portion on the
decklid was flat for a short time, then a raised circle was added to offset
the emblem from the hood. |
| 30 ps | See 36 hp |
| 36 hp | Engine introduced in 1953 for the VW automobile line. Used through 1960 in the Beetle and 1958 in the Bus. Continued usage in industrial engines for some time later. |
| 4-tab |
Refers to the number of mounting points used to hold the VW emblem on the
top of the front hood. 4-tab hoods were used until January, 1961.
 |
| 4 Lug | Refers to the number of lug nuts used on a VW rim. This number varies by year and type of VW. |
| 40 hp | Engine introduced in 1960 (Bus) and 1961 (Beetle and other models) for the VW automobile line. 1192cc displacement with a compression ratio of 7.1:1. |
| 5 Lug | Refers to the number of lug nuts used on a VW rim. This number varies by year and type of VW. |
| 7-seater | Refers to the number of seating positions in a VW Bus. A 7-seater is typically a walk-through Bus with a short middle seat. 2 seats up front, 2 seats in the middle, and 3 seats in the rear. |
| 8-seater | Refers to the number of seating positions in a VW Bus. A 8-seater can be a walk-through Bus with a full length middle seat. 2 seats up front, 3 seats in the middle, and 3 seats in the rear. Or it can be a bench front seat with a short middle seat. 3 seats up front, 2 seats in the middle, and 3 seats in the rear. VW literature also refers to a Bus with 3 full bench seats as an 8-seater on occasion, specifying that the front seat held only 2 adults. Confused yet? |
| 9-seater | Refers to the number of seating positions in a VW Bus. A 9-seater is a bench front seat Bus with a full middle seat. 3 seats up front, 3 seats in the middle, and 3 seats in the rear. |
| A-pillar | The roof support metal on either side of the front windshield. Also see B-pillar, C-pillar, and D-pillar |
| Abarth |
Abarth is a racing car maker founded by Carlo Abarth of Turin, Italy in
1949. Its logo is a shield with a stylized scorpion on a red and yellow
background. Abarth produced high performance exhaust systems and race tuning
kits. It provided design inputs to cars produced by Porsche and Fiat.
 |
| Aardappelkist | "Potato Box" in Dutch. In the Netherlands, a nickname for the post-1967 Transporter. |
| Acapulco |
Version of the Type 181 Thing. The brightly-colored
Acapulco had a fringed top, running boards, and a large rack for luggage. It
was intended to be a tourist vehicle around Mexico's resort hotels, hence
the name.
 |
| Accessories | Optional items sold either with a VW, either factory or dealer installed, or as aftermarket parts. Examples include: Blaupunkt or Sapphire radio, mudflaps, roof rack, gravel guards, gas heater, or rims. |
| ACVW | Abbreviation for Air-Cooled Volkswagen |
| Adjuster | Small nut/bolt/plate arrangement that could be welded into a VW Beetle or other model front end to allow for height adjustment. See dropped beam |
| Adventurewagen | An aftermarket camping conversion package for the Transporter. It was manufactured in the U.S. until the 1980s. |
| Aftermarket | Denotes a product produced for the Volkswagen automobile not by Volkswagen itself. |
| AG | German: The acronym for "Aktien Gesellschaft" - in Germany, a public stock corporation, as in Volkswagen AG. |
| Air Cooled | Typically refers to the cooling design used by the Volkswagen engine where the heads and oil are cooled by air propelled by a fan which was, in turn, rotated at a given speed by an attachment to the engine crankshaft. |
| Albert |
Aftermarket accessory maker, usually associated with mirrors from the
1950s-60s. |
| Alf | An English cartoon character who appeared in the 80s. Alf was a VW fanatic and appeared regularly on the pages of VW Motoring magazine. Cartoons were drawn by Pete Dixon and Rob Cole. The ideas were supplied by Dave Cantle. Over 80 original cartoons exist. |
| Allen bolt |
Bolt with a hexagonal socket head that uses an allen aka hex key to tighten
or loosen it. |
| Ambulance |
Conversion for the VW Bus to allow for
the transport of the sick or infirm from an external location to the
hospital. Known as the Krankenwagen in Germany.
A factory-built special model of the Transporter, introduced in 1951, the gas tank and spare wheel were relocated, the
decklid was made smaller, and the rear cargo hatch was hinged at the bottom so that a stretcher could be passed in from the rear.
 |
| Ambulance Divider |
Solid divider window installed as standard in Ambulance
conversions. Consisted of a sliding glass window with a small handle
surrounded by a metal frame. Optionally available to other vehicles
and has been observed installed in a number of Kombis and
Standards as well
as an original German Police Bus. (Visible near top) |
| Ambulance Fan |
The ambulance fan was standard on Krankenwagen
conversions, and was an optional accessory (M-code 121) available for the
VW Transporter from 1952 thru 1967. For Barndoor
Buses, the installer cut a hole in the front peak of the roof, just above
the windshields. When VW updated the Type 2 design (March, 1955
through 1967) and overhead fresh-air
vent was made standard on all
models, the ambulance fan assembly replaced the removable cover between the
passenger and driver sun visors. The option consisted of two fans, a
three-position switch, a frame assembly to house the fans, and a replacement
cover plate with indentations to allow clearance for the fan bodies.
 |
| Ambulance Step | Cargo-area step. Standard on
Ambulance vehicles. This step had a small foot pedal that would pop
the step out when pressed to aid in loading the Ambulance stretcher.
It was also available as an optional accessory on other vehicles and came
in 2-styles: Belly-pan and non Belly-pan, to account for the
differences in the undercarriage of various Buses. Some ambulances
also had spring-loaded front door steps. |
| Amescador | Contraction for AMES CAmper
DORdrecht. This
was a third-party aftermarket camper conversion made in Dordrecht, Zuid-Holland
Province, southwestern Netherlands, by the country's largest VW dealer,
Ames, starting in 1968 with a bunch of '67 Buses.
 |
| Apron | Bottom "U" shaped piece
of metal on the front and rear of the Beetle, between the bottoms of the
fenders. On a Bus, it usually refers to the bottom piece of metal in
the rear above the exhaust. See also crank
apron.
 |
| Arcomobile | VW Bus camper conversion with
square-shaped raised roof. Also see
Grawomobile
 |
| Asfalt-Bubbla | Swedish: "Asphalt Bubble". A common nickname in Sweden for the Beetle sedan and convertible. |
| ASI | See Riviera |
| ATF | Automatic Transmission Fluid |
| Atogas | An after-market VW engine tuning
kit from the 1950's. It adds an extra air-intake line next to the
intake manifold. The line has it's own valve that is connected to the
throttle valve. The extra air provided for the engine plus a bigger jet in
the carburetor increased power. It improved both miles per gallon as
well as the 0 to 100 km/h time by 3.5 seconds. In the 1950s, the cost was
98.50 DM.
More
information
 |
| Auf-Zu | German: "open-closed". 1. Before Beetles had gas gauges, the gas tank had a one-gallon sump, providing an emergency reserve. When your car began to sputter, you simply switched a lever on the bulkhead down by your feet from "zu" to "auf", then proceeded directly to a gas station. See also Reserve Valve 2.Used on early Type 3 engine lid covers to indicate the position of the engine lid latches  |
| Auriga | A VW-based kitcar manufactured in
Gainsville, Florida by the Auriga Corp.
 |
| Aussie Flash Trim | Australian accessory side trim
 |
| Auto sleeper | A third-party, aftermarket camping conversion for the Transporter. |
| Autogerma S. p.A. | The first official Volkswagen importer for Italy in 1954. Founded by a German citizen, Mr. Gerhard Gumpert in Bologna. Then Autogerma moved to Verona (Romeo and Juliet's city) closer to Germany port of entry: Brennero. In 1984 became directly property of Volkswagen A.G (www.autogerma.it) In 2007 the name changed to Volkswagen Group Italia S.p.A. |
| Autostick | Semi-automatic transmission used in Beetles and Karmann Ghias. Uses a torque converter, paired with a 3 speed standard transmission which uses a vaccum-operated clutch to shift between gears. Put your hand on the gearshift, the clutch disengages, move the shifter to the gear you want, let go, and the clutch engages. The torque converter lets the engine run while in gear so you can drive the Beetle like it has an fully automatic transmission in it. 3 speeds were used: super low, low and high. |
| die Autostadt | German: "The Automobile
City". One of
the original names of the Volkswagenwerk company town. It was also called
"die Stadt des KdF-Wagens", which translates to "the City of the Strength-through-Joy Cars". See
Wolfsburg. |
| B-pillar | The roof support metal between the front door window and the rear side window. Also see A-pillar, C-pillar, and D-pillar | |||||||||||||||
| Baby Dells | Nickname for the 34mm version of the
Dellorto carburetor. |
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| Baby Webers | Nickname for the smaller version of the Weber carburetor. | |||||||||||||||
| Baby Window | Hawaiian nickname for Oval-Window Beetle. | |||||||||||||||
| Badge | Term to describe a variety of chrome, metal,
enamel or other type badges applied to the body of a VW. Some examples are
Auto Club related, dealer badges, scripts, or mileage awards.
 |
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| Bagged | Slang term to indicate that a VW is equipped with a custom air suspension consisting of "air--bags". | |||||||||||||||
| Baja |
A Beetle sedan, typically with fiberglass
fenders and a hood, that has been modified for off-road usage. Front
and rear aprons are usually cut to accommodate the replacement front end and to
increase engine access in the rear.
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| Baja Champion | For the USA, Volkswagen decided to use their first special edition to capitalize on recent victories in Baja, though it was a Super Beetle, so the Weltmeister was named Baja Champion. Same paint; same wheels, but a Baja Champion was a US spec car. Also see Weltmeister | |||||||||||||||
| Bakelite | Plastic-like material used for various items
in early VWs such as dashboard faces and turn signal relay housings.
An item cam be checked if it is Bakelite by using a Q-tip with 409.
The Q-tip will turn yellow.  |
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| Ball joint | Flexible coupling in a vehicle's suspension
that connects the control arm to the steering knuckle. A ball joint is so
named because of its ball-and-socket construction. Some are designed to
never require grease while others should be lubed every six months. As the
joint wears, it becomes loose. The result is suspension noise and wheel
misalignment. |
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| Bamboo Tray | See Parcel Tray. | |||||||||||||||
| Banana Pressing | The outward stamp on the back of 36hp fan
shrouds, shaped like a banana. |
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| Barndoor | Any Bus produced through
the end of February, 1955. The term Barndoor is credited to Jeff Walters and is
in reference to the large decklid found on those vehicles. Barndoor Type 2's can also be
recognized by the lack of an overhead fresh air vent over the windshield, 16 inch
rims,
the lack of full dash on non-deluxe models, non-opening rear window hatch (a few exceptions);
not to mention miscellaneous switches, latches, seats and body panels that are unique to the Barndoor
Bus and no other.
The term is often mistakenly used to refer to the 2 cargo doors on the side
of a Bus.   
 October 1974 Volkswagen Greats article with term "Barn Door" mentioned. |
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| Barn find | Strictly: Vehicle parked in a barn for many years, often 20 or more. Typically describes a car that is unaltered - a nice original car that is covered in dust and needs a clean up and not a restoration. Often: Description to refer to any car that is found in a barn, garage, or other storage and has not been used in many years. Condition and originality may vary. |
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|
Basic Bug (1975 Model 110) |
Please see this thread in the Forums for more details.
|
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| Bastard Engine | Redesigned 36 hp engine used for a short period in the VW Bus before the more formal 40 hp engine was used. Please see this thread in the Forums for more details. | |||||||||||||||
| Battery Tray | Area of the floor pan
underneath the battery. Often rusted out due to battery acid damage,
this area is the most common needing welding or rust repair on a
Volkswagen.  |
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| Batwing | The steering wheel used in the Deluxe Beetles
from very late 1949 until 1955.
 |
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| Bay Window Bus | All buses produced after July, 1967 (1968 model year) to 1979.
Also know as the T2. The name refers to its large, curved, one-piece
windshield, differing from the first generation split
screens. Also see
Bread-Loaf.  |
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| Bead Blast | Alternate name for Media Blast, specifically when glass beads or grit are used. | |||||||||||||||
| Beauty Ring | Ring of metal, typically made of aluminum,
that mounts near the tire in order to enhance the appearance of a
vehicle. Polished to a chrome-like appearance. Standard on Deluxe
Buses as well as some other early VWs, such as Ghias,
before the introduction of trim rings. |
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| Beetle |
Nick name for the Volkswagen (people's
car) - due to the striking similarity between the VW Beetle's bodywork and
the appearance of the insect "beetle" the name has been adopted
throughout the world with Beetle in the USA and UK, Kafer in Germany and Coccinelle
in France, etc.. The Bug was produced in various forms in Germany from
1939 until 1977. By the time German production ceased in Wolfsburg (the car
continued to be built by Volkswagen de México for some time, and in limited
production by Volkswagen do Brasil) over nineteen million cars had been
delivered, making it far and away the single best-selling automobile model
of all time. Designed by the Porsche Büro under
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, it
was to become the world's first truly universal car since the Ford Model-T,
which it eventually outsold.
 |
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| Beetle Bags | 2 or 3 piece luggage sets that are contoured to fit in the trunk (on top of the gas tank) and package area (behind the rear seat) of 1960 - 1966 beetles. They were a dealer option made by Cascade Plastic in Spokane, WA. | |||||||||||||||
| Behr scoop |
Barndoor Bus accessory fresh air intake /
Ambulance Fan
 Brochure - Technical Bulletin Z1 - Fresh Air Regulator for VW Transporter |
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| Bench seat | Commonly refers to the full length front seat of a Bus. Seats 3 people. | |||||||||||||||
| BeKoWa |
German manufacturer of roof racks and other accessories. |
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| Belly Pans |
Reinforcement used on sunroof buses (21/23-window or buses with an optional
sunroof) and double door buses to add
additional frame rigidity. 
 |
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| Beltline | The horizontal line defined by the lower edges of a vehicles windscreen, rear and side windows and pillars. | |||||||||||||||
| Bermuda Triangle | The triangular area inside the lower front A-pillar of a Beetle. | |||||||||||||||
| Bias ply |
Original type of tire used on VWs through the mid 1960s. The tire construction utilized plies that run diagonally from one bead to the
other. One ply is set on a bias in one direction, and succeeding plies are
set alternately in opposing directions crossing each other. Also know as a cross-ply tire. Replaced by
radial tires.  |
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| Big Button Glovebox |
Slang term for the larger glove box button used on 1961-early 1963 Notchback
and Squarebacks. A locking version was used on Type 34s, for all years 
 |
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| Big M |
Radio produced by Motorola beginning in the late 1950s, characterized by a
large "M" on the face plate. Available as a radio option through US
dealers. Often seen as an "original" radio in Oval-Window Beetles.
 |
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| Big Nut | See Large Nut | |||||||||||||||
| Big Top |
Style of Westfalia tent. Usually refers
to the 1966-67 Split-screen
Bus tent without a floor. 1968 and later tents have a floor.
 |
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| Big Window |
Often refers to the larger back window used in 1965-1967 Beetles. Also see Small Window  Small vs. Big Window example |
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| Billet |
A solid chunk of metal, for use in machining or fabricating a part.
Billet parts are often used in demanding applications such as racing or
military vehicles and are desirable to customizers, who don't really need
the strength and durability of billet parts but who like the appearance.
Billet parts were frequently used in the creation of the
Cal-Look. |
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| Binz |
Binz & Co. is a custom coachbuilder, located in the small town of Lorch,
some 30 km east of Stuttgart. The company produced special bodies for a
number of automobile manufacturers, including a series of cabriolets for
Mercedes Benz, ambulances on various chassis, and of course the doppelkabine
pritschenwagen. It is estimated that about 250 Binz trucks were built, and
the location of very few of these are currently known. This makes the
Binz Double Cabs among the very rarest of the
production Volkswagens. For the Type 2, Binz made
Double Cabs by taking a Single Cab pick-up and modifying it with an enlarged
cab and a rear 3rd door. A rear seat was optional. The earliest
Binz Double Cab is thought to be a 1953 model. VW started producing
Double Cabs in its own right in late 1958, although Binz continued one-off
Double Cab production into early 1959.
 |
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| Birth Certificate |
Document available from the Volkswagen Museum in Germany that can provide
you with production information on your vehicle such as original VIN or
Chassis #, Engine #, original paint and upholstery colors, and any options
that were factory-ordered. Also known as a Factory Letter. |
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| Bjalla | Icelandic: Bjalla. In Iceland, a common nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. Bjalla means beetle in Icelandic. | |||||||||||||||
| Blades | Slang for wiper blades. | |||||||||||||||
| Blaupunkt |
OEM Radio manufacturer for VW. The most popular model seems to be the Frankfurt.
 |
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| Block-Off Plate |
Metal plate used to cover hole in dash if radio is not installed. 
 |
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| Boble | Norwegian: Bubble. In Norway, a common nickname for the Beetle Volkswagen sedan and convertible. The term "Bubble" for the Beetle is common throughout Scandinavia. | |||||||||||||||
| Bocho | Spanish slang name for the Beetle | |||||||||||||||
| Body Dropped |
Lowering process that involves the separation of the body from the
frame. The body is "dropped" lower on the frame and then
both of them are welded back together. See also lowered,
slammed, and dumped |
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| Body Man | Person who performs bodywork. | |||||||||||||||
| Body Number | On Buses, a number stamped behind the passenger front seat before the usage of the M-Code plate. This number was used for tracking the body during the production process but has no useful meaning or direct relationship to the Chassis Number | |||||||||||||||
| Body Work | To perform dent repair on your vehicle. May also include the repair of rust and other damage involving welding or panel replacement. See also Body Man | |||||||||||||||
| Bogár | The most common name for the Type 1 in Hungary. Means insect, bug or beetle in English. | |||||||||||||||
| Boks | In the Philippines, a deliberate mispronunciation of "Volks". The Tagalog language lacks the "V" sound; the closest value is "b". Philippine VW enthusiasts often intentionally use this misspelling as it is common slang. | |||||||||||||||
| Bondo |
Polyester body filler used to smooth out bodywork or used to repair dents or dings in metal. Bondo has a
negative connotation as it is often associated with poor body work or the
over usage of the Bondo product, i.e. "That Beetle has 1/2" of
Bondo on every fender!".
 |
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| Boneyard | Slang for junkyard. | |||||||||||||||
| Bonnet | See Hood | |||||||||||||||
| Bosch |
OEM supplier to VW. Commonly associated with electrical parts such as
spark plugs, coils, points, fog lights, and generators. |
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| Bottom end | Refers to the bottom portion of an engine including the crankshaft, connecting rods and bearings, cam, and other components that deliver power to the transmission and rear wheels. Also see top end | |||||||||||||||
| Bowden tube |
Flexible tube for the clutch cable that travels from the hard tube in the
floorpan to a mount on the transmission. Allows the clutch cable to
flex up and down when the transmission shifts position due to driving
forces. The tube should have enough of a bend in it so that the 2 ends
of the tube stay in place when the transmission movement is at it's maximum.
