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Thu Nov 24, 2005 7:01 am

Got this NOS '51 (i believe) door

Was told by the bloke i got it off it was definately for a '51, however someone who was interested in buying it off me, tells me it's for a Zwitter. Now i'm not sure who to believe??

Here's the door and some close-up detailed pics

Thu Nov 24, 2005 7:07 am

I'm sorry to say....it's a early ribbed oval door. (This is a split door. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=233729
If you look, the inner steel door panel is different. Also, the inner door handles are in different spots. On a split door, the inner door handle is higher. So FYI, Split door panels will NOT fit oval ribbed doors.

Thu Nov 24, 2005 8:19 am

steven wood wrote: I'm sorry to say....it's a early ribbed oval door. (This is a split door. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=233729
If you look, the inner steel door panel is different. Also, the inner door handles are in different spots. On a split door, the inner door handle is higher. So FYI, Split door panels will NOT fit oval ribbed doors.

When did they stop having one piece windows in the early doors? Mine has this and not 1/4 lights

Thu Nov 24, 2005 8:48 am

you can change these doors to one piece glass. You have to drill out the spot welds that hold the vent glass in , etc. Look at this, http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=139165&highlight=arkansas
you can see this car has a split door, and a oval door. Both have one piece glass. I'm looking for split doors, I made the SAME mistake.

Thu Nov 24, 2005 8:51 am

That door looks very interesting. From the first look, it appeared to be a 1953-55 door. But looking at it more, it seems to have some characteristics of a dor that utilizes 1pc windows.
For an earlier door, it does have the lower mounting flange for the Split-era window regulator. And, since your the owner, I take it that it looks to never have been modified of the vent wing section?
For a later door, it does have the mounting slots for the vent wing (just above the window regulator hole).
Can it be possible that the door is a replacement pieces for all Pre '55 Beetles since it has characteristics of both style doors? This of course is assumng that the door has never been modified in any way.

[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/medium/928632.jpg
[img]

Thu Nov 24, 2005 8:55 am

That door looks to be for a split with one piece windows. Notice that it does not have the pieces welded into it where the vent window rubber seal into. It is a door that was made available for a split window as a replacement door from the factory using the now newer later style zwitter/oval ribbed inner door skins. One thing that makes it different other then all the places to secure a vent window assembly if the rest of the door was configured for that is the placement on this door of the door lock handle, it will be off from an original split only door by about 1/2-1 inch so you will have to relocate this piece of the door to match an original split door. This door will never work for a zwitter as there is no place to affix the vent window rubber, that part is not present.
Good luck.
H.

Thu Nov 24, 2005 9:15 am

RareAir wrote: That door looks very interesting. From the first look, it appeared to be a 1953-55 door. But looking at it more, it seems to have some characteristics of a dor that utilizes 1pc windows.
For an earlier door, it does have the lower mounting flange for the Split-era window regulator. And, since your the owner, I take it that it looks to never have been modified of the vent wing section?
For a later door, it does have the mounting slots for the vent wing (just above the window regulator hole).
Can it be possible that the door is a replacement pieces for all Pre '55 Beetles since it has characteristics of both style doors? This of course is assumng that the door has never been modified in any way.

[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/medium/928632.jpg
[img]

The story goes as such: The old man i got it off bought it to use on his '51 that he was restoring. He bought the door through the VW dealership his brother ran in Ireland in the 60's. He bought it direct from VW, via his brother in approx 1965-68 (sorry i can't be more precise, he wasn't 100% either!) It than sat in the back of the workshop until about 1972/73 when he decided that it would last longer witha coat of primer, hence the strange color. It then lay in exactly the same place at the rear of said workshop until myself a a couple of friends bought this and a whole load (2.5 tonnes actually!) of other NOS parts off him back in early 2004. As far as i'm aware he never altered it, he would have told us if he had, as he had 1001 stories to tell!!

By the way, he didn't use it as an accident damaged split gave up it's doors for him to use on his own car! That's why it lay there until i got it.

Thu Nov 24, 2005 9:40 am

So I would say it's a TRUE Zwitter door :D It's not a split nor a oval door.

Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:20 pm

I have to ask, "Are the holes for the rubber scraper securment wire round or rectangular?" I hope that makes sense to you.

As a 30+ year long Zwitter owner, and an even longer body repairman, I look at this door and see a universal split window door. Definitely an early one.

In the early 70's bought out the old stock of a VW dealer, in among which were several sets of early Oval doors. All had the welded in area for a vent window assembly to be installed.

Fri Nov 25, 2005 4:08 am

Zwitter wrote: I have to ask, "Are the holes for the rubber scraper securment wire round or rectangular?" I hope that makes sense to you.

As a 30+ year long Zwitter owner, and an even longer body repairman, I look at this door and see a universal split window door. Definitely an early one.

In the early 70's bought out the old stock of a VW dealer, in among which were several sets of early Oval doors. All had the welded in area for a vent window assembly to be installed.

There is no 'welded in' area for a vente window assembly to be installed for sure.

The holes are round for the scraper.

What does this make it? Split or Zwitter?

Fri Nov 25, 2005 7:47 am

call it what you want, but it is a door made to take a one piece window.
H.

Fri Nov 25, 2005 8:41 am

Since you don't have a matching set, This door would be good to use on a split ratrod. Since the inner door panels wouldn't match a interior split door panel, wiithout some body work being done. If it was cheap enough and if it was in the US, I would buy it. FYI, I'm looking for a standard split drivers side door....if anyone has one.

Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:07 am

steven wood wrote: Since you don't have a matching set, This door would be good to use on a split ratrod. Since the inner door panels wouldn't match a interior split door panel, wiithout some body work being done. If it was cheap enough and if it was in the US, I would buy it. FYI, I'm looking for a standard split drivers side door....if anyone has one.

Who says i don't have a matching set? You only 'asume' i dont :wink:

Someone out there will need a door like this, and lets face it NOS one pice window doors aren't exactly falling off tree's are they :roll: :D

Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:19 am

empi pervert wrote: steven wood wrote: Since you don't have a matching set, This door would be good to use on a split ratrod. Since the inner door panels wouldn't match a interior split door panel, wiithout some body work being done. If it was cheap enough and if it was in the US, I would buy it. FYI, I'm looking for a standard split drivers side door....if anyone has one.

Who says i don't have a matching set? You only 'asume' i dont :wink:

Someone out there will need a door like this, and lets face it NOS one pice window doors aren't exactly falling off tree's are they :roll: :D

:lol: I've found another NOS standard split door :lol: The deal is going down as we speak.....

Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:04 am

Quote: I've found another NOS standard split door The deal is going down as we speak.....

Did you?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=136428
Like this one here maybe?
:wink:
Looks familiar

Nice wallpaper Empi

Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:35 am

No not this one! The one I found is burried in a atic with NOS split bumpers, standard split seats, and some more split stuff that I'm looking through :lol: Should look good on my car when I get it.

Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:59 am

nice find. How did you come across it?

Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:05 am

I agree with "Zwitter". It´s UNIVERSAL split door. My car (a 1951) has two exactly the same and the car was restored by a VW dealership 1972 for display.
:)

Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:29 am

I have just been told the following by a split window beetle expert:

'that door would be perfect for a 48-51 Split. I had a 49 vw and it the very same thing'

Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:03 am

A OG split interior door panel isn't going to fit this door. I have a set of OG door panels and it will not fit. The door handle is mounted higher in a original split door. Go try it.