This is referred to as the "sag" and prevents clutch "chatter" by keeping
the distance between the clutch pedal and the transmission constant through
its range of movement.
 |
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| Bows | Another term for Hoops, used to support the canvas bed cover, or Tilt, available for Single and Double Cab trucks. | |||||||||||||||
| Brasilia | Volkswagen do Brasil designed, developed, and
produced a number of interesting vehicles for domestic usage and limited
export, such as the Saõ Paulo SP-1 and SP-2, and others. Among these
is the Brasília, which strongly resembles the Variant or
Squareback
Sedan but which is actually a re-bodied Beetle. |
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| Breadbox | Slang for tumbler
cover for Westfalia SO-23s.
 |
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| Bread Loaf | A nickname for the 1968 - 1979 Transporter. It is a reference to its resemblance to a loaf of bread. See Bay Window. | |||||||||||||||
| Breather Kit | Reduces crankcase pressure, eliminate blow-by (often piston blow-by) and oil loss. Often high revving modified engines require more crankcase ventilation than the stock breather set up can supply. | |||||||||||||||
| Brezelfenster | German slang for describing an early split window beetle, brezel = pretzel to denote the similarity to the window's shape to a german pretzel, and fenster = window. | |||||||||||||||
| BRMs | Type of rim
characterized by: flat spokes, often painted black. 5-lug
design. These were originally made with magnesium and were therefore
very light. Currently being reproduced. Originals have become
very valuable to collectors. |
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| Brown and Brown | Paint scheme consisting of brown beige on top
and light beige on bottom. Only found on the Barndoor Bus Standard model.  |
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| Brubaker Box | VW Beetle chassis-based kit constructed of 13
inner and outer fiberglass panels and using parts from several other
vehicles at the times to produce a "box". Originally debuted in 1972
but very few originals were made. It had a single sliding door for
entry and rigidity.
 |
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| Buba | Croatian: Bubble. A common nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible in Croatia and throughout the former Yugoslavia. | |||||||||||||||
| Bubbla | Swedish: Bubble. In Sweden, a common nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. | |||||||||||||||
| Bubble Taillights | Style used on buses 1954 - 1957.
|
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| Bubbling | Refers to an imperfection where the paint
bubbles, often caused by heat or rust underneath. |
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| Bud Vase | A bud vase, or the more common "blumenvasen",
is an accessory for early
German cars including VWs and Porsche and were usually mounted on the
dashboard. They were used to hold cut flowers or "buds" and were
usually made of glass or porcelain. Original examples are quite hard to find
and very collectable, even though reproductions are currently available. |
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| Bug | See Beetle | |||||||||||||||
| Bulkhead | Area of the Volkswagen Beetle directly in
front of the dashboard. On Buses, the panel of metal directly behind
the front seat. |
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| Bullets | Indicative of the pointed turn signals used on
VW Buses from 1955-1961 in the USA marketplace as well as the pointed turn
signals used on early Oval Beetles, Ghias, and Type 3s. |
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| Bulli | Or Bully. Nickname for the VW Bus in Germany. Originally the VW Bus was to be named the VW Bulli but Heinrich Lanz, producer of the Lanz Bulldog farm tractor, objected. The nickname caught on anyway. Also see Bus | |||||||||||||||
| BuM | Manufacturer of locking/latching assemblies.
Examples: Bus door handles, cargo door handles/latches, and rear hatches.
 |
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| Bus |
General term describing the VW Transporter
series of vehicles - Panelvans, Kombis,
Standards/Microbuses, and Deluxes. |
|||||||||||||||
| C-pillar | The roof support metal between the rear side window and the rear window. On a car with 4 pillars, the rearmost pillar may be called the D-Pillar. Also see A-pillar, B-pillar, and D-pillar |
| Cabriolet | Model name for the convertible coupe version of the Beetle or the Karmann-Ghia Often casually abbreviated as "Cabrio". Most of the Volkswagen Cabriolets were made by the coachbuilder Karmann. Cabriolet original referred to "A two-wheeled, one-horse carriage that has two seats and a folding top." The word Cabriolet originates from the French while the Germans used Kabriolett. |
| Caddy |
Formal name of the Rabbit Pickup. The name which was not used for the
US marketplace. When Volkswagen released the Caddy it first was produced at the Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant in Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1982. Forums thread on name origin 
 |
| Cal-Look |
The "California Look". Originally began in Southern California back in the
1950s. The Cal-Look typically consists of a radical lowering job, removal of
chrome, bumpers, and other trim, producing a more
smooth-looking vehicle. |
| Campingbox |
Camping interior manufactured by Westfalia
(beginning in the early 1950s) that could be easily removed from the bus. |
| Campmobile |
The term given to the Westfalia Conversion once it was 'sponsored' by
Volkswagen. While there was never an official link between the two companies
VW started to use Westphalia in its advertising from 1975 (?), giving the
van the title 'Campmobile'. |
| Canadian Standard | The Canadian Standard (sometimes called Canadian Custom) was a class of Type I's unique to the Canadian marketplace. They were effectively dressed up Standards. Well over 99% of the Beetles destined for the export market were Deluxe or Export models. The Canadian Standard can be identified by some features of the Deluxe such as hydraulic brakes, export engines and chrome bumpers with towel bars, combined with features of the Standard, such as small headliner, non chrome breeze windows, no chrome on window rubber, no chrome on running boards. The Canadian dealers usually added a gas heater, block heater and radio as dealer options. |
| Cancer | See Rust-Through |
| Canvas |
Fabric portion of a Single Cab or Double
Cab tilt assembly. See also hoops. |
| Caravelle |
The T3 generation of the Volkswagen Type 2, also
known as the Vanagon in the U.S., as the
Transporter or Caravelle in Europe, and also
to some in Britain and Ireland as the T25, was built from 1980 until 1991.
It was the last of the rear-engined Volkswagens. |
| Cargo Area | Area located behind the front seat area of a Bus. Commonly contains either two seats for a Passenger vehicle or two seats or a wide open loading bay for Commercial Vehicles. |
| Cargo Door |
Side loading doors for a Bus. Usually consists of a set of two
opposite opening doors or a single sliding door assembly. See also Double
Door |
| Cargo Floor |
Metal flooring in the rear of a Bus, commonly termed the
Cargo
Area |
| Carocha | Nickname for the Volkswagen Beetle sedan and convertible in Portugal. |
| Carrozzeria Ghia | Designer of the Karmann-Ghia. From Turin, Italy. |
| Centerline |
Aftermarket aluminum wheel popular with the racers on and off-road.
 |
| Champagne Edition |
The Champagne Edition was a sales campaign that VW did in 1977 and 1978. The
1978 models are referred to as Champagne Edition II. These models included
special colors and accessories. The CEII Bus for 1978 was Fox Red and
Datenut Brown with 3 color tape stripes and a two tone (Beige and Sienna)
corduroy interior. There was also a camper version which was brown with
white top. Both Buses had chrome bumpers with rubber strips. This
campaign extended to other VW models and continued on into the water-cooled
VW era.  |
| Chandelier |
Slang for Westfalia hanging light.  |
| Chassis |
Floor pan and superstructure of a VW automobile. Refers to the
complete rolling assembly underneath the body. |
| Chassis Number |
Identification number stamped into the Chassis of a
VW vehicle. Usually indicates the month/year of manufacture. |
| Check rod | Flat piece of metal on hinge side of door that prevents the door from opening too far out and damaging the hinges and door sheet metal. Cannot be used with 1-piece window glass. After market door stops are made of thick cable which flexes thus enabling the use of 1-piece windows. |
| Checking |
Paint imperfection - Usually appears as
slight breaks in the surface of the paint film. Checking cracks can assume
many patterns, sometimes resembling small squares.  |
| Cheetah | A design study commissioned by VW and executed by Giorgetto Guigiaro's ItalDesign studio. Named the "Karmann Cheetah," the car was based on mechanicals from the Beetle Volkswagen. The Cheetah was intended to be a replacement for the Karmann-Ghia. |
| Child's Cot |
Canvas attached to 2 metal poles at each end with hooks at
each end of the poles. Attaches to 4 hooks, 2 at the door pillars and
2 at the windshield posts inside the front cab of a Bus. When
mounting, it is just above the height of the steering wheel with the canvas
open in the shape of a small hammock. Large enough for a small child
to sleep on.
 |
| Chopped | Slang term referring to Chop-top.
 |
| Chop-top | This term
refers to the practice of lowering the roof on the body of the vehicle by
cutting portions of the frame and door frames and reinstalling custom
glass for a custom look. |
| Church Key |
P or T-shaped metal "key" used to open the decklid on
1955-1965 Buses, the gas door on 1952-1966 Trucks and 1955-1966 Buses, and the
Treasure Chest on 1952-1966 Trucks. 
  |
| CKD | Complete Knock Down - A complete kit needed to assemble a motor vehicle. Pre-made in Germany, these vehicles were shipped to countries such as Brazil and South Africa for assembly. CKD production started in 1953. CKD kits were often used so that local labor could perform the final assembly of vehicles, either to provide tax benefits or to help provide jobs for local personnel. |
| Class 11 |
Open wheeled-Stock VW Sedans. Vehicles must be a stock VW sedan as delivered
in the United States. Class requirements |
| Clay Bar |
Paint & Body product, most frequently used to remove paint over spray or
contamination on a car. |
| Clean | Slang term used to identify a straight or nice attribute of a vehicle, e.g. "That Beetle has a clean interior" or "That Bus has the cleanest sides I've ever seen." |
| Clipper |
Trim level/accessories package used for a short period of time on the
Deluxe Kombi Bay Window
Bus. Included large metal sunroof, front and
rear bumper trim, rear window jail bars, and
chrome trim on the interior, among other items. The Clipper name was
discontinued due to copyright issues with Pan Am, who owned the Clipper
term.
 |
| Clone | Slang to indicate a particular vehicle or part is not original but has been modified to appear as such. Example, a "cloned" 21-Window Bus, meaning a Bus that was not originally a 21-Window has been altered to now look like one. |
| Clown Bus | Slang for lowered bus. |
| Coach-built | Vehicle construction method employed by small volume manufacturers usually creating sporting or cabriolet versions of standard models. Due to the small scale nature of the work, the bodywork was usually hand formed over wooden bucks or with an English Wheel and then welding the small sections together and lead loading and grinding smooth the joins. The term "coach-builder" refers to the days when you would take your bespoke carriage chassis (and later automobile chassis) to a coach-builder to have your own special bodywork constructed. The most famous coach-builders involved with Volkswagen include Hebmuller, Karmann, Drews, Dannenhauer & Staus, Binz, Denzel, and Rometsch. |
| Coat Hook | Small hook used in various VW
models to hold a coat or other item.
 |
| Coccinella | Name given to the Beetle in Italy. Translated literally, the word means "Ladybug" in Italian. |
| Coccinelle | In French: "Lady Bug". Widely-used nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible in France. |
| Coco Mats | Woven fiber mats, originally
available as a dealer accessory for the
Volkswagen. Created from the natural fiber extracted from the
protective husk of coconuts. NOS Type 3 mats |
| Combi | A version of the VW Transporter produced in Mexico. The Combi is a Bay Window Bus with a VW Golf-style engine and transmission. It has an 1.8L 4-cylider front wheel drive engine. |
| Commercials | Collective slang term for all Volkswagens in the commercial class. |
| Commercial Vehicle | VW Panelvan, Kombi, Single Cab, Double Cab, and other truck or hauling vehicles. |
| Concours | Denotes an elegant gathering of
vehicles, usually in a park or lawn atmosphere. Typically used to
describe the highest quality restoration, one that can be inspected with
white gloves and still come away clean. Often misspelled as concourse. Concourse - A large open space for the gathering or passage of crowds, as in an airport. |
| Condition |
Vehicle condition can be
specified as follows:
1 - Excellent - A close to perfect original or a very well restored vehicle. Generally a body-off restoration, but a well done body-on restoration that has been fully detailed may qualify. The vehicle is stunning to look at and any flaws are trivial and not readily apparent. Everything works as new. All equipment is original, NOS, or excellent quality reproductions. 2 - Very Good - An extremely presentable vehicle showing minimal wear, or a well restored vehicle. Runs and drives smooth and tight. Needs no mechanical or cosmetic work. All areas (chassis not required, but may be) have been fully detailed. Beautiful to look at but clearly below a #1 vehicle.3 - Good - Presentable inside and out with some signs of wear. Not detailed but very clean. Body should be straight and solid with no apparent rust and absolutely no rust-through anywhere. Shiny, attractive paint but may have evidence of minor fading or checking or other imperfections. Runs and drives well. May need some minor mechanical or cosmetic work but is fully usable and enjoyable as is. 4 - Fair - Runs and drives OK but needs work throughout the vehicle. Body shows signs of wear or previous restoration work. Any rust should be minimal and not in any structural areas. Cosmetics, body, and mechanics all need work to some degree.5 - Poor - In need of complete restoration, but is complete and not a rust bucket beyond repair. May or may not run and drive. Not roadworthy. 6 - Parts or Salvage - Incomplete vehicle most useful for parts. |
| Connecting rod | A rod that is the vital connection between the piston and the crankshaft. It is connected to the crankshaft and allows the piston to move freely up and down in the cylinder. |
| Continental | OEM tire manufacturer
for Volkswagen. |
| Conversion | Used to describe a Volkswagen that has been formally modified by an aftermarket company. For example: Camping conversion |
| Convertible | See Cabriolet |
| Cookie Cutters | Type of rim.
Originally equipped on Porsche vehicles.
 |
| Corner window | Term used to describe a
15-Window or 23-Window Bus
due to the 2 "corner windows" at the rear left and right surrounding the
rear hatch. |
| Country Buggy | Produced in Australia from 1965 through 1968,
the Country Buggy used the Beetle engine and floor pan with
Bus trailing
arms on the front and reduction boxes in the rear. It had a respectable
ground clearance of 230mm. Country Buggies were available with 1200 cc
and 1300 cc engines. The 1300 was standard. The electrical
system was 6-volt. The body was designed in Australia and built from folded
flat sheet steel for ease of manufacture and extreme ruggedness;
strengthening ribs were included along the sides, and the very high sills
prevented flooding when crossing streams. Only 1,956 Country Buggies were
made, including about 400 left-hand drive examples. It debuted on April 1,
1965 and were sold until October, 1968 when low sales volumes and design
problems prompted VW Headquarters in Germany to end production. |
| Coupe | Two door, hardtop body style, like the Karmann-Ghia. |
| Cover Car | Term used (mainly by the seller/owner) to describe cars that have been featured on the cover of one or more VW Magazines. |
| Cow Catchers | Slang term for protective guards
such as Hurst bumpers that were used to
protective Buses or other vehicles from possible livestock damage.
Also see Roo Bars. |
| Crabs | Term used to describe the 15 X 4.5
Porsche Fuchs, because of the leaf portion
sticking out of the rim. This term originated in the early 80's in East Los
Angeles.
 |
| Crank Apron | Term to describe a Beetle or Bus
rear apron with provisions for crank-handle
usage. Typically consisted of a small hole for the crank handle to
pass through to access the crank-nut
|
| Crank Handle | Bent steel bar used to crank over
the engine in case of battery failure or for usage on an Industrial
engine
 |
| Crank Nut | Nut used in the center of the
engine pulley for the crank handle to rotate the
engine. Industrial nut & handle |
| Crankshaft | A shaft consisting of a series of cranks to which the connecting rods of an engine are attached |
| Crank Start | The action of rotating an engine with the crank handle and nut in order to start it. |
| Crashbox | Pre-1953 transmission with no synchros. Requires double-clutching to change gears. Split-case design but not to be confused with a split-case transmission |
| Crew Cab | See Double Cab |
| Crotch Coolers | Front quarter
panel vents on '51-'52 deluxe split window
Beetles.
 |
| Crow's Foot | Slang term identifying the 15" Bus wheel that
has indentations around each lug nut hole.
 |
| Custom | General term to indicate any
non-factory modification of a vehicle, from mild to radical. Opposite of stock
 |
| Cut | Slang term to describe alterations to the body panels of a VW. Most often seen in the wheel wells, dash, and vents. |
| CV Joint | Axle joint used for an IRS
rear end. |
| D-pillar | The rearmost roof support metal on a 4-pillar car. Also see A-pillar, B-pillar, and C-pillar | ||||
| DA | Slang for the "Dual Action" air tool used for stripping paint. It has a random orbital surface. | ||||
| Daily Driver | Refers to a VW of any type that is driven regularly: to work, school, shopping, errands, etc.. Opposite of Trailer Queen | ||||
| Dak Dak | Australian nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. This term is onomatopoeia for the sound a Beetle makes. | ||||
| Danbury Multicar |
A third-party, aftermarket camping conversion for the
Transporter. |
||||
| Dannenhauer und Staus |
D&S was a specialty coach-builder that, like
Hebmuller and
Rometsch, produced a number of very exotic cabriolets.   |
||||
| Dash | Slang for dashboard. | ||||
| Dashboard |
Area in the front of the interior
around the steering wheel that houses the gauges.
 |
||||
| Dashpod |
Small dash area used on Barndoor Buses from 1950-1955. Can also refer
just to the Bakelite speedo dash face used on Barndoor
and Split-Window Beetles |
||||
| DBGM | Abbreviation for Deutsches Bundes Gebrauchs Musterschutz, the German patent office. Parts may have this marking to show they are patented. | ||||
| DC | Abbreviation for Double Cab | ||||
| DDB |
Doyle, Dane & Bernbach was the New York advertising firm that conceived and produced the fabulously successful Think Small marketing campaign for
Volkswagen of America.
Debuting in 1959, it was the single most successful automobile advertising
campaign of all time. One example was a
Beetle in a sea of blank space, with a simple
phrase below.  |
||||
| Dealer Memorabilia |
Promotional items given away by VW dealers, ranging from key fobs to body
badges to lunchboxes. Highly collectible.
 |
||||
| Dealer plate frame |
Dealer plate frames were added to cars and usually had the
name of the dealer and the city on them. Used as free advertising for
the dealership.
 |
||||
| Decklid |
Term to describe the engine cover on various VW models
 |
||||
| Delog | German OE manufacturer of glass used in VW and other vehicles. Delog is laminated safety glass and often seen used in windshields. | ||||
| Dellortos |
One of the more popular brands of dual
carburetors for high performance upgrade of the VW motor. |
||||
| Deluxe |
Term for highest trim level on a bus. A Standard microbus with the
addition of trim strips along the beltline, dash clock, etc. Deluxes
began production in 1951 and were available in both sunroof and non-sunroof
models. |
||||
| Denzel | Austrian coachbuilt sports car. The first
Denzel had a hand-built wooden body based a Kubelwagen chassis. It
used the Kubelwagen's 25hp engine and won first place in the 1949 Austrian
Alpine Rally. A production prototype was completed in 1951 using an aluminum
body on a steel frame chassis and utilizing the Volkswagen suspension and
engine. Formal production began in 1953 and ended in 1959 with about
350 total cars produced. The bodies came from Karosseriefabrik F K
Gesellschaft, a Viennese firm that also produced some of the early Porsche
bodies. There were 3 models: Denzel Sport "Seriensuper" with 1281cc 52hp engine Denzel Sport Super with 1290cc 64hp engine Denzel Sport International with 1500cc 80hp engine 
 |
||||
| Devin | Devin produced fiberglass cars based on the VW
chassis. One was taken from a rare Italian car named Ermini around 1954.
Devin also created the all recognizable dune buggy which created a
fiberglass craze from the 50s to 70s.
 |
||||
| Devon | British
Camper, Devon Ltd converted a huge amount of Bay Windows to
Campers. |
||||
| Disc Brakes | Device for slowing or stopping the rotation of
a wheel. Consists of a rotor and brake caliper. The rotor, usually
made of cast iron, is connected to the front or rear axles. Friction
material in the form of brake pads in the caliper are forced hydraulically
against both sides of the disc. Friction causes the rotor and attached wheel
to slow or stop.
 |
||||
| Dizzy | Slang term for distributor | ||||
| Doghouse | Introduced
in the 1971 model year on all upright air-cooled engines, the
"doghouse" fan shroud (so called because of the two additional
pieces of tin that were added to the front of the shroud to accommodate the
new cooler) provided a more efficient system of cooling the VW
engine. The new design re-located the oil cooler (found previously within
the shroud, over the number 3 cylinder) by offsetting it away from number
three towards the front of the car. Coupled with a high volume
fan this set up provided more cooling to the VW engine. As a side note,
the doghouse fan itself is not interchangeable with non-doghouse shrouds and
vice versa.
 |
||||
| Dogleg | Area of metal on a VW Bus
surrounding the front wheel well. Aka the front wheel arch. Also see Dogleg - Thin Lip, Dogleg - Fat Lip  Barndoor 3-piece doglegs, note seam on top |
||||
| Dogleg - Fat Lip | Style of Dogleg used on
pre-1962 Buses where the lip is thicker, approx. 46 mm high in the center.
Also see Dogleg - Thin Lip
 |
||||
| Dogleg - Thin Lip | Style of Dogleg used on
62-67 Buses where the lip is thinner, approx. 24 mm high in the center.
Also see Dogleg - Fat Lip
 |
||||
| DOKA | DOKA is German slang for a DOppel KAbine or double cab pickup | ||||
| Door Check Rod |
See check rod |
||||
| Door Panel | Hardboard, vinyl, cloth (or a
combination of one or all of them)
that covers the inside of the door in the interior. Often replaced during a restoration.
 |
||||
| Doppelkabine | See Double Cab | ||||
| Dormobile | A large number of third-party, aftermarket camping
conversions for various vehicles were made by Martin-Waller, Ltd. of Folkestone, England. In fact, so well-known were these that many people
refer to any camping conversion generically as a "Dormobile".  |
||||
| Double Cab |
After realizing the popularity the Binz coach-built
truck models had achieved, VW realized the demand and stepped up production
of their own double cab model. The official VW Double Cab was similar to the
Binz design yet the door was almost half the width,
leading to a smaller rear passenger compartment and a slightly longer bed
area. Initially Double Cabs had gates made from shortened
Single Cab gates until production was ramped up
for DC-specific parts. DC's were never available with ribbed bumpers.. |
||||
| Double Clutching | The action of pressing in the clutch, moving the gearshift to neutral, then pressing it in again to up or downshift once the transmission and engine rpms match up. Necessary on pre-53 VWs with a crashbox transmission | ||||
| Double Door |
Indicates a VW Bus that has cargo doors
on both the left and right hand side of the vehicle. The term
"drive-thru" is also used. |
||||
| Drews | Pronounced "Draivs". Coachbuilt sports car
from the early 1950s. They were quite square-looking, with suicide doors.
Some have lips above the wheel wells and/or ribbed bumpers. According to an
article in the May 2004 issue of VW Trends, 150 were made.
 |
||||
| Drive-Thru | See double door. | ||||
| Dropped Beam | Front-end that has been modified to allow for lower stance, creating a lowered VW. Also see adjuster. | ||||
| Drop Spindles | Modified front-end spindle that produces a lower stance for the front of a vehicle | ||||
| Dub | Shortened version of Vee-Dub | ||||
| Dual-port | Refers to
the number of individual intake passages into the head. Dual ports
have 2 per head. |
||||
| Dumped | Slang for lowered.
See also slammed and body-dropped. |
||||
| Dune Buggy | General term for an off-road
VW kit car based on a Beetle chassis. See Meyers
Manx |
||||
| Durante Nose | Hawaiian slang for a Pope's Nose | ||||
|
|||||
| DVDA | Dual Vacuum Dual Advance . A distributor with both vacuum and mechanical advances but only one vacuum can. It provides vacuum to retard the timing at idle on one vacuum line for emissions reasons and vacuum to advance the timing when driving on the other vacuum line. These were paired with the 34 Pict-3 carburetor stock for select 1971-1974 vehicles. See SVDA | ||||
| Dwell | Dwell refers to the length of time, in
distributor shaft rotational degrees, that the breaker points were closed
and the ignition coil was being charged with electricity. The coil sends
voltage to the spark plugs when the points open and the dwell period ends.
For example in a 4-cylinder VW engine it might be 50° (Spark fires at 90° intervals, points are closed for 50° between each firing)  |
||||
| EA489 | See Hormiga |
| Earlies | See Fuchs |
| Eberspacher |
OEM manufacturer of gas
heaters |
| Egg Tail Lights |
The tail lights used on export US Beetles from
late 1954 through April 1955 only. Use the same size bodies as the beloved
Heart Tail Lights.
 |
| Elephant Ear Mirror |
Larger accessory side mirror used on Split-Window and Bay-Window Buses.
 |
| Elephant Foot |
Large Taillight used on Beetles and Super Beetles from 1973 to 1977 and
through 1979 on convertibles. Taillight takes an entirely different fender
due to its size. Reflector in center, brake/running light in middle, orange
section blinker. |
| Elephant Trunk |
Slang term for SO-23 Westfalia Camper water filler hose. Aka Elephant Dick 
 |
| Emden | Volkswagen plant in Germany that began production in 1964, taking over the duties of building American-bound Beetles from Wolfsburg that same year. Volkswagens meant for America were built here until 1978. The plant is still in operation today and recently rolled out its 100 Millionth Volkswagen, a 1.9L GTi. |
| Emergency Seat |
Smaller back seat, often seen in Ghias that was
suitable only for small children or emergencies. Usually folded down
to provide an additional carpeted cargo area. |
| EMPI |
Originally, the acronym for European Motor Products, Inc., later Engineered Motor Products, Inc. A well-known Riverside, California, manufacturer of
aftermarket accessories for Volkswagen vehicles. 
 |
| EMPI GTV |
See
EMPI GTV MK I-IV
 |
| EMPI Sportster |
Steel-bodied Dune Buggy based on a modified Beetle chassis with plans
supplied by EMPI
 Dedicated thread on the site |
| Enders |
Maker of stoves found in early Westfalia campers.
 |
| Engine Number | Stamped identification number, often underneath the generator pedestal or near the center of the case halves. |
| Engine Tin |
Metal duct work and covering pieces that provides routing of air to cool the
engine as well as providing access to some areas of the engine, such as the
valves, for adjusting. |
| Erco |
Atermarket aluminum wheel known for its light weight and popularity with
drag racers.
 |
| Erwin Komenda | Chief body designer/engineer for the Beetle, as well as other Volkswagens and Porsches. |
| Escarabajo | Spanish: "scarab". In Spain, a nickname for the Beetle Volkswagen sedan and convertible. |
| Euro |
Term used to describe Volkswagen options that were unique features used only in the European
market. For example: Semaphore turn signals on
Beetle and Bus from
1955 to 1960 models, (US bound Export models lost the semaphores in 1955),
amber front turn signals, and red/amber brake lights, (on Euro cars beetle
and bus after 1961, and on Euro Karmann Ghias since 1955). Most Euro
Beetles/Ghias had cloth interiors as well, while Export cars received
leatherette. This sets Euro cars apart from all the rest, and also
makes them more desirable to serious collectors. |
| Eurovan |
The official factory name for the T4 Transporter
(fourth generation), which was introduced in 1992.  |
| Export Code (Bus) |
On the Bus M-code tag behind the
passenger front seat, the lower left set of characters that indicate the
country, and usually the port, of destination. |
| Eyebrow |
Accessory headlight cover
 |
| Fahrt | German: "Drive". Text that appeared on early Type 3 ignitions for the "Start" position. |
| Fahrvergnügen | German for "The enjoyment derived from driving". |
| Fastback |
A version of the Type 3 Volkswagen.
Characterized by a rear body shape falls in an unbroken line from the roofline to the rear
bumper. Began production in late 1965 (1966 model year)
 |
| Fasty | Slang term for Fastback. |
| Fat Base Mirror Arm |
Mirror arm used on Buses from 1955 to mid-1958. It has a larger base right
above the hinge area than later Buses mirror arms.
Thread in
Forums |
| Fatchick | Slang term for most air-cooled VWs that use 4-bolt wheels, such as 68 and newer Standard Beetles, Super Beetles, Bay Window Buses, 1970 and later Ghias, 1970 and later Type 3s, etc. |
| Fender |
Removable body section of a VW vehicle, usually houses the headlights or
taillights |
| Fender Beading |
Plastic/vinyl beading used between the fenders and the body on VW vehicles,
priomarily to prevent metal to metal contact while sealing the joining
surface.
 |
| Fender Brakes | Slang term, generally used with the occurrence of lowered Volkswagens that experience fender rub due to the lack of a narrowed front beam or oversized tires up front. |
| Fender Guards | See Gravel Guards |
| Fenderwell | Underside of the fender, where the tire often is situated. In the case of Beetle fenders, this area is concave. |
| Feuerwehrauto | German: Fire Truck (literally "fireman's car"). |
| FI | Fuel injection |
| Finger Guards |
Door handle accessory, typically made of aluminum, that protects the area
behind the door handle from fingernail scratches |
| Firetruck |
VW Commercial vehicle outfitted for
Fire service. Special fire equipment may have included a rotating
light on the roof, a fire hose, sirens, red paint, extra lighting, and
sometimes a trailer with an industrial
engine-driven fire pump
 |
| FLAPS | Friendly Local Automotive Parts Store |
| Flash Trim | See Aussie Flash Trim |
| Fleetline | Fleetlines were built in South Africa in 1975.
One year only. They were assembled in SA from Brazilian knocked down kits in
three versions: 15-window Kombis, Panelvans, and wide-bed Single Cabs.  
 |
| Fließheck | German term for Notchback. Combined from "Fließen" (to flow) and "Heck" (tail) |
| Flip-Hatch | Term used for the roof opening in pre-65 model
Westfalias, used for ventilation. Also see sub-hatch.  |
| Flip-Seat | Term used for the 1961 - '65 Westfalias.
The front seat was hinged at the bottom and could "flip" against
the steering wheel to allow more seating in the cargo
area.
 |
| Floorpan | Superstructure of a VW automobile. Also
see chassis |
| Fluted Lenses | Headlights style used on all models up to 1967. |
| Flying Hood Ornament | Made in Australia in the late fifties, the
Flying Hood Ornament mounts to the hood of a Beetle over the aluminum
molding trim, a number of different versions were available. Little is known
about the source of the ornaments. Reproductions are available. See this Forums thread for more information 
 |
| Foglights | Accessory available for foggy weather usage,
these cast light in more of a side-to-side pattern. |
| Footwell Lining | Rubber lining at the bottom of the VW Bus bulkhead,
on the cargo area side |
| Formsprache | German for "The language of design". |
| Formula Vee | A set of rules, or "formula", for single-seat, open-wheeled racing cars based on
stock
Volkswagen 1200 series, Beetle, U.S. model sedan components. It was and is highly restrictive in specifications so as to emphasize driver ability rather than the design and preparation of the car. For example, the only engine modification permitted is a 5-lb reduction in flywheel weight to improve throttle response. Standard wheels and brakes are required. A typical Formula Vee racer has a top speed of more than 100
mph. 
 Accessories: To capitalize on ties to Formula Vee racecars, any accessory with sporty or flashy leanings got Formula Vee put in front of the name. Steering wheels, shift knobs, bumper guards, dual horns, wheels, tailpipes, and of course Formula Vee stripes, plus a lot more. Some dealers were known to load a Bug with all the Formula Vee accessories it could hold, and they called it a Formula Vee Edition, but VW never made an official Formula Vee Edition. |
| Foxcrafts | Slang term, usually used to describe Foxcraft
Fender Skirts, a skirt that covers the rear wheel well on the VW Beetle.
Made by the Foxcraft company.
 |
| Foyer Tent | Small Westfalia tent
made from 1962 -1964.   |
| Frankenstein | Slang term used to describe a car grafted together from two or more other cars for a custom appearance. |
| Frankfurt | Blaupunkt Radio
model. |
| Freedom Camper | Aftermarket camper from the Freedom company in
San Fernando, CA.. Nicknamed Snowtop due to
the large originally white fiberglass roof extension. Easy to identify
due to roof, although not all Freedom Campers have the "snowtop" roof. There are several types of interiors, it is unknown
whether there was a single standard interior or if some of the interiors
seen were home-made.
 
 |
| Fresh-air | 1962 and later heating system where the air supply for the heating system is drawn in by the cooling fan and blown out through the fan housing through the heat exchangers. See also Stale-air |
| Fridolin |
German/Swiss Postal service delivery vehicle with sliding
doors on the sides. 
 |
| Fried Egg lens |
Slang term for the front turn signals on '62 to '67 buses. The orange center
of the lens looks like a yolk. the outer like the white of the egg. |
| Front Apron |
U-shaped area at the front center of a Beetle |
| Front Beam | Two parallel tubes that are bolted to the Chassis that, in turn, have the remainder of the front suspension attached to them. |
| Front Clip | Area from the dashboard forward, not to include any fenders. |
| Fuchs |
Type of rim characterized by 5 spokes in a Porsche
pattern. Available in various widths and often polished to a
chrome-like appearance. Fuchs are a forged wheel, making them very
strong for their weight. Fuchs is the name of the manufacturer - they
are also know for construction equipment. Fuchs means "fox" in German. |
| Fuel tap |
Shut-off and reserve valve located on VWs produced without fuel gauges to
allow the owner approx. 1 US gallon of a reserve tank.
 |
| Full Restoration | Subjective term referring to the complete return of a Volkswagen to it's original condition. Involves interior, body/paint, trim, rims/tires, mechanical, and engine. Also called a "full-resto". Not to be confused with Resto-Custom |
| Fumagalli |
Type of rim. |
| Fusca |
Brazilian name to the Volkswagen people's car. VW
of Brazil has
adopted the Fusca name back in 1984. |
| Fweem | The beautiful sound of an air cooled Volkswagen as it drives by. The high pitched chirping noise of a Volkswagen muffler. |
| Garbe-Lahmeyer Gmbh | A German company that supplied electrical
components for VW starting in 1955. The parts are often called "VW" due to
the presence of a prominent VW logo along with "GL" on many of the parts. GL
supplied distributors, coils, generators, voltage regulators, and starters
as late as 1975.
 |
| Garbus | Polish nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. Literally means "Hunchback". |
| Gas Burners | 4-lug (914) and 5-lug (914-6, 911) Wheels made by
Mahle for Porsche that look like gas
burning stove grills. |
| Gas Heater | Factory or dealer-installed accessory that
provided additional heat when needed. See Eberspacher,
Southwind, and Perfection
 |
| Gates | Fold-down panels on the sides and rear of a Single
Cab or Crew Cab bed.  |
| Gauges | Mechanical or electrical instruments that provide vehicle information. May include speedometer, tripometer, odometer, gas gauge, warning lights, or tachometer. |
| Geländewagen | German name for the Type 181 Safari and the Wehrmacht's Kubelwagen. Literally means "land vehicle", or off-road vehicle. |
| Gemi | Large screw style clamps. Used on various
parts ranging from Fresh Air Hose and Heater Box. And for Fuel Filler neck hose-to-tank (on late models). Forums thread Size range: 40 mm 45 mm 56 mm (fuel filler) 60 mm 
 |
| Genny | Slang for generator. |
| Generator | Electrical device that converts rotational movement provided by a belt driven off the engine's crankshaft to electrical energy. The generator in turn runs the electricity through the regulator to provide a constant voltage to keep the battery charged |
| Ghia | See Karmann Ghia |
| Giorgio Giugiaro | Famous Italian car designer who redesigned the Oval Window from Ovalto Square in 1958. Giorgio Giugiaro also designed the VW Rabbit in 1974. |
| Glass | Slang; A common reference to fiberglass as in a "glass" buggy - a dune buggy made of fiberglass. |
| Glass Taillights | 1956 - 1961 US Beetle
taillights.  |
| Glasurit | OEM paint supplier for VW |
| GmbH | Gesellschaft mit beschraenkte Haftung: limited partnership company, as in Volkswagenwerk GmbH |
| Governor | Speed-limiting device used on 36hp, 40hp, and 1500cc
Buses to prevent over-revving of the engine by closing a valve to stop air
flow from the carburetor to the intake manifold. The governor was an
option on 36hp/40hp engines. 1500cc governors are quite common as they
were factory-installed for many years. 
 36hp style  40hp style 
 1500cc style |
| Grab Handle | Handle mounted on the dashboard or in the
cargo area of a Bus. Slang: "oh-shit"
handle. |
| Grafted | Often used to describe merging one piece of a
car with another. Examples: I grafted a ragtop into my 1963 Beetle I grafted a 23-Window onto the top of my School Bus |
| Gravel Guards | Accessory aluminum plates mounted to the
fenders to protect against rocks or debris kicked up by the tires.
 |
| Grawomobil | VW Bus camper conversion with square-shaped
raised roof. It's former name was Arcomobile.
About 600 of them were made, divided over
Split-screen Bus, Bay Window and
Vanagon. Grawo stands for Grau Wohnmobile.  |
| GTV | See EMPI GTV |
| Gute Fahrt | "Good Driving" in German. German magazine - See Gute Fahrt |
| Hack Job |
Slang. Poorly done bodywork, often by an inexperienced,
untrained, or foolish owner. Usually involves cutting of some sort,
often on the dashboard, wheel wells, or air vents.
 |
| Hammered | See chopped. Hot VWs called "Kid" Dean's famous red Squareback "Hammered Down" when they featured in in March '84. |
| Hannover | German VW factory opened in March, 1956 for full production of VW Transporters as well as various other parts for use in other VW factories |
| Harp Mirror |
Accessory Bus mirror arm, most obvious feature being the diagonal arm from
the base to where the mirror attaches. |
| Hassia |
OEM maker of taillights, turn signals, and other
parts, including lenses and lens housings. 
 |
| Hazet |
OEM manufacturer of accessory toolkits for VW.
Popular tool manufacturer often used by German mechanics.
 |
| HBB | Initials for Hamburger Brad, long time web site member and moderator who passed away in 2009. |
| Headlight Eyelids |
Headlight accessory. |
| Headliner |
Vinyl or cloth fabric which covers the ceiling of the vehicle. Some
Bus models, such as Panelvans
and Kombis did not come with a headliner. |
| Hearse |
Conversion vehicle, often based on the Single Cab,
for use by funeral homes. |
| Heart Taillights |
The term used to define the Beetles first
combined stop lamp, tail light indicators. The name comes from the heart
shaped dark red plastic window located on the top of the tail light body for
the stop lamp. These were first used in late 1952 and continued through the
first part of 1955 on non-US models. Some associate the end of the Heart
Lights era with the end of the Semaphores in production. Not to confused
with the US only export Egg
Tail Lights that used the same location on the fender and the same size
body. The Heart Lights were deemed unsafe by the USDOT by mid 1954.
 |
| Heat Exchangers | See Heater Boxes |
| Heater Boxes |
Metal-framed boxes that transfer air and/or heat from the engine compartment
into the cabin area of a VW.
 |
| Hebmüller |
Hebmüller was an automobile coachbuilder that had evolved from a horse-drawn carriage maker since its founding in 1889. In 1948, the Hebmüller company was engaged by Volkswagen to construct 2,000 two-seat convertible cars based on the
Beetle. At the same time, VW placed an order for 1,000 four-seat Beetle cabriolets from
Karmann, clearly indicating that the two-seater was expected to be the more popular of the two. Prototypes were developed, and, after evaluation and modification (the
Type I platform required substantial stiffening to keep the windshield from breaking under the stress of normal driving), series production began. Ultimately only about 700 (Volkswagen says 696, external evidence suggests as many as 750) were ever completed, of which a mere handful remain in existence. At least a dozen Hebmüller convertibles were known to have been completed by their former competitor Karmann after the company finally succumbed to bankruptcy in 1952. Between about 1947 and 1949, Hebmüller also manufactured a few open,
door less, four-seat patrol cars based on the
Beetle but using their strengthened platform, for the West German police. Other interesting and very collectible cabriolet specials were produced by the custom coachbuilders
Rometsch and Dannenhauer und Staus.
Often referred to as a "Heb". 
 |
| Hehr | Manufacturer of windows for use in VW Camper
Buses, primarily Westfalias
 |
| Hella | OEM supplier of light and lens assemblies to Volkswagen.  |
| Herbie | Main character in Walt Disney's "The Love
Bug". Also known as Herbie the Love Bug. Herbie has stared in 5 major motion
pictures. The Love Bug (1969), Herbie Rides Again (1974), Herbie Goes To
Monte Carlo (1977), Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) & Herbie Fully Loaded (2005).
Also a 5 part part television series, Herbie the Love Bug (1982) and a 2
hour TV movie The Love Bug (1997). The character was created as a VW Beetle
that is alive and has a mind of its own. Herbie helps a has been race driver
win races. Based on a 1963 Deluxe sunroof sedan. Herbie is known for his
famous red, white & blue racing stripes and the # 53. Upwards of 100 VWs
were used in the making of the movies. Only around 20 documented cars are
known to be in private collector hands from the original series (1969-1980).
In recent years The International Love Bug Registry has been started to
document both movie used cars and replicas. The registry is part of
http://www.lovebugfans.com 
 |
| Herrod Helper | A rear spoiler that mounted to the fresh air
vents below the rear window. Originally sold be J C Whitney in the early
70's.
 |
| High Hinge |
Refers to the position of the door hinges on the Split Bus body. High
hinges were used until late 1960 (1961 model) Also see Low Hinge  |
| Highback Seats |
Seats introduced in 1968 in the U.S. and other markets for increased safety.
These seats have the profile of a modern seat with a seat back that
rises completely up the back to provide a headrest area. |
| Highroof |
VW-built Panelvan with a "high roof" to allow for taller packages.
Often used by the garment industry or as an ambulance. The maximum
load varied according to body type from 580 (Ambulance) to 830 kg
(Panelvan). |
| High-top | Slang for highroof. |
| Hippy Bus |
A Bus "Look" which often features hand painted
1960's icons such as peace symbols and flowers.
|
| Hitler, Adolf | Adolf Hitler, 1889 - 1945, dictator of Nazi Germany, and founder of National Socialism,
was the father of the Volkswagen. Hitler recognized that access to an affordable car would have a powerful liberating effect on the individual German worker. Hitler outlined the basic specifications for an affordable car to Ferdinand Porsche in the fall of 1933: a roomy, rear-engined car with a 100 kph (62 mph) cruising speed, 30 mpg, and low maintenance costs. It must also be air-cooled (as most German homes at that time did not have garages), and seat four people because, "we can't separate the children from their parents... " |
| Hitlerin Kosto | Finnish: "Hitler's Revenge". In Finland, a nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. |
| Hockey stick | Gear selector rod with a shift finger welded
on the end in the nosecone of the transmission.
Shaped like a hockey stick. Your shifter engages the shift rod,
which then travels back to the shift coupling, which secures the shift rod
to the hockey stick so that when you move the shifter, your transmission
changes gears. |
| Holdsworth | A third-party, aftermarket camping
conversion for the Transporter.   |
| Honeycomb tailllights | See Snowflake taillights |
| Hood | The front or rear lift-up portion of an auto body that allows access to the engine or trunk space. |
| Hoodride | See http:///www.hoodride.com for details. |
| Hoops | Term to identify the metal and wood structure
used to hold the canvas up in the bed of a Single Cab
or Double Cab. Also see
Tilt
 |
| Hoover Bit | The oil cooler sealing frame aka "Hoover Bit"
is small piece of tin used at the base of the
doghouse oil cooler to seal the fan shroud and ensure maximum cooling
air passes through the il cooler. |
| Hormiga | This VW was built between 1975-79 with 2600
units produced in completely knocked down kits (CKD) in Hanover, Germany and
3,600 units were produced in Puebla, Mexico, between 1977 and 1979 for
Mexican market. It was evaluated for production in the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and Mexico. It was built in and sold as: Turkey as the EA489, Indonesia as the Mitra and Mexico as the Hormiga (meaning Ant in Spanish). It used a 1600
engine and was front wheel drive. The payload was approx. 1 ton (1,000
Kg) |
| Hrosc | In Slovenia (part of the former Yugoslavia), a nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. |
| Huevito | Spanish: "little egg". In Cuba, a nickname for the Beetle sedan. |
| Huf | Early key maker for VW automobiles
 |
| Hump Seat | VW Bus front bench seat used from early 1961
through 1962. So called because of the hump in the backrest, offset
toward the driver's side. Both the base and the backrest are unique to
these Buses. The base has 2 posts at the rear to hold the backrest in
a certain position, which were originally covered by rubber tubing to
protect the upholstery. Another attribute of the hump seat Buses is
the 3-position backrest and bottom half adjusters, located on the Bus body.
 |
| Huls | Aftermarket accessory maker, usually
associated with seat recliners. |
| Hurst | American
made accessory bumper for a Bus. Manufactured in Abington, Pa. between the
years of 1956 and 1959. 
 |
| Ice pick | Pre-1964 exterior door handles that swing out
to open, versus the push button style that attached to the door on the front and
rear end.    |
| Iltis | The Iltis is just about the last vehicle from the Porsche brood that can be called a
Kübelwagen. Also known as the Type 183,
it is water-cooled.   |
| Industrial Engine | VW engine used for industrial purposes, for
example: a water pump for fire duty. It often included a way to
crank the engine via a crank nut and crank
handle. Most included a governor and/or throttle positioner so
the engine could be run at a consistent rpm for an
extended period of time.   |
| Innenrückspiegel | German: "rear-view mirror". |
| Interior | Term referring to the collective of a car's headliner, seats, upholstery, carpet, armrests, dashboard, door panels, etc. |
| Iron | Slang for sheet metal body panels. |
| Iron Cross | Popular symbol in VW related parts and
imagery. History: In 1813, the Iron Cross was established as a military honor in Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars. It was awarded again in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian War and then in 1914 in World War I. Adolf Hitler again restored the award in 1939. The award was for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions (e.g. planning).   |
| IRS | Independent Rear Suspension. Indicating that the left and right rear suspension travel independently of each other. Associated with vehicles having constant velocity (CV) joints as opposed to vehicles with a Swingaxle suspension |
| J-Pipe | J-shaped pipe used to extend from cylinders 1
and 3 to the the exhaust when heater boxes are not used. Also used to refer to the J-shaped pipes internal to the 36hp and 40hp heater boxes as they can be replaced when damaged or rusted. |
| Jagdwagen | A special model Volkswagen Syncro Doka, built
by the VW Factory specifically for hunters and sports men. 
 |
| Jail bars | Aluminum rods mounted on the inside of the rear windows on
Deluxe model buses to prevent luggage/cargo from hitting the rear windows. Official VW name:
"Window Guards". |
| Jalousie Windows | Pronounced "Jealousy", louvered windows found
on Westfalias or installed in other VW campers
 |
| Jeunakeula | Finnish: "train front". In Finland, a nickname for the Transporter. In the head-on view, some older locomotives in Finland bear a resemblance to the Volkswagen Bus. |
| Jokon | Aftermarket supplier of
reverse lights and washer bottles for early VWs.
    |
| Judson | Aftermarket supplier of superchargers
engineered for early VW engines. |
| Jump Seat | Term used interchangeably with emergency seat. It can also refer to a small single-person fold down seat used in VW Emergency vehicles. |
| Jurid | Brake Pads: Manufacturers of Brake Pads for Type 4, Type 2, Porsche and Vanagon 
Clamps: |
| K70 | Vehicle developed by NSU and sold as a
Volkswagen from 1970-75. First VW to have a front-mounted water-cooled
engine and front wheel drive.
 |
| Kadrons | A popular dual carburetor supplier for higher performance Volkswagens |
| Käfer | German: "chafer" (beetle-like insect in the Scarabaeus family). In Germany, this is the most common nickname for the Beetle Volkswagen sedan and convertible. |
| Kamei | Aftermarket accessory maker, usually
associated with spoilers or parcel trays. |
| Karmann | German coachbuilder employed by Volkswagen to build the Karmann-Ghia, the Type 34, and all 4-seater Beetle convertibles. Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmann |
| Karmann Ghia | Introduced
in 1955 as the VW version of a sporty car, it was last produced in 1974.
Over a period of 19 years 365,912 coupes and 79,326 convertibles were
manufactured.
 |
| Kastenwagen | See Panelvan |
| KdF | See Kraft durch Freude. |
| KdF-Wagen | German: "Strength-through-Joy-Car". The original
Beetle, Porsche Büro Project Number 60 - the
"Type 60". The KdF-Wagen was manufactured in pilot production at various plants starting in
1938.  |
| Kever | Dutch: "chafer" (beetle-like insect in the Scarabaeus family). This is the most common nickname in Holland for the Beetle Volkswagen sedan and convertible. |
| Kewer | Afrikaans name for the Beetle |
| Kick Panel | Panel on VW Buses used to cover
the bottom of the rear seat or the side of the middle seat. Standard
equipment on VW Standard Microbuses and Deluxes. Also used to refer
to the two 2 or more hardboard panels mounted underneath
the dash board on a VW Bus.
 |
| King Pin | Larger portion of the front suspension arms on
an early VW. (Pre-1967 Beetles and pre-1968 Buses in the USA)
 |
| Kit Car | A term commonly used to describe a vehicle that is sold in parts with the notion that someone could complete it by assembling it in their garage or backyard with parts from a specific donor car. The Beetle was a popular choice for a donor car and kits based off of the Beetle include the Meyers Manx, Porsche Speedster replicas, and the Bradley GT. The term does carry some negative connotations due to the build quality that some cars receive. See Meyers Manx, or the following forum topic for some debate: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=342836 |
| Klaippari | In Finland, a common nickname for the Transporter |
| Klippan | Original accessory seat belt
manufacturer for VW and other automobiles. |
| Kleinbus | See Standard aka Standard Microbus |
| Kombi | Most often
confused with a standard Microbus, the Kombi (model 23) is basically a
Panel Bus with windows and seats. The Kombi (combination vehicle) has
three windows down each side (in addition to the passenger/drivers doors)
was painted in solid colors and was not fitted with any interior panels
behind the front cabin area or any of the molding or
trim found on a
Deluxe Microbus. A middle and rear seat were also fitted to the Kombi, but there were no
other interior amenities in the cargo area. It could even be ordered with
a sunroof! The Kombi was used as the base model for Westfalia in the production of
Campers (SO42 and SO44) as well as some Emergency vehicles. |
| Kommandeurswagen | German: "Commander's Car". The VW Type
87. A closed, liaison-type geländelimousin, built at the Volkswagenwerk during World War II. It was created by mating the
KdF-Wagen sedan body, the Kübelwagen chassis, and the
Schwimmwagen part-time (first gear only) four-wheel-drive system. This hybrid wound up looking like a muscular
Beetle, and was delivered to the Wehrmacht in two versions: as a solid-roofed sedan, and a "Cabrio-Limousine" with a large sliding cloth sunroof.  |
| Kostenurka | The name of the Beetle in Bulgaria. Means "turtle" in Bulgarian language |
| Kotseng Kuba | Tagalog: "Hunchback Car". A nickname used in the Philippines for the Beetle Volkswagen sedan and convertible. |
| KPH | "Kilometers Per Hour" The ratio of the distance traveled (in kilometers) to the time spent traveling (in hours). |
| Kraft durch Freude (KdF) | German: "Strength-through-Joy": A political organization, this unit of the German Labor Front (DAF), organized recreation, travel, sport, and leisure-time activities in pre-War Germany. KdF was ordered to sponsor the development of the Volksauto, or "People's Car" for the benefit of the average German worker, who could buy one on a five-Reich mark-per-week stamp-book layaway plan. About $67 million dollars (in hard-earned marks) was paid in to the fund, but not one car was ever delivered to a private citizen. The money was seized by the invading Russians in 1945. Volkswagen AG honored the KdF stamp books for up to 600 DM credit on a new car, or 100 DM cash conversion, until 1961. |
| Krankenwagen | See Ambulance |
| Kübel, Kübelsitz, Kübelsitzer | German: "Bucket, Bucket-seat, Bucket-seater". These are all nicknames for the Kübelwagen. |
| Kubelwagen |
German for "Bucket
Car", used to describe the Budd-built corrugated body panels of the
German WWII "jeep" Later resurrected as the
Thing. A multi-purpose utility vehicle for light field transport, developed by the
Porsche Büro under Dr. Ferdinand Porsche for the German Army. The Type 62 was the pre-production prototype and the
Type 82 was the familiar open, four-seat vehicle delivered to the Wehrmacht. About 55,000 were built at the
Volkswagenwerk between 1940 and 1945. The Type 82 Kübelwagen was based on a greatly reinforced
KdF-Wagen chassis, with a body by coachbuilder Trutz of
Gotha.  |
| Kupla | Finnish: "Bubble". In Finland, a nickname for the Beetle Volkswagen sedan and convertible, presumably referring to their rounded shapes. The "Bubble" nickname is common throughout Scandinavia. |
| L/100km | The acronym for "Liters per 100 kilometers". This is the standard measurement of fuel economy under the metric system. "Liters per distance" indicates how much fuel is required to go a certain distance, while the English method is just the opposite. "Distance per gallon" indicates how far you can go on a given amount of fuel. (10 L/100km is approximately equal to 23 mpg). |
| L Code | Paint code. |
| Ladder Tower |
A fire-fighting ladder tower that appears to be about 35 feet tall, built onto a single-cab
Pritschenwagen.   |
| LaGrande |
1975 Special Edition of the VW Super Beetle. Offered in Anacona
Metallic (blue, 97B) or Metallic Viper Green (98B) paint. Canada also
offered Harvest Gold (98C). Standard options were a sunroof, 4.5J Lemmerz GT
sport wheels, bumpers with rubber insert, leather grained wheel, leather
grained seats with cord inserts, a faux rosewood wood grain dash, and
optional matching center console. Related to the earlier
Sun Bug special model. |
| Lagwagen | German: "auto home" (mobile home or RV). It applies to *all* campers. It's commonly (and incorrectly) used to describe just the Bay Window buses, but should be used to categorize all buses which have camper kits installed regardless of YOM (year of manufacture). |
| Large Nut | Refers to the size of the rear axle nut and reduction box design on a 1964-67 Bus. A large nut reduction box uses a 46 mm axle nut and has a gear ratio of 1.26:1. Also see Small Nut |
| Lemmerz |
Lemmerz (pronounced Lemmertz) was a German company that made steel wheels
and aluminum trim rings for VW, EMPI, and others.
 |
| Lever Shocks |
Rear Shocks used on Split Beetles and Barndoor (50-2/55) Buses, consisting
of an arm joined to internal 2 internal valves filled with oil..
Internal valving rates differed between Beetle and Bus.
 |
| License plate frame | See Dealer plate frame |
| Lieferwagen | German: "delivery vehicle" |
| LiMBO |
The acronym for the Late Model Bus Organization, International. This U.S. club was established in 1988 to help members maintain, restore, buy, or
sell 1968 and newer Bay Windows, Vanagons, and Eurovans. Pre-1968 Transporters are represented by NEATO. |
| Link Pin |
Smaller portion of the front suspension arms on an early VW. (Pre-1967
Beetles and pre-1968 Buses in the USA)
|
| Limousine |
At times, enthusiasts seem compelled to build limousine versions of various
VWs. These are stretched cars comprised
of two or more sections of different cars fastened together. |
| Literature | Term refers to VW brochures, etc. |
| Loaf | Term for the Bay Window Bus |
| Lobster Claw |
Seat belts found in Beetle, Ghia, and Type 3 vehicles from the 1967-1971
 |
| Logo or Logo'd |
Term used to describe the business name painted on the side of
company-owned VWs. Often, most frequently seen on Panelvans, Kombis,
Single Cabs, and Double Cabs.
 |
| Long Block |
Long block refers to the bare engine, including the engine case, heads,
crankshaft, camshaft, and pistons. It does includes any external
accessories such as intake manifolds, carburetors, generator/alternator, or
fan shroud.  |
| Louvers |
Raised or depressed slots in body panels, usually for the use of inducting
air. Was also used as a customization option commonly seen back in the 80s. |
| Love Bug | A special edition in 1974, which was based on a regular Bug sedan. It came in only two colors; sort of a pea green, and a very dark orange. Everything that would be chrome was painted flat black, plus it came with 4.5" Sport Wheels. There were no changes to the interior. |
| Low-Back Seats |
Bucket-style seat used on VW sedans where the seat back rises only to the
mid-back. Used through the 1967 model year on US-delivered vehicles. |
| Low Hinge |
Refers to the position of the door hinges on the Split Bus body. Low
hinges were used after late 1960 (1961 models onward) Also see High Hinge  |
| Low Light |
Slang term for the 1959 and earlier Karmann
Ghias, which have a headlight location that is 2" lower on the body than
later models.
 |
| Low Loader |
Single Cab with optional swinging side gate conversion to allow for
low access to the bed. |
| Lowered | Type of customization where the vehicle's stock height is reduced. In Bugs and Buses, this involves cutting and re-welding the front beam and/or installing drop conversion kits manufactured to fit either link pin or spindle front ends. The rear can be slammed by reindexing the rear torsion bars. For additional slang terms, see dumped, and body-dropped.. |
| LT | VW truck sold in Europe and Brazil. Various models (LT28, LT31, LT35, LT40, LT55, LT80,...) with many different body styles. Produced with either gasoline or diesel engine, most with 2.4L (6 cyl.). |
| Lug nut |
Bolt used to mount the wheel to the brake drum or
disc brake rotor. |
| Lunchwagen |
Bus special model used for mobile food service.
 |
| M-Code | Option code that denoted something that installed on a VW. Can refer to standard equipment for an export market, such as a speedometer in MPH for the USA. |
| M-Code plate | Plate on Buses indicating factory options, among other pieces of data. See How to read your M-code and Chassis plates |
| Maggiolino | In Italy, a common nickname for the Beetle sedan. |
| Maggiolone | In Italy, a common nickname for the Super Beetle sedan. |
| Mahle | German manufacturer of cast alloy wheels, oil filters, pistons/cylinder |
| Mangel |
Aftermarket chrome wheel
 |
| Matador | See Tempo Matador |
| Matching Numbers | Term refers to correct matching numbers for both the engine and VIN. Indicates the original engine is there, desirable to stock enthusiasts. |
| McPherson Strut | Suspension on models such as the Super Beetle that uses a gas shock and coil spring mounted to a lower control arm for independent front suspension. |
| Media Blast | To strip paint off of a car. Similar to sandblasting but using alternate media, such as walnut shells or glass beads. |
| Meyers Manx | The original VW-based "dune buggy". Bruce Meyers created the first version of
in the 1960s. After building a few early models with space frames and other expensive features, he decided to go with a simple but strong fiberglass body bolted to a shortened VW
chassis. He called it the "Manx" because of the cropped, tail-less appearance of rear of the car, resembling a Manx cat.  |
| Meyers Manx SR |
The Meyers Manx SR (Street Roadster) was a companion to the original Meyers
Manx Dune Buggy. Designed to be used on the streeet vs. off-road, it
was constructed of a custom 13-piece fiberglass body along with many metal
components on the same shorted VW Beetle floorpan. Estimates are that
around 400 kits were sold.
 |
| Microbus | See Standard. |
| Model Number | VW factory number used to identify a model of VW. Usually 3 digits where the first digit indicate the over model such as Beetle or Bus, the second digit indicates the sub model such as Kombi or Deluxe, and the third digit indicates a variation such as left hand drive (LHD) or right hand drive (RHD). |
| Modification | Singular term used to describe a change made to a VW to make it non-stock. Example: Lowering |
| Mordacci | Beginning in 1951, the first unofficial Beetle importer for Italy. Mordacci Company from Padova. |
| Mosaik Kit | Later version of the Westfalia
Campingbox.  |
| MOT | Ministry Of Transportation. Usually used when referring to the MOT Test, a yearly test required in England for vehicles of a certain age. |
| Motometer | Aftermarket accessory maker, usually
associated with gauges. |
| Moulding | Chrome or aluminum trim that often runs the length of a VW, used for both protective and appearance purposes. |
| Mox Nix Sticks | Term used in the 1950's by US servicemen in Germany referring to semaphores that were usually not self canceling. Consequently the semaphores were frequently sticking out with the driver having no intent of turning. Mox Nix is slang for Es macht nichts or, in English, "It doesn't matter". |
| MPG | Miles per Gallon - The distance traveled on one gallon of gas - often used as a measure of fuel economy |
| MPH | Miles per hour - The ratio of the distance traveled (in miles) to the time spent traveling (in hours) |
| Mudflaps | Accessory made of
rubber and with steel mounting brackets that prevented mud or water from
splashing up on the VW body. |
| Mulholland Look | Fiberglass body kit popular in the 1980s.
Featured include wide fenders and a rear wing, among others.
 |
| Mustache bar | Rear frame and engine
mounting piece for a Bay Window Bus or Vanagon
 |
| N Model | 1964-65 "N"ormal entry model Type 3. The N-model Type 3 did not have all the Deluxe features of the more common S model. Unique attributes included prop rods for the front and rear trunks instead of springs, a block off plate instead of a clock, no passenger exterior door lock, smaller interior door arm rests, no passenger side mirror, a lack of trim rings and other chrome trim, and more basic wiper controls. The N-model is now considered to be more rare as not many were purchased, although the typical S model still remains more desirable in most cases. |
| Napolean Hat | The sheet metal part of the
chassis that forms the hump where the forward bulkhead of the car rests. |
| Narrowed Beam | A front
beam that has had a section removed from the center to decrease the
total width. One method of lowering a vehicle while still retaining
the ability to run larger or stock width
rims
without the tires rubbing on the inner fenderwells.
 |
| Nasenbaer | German for the raccoon like Coatimundi (literally, "nose-bear"). A German nickname for the Type 4 Volkswagens. |
| Nazipakastin | Finnish nickname for the VW Beetle, translates to Nazi freezer (since Beetles are known in Finland for being extra cold during the winter.) |
| NEATO | An acronym for North East Atlantic
Transporter Organization, originally a club for buses on the east coast of
America. Now an international club dedicated to the preservation and
enjoyment of pre-1968 Type II/T1 Volkswagen Transporters. Post -1968
Transporters are represented by LiMBO. |
| "Never Hit" | Term used to describe a Volkswagen which has never been involved in an accident. One would expect a "never-hit" car to be bondo-free. |
| Nicknames | International nicknames for the VW Bug: Afghanistan: Fulox-e-baqa-e Algeria: Cocinelle Argentina: Escarabajo, Ponchito Austria: Kugel Porsche, Käfer Belgium: Keverke, Kever Bolivia: Peta Bosnia and Herzegovina: Folcika, Buba Brazil: Fusca Bulgaria: Kostenurka Canada: Punch Buggy, Bug, Beetle, Choupette Catalonia (Spain): Escarabat Chile: Escarabajo, Poncho Colombia: Pulga, Escarabajo, Vocho Costa Rica: Bocho (vocho) Croatia: Buba Cuba: Huevito Czech Republic: Brouk Denmark: Bobble, Boblen Dominican Republic: Cepillo Ecuador: Pichirilo Egypt: Elkhonfesa Estonia: Pornikas Finland: Kupla, Volkkari France: Cocinelle Germany: Käfer Greece: Skaraveos Guatemala: Cuca Haiti: Cocinelle Honduras: Cucarachita Hungary: Bogár Iceland: Bjalla India: Aama, Beetle Indonesia: Kodok Iran: Ghoorbaghei Iraq: Agroga, Rag-gah Israel: Hiposhit Italy: Maggiolino Japan: Kabuto-Mushi Kenya: Kifuu Latvia: Vabole Lithuania: Vabalas Luxembourg: Krabbeli Macedonia: Buba Malaysia: Kereta Kura-Kura, Kura, Kodok Malta: Hanfusa Mexico: Vocho, Chinchita, Pulguita Namibia: Kashima Nepal: Bhyagute Car Netherlands: Kever Norway: Bobla, Boble Pakistan: Foxy Panama: Tortuga Paraguay: Escarabajo, Fusca, Boby Peru: Escarabajo, Bocho o Rana Phillippines: Pendong, Pagong, Ba-o, Boks Poland: Garbus Portugal: Corocha Puerto Rico: Bolillo or Volky Romania: Broasca, Buburuza Russia: Juchek Serbia and Montenegro: Buba Shona: Bhamba datya Slovakia: Chrobak Slovenia Hrosc South Africa: Kewer, Volksie, Volla Sri Lanka: Volks, Beetle, Ibba Swahili: Mgongo wa Chura, Mwendo wa Kobe Sweden: Bubblan, Bubbla, Folka, Bagge Switzerland: Käfer Tanzania: Kobe Taiwan: Gin-Kwe Thailand: Tao Turkey: Vosvos Uraguay: Fusca, Escarabajo Venezuela: Escarabajo Vietnam: Con Bo Yugoslavia: Buba |
| NLA | Common abbreviation which stands for "No Longer Available". It refers to parts which cannot be purchased new. |
| Nordhoff, Heinz | In 1948, Dr. Nordhoff was appointed Volkswagen's managing director, given a free hand to organize the factory's reconstruction, and re-start production. Nordhoff was involved in building the city of Wolfsburg and financing the first runs of Beetles in the summer of 1948. By the end of 1948 he had 15,000 domestic orders and 7,000 export orders. Nordhoff increased production from 19,244 units in 1948 to half a million by 1958. Nordhoff later added variants of the Beetle platform, such as the VW Minibus and Karmann Ghia coupe and convertible. By the time he died on April 12, 1968, VW annual production had reached 1.7 million units. |
| "Normal Rust" | Somewhat subjective term used to describe the typical pattern of rust on older Volkswagens. Common locations are the rockers, battery tray, etc. |
| NOS | New Old Stock. A part made by VW or by an original supplier to VW and never installed on a vehicle. Preferably in it's original packaging, though not absolutely necessary to be considered NOS. Any deviation would render the item NOT NOS. NOS parts can be in various conditions, depending on how they were stored over the years, although most people consider an NOS item to be in mint condition. |
| Nose |
Term for the front of a VW. Most commonly used when referring to a
Bus. |
| Nosecone |
Front piece of the transmission case that houses the
hockey stick.  |
| Notch | Slang term for Notchback. |
| Notchback |
A Type 3 version having a conventional rear-deck
treatment, rather than the smooth sweep of the
Fastback or the station-wagon-like tail of the
Squareback.
 |
| Notek |
Abbreviation for Nova-Technik GmbH, München. Often used to refer to a
blackout light, commonly called Notek lights . Used during blackout
conditions for convoys in WWII. Most of these lights were mounted on the
left/drivers fender. Beginning in 1941 the front black out light was
required on all civilian vehicles in Germany as well. 
 |
| OCTO | Orange County Transporter Organization. Southern California based Volkswagen Club. They hold the thrice yearly kick-ass OCTO Meet for pre-1968 Transporters. |
| Odometer | Mechanical device in the speedometer
that indicates how many miles a vehicle has traveled. |
| OE | Original Equipment |
| Oel | German: "oil". |
| OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer |
| Oetiker | Swiss company maker of Ear Type Hose Clamps.
(Also known as Single Ear or 1-Ear) Found on the Evaporative Emission Control System, such as on the fuel filler Breather and Vacuum 'Tee' hose ... on 68 and later models (68+ Beetle, Ghia, 181 and Bus) They're currently still in business, making clamps and other connectors.  |
| Oettinger, Gerhard | Devised the OKRASA system. |
| Off-Road Vehicle | General term for any VW that can be driven off paved roads. See dune buggy or Meyers Manx. |
| OG | Original German - Term used to describe a vehicle, part, or characteristic (such as paint) in original condition. |
| "Oh-Shit" Handle | Slang for grab handle. |
| Okrasa |
"Oettinger Kraftfahrtechnische Spezial Anstalt" or. in English. Oettinger
strength-driving technical specially institute should not to be confused as
a Japanese word; the name OKRASA is a name that refers to a business founded
by Gerhard Oettinger. Building only
performance parts used on the VW motor while VW based coachbuilders such as
Rometsch and Dannenhauer & Stauss used Okrasa engines in their sports cars.
Originally Okrasa kits were in the following arrangements, the TS 1200, and the TSV 1300/30. The TS-1200 included a pair of Okrasa twin-port cylinder heads with twin port manifolds, two Solex 32PBIC carburators found on early Porsche 356s, and specially designed linkage. The TSV 1300/30 Kit came with the same parts as the TS 1200 and also included a 69.5mm chrome moly crankshaft enlarging the capacity of the motor to 1295cc. Many other options and installations could be done. Okrasa offered factory built up motors as well. The small Oettinger factory in Germany enjoyed great success
until the late 1970s. |
| Öl | German: "oil". |
| Old School | Pertaining to original or unchanged. Classic or first appearance being taken back to it's time. Untouched by modern design changes. |
| One-Eyed Duck |
Center mount for wiper blades on a pre-68 Bus when you open the
Safari Windows
 |
| One-off | Slang for "one of a kind". Not necessarily only one existing, but very rare. |
| Orange Peel |
Paint imperfection resulting in
textured appearance (like an orange-peel, get it?) |
| Original | Term used to describe Volkswagen parts or condition that are the same as when the vehicle was new from the VW factory. For example: paint, engine, upholstery, etc. Desirable among many stock enthusiasts. Slang: OG. |
| Original Paint | Denotes a vehicle that has never been repainted, it is still displaying the original, VW factory paint job. Sometimes used on vehicles that have had partial repaints, as in "80% original paint" |
| Osnabrúck | Almost all of the Beetle convertibles, Karmann-Ghias, and VW-Porsche 914s were built in the Karmann plant in Osnabrúck, Germany. |
| Osram | Original bulb and light manufacturer and provider for Volkswagen.
 |
| OTW | Abbreviation for Other Than Westfalia. Some VW camper enthusiasts consider Westfalia camper conversions the only true camper conversion and therefore refer to all other campers as OTWs. |
| Outrigger | Metal support that comes outward from the main
frame rails on VW Buses.
 |
| Oval Window | 1953-1957
Beetle that used curved glass in the shape of an oval for the rear window. |
| Overhead Fresh Air Vent | On a Bus, the vents that were introduced in
early 1955 to provide fresh air for the drivers and passenger during
vehicle movement. Air enters above the windshields and the direction and
amount of air flow can be controlled by a series of flaps mounted inside
the interior roof of the Bus. |
| Overriders | Additional bumper pieces introduced for the
Export markets, such as the USA, to provide additional vehicle protection
as well as an additional level of trim on a VW. Also available as an
optional extra for markets where it was not a standard feature.
 |
| Over Spray | Paint
imperfection where paint is sprayed onto an area (such as tires) where
it doesn't belong. |
| Oxyboxer | A waterboxer engine that has been converted from water-cooling to air-cooling by cutting off the water jackets on the case and replacing the cylinders and heads with finned parts, to take advantage of a better, larger, stronger case and crank with larger bearings. |
| Package Tray |
Tray that mounts underneath the dashboard in order to hold additional items
up front. Often made of bamboo or a mesh with a metal frame.
Most package trays were meant to house light items such as gloves or maps
within easy each. Also see parcel tray or bamboo tray. |
| Pahnapuhallin | Finnish: "crop-dryer". In Finland, a common nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. The allusion is to the half-round fan housing on the earlier, "upright" VW engines, which resembles a crop-drying machine widely used by Finnish farmers. |
| Paint Code |
Original code assigned by VW to indicate a particular color. Also
called an L code. See the
Paint and Upholstery section for
detailed information. |
| Paint Imperfections | Mistakes or wear in paint, sometimes resulting from rust or a poor paint job. Some examples include: overspray, checking, orange peel, and bubbling. |
| Paintshopped | Term used to describe a photo that has been altered by the Paint Shop Pro computer program. Common alterations include lowering, changing the color or rims, and erasing damage. Also see photoshopped |
| Palma Sola |
Volkswagen Factory in Venezuela 1965-1981, produced Beetles and Brasilia
 |
| Pan | Slang for Floorpan. |
| Pancake Engine |
Slang term for the Type 3/Type 4 engine. The term originates from the flat
design of the engine, where the fan is bolted to the end of the crankshaft,
where the crankshaft pulley would normally appear on the typical Type 1
upright engine. The fan shroud and other details were also relocated,
producing a flat or "pancake" design.
 |
| Panelvan |
Basic Bus model without seat or windows
in the rear compartment. Most often used for commercial purposes. |
| Pano | Slang for Panorama Bus. |
| Pan-off Restoration | A restoration that involves the removal of the body from the floorpan. Can indicate a more extensive restoration of a vehicle. |
| Panorama Bus | Nickname for the Bay Window Bus in Holland. |
| Parcel Tray |
Somewhat interchangeable term with package tray,
a parcel tray also refer to the metal tray mounted underneath the dash
in a Split Screen (pre-1968) Bus. Also see bamboo
tray. |
| Parts Car | Term used to describe a VW in such bad condition (either mechanical, cosmetic, or both) that it is only useful for parts. |
| Passenger Vehicle | Line of VW Buses intended solely for passengers. Includes the Standard Microbus and the various Deluxe models. |
| Patina |
Refers to the unique visual design that results from an original paint
vehicle where the paint has partially worn through to primer or bare metal
over time. Discussion
 |
| Pea Shooter |
Slang term for the VW Beetle and Ghia
exhaust that has two chrome exhaust tips. |
| Peanut | Nickname for the front turn signals used on 1958-63 Beetles. |
| Pecera | Spanish term for fish tank but commonly used term for Bay Window Buses in Mexico. |
| Perfection |
Dealer-installed gas heater available in Canada
from 1962-1964. |
| Pescaccia | Italian: "fisher/hunter". In Italy, a nickname for the Jeep-like Type 181 sport-utility Geländewagen. |
| Petcock |
Small valve used to control the flow of liquid or gas. Used on early
Volkswagens before a fuel gauge was standard equipment. Also see
Fuel Tap
 |
| Petri |
Maker of steering wheels, horn rings, and horn buttons for Beetles. More information needed. Send a description  |
| PG/SG |
Abbreviation for the Bus colors Palm Green and Sand Green, used on 1955-57
Standard Microbuses. |
| Phone Dials |
A Porsche manufactured rim that has a pattern of perfect circles that
resemble the dial ring on older style phones
 |
| Piano Hinge |
Slang for 1952 and earlier Bus vent wing windows. 
 |
| Picnic Radio |
Rermovable radio that has a bracket to electrically plug the radio into the
dash or under it to be powered off the electrical flow from the car, and can
be taken outside of the vehicle to be powered from the internal battery
pack.
 |
| Pinhole |
Tiny imperfection in paint that looks as if someone poked a hole the size of
a pin into the paint while it was still wet. Also refer to pinhole
rust, where small pinhole-sized holes have occured due to rust damage, often
in a rocker or floor pan.  |
| Pinwheel |
Pinwheel refers to the center section of the rear drum. On early Type 3
vehicles, 1961-63 they used pinwheel drums. Later drums have a star
pattern. Early rear drums are also smaller, 230mm vs 248mm. |
| Photoshopped | Term used to describe a photo that has been altered by the Photoshop computer program. Common alterations include lowering, changing the color or rims, and erasing damage. |
| Pickup | Pickup is a light duty truck. All standard VW pickups had three gates and a loading platform unobstructed by wheel wells. |
| Pipe fender | Slang term for early Beetle fenders where a metal pipe was used from the body to the headlight buckets to contain the headlight wiring. |
| Pigalle |
Red upholstery and interior color. Often used as a term to refer to
the limited production all-red interior (seats, dashboard, carpet, and so
forth) used on 1966 Type 3s and Karmann Ghias. In
Type 3s, it was available as an option on Black and Pearl White vehicles up
to Chassis No. 316 140 226. The term Pigalle refers to the red-light
district in Paris.
 |
| Pitted |
Term used to describe chrome that has been damaged by water or age and is
now covered with small blemishes.  |
| Plattenwagen |
The VW Plattenwagen was built by factory workers and used to haul heavy
loads around the VW plant in the 1940's. This vehicle sparked Ben Pon's idea
for an economical work van which became the Type II.
 |
| Plexiglas | Acrylic type clear plastic material used to fabricate corner windows on Barndoor era deluxe buses before the windows were made of glass. Also used for skylight windows for a couple years during the Barndoor era. The windows can be recognized by the Plexiglas script embossed into the material. |
| PO | Abbreviation for Previous Owner |
| Pope's Nose |
Commonly used slang term for the taillight housing on Split
Window Beetles from 1943 -1952, however some people have used the term
in a substandard way to describe the post-1952 small license plate light
housings through 1963.
 |
| Pop-outs |
Side windows that are hinged so they can swing out for ventilation. M code
114 gets you 6 of these on pre-67 buses.
 |
| Pop-Top | Describes the small or large fiberglass top
that can be popped up and a Camper Bus. |
| Por-15 | Aftermarket product used to "Paint Over Rust" and seal it in, preventing further rust damage. http://www.por-15.com |
| Porsche Büro | Abbreviation for Ferdinand Porsches' design company in Stuttgart, Germany. Of all the Porsche Büro projects, the one with the most significance and lasting historical importance was the Volkswagen Beetle. |
| Porsche, Ferdinand III "Butzi" | Son of Ferdinand II "Ferry" Porsche, grandson of Ferdinand I. |
| Porsche, Ferdinand Anton | Director of Porsche Büro, Dr. Porsche was selected in 1933 by Adolf Hitler to develop an affordable people's car. |
| Porsche, Ferdinand II "Ferry" | Son and successor to Doctor Porsche. |
| Porsche 914 | A sports car produced by a collaboration between VW and Porsche, introduced in September, 1969. It was a mid-engined two-seater with a Targa
top as standard equipment. The 914 was marketed as a "Porsche" in North America, and as a "VW-Porsche" elsewhere. The
914/4 used the 4-cylinder, 1.7-liter Type 4 engine and also running gear from the Type
4, while the 914/6 used Porsche's 6-cylinder, 2-liter 911T engine, plus 911
suspension, brakes, and wheels. |
| POS | Slang term meaning Piece Of Sh!t |
| Prerunner | Vehicle often used to "pre-run" a
race and learn the terrain before attempting the race in a full race
vehicle. Typically a street-legal vehicle that is driven to the race
course, used to run the race course "pre-race," and driven home.
 |
| Pressed Bumpers | Slang term often used for ribbed
bumpers. Bumpers used in the front and rear on pre-1959 VW Buses.
Pressed bumper is a misnomer as all metal bumpers are pressed. |
| Primer | Body and paint product used to
cover bare metal and provide a bonding surface for paint to grab on to. |
| Pritschenwagen | See Single Cab German: "plank-bed truck" |
| Privy Tent | Full sized Westfalia
tent used from '58-'64.  |
| Project | Refers to a vehicle which may require many hours of work to either get driving or for a restoration. Implies a long-term commitment which may or may not ever reach completion. |
| Pulguita | In Spain, a nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. |
| Pulley | Pulley is basically a wheel with a groove for a belt used to improve leverage and transmit power from one device to another such as driving the generator and fan on a VW. |
| Pulmonia | A tourist taxi used on Mazatlán,
México. It consists in a beetle floorpan and drive train with a fiberglass
open body and canvas roof on a tubular frame. |
| Puma | Two-seater manufactured and sold in Brazil from the early
1970s. Puma bought standard Beetle floor pan assemblies from
Volkswagen do Brasil and modified them to fit the fiberglass body. A kit version was briefly marketed in the U.S. around 1977. |
| Punch Bug | Car traveling game where kids or adults would punch one another on the arm when they saw a Beetle and yell "Punch Bug" and the color, for example, "Punch Bug Red!" |
| Pumpkin taillight | Slang for 1973 and later Beetle tail lights |
| Purist | A VW enthusiast who prefers only original vehicles or "correct" restorations. |
| Pushbutton Dash | Series of control used on
1961-early 1964 VW Type 3s that has the
appearance of small square push buttons. |
| Quarter Panel |
Side area on the body behind the front seats. The area below the rear
seat quarter windows or pop-outs. |
| R&R | Remove and Replace a term for the basic work of taking apart and reassembling that must be done as a prerequisite to other work. Often refere to dropping an engine but could be applied to anything. |
| Radars | Type of rim, made by Sears. |
| Raders | Type of rim, made by EMPI. |
| Rag Top | Generic term for any convertible. Refers
to the fabric top opening of a sunroof. |
| Raked | Slang - A car that is completely lowered, but
slightly more in the front than in the back. |
| Randars | Radar reproduction rim manufactured in Southern California. |
| Rare | Infrequently occurring; uncommon. The often over-used term to describe a scarce or hard-to-find VW part. |
| Rat Look | Distinct VW "Look" characterized by
visible rust and an extreme lowering job. Usually performed on a
rusty or otherwise unrestorable VW.
 |
| Rat Rod | Although descended from a VW beetle, body modifications result in major transformation into a vehicle of unique proportions and various styling, many of the same characteristics as the Volksrod with more extreme modifications in most body areas resulting in small lower more radical styling. |
| Razor Edge Ghia | See Type 34
 |
| RdA | See Reichsverband der deutschen Automobilindustrie |
| Rear Apron | Rear center area on a VW. On a Beetle,
the U-shaped lower portion of the rear clip.
On an early Bus, the removable metal piece bolted
to both corners. 
|
| Rear Clip | Area on a Beetle
from the bottom of the rear window downward. Similar sized areas on
other VW types.
 |
| Rear Hatch | Opening rear door on various VWs - Buses,
Squarebacks, etc.. Usually contains a
window.
 |
| Rear Mat | Vinyl, fabric, hardboard, or rubber mat used
to provide a more appealing trunk or cargo area
appearance. |
| Rebuild Kit | General term to indicate a series parts needed to rebuild something. For example, a carb. rebuild kit might include all new paper and rubber seals, a new needle valve, and a few other small parts. |
| Red Needle Gauges | Slang term to describe the gauges
used in 1961 to mid-1964 VW Type 3s. They
had red/orange needles as opposed to the later white needle gauges. |
| Reduction Boxes | Additional gear boxes, primarily used on swing-axle VW Buses, that reduce the transmission gearing to provide additional torque at lower speeds at the sacrifice of top speed. This allows a smaller VW engine to be able to push a large amount of cargo down the road. As a side benefit, they provided additional ground clearance. Also see this forum posting |
| Reflectors | Glass or plastic diamond-pattern items that
reflect light when hit by the headlights of passing cars. Provides
additional visibility at night. Most commonly used when referring to
early VW Bus reflectors, such as those used on all 1950-1955 Buses and 1955-1957 US-delivered Buses.  |
| Regulator | Electrical component of the VW charging system the regulator keeps the generator output at a common level. 7.4v for 6v vehicles and 13v for 12v vehicles. See also Window regulator. |
| Reichsverband der deutschen Automobilindustrie (RDA) | The German Automobile Industry Association: the pseudo-official association of automobile manufacturers that was charged by Adolf Hitler with the responsibility for producing the "Klein auto". A contract between the RDA and the Porsche Büro eventually resulted in the development of the KdF-Wagen. |
| Repop | Slang for Reproduction. |
| Replicars | Refers to "Replica" cars of rare or famous ones built on a VW chassis out of fiberglass. |
| Repro | Slang for Reproduction. |
| Reproduction | General term for a non-VW produced part made in modern times. |
| Reserve Valve |
Switchable valve used on the bottom of the gas tank befoer gas gauges were
standard. The valve had two intake tubes: A tall one and a short one.
As the gasoline level in the tank drops, your car began to sputter from loss
of gas, at which point the driver would turn a lever (Beetle/Ghia) or pull
the reserve cable (Bus) switching the valve to the shorter tube which was
still submerged in gasoline. See Auf-Zu.
 |
| Resto | Slang for Restoration. |
| Resto-Custom | Style of VW usually consisting of a generally stock
restoration but can often include a lowering
job or a few custom components. |
| Restoration | The process of restoring a VW. "It underwent a 3 year restoration". See pan-off restoration. |
| Reuters, Bernd | Brochure illustrator from 1951-1960.
Extremely stylized, he emphasized the round
forms of the cars and drew the passengers slightly smaller than correct
scale to give the Volkswagen a larger and smoother look.
|
| Rev | Slang for "revolutions per minute". Usage: Rev the engine so I can locate that strange noise. |
| RGB | See Reduction Boxes |
| RHD | Right-hand drive. |
| Ribbed Bumpers | Bumpers used in the front and rear on pre-1959 VW Buses
and Split-Window
Beetles. Buses also use the term pressed bumpers.
 |
| Ribbed Door | Term used for early Beetle doors where there
is a metal "rib" visible above the door panel on the inside.
 |
| Rims | Aluminum or steel frame that provides a framework for the tire; wheels. Common Volkswagen rims include: Radars, Raders, Sprint Stars, Fuchs, etc. |
| Riviera | Riviera
Motors was the Beaverton, Oregon based regional distributor of
Volkswagens. At some point they decided to contract with
ASI (Automotive
Services, Inc.), based in the Vancouver, Washington area, for Type 2
camper conversions modeled after Westfalia Campmobiles.
 |
| Roadster |
A hardtop vehicle that has had the roof permanently removed with no
intention of providing a top.
 |
| Rocker |
Outside area of a VW Beetle, Type
3, or other sedan, to the exterior of the heater channel, underneath the
front doors. On a VW Bus, the area under the cargo
doors or a similar area on the other side where a Double
Door Bus might have cargo doors.  |
| Roll it | Slang; Just drive it, as advice to someone instead of making a repair, e.g. "Should I fix this, or just Roll it?" |
| Roller | Slang; A chassis that has the complete front beam and a transaxle so it can be towed. |
| Roller Pedal |
Gas pedal consisting of a rotating wheel, used on Beetles until September,
1957
 |
| Rometsch |
Rometsch was a specialty coach-builder that, like Hebmüller and
Dannenhauer und Staus, produced a number of very exotic cabriolets.
 |
| Roo Bars | See cow-catchers. |
| Roofrack |
Accessory rack for the roof, used to carry luggage or other cargo.
 |
| Rugbrød | Danish: Literally "rye bread". In Denmark, a nickname for the "Bay Window" Transporter. |
| Rust |
The reddish brittle coating formed on metal especially when chemically
attacked by moist air and composed essentially of hydrated ferric oxide. |
| Rustbucket |
Slang for an incredibly rusty car.
 |
| Rust-Through |
Describes locations an a VW where rust has completely eaten away the
metal leaving a hole. Often found on the rockers,
floorpan, roofline,
etc.
 |
| S Model |
1964-65 "S"uper aka "Deluxe" model Type 3 that
introduced the dual carbureted, high compression 1500cc engine, although
with a number of other cosmetic and mechanical improvements. See also N-model.
 |
| Safari | Model of the named Type 181 aka the Thing |
| Safari Bars |
See cow catchers. |
| Safari Windows |
Optional opening front windshield for
the pre-1968 Split-screen Bus. Often standard issue in the more humid
climates, such as South America and Australia. |
| Sakbayan |
This is a Type I box type Volkswagen, the design of which copied from the
Country Buggy of Australia, although the entire body was built and
hancrafted in the Philippines. This was introduced in the 70's. The workd
"Sakbayan" came from two Filipino words; "Sasakyan" means "vehicle" in
English and "Bayan" means "Country" in Filipino. Hence, the term "Sakbayan". |
| Salagubang | Nickname for the Beetle in the Philippines |
| Salvaged | Indicates that a vehicle has been involved in a total loss such as theft or a wreck where the insurance company paid out the market value of the vehicle to the registered owner. A vehicle with a salvaged title is worth less on the open market and in the eyes of an insurance company. |
| Samba | Nickname for the 23-Window Deluxe Microbus in Europe. |
| Sand Blast | To strip paint off of a car using sand applied at high pressure. See also media blast. |
| Sandrail |
VW-based off-road vehicle, often consisting of a
tubular frame and 1-4 seats for sand usage. |
| Sano | The term "Sano" comes from the late Grey Baskerville. He died in 2002 after working for nearly every car magazine (maybe even VW trends) back to the late 50s and early 60s. He also pioneered terms like "Reet". The term has no background; "sano" isn't short for sanitary or insane. It is a Grey original. Sano refers to a clean vehicle, e.g. "That Bug is super sano!" |
| São Paulo | Volkswagen do
Brasil coupe, produced from June, 1972 until December, 1975. Both
versions, the SP-1 and the SP-2, were based on a modified Type III chassis and were equipped with pancake engines produced in
Brazil.  |
| Sapphire Radio | Original equipment radio manufacturer for VW.
Sapphire radios were sold through USA dealerships and came in various AM
and AM/FM models. |
| Sassafras | Slang for safari windows. |
| Saxomat | A Saxomat was a factory retro-fit kit for an
ordinary 4-speed transmission, offered upon special request from around 1959
until 1967, made by Fichtel & Sachs AG. The Saxomat was developed in
the 1950s as a type of automatic clutch available as an option on Saab 93,
Volkswagen Beetle, Borgward, DKW, BMW, Opel, NSU and Glas. When Volkswagen
introduced the full synchromesh gearbox in 1961 they were able to fit a
Saxomatic gearbox to it, as an option for the European market. The
Saxomatic was optional on both Type 3s and Beetles from 1961. Cars with a Saxomat clutch did not have a clutch pedal, the clutch was engaged above certain engine RPM by centrifugal force, acting on spinning weights inside the clutch, similar to a centrifugal governor. A centrifugal governor controls the speed of an engine by regulating the amount of fuel admitted, so as to maintain a near constant speed whatever the load or fuel supply conditions. More information: http://users.cybercity.dk/~ida2958/page8.html |
| Sawzall | Electric saw useful for quickly cutting through VW sheet metal. Often used to disassemble a parts vehicle for sale. |
| Schwimmwagen | Amphibious
Volkswagen that floats and is usable on water. The crankshaft has a
special attachment that connects to a propeller for water movement.
See Type 166.
 |
| Screamer | A Bosch 019
distributor with a coat of hammertone blue paint applied. Sold as a kit
starting in the 1970's with a blue coil.
 |
| Seamed Gates | Term used for truck bed gates used on early
Double Cabs, 1960 and earlier. These gates were made from cut-down
Single Cab gates so they have a visible seam down the center of the gate.
They can also be identified by the smaller middle side impression on the
gate. Later Double Cab gates, which were specifically made for Double
Cabs, have 3 evenly sized side gate impressions.
 |
| Sedan | Term to indicate a solid roof vehicle as opposed to a ragtop or convertible. |
| Segaphones | Slang term for Semaphores, used as a joke term in the Samba Forums. Originally based on one or more classifieds misspellings |
| Sekurit | German OE manufacturer of glass used in VW and
other vehicles. Sekurit is tempered glass so it will shatter as
opposed to cracking.
 |
| Selecta | Image created with one of the various Selecta
on-line programs. |
| Semi-Automatic | Semi-Automatic, aka Autostick, had a torque converter and an electrically-actuated, vacuum-operated dry clutch wired to an articulating gearshift lever. The engine oil pump has a second external section to pump automatic transmission fluid from a reservoir (under the fender on Bugs and inside the engine compartment on Ghias) through the torque converter and back to act as an rpm/ speed sensitive, hydraulic "wet-clutch" like most fully-automatic transmissions use. This common option was started in '68 and gave excellent drivability, economy and ease of use for beginners and partially-disabled people. This should not be confused with the fully automatic transmission used on Type 3s and later model Buses. |
| Semaphores | Turn
signals used before flashers were in general usage, these arms pop-up from
the body of the vehicle and lights up via a small bulb to indicate you
wish to turn. Used through the 1960 models in Europe and else
where. Until 1955 in the USA. Also see
Winker.
 |
| Servo | For early Volkswagens, a term used for a device used to amplify the braking force applied by the driver. Somewhat incorrect in that this is actually a mechanical amplifier and not a classic servomechanism. Example: Brake servo. |
| Shark nose | A slang term for 1970-up Type 3's.
Refers to the shape of the front apron. |
| Shepherd's Crook | Slang term for the distributor vacuum pipe,
which has a similar shape to a shepherd's crook. Designed to keep fuel
fumes from corroding the vaccum advance diaphragm of the distributor through
the use of a curve. |
| SHO | The German manufacturer, Hermann Stribel. They
produced electrical components including turn signals, brake lights,
semaphores, connectors, etc. The company logo is an interlaced "S" and "H"
inside a circle.
 |
| Shoot | Slang term used for the application of paint or primer to a vehicle, e.g. "I'm going to shoot my Bug Sea Blue this weekend." |
| Short Block | Short block refers to the bare engine
including the engine case, crankshaft and not much else. It does not
include the heads or any external accessories such as intake manifolds,
carburetors, generator/alternator, or fan shroud. |
| Shorty | Term used
to describe a Bus that has been shortened, often by removing the area of
the cargo compartment where the cargo doors are located. Opposite of
the stretched customization.
 |
| Show Car | VW that is in top quality condition and frequently entered in car shows, possibly a trailer-queen. Usually not a daily driver. |
| Side Loader | Like the extinct
Tieflader, except instead of a door, it has a diamond plate ramp. 50
1961 Single Cabs were Coachbuilt to compete with the Corvair Rampside. Only
2 are still known to exist. Also see Low Loader
 |
| Side Step | VW or aftermarket
accessory
step that connected into the jack points underneath the Bus
cargo doors. This step was used to aid
in entry to the VW Bus rear cargo or passenger area. |
| Sidler | German brand name company that produced
interior dome lights for various models during the 1960's and 1970's,
including Type 1, Type 2,
and Type 3. Sidler also made the rear ashtray in
Bay Window Buses.
 |
| Sigla | German manufacturer of glass used in VWs.
Sigla is laminated safety glass so it will crack instead of break into small
pieces. It can also delaminate where moisture can get in between the
panes and cause bubbles. |
| Silverfish | Bay Window Special Model. See
this Forum
thread
 |
| Single Cab | VW Pick up truck produced beginning in 1952.
3-person seating up front. 8 foot x 4 foot bed with 3 drop down side
gates. Often accessorized with a Tilt, aka "hoops
and canvas" |
| Single-port | The early style of head which has only one intake hole (or port) which splits off into two separate ports internally to each intake valve. |
| Single Wheel Trailer | A trailer that has only one wheel supporting
it. The trailer attaches to the tow vehicle using a special hitch, which
attaches at two points to the vehicle, not just one. |
| Skalbagge | Swedish: "shell-bug" (beetle). In Sweden, the most common nickname for the Beetle sedan and convertible. |
| Skid plate |
A piece of sheet metal or mild steel attached to the front area under the
front axle or under the rear of a sand rail or glass buggy to protect the
undercarriage when off-roading. |
| Slam |
To slam a vehicle is a slang term
meaning to lower it. In Bug and Bus, this involves cutting and re-welding
the front beam and/or installing drop conversion kits manufactured to fit
either link pin or spindle front ends. The rear can be slammed by
reindexing the rear torsion bars. |
| Slammed | Slang for a vehicle that has been lowered. See Slam |
| Slant nose |
Slang term for all pre-'70 Type 3's. Refers to downward slant of front hood.
See also shark nose. |
| Slash Bumpers |
Bus bumpers. 1959 - 1965.  |
| Sleeper | Slang for a vehicle that appears stock or in poor condition from the outside, but has a large displacement engine. |
| Sloped Rack | A sloped version of the Westfalia roof rack found on pre 1961 model Westfalias. |
| Slug Bug | See Punch Bug |
| Small Nut | Refers to the size of the rear axle nut and reduction box design on a pre-1964 Bus. A small nut reduction box uses a 36 mm axle nut and has a gear ratio of 1.39:1. Also see Large Nut |
| Small Window |
Often refers to VW window sizes from 1958-1964. From Small Wonder VW History book: The largest change to date for the Beetle was in 1965: the majority of the body stampings were revised, which allowed for significantly larger windows. The windshield increased in area by 11% and was now slightly curved, rather than flat. Door windows increased accordingly by 6% (and door vent window edges were canted slightly back), rear side windows 17.5%, and the rear window 19.5%. The result was a more open, airy, modern look. Also see Big Window Small vs. Big Window example |
| Smokefix |
A small holder of cigarettes with an automatic self lighting feature
optional in the 50s for in dash installation. (6-volt) |
| Smooth Bumpers |
1953 -1955 (US) Beetle bumpers. Also called a "Euro" or "Blade" bumper. Used in Europe until 1961. Overriders
used in the US from 1956 - 1967. 
 |
| Smooth Gate |
Reference to the original gate design on early barndoor era single cabs. In
contrast to later gates with a stamped design, smooth gate single cab gates
have a flat exterior profile. Used on 1952-53 Single Cabs, up through
Chassis # 20-066115.
 |
| Smoothies |
Slang for 15" Beetle wheels that are
"smooth" on the outside - they have no slots
 |
| Snowflake Taillights |
1956-61 Beetle taillights
 |
| Snowtop | See Freedom Camper |
| Snubber |
Slang term for the front or rear rubber suspension stops
 |
| SO-kit | Description needed. Send a description (special option kit) |
| SO-22 |
Special option code given to the 1961-'65 Westfalia
camper conversion with a laminated wood interior. Forums thread with more detail |
| SO-23 |
Special option code given to the Westfalia
camper from '59-'61.
Forums thread with more detail |
| SO-33 |
Special option code given to the 1961-'65 Westfalia
camper conversion with a laminated wood interior. Forums thread with more detail  |
| SO-34 |
Special option code given to the 1961-'65 Westfalia
camper conversion with a laminated white interior. Forums thread with more detail |
| SO-35 |
Special option code given to the 1961-'65 Westfalia
camper conversion with a finished wood interior. Forums thread with more detail |
| SO-42 |
Special option code given to the '65-'67 Westfalia
camper conversion with a finished wood interior. Forums thread with more detail |
| SO-44 |
Special option code given to the '65-'67 Westfalia
camper conversion with a finished laminate wood interior. This package was
built in a non-walkthru bus and can come with either a full dormobile top or
smaller pop-top style. Only 500 were made. Forums thread with more detail |
| Solex | OE manufacturer or VW parts. Usually associated with carburetors. |
| Sondermodell | German: "special model". aka Deluxe Bus. |
| Sonderausfuhrungen | Special model Buses that could be ordered
directly from the Factory Some examples are: SO9: Pick-Up with hydraulic cherry picker SO16: Double Cab conversion (Binz) SO33: Westfalia Camper with small roof hatch |
| Sopru | First factory approved camper manufacturer in
Australia. Factory in South Australia. E. Sopru and Co. |
| SOTO | At one time the largest Bus club, SOTO was formed in LA in the eighties. Over the past few years the club has become inactive or at least has stopped attending events and producing a newsletter. |
| Southwind | OEM
manufacturer of gas
heaters.  |
| Sparkafer | See Standard Beetle |
| Speedo | Slang for Speedometer. |
| Speedwell | A car tuning company from the 1960's located in London, England and connected with the aftermarket VW parts company EMPI from that era. |
| SP1 | Built by VW of Brazil in the 1970's (June 1972
through 1975). Displacement is 1584cc, normally aspirated, with two Solex
32 PDSIT carburetors. Features a sculpted, sporty 2 seat Coupe body married
to a Type 3 chassis, Swing Axle Rear Suspension and Type 1 front end.
Also known as Project X / Prototype X. It bears a loving resemblance to the
T3 Fastback, the 411/412 Coupe and its' Porsche cousins. See
Type 149.
 |
| SP2 | Built by VW of Brazil in the 1970's (June 1972
through February 1976). Displacement is 1678cc, normally aspirated, with
two Solex 34 PDSIT carburetors. Features a sculpted, sporty 2 seat Coupe
body married to a Type 3 chassis, Swing Axle Rear Suspension and Type 1
front end. Also known as Project X / Prototype X. It bears a loving
resemblance to the T3 Fastback, the 411/412 Coupe and its' Porsche cousins.
See Type 149.
 |
| Speedometer | Gauge on vehicle which determines speed,
measured either in mph or kph. |
| Speedster Replica | VW-based kit car built to resemble a Porsche
speedster automobile.
 |
| Spice Rack | One of the cabinets in a Westfalia
kit. Intended to hold spices.  |
| Spindle | Portion of the front-end around which each
brake drum or rotor rotates. Connects to the front beam. Also
see drop spindle |
| Splash Guards | See mudflaps. |
| Split-Case | VW transmission used from 1953-1960 (1959 in Buses). Non-synchromesh, straight-cut first gear that required you to stop before engaging first gear. Case was split down the center like an engine case. |
| Split Case Design | Design term to indicate a transmission or engine built with 2 halves that are joined in the center. See split-case or crashbox. Not to be confused with split-case transmission. |
| Split-screen | Any bus,
transporter, microbus, panel, kombi, single or double-cab of the
Volkswagen Type II description with a manufacture date prior to 1968 (e.g.
1967 and earlier). Refers to the divided front windshield. |
| Split-window | First mass
production run of the Beetle. Used two pieces of flat glass for the
rear windows. |
| Splitty | Nickname for a 1949 through 1967 Transporter with a two-piece divided windshield. Also, the nickname for a pre-1953 Beetle sedan with a two-piece divided rear window. See Split-screen or Split-window. |
| Spoon latch | Slang term used to describe the long version
of the pop-out window latch used on pre-67 buses. The latch is chrome and
looks like a spoon. |
| Sports Bug | The special edition for 1973. Available as a Super Beetle. Two colors were offered; bright yellow, and metallic silver blue. All chrome was painted flat black. This was the only VW with 5.5" Sport Wheels, and wider tires (as opposed to later 4.5" Sport Wheels). Interiors came with Recaro style front seats, and all seats were black vinyl with dark purple corduroy inserts. There was also a thick rimmed small diameter steering wheel. |
| Sportsmobile | U.S. based
camper conversion based initially out of Indiana. Had a pop-top that
raised straight up, similar to a Riviera, except
without the molded fiberglass luggage rack in front. |
| Spring Kit | Slang for '55-'57 Westfalia interior. |
| Sprint Stars |
Type of rim  |
| Square | Slang term for Squareback. |
| Square-Window | Slang term for the 58-up Beetle. As opposed to Oval-Window or Split-Window |
| Squareback |
The Type 3 3-door sedan. Also
known as the Variant. Produced from 1962-1973. More info
welcome...  |
| Squirrel Cage |
Term often used to describe the type of fan used for either a fresh air or
auxiliary heater fan. The arrangement of the rotor bars resembles a
squirrel cage; hence, the term squirrel-cage.
 |
| Stale-air | December, 1962 and earlier heater system where the air used to cool the engine was directed into the passenger cabin for heat. The air often picked up engine smells like oil and fuel vapors or odors from cylinder head leakage, causing a "stale" smell. See also Fresh-air |
| Standard | The typical Standard or Microbus. A mid-range passenger Bus appointed with a headliner, full interior panels and 3 passenger seats. Available in 7, 8, and 9-seat
versions. Two-tone paint came standard.
For Brazil: Up to 1966 all Buses in Brazil had 13 windows. The Standard model had no headliner, panels, or trim. After 1966 all Buses have rear corner windows, they were 15-Window Buses but Standards still had no headliner, panels, or trim. Standards were also one solid color, top and bottom. |
| Standard Beetle | Model 111/112/115/116 Base model Beetle. The term
Standard is typically used when referring to early 50s/60s models. e.g.
Standard vs. Deluxe but can also refer to 70s models, e.g. Standard vs
Super Beetle. 1950s/60s models featured
painted handles and bumpers, no chrome, no fuel gauge, limited color
choices, and so on. Non-exhaustive list of features for 67/68 models: |
| Steering Damper | A damping device designed to inhibit an
oscillation of a vehicle steering mechanism, similar to a shock absorber in
nature. On VWs, a shimmy in the front end is often caused by a worn out steering damper. 
 |
| Station wagon | Marketing term used for the Bus in the USA |
| Stinger | Straight-pipe exhaust with no muffler.
Often very loud, originally intended for racing use only. |
| Stock | Denotes a vehicle that is stock in appearance
and mechanics. Term often used incorrectly. |
| Straight | Descriptive term referring to clean body lines, lack of dents, etc. |
| Stretched | Slang for customization where a "limousine"
effect is created by merging two or more vehicles. Opposite of a "shorty"
customization. |
| Stufenheck | German term for Notchback. Literally, "Step-Back". |
| Sub-Hatch | Term used for the roof opening in pre-65 model
Westfalias, used for ventilation. Also see flip-hatch. |
| Suicide Doors | Driver or passenger doors hinged at the rear rather than the
front edge.  |
| Sun Bug | A special edition in 1974. It was available as a regular Bug with a sunroof, a Super Beetle with a sunroof, or a convertible without a sunroof. All Sun Bugs were metallic gold with 4.5" Sport Wheels, and a Sun Bug badge on the deck lid. Interiors were tan with corduroy seat inserts, wood grain on the dash, silver highlights on the horn button, and a Sun Bug shift knob. |
| Sunburst pattern | See Swirl |
| Sundial | Sundial was a camper conversion outfit from LA
in the 60's and 70's. Typically Sundial campers were based on Panels
and Kombis and have a tell-tale red "Sundial Camper" badge and unique
fold-out bed.
 |
| Super Beetle | A
variation of the Beetle. Characteristics include a
big-nose front hood, larger trunk space, McPherson strut front
suspension, curved windshield ('73-later), and modern dashboard (also
'73-later). '71-72 (and '70 overseas) will have a flat windshield and
typical Beetle dashboard. |
| Super Escarabajo | Spanish nickname for the Super Beetle |
| Super Vee |
VW race car class that originally involved the use of a Type
4 engine of 1600cc size. |
| Surface Rust |
Thin layer of rust that can be removed and has not damaged the
vehicle's body panels. |
| Survivor | Slang: Un-restored original car with little work other than maintenance done. Typically original paint, interior, engine, etc. No restoration work done. |
| SVA | See SVSA |
| SVDA | Single Vacuum Dual Advance . A distributor with both vacuum and mechanical advances but only one vacuum can. |
| SVSA | Single Vacuum, Single Advance . A vacuum-advance only distributor. Vacuum can sizes vary by year. |
| Swamp Cooler |
Device that produces cold air in hot, dry weather by drawing hot air over a
wet cooling pad, either by air movement or via a fan.
 |
| Swap meet |
Gathering of VW enthusiasts to buy and sell parts. Usually accompanied
by a car show. |
| Swirl pattern |
Slang for the pattern used on pre-1959 Bus rear seat
kick panels |
| Swing-axle | Pre 1968 VW rear end design. As opposed to IRS. |
| Swivel-seat |
Original VW Bus options that allowed the driver's and
sometimes passenger seat, to swivel into the cargo
area. Involves a cut-down design of the front seat bulkhead.
Installed only on walk-through Buses.
 |
| SWF | Company that produces semaphores and other electrical items for Volkswagen and other vehicles. In the 1950's SWF was part of the company Gustav Rau GmbH. Gustav Rau started SWF - Spezial Werkzeugfabrik Feuerbach, in 1923. In 1973 it was sold to ITT. In 1998 SWF was taken over by Valeo - http://www.valeo.com |
| SWR |
Abbreviation for Sealing Wax Red, a common color used on pre-1966 Buses.
Alternatively, when talking about CB radios, it means Standing Wave Ratio. |
| SWT | See Single Wheel Trailer |
| Syncro | Four-wheel drive system for VW Transporters offered as an option on the Vanagon and Eurovan Bus and Trucks and also later Quantums, Golfs, and Passats. |
| Synchromesh | VW transmission design introduced in 1960-1961 (depending on model) where the four forward gears were fully synchronized. Tunnel-case transmission design. |
| T-1 | See Beetle |
| T-2 | See Bus |
| T-3 | See Type 3 |
| T-4 | See Type 4 |
| T-Handle | Handle used for
decklid on a Beetle or rear hatch on a
Split-screen Bus.
So named because it is shaped like a T. |
| T1 | Volkswagen type code for the first generation of VW Buses - 1949-1967 - the Split-Window. |
| T2 | Volkswagen type code for the second generation of VW Buses - 1968 through 1979 - the Bay Window or Bread Loaf. |
| T3 | Volkswagen type code for the third generation of VW Buses - 1980 through 1992 - the Vanagon. |
| T4 | Volkswagen type code for the fourth generation of VW Buses - the Eurovan. |
| TL |
Touring Luxo. The Brazilian Type 3
fastback. Also the model designation of the Fastback in Europe, e.g.
1600TL. |
| Tach | Slang for Tachometer. |
| Tachometer |
Electrical or mechanical gauge that indicates RPMs (revolutions per minute)
of the engine. 
 |
| Taper Tips |
Late 1960s exhaust tip accessory. See photos below for details
 |
| Teak |
Brown upholstery and interior color. Often used as a term to refer to
the limited production all-brown interior (seats, dashboard, carpet, and so
forth) used on 1966 Type 3s and Karmann Ghias. In
Type 3s, it was available as an option on Pearl White vehicles up to Chassis
No. 316 140 226.
 |
| Telefunken |
OEM Radio manufacturer for VW. |
| Tempo Matador |
VW powered truck built by Vidal and Sohn in Hamburg, Germany. Produced
for a short period of time from 1949 through 1952, powered by a VW 25hp
engine and a ZF non-synchro 4-speed transmission. The drivertain is
placed in front, making it a front wheel drive vehicle. Variations were
built in both truck and van formats. 1362 were produced in total.
 |
| Tetinha | In Brazil, it means "little tits". Describes the bullet-shaped indicators of the pointed turn signals used on VW Buses from 1955-1961 in the U.S. marketplace as well as the pointed turn signals used on early Oval Beetles, Ghias, and Type 3s. |
| Thermador |
Manufacturer of window-mounted swamp coolers |
| Thing |
A Kubelwagen-like Volkswagen (Type 181) designed for
and used by the German military until 1991. Produced between the 1968 and 1980, during which about
141,000 were made. Only imported to the U.S. during the peak years of 1973
and 1974.
 |
| Third Brake Light |
Slang term for the center mount brake-light used on pre-1958 VW Buses.
This was actually the only brake light, not a "third" brake light
as the term might indicate.  |
| Through Rods | Long rods of steel, generally with threaded ends that replace the torsion springs to secure the trailing arms into position with nuts or rod clamps. Generally used when an alternative spring is used such as coil over shocks, air shocks or air bags. Allows for greater suspension adaptability for desired application and use. |
| Tieflader | See Low Loader |
| Tilt |
Metal, wood, and canvas cover used to protect the contents of the bed on a
Single Cab or Double Cab |
| Tin | See Engine Tin. |
| Tin Top | A non pop top Westfalia Camper. |
| Toolkit |
Factory toolkit which came with every VW, tools included and bag varied. See this
Forum thread for more information.
     |
| Top end | Refers to the top portion of an engine including the fuel system, valve covers, heads, cylinders, pistons, valves, rings and other components that generate the power that propels the vehicle. Also see bottom end |
| Toro | Philippine produced fiberglass Volkswagen special. The 1300 cc engine, transaxle, front axle, steering and suspension were typical Beetle. The instrumentation was Karmann Ghia, as were the windshield and quarter windows. The body (and bumpers were fiberglass and the floor pan was steel. |
| Tourist Delivery |
VW program whereby you could pre-order a Volkswagen and pick it up in Europe
or other vacations worldwide, use the car to tour, and finally have the car
shipped home to a local port for pick-up. Due to the exchange rate
and other factors in the 1960s, it was often cheaper to purchase a vehicle
through the Tourist Delivery program than to take delivery from a local
dealership. Also see Tourist Delivery Brochures |
| Tow Bar | Metal bar that typically hooks over the front beam of a VW so it may be towed by another vehicle. |
| Towel bars | Slang term given to the overrider portion of the bumpers on VW Beetles. |
| Tow'd |
High-performance dune buggy designed and built by Bruce
Meyers.
 |
| Tow Hitch | Metal bar with ball so that a vehicle can tow a trailer or other vehicle from the back. |
| Trailer Queen | Slang term for a trailered car. Usually refers to a show car. Not a daily driver. |
| Trailing Arms |
Metal "arms" that extend outward from the front beam to hold the
front brakes as well as the front shocks. They pivot on roller bearing
inside the front beam to allow for up and down travel. 
|
| Trakbayan |
A contraction of the Tagalog term Trak nang bayan. Literally: "country truck".
The Trakbayan was developed and produced in the Philippines from 1976 through 1979
and powered by a front-mounted 1600cc Beetle engine.
See also Hormiga
 |
| TRAKKA |
An Australian third-party camper conversion for the Eurovan.
 |
| Tranny | Slang term for transmission |
| Transaxle | See transmission |
| Transmission | An assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an automobile engine to a live axle. Also, the speed-changing gears in such an assembly. |
| Transporter | Name for any Type II Volkswagen: deluxes, kombis, trucks, panels, etc. See Bus |
| Treasure chest |
Term for the area located underneath the bed of a Single Cab. VW
literature uses various terms for this loading area, including "lower
compartment", "lower loading compartment", "treasure compartment", and
"treasure chest".
 |
| Trekker |
The name under which the Type 182 Geländewagen
was marketed.  |
| Trike |
Three-wheeled Volkswagen based vehicle. |
| Trim | Used to describe several things. Trim levels of a VW vehicle, for example, Deluxe. Chrome or aluminum moulding trim. |
| Trim Ring |
Standard or Accessory ring mounted on the rim and held in by the hubcap.
Commonly made of aluminum and polished to a chrome-like finish. Also
see Beauty Ring |
| Trip | Slang for tripometer. |
| Tripometer | Standard or accessory mile or kilometer counter embedded into the speedometer. Re-settable by the driver back to zero to allow for the counting of miles on trips or between gas fill ups. |
| Tropfenauto |
German: "droplet-car". Any highly-streamlined car such as the VW
Type 60K10 Aero coupe. Refers to a teardrop shape. |
| Trutz of Gotha | German coach-builder who produced the body for the Type 82 Kubelwagen. |
| TS |
Abbreviation for TheSamba.com :) Also an S-Model
Type 3
available in the Canadian market place from 1964-65, as indicated by a TS
emblem mounted on the back.  |
| Tub |
The process a vehicle goes through in which the wheel wells are moved up
beyond their normal height by cutting and welding. Often done to
increase the range in lowering a Bus or to install larger than stock wheels
and tires.
 |
| Tumblers |
Drinking glasses in 1959 - 1964 SO-23s.
 |
| Tunnel-case | Style of VW transmission used from 1960/61-onward. Successor to the Split-case. Single piece main transmission case. Full synchromesh on all forward gears. |
| Turnkey | Indicates a complete engine ready for installation, including the generator, coil, and all other necessary accessories. |
| Turkis | German word and often used as slang in the
English language for the VW color Turquoise. Color used on early
1960s Beetle, Buses, and some other models
 |
| Type 1 | Model Code for the Beetle |
| Type 115 | Standard ragtop sunroof Beetle |
| Type 117 | Deluxe ragtop sunroof Beetle |
| Type 128 | See Kübelwagen |
| Type 147 | See Fridolin |
| Type 149 | Built by VW of Brazil in the 1970's (June 1972 to February 1976) includes the SP1 1600 (1584cc) and the SP2 1700 (1678cc). Features a sculpted, sporty 2 seat Coupe body married to a Type 3 chassis, Swing Axle Rear Suspension and Type 1 front end. Also known as Project X / Prototype X. It bears a loving resemblance to the T3 Fastback, the 411/412 Coupe and its' Porsche cousins. See SP1 and SP2. |
| Type 155 | See Kübelwagen |
| Type 166 | See Schwimmwagen |
| Type 181 | See Thing |
| Type 182 | The Right-hand drive model of the Thing. See Safari and Trekker. |
| Type 2 | Model Code for the Bus or Transporter. |
| Type 21 | Panelvan model code |
| Type 22 | Microbus model code |
| Type 23 | Kombi model code |
| Type 24 | Deluxe model code |
| Type 26 | Truck mode code: Single Cab and Double Cab |
| Type 27 | Ambulance model code |
| Type 28 | Microbus (7-seater) model code |
| Type 3 | Model Code for the Squareback, Fastback, Notchback, and Type 3 Ghia |
| Type 3 Ghia | The Type 34 was the flagship model of the entire VW line. It was the most expensive VW available, the fastest, and the most luxurious. The Type 34 was built from September 1961 through July 1969. There were a total of 42,505 Coupes built, all at the Karmann factory in Osnabrúck, Germany. See Razor Edge Ghia. |
| Type 34 | See Type 3 Ghia |
| Type 4 | Model Code for the 411 and 412 automobiles. It also refers to the Type 4 engine used in those automobiles as well as the used used in late-model Buses. |
| Type 60 | The original prototype Beetle. See KdF-Wagen |
| Type 62 | Prototype version of the Kübelwagen. |
| Type 82 | The production version of the Kübelwagen. |
| Type 82e | KdF Type 82e is the beetle body set on top of a Type 82 or Kübelwagen chassis |
| Type 87 | See Kommandeurswagen. |
| Tvilling | Swedish: "twin". In Sweden, a nickname for the Notchback. |
| Under Dash Mount |
Description of a mount for a radio or gauge that was intended to be mounted
underneath the dashboard. |
| Uni-Vents | Aftermarket Bus
accessory, similar in nature to ambulance fans,
that allows additional fresh air to travel through the overhead air intake
to the front seat passengers. The uni-vent is desirable to many VW
Bus owners as it allows you to control the direction of the air flow. |
| Universal case | Type 1 engine case that has facilities for
usage in multiple models. Includes mounting holes for the IRS
moustache mounting bar and the Type 3-style lower oil filler. (More information welcome) |
| Unobtanium | Slang. Parts that cannot be easily found are said to made from this, e.g. "Made from unobtanium" |
| Van | Generic term referring to the Transporter. Preferred term is Bus. |
| Vanagon |
The T3 generation of the Volkswagen Type 2, also
known as the Vanagon in the U.S., as the
Transporter or Caravelle in Europe, and
also to some in Britain and Ireland as the T25, was built from 1980 until
1991. It was the last of the rear-engine Volkswagens. |
| Vapor lock | A situation where gasoline overheats and boils inside the fuel pump or carburetor of a hot engine, causing bubbles to form and the fuel flow to stop. Symptoms are stalling or hard starting. |
| Variant | Canadian and European name for the
Squareback. Also used by VW for all
car-based wagon/estate models in Germany to this date (Passat Variant, Golf
Variant, etc.) |
| Varta | German manufacturer of batteries
which, along with Bosch, Wilhelm Hagen, Moss and
others, came in new VWs. |
| VDO |
OEM clock and gauge manufacturer for VW.
 |
| Vee-Dub | Slang for VW |
| Venturi Ring | A ring shaped device used on the rear of the
shroud in front of the cooling fan to increase air velocity, and increase
cooling. Used mostly on Fuel Injected Type 1's.
 |
| Verkaufswagen | German: "sales vehicle" |
| Vert | Slang for Convertible |
| VIN | Vehicle Identification Number - can be found on the metal plate inside the front of the car (boot) and/or on the chassis is also sometimes printed on the dashboard |
| Vintage | Classic. Of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality. |
| Vocho | Widely-used nickname for the Beetle in Mexico. |
| Volksie | Beetle nickname in South Africa. |
| Volksrod | Most often a Volksrod is a Bug,
any year with the fenders & running boards removes and a beam extender that
relocates the front axle forward between 8 and 10 inches. The Volksrod is
usually extremely lowered and often has other modifications like a chopped
roof, reversed door hinges, shaved drip rail, shaved moldings, etc.
Frequently the paint is original or primer or flat black shot out of a
rattle can. Frequently mistaken for a unfinished project, this is the
desired effect of the VolksRodder. |
| Volkswagen | German for "people's car". |
| Volkswagen AG | The Volkswagen Company. "Volkswagen Aktien Gesellschaft" |
| Volkswagenwerk | The Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany. |
| Volky | Nickname for the Beetle in Puerto Rico |
| Volla | Nickname for the Beetle in South Africa |
| Vosvos | Turkish nickname for air cooled beetles. In contrast to other nicknames, this one is an imitation of the distinctive sound of the air cooled engine as buses are called vosvos too. |
| Voltage | Electric potential or potential difference expressed in volts. Volkswagens are either 6-volt or 12-volt. |
| VW | Shortened version of Volkswagen |
| VW "Smell" | Particular and distinctive smell that aircooled VWs often have. Some reported sources for the scent are the upholstery stuffing, the rubber seals, etc. |
| VVWCA | Vintage Volkswagen Club of America. The Vintage Volkswagen Club of America (VVWCA) was founded in 1976 to serve as a network for vintage Volkswagen enthusiasts. As this hobby grows older, more Volkswagen models qualify as vintage. The VVWCA endeavors to assist all enthusiasts of vintage (and near to vintage) VWs in the historical, technical, and social aspects of this hobby. Local chapter are formed in many states. |
| VWAG | Volkswagen Aktien Gesellschaft: Volkswagen of Germany, the parent company of all the other VW regional companies. |
| VWDB | Volkswagen do Brasil |
| VWDM | Volkswagen de México |
| VWOA | Volkswagen of America. |
| VWOSA | Volkswagen of South Africa |
| W/T | Abbreviation for walk-through | |||
| Walk-through | A
walk-through model bus is equipped with two individual front seats, rather
than a bench style seat. This allows you to "walk-through"
to the passenger/cargo area. This model is often equipped with a
shorter 2/3 length middle seat that allows you
to access the rear seat as well. The shorter middle seat is a
different Bus model (as opposed to another option) so not all walk-thru
front seat Buses are guaranteed to have a short middle seat. The
walk-through option was a standard option from 1958-onward, although there
are a few earlier examples. Most '58-'59 walk-through Buses that have
survived are Panelvans. Walk-thru Buses have the spare tire mounted on
the rear deck in a recessed compartment. 1967 and earlier
walk-throughs use a unique lugnut to hold the spare tire in place.
|
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| Wash Basin | Term used to describe the 1959 -
'61 SO-23 sink. It is basically Tupperware. |
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| Wasserboxer | German: " water-boxer." The water-cooled version of the Vanagon. | |||
| Water Cooled | To indicate an engine cooled by water as opposed to air-cooled. | |||
| WBX | Abbreviation for Waterboxer aka Wasserboxer | |||
| Weber | Supplier of higher performance dual carburetors for the Volkswagen motor. | |||
| Weekender |
Camper conversion.
 |
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| Weltmeister | The European version of Volkswagen's first official special edition, made to commemorate Bug production surpassing Model T production. Weltmeister translates to World Champion. It was a Super Beetle with metallic silver green paint, and those ten spoke wheels sometimes called Baja Wheels. Also see Baja Champion | |||
| West Coast Car | Shorthand for a low-rust or no rust VW. | |||
| Westfalia |
German company with a long history that partnered with VW to convert buses into Campmobiles.
All campers are not Westfalias or "Westys". |
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| Westfalia Roof Rack Tags | currently reproduced by Greg
Noble. |
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| Westy | Slang for Westfalia | |||
| Wheelwells |
Metal that surrounds the wheels as viewed from the exterior.
 |
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| Whitewalls |
Type of tire characterized by a white ring on the front side. |
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| Wide-5 | Slang description for the 5x205mm lug bolt pattern. See also 5-Lug | |||
| Wide 5s | Another name for stock 5 lug rims, refers to the wide bolt pattern | |||
| Wide-bed |
Term used for pickups with an optional "Wider Bed". These were
designated with M codes 200 & 201. The
200 retained steel gates and the 201 used wooden gates. Only a handful of
these are known to exist.
 |
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| Window Guards | Official VW name for the aluminum rods mounted on the inside of the rear windows on
Deluxe model buses to prevent luggage/cargo from hitting the rear windows.
See slang term: Jailbars. |
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| Window Regulator | Assembly mounted inside the door that allows the window to be rolled up and down via a window crank and a gear. | |||
| Winker | The German word for the "semaphore"
or as the English have called them "trafficators" Those funny directional devices used on Volkswagens from the 1930s prototypes to 1960 (in Europe) semaphores were last seen on US bound cars about 1955. They were also known in late 1950s early 60s US Army slang as "idiot sticks" and made illegal by the German safe pedestrian laws in 1961.
|
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| Wiring Harness |
The set of wires mounted in a VW that carry power to the various accessories
and the engine, as well as providing needed grounding. |
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| Without Guesswork |
A set of related publications which can be thought of
as supplements to the factory workshop manuals and technical bulletins. They
contain basic specifications, running tolerances, wear limits, dimensions,
weights and other technical information aimed at helping the service
technician at effecting a proper repair or other service. See this Forum thread for more
details.  |
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| Wolfsburg | The plant in Germany where the Volkswagen passenger car was produced. Total area 8,321,000 Sq m of which 950,000 Sq m is built up. (as of 1964) Split-screen Volkswagen Buses were produced here until March of 1956. | |||
| Wolfsburg Bumper |
A VW bumper produced or intended for VW vehicles produced at the Wolfsburg
factory. Usually refers to the VW Bus front
bumper used until March, 1956, which had a narrower front license plate area
and thus longer ribs. |
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| Wolfsburg Edition | Special trim package for Water-Cooled VWs - Golf/Jetta/Vanagon/etc. | |||
| Wood Slat |
Any VW accessory or standard feature that
included the use of a number of wood strips. Examples: Slats in
the Single Cab or Double Cab bed area or slats used in VW roof
racks.
 |
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| Wrap-Around Dash |
Slang term for 1961-65 Type 3 dashboard cover, so called because the edge
matches up with the trim pieces located above the door panels.
 |
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| WVW |
Chassis number prefix (first 3 digits of standard 17-digit VIN than began in
1980) for VW German-built cars. "W" = Country of production (West) Germany "VW" = Volkswagen car builder. Also the prefix for Mexican Beetles sold in Europe, as well as European New Beetles (instead of 3VW, which VW of Mexico used for American-sold New Beetles.). |
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| YOM | Acronym for "Year of Manufacture" |
| YTM | Acronym for "You Tell Me". Used by some sellers searching for best offers. |
| Z-Bar | Used on '67 and '68 Beetles and Type 3s to
improve handling in corners or under a heavy load before the introduction of
IRS. |
| Z-Bed | Accessory offered by "Z-Products" to allow the
rear seat to fold flat on baywindow buses. The kit includes hinge mechanisms
for the rear seat, extensions to position the middle seat forward a few
inches, seat belt extensions for the rear passengers, and other hardware.
"Z-bed" is also incorrectly used to describe the folding bed assembly used
on Westfalia campers. The Westfalia folding rear seat was not built by
Z-Products. Z-Bed kit:  Bay Window folding rear seat: 
 |
| Zacarius | Supplier of accessories for Split-Window
era Beetles. Often associated with their roofrack.  |
| Zu | See Auf-Zu |
| Zündfolge | Means "Firing Order". Normally appears on the VW case (25/36hp engines) or generator stand, near the numbers 1-4-3-2. |
| Zwitter | See Zwitterkäfer |
| Zwitterkäfer | German: "Hermaphrodite beetle".
Secondary meanings are, "dual purpose", and "made from two different kinds
of things". Refers to the late 1952 - early 1953 Beetle produced between the full Split-Window
Beetle and the Oval Beetle. It was a Split beetle with Oval window dash,
split rear window, and Zwitter only parts, the rarest being the dome light. |
