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Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:53 am

Look at my June 1952 Split running boards. They don't have V-profile rubber, it's square profile and the ends are not similar than Oval has.
Area under trim is smooth as well as area on body retaining side.
This must be special series? What kind of rubbers Zwitter has?

Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:06 am

Look like split from the under brace on the bottom and the grooved trim, maybe the rubber was replaced later at some point.

Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:09 am

virtanen wrote: Look at my June 1952 Split running boards. They don't have V-profile rubber, it's square profile and the ends are not similar than Oval has.
Area under trim is smooth as well as area on body retaining side.
This must be special series? What kind of rubbers Zwitter has?

I think they used different kinds of rubber from time to time. My 51 was exactly like that as well.

Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:39 am

My Oct. 51 had those as well. It was only driven until 62 and they were attached with the factory rivets so I am pretty sure they were original to the car.

Chris

Sun Feb 18, 2007 1:06 pm

I don't think that the rubber has been changed. I have an 53 june bug with exactly the same runningboards except for the ribbed molding. The car is very OG. Paint, interior ect. I also bought kaefer-nostalgie's runningboards for my sept 52 split, and mounte "regular" split ribbed rubber. Maybe I have to take it of and replace it with the rubber virtainen has now showed us??

virtanen wrote: Look at my June 1952 Split running boards. They don't have V-profile rubber, it's square profile and the ends are not similar than Oval has.
Area under trim is smooth as well as area on body retaining side.
This must be special series? What kind of rubbers Zwitter has?

Sun Feb 18, 2007 1:12 pm

oval53/split52 wrote: I don't think that the rubber has been changed. I have an 53 june bug with exactly the same runningboards except for the ribbed molding. The car is very OG. Paint, interior ect. I also bought kaefer-nostalgie's runningboards for my sept 52 split, and mounte "regular" split ribbed rubber. Maybe I have to take it of and replace it with the rubber virtainen has now showed us??

do your zwitter running boards have the brace underneath, I always wondered if zwitter ones had them.

Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:23 pm

Skim wrote:
do your zwitter running boards have the brace underneath, I always wondered if zwitter ones had them.

The should have the braces. My buddy's 54's running boards have the braces.

Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:00 pm

I think vw switch to this type of cover in late 51 or 52 and used them up to at least 56 or later. If I understand your pics right it's the type were the square shaped ribs end tapering down to smoth ends.
My all orig 55 convert has this type and I have seen it on at least 10 other carsranging from early 52 splits to 56.
Btw I have two nos covers like this, but thet are both the same side, cant rember which side right now.If anyone has some to trade to make a l/r set let me know.

Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:07 am

[email protected], do you have a picture of your covers?

They are NOT typical "Oval rubbers" with smooth ends. The Square ribs continues fully to the ends of board. If I calculated right, there are 20 ribs starting at front end.

Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:36 pm

my June '52 standard also has the same rubber as in the photos, original car, original rivets holding it on, the difference is that the rubber is very thick compared to anything you can get now, easily twice as thick as the later stuff

Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:40 pm

billmetric wrote: my June '52 standard also has the same rubber as in the photos, original car, original rivets holding it on, the difference is that the rubber is very thick compared to anything you can get now, easily twice as thick as the later stuff My April '52 also has this type of rubber, factory rivets. The size of the square ribs is differant from oval rubber. I know of a few other original cars that had this type also. My car was delivered to Casa Blanca when new. I don't know if this had any effect on which type of rubber on not. But all the small rubber pads, mirror, seat, and front hood badge, were of the V shaped rubber. How about yours?

Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:41 am

I visited a friend yesterday. He has a very nice an untouched split from march 52 with excatly the same runningboards as Virtanen.

Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:02 am

DDub wrote: billmetric wrote: my June '52 standard also has the same rubber as in the photos, original car, original rivets holding it on, the difference is that the rubber is very thick compared to anything you can get now, easily twice as thick as the later stuff My April '52 also has this type of rubber, factory rivets. The size of the square ribs is differant from oval rubber. I know of a few other original cars that had this type also. My car was delivered to Casa Blanca when new. I don't know if this had any effect on which type of rubber on not. But all the small rubber pads, mirror, seat, and front hood badge, were of the V shaped rubber. How about yours?

Yep, I have the same.

Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:43 am

Skim wrote: oval53/split52 wrote: I don't think that the rubber has been changed. I have an 53 june bug with exactly the same runningboards except for the ribbed molding. The car is very OG. Paint, interior ect. I also bought kaefer-nostalgie's runningboards for my sept 52 split, and mounte "regular" split ribbed rubber. Maybe I have to take it of and replace it with the rubber virtainen has now showed us??

do your zwitter running boards have the brace underneath, I always wondered if zwitter ones had them.

Yes my oval from 1953 has the brace.

Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:53 pm

Bruce wrote: Skim wrote:
do your zwitter running boards have the brace underneath, I always wondered if zwitter ones had them.

The should have the braces. My buddy's 54's running boards have the braces.

Thanks, you learn something new everyday!

Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:26 pm

Starting at the front of the running board. What are the measurement of were the rivets are placed ?

Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:25 pm

Bruce wrote: Skim wrote:
do your zwitter running boards have the brace underneath, I always wondered if zwitter ones had them.

The should have the braces. My buddy's 54's running boards have the braces.

Wrong forum, but... looks like the braces were eliminated sometime during 1954, as my original Nov '54 (and Jan '55) running boards do not have them. Can anybody narrow down the change point further?

Fri Feb 23, 2007 7:36 am

hebman wrote: Starting at the front of the running board. What are the measurement of were the rivets are placed ?

This information was taken from another board:

"18 rivets.
Starting at the front of the running board:

The first hole is in the middle of the metal 3/4 of an inch from the edge of the running board.

The second hole is pretty close to the bottom of the running board (as is the rest of the holes except the last) and is 2 inches from the first hole (center of hole to center hole). The next are spaced as follows:

From the second hole to the third - 1 9/16 inches

then - 3 3/16
then - 4 inches
then - 4 inches
then - 3 1/16
then - 1 9/16
then - 3 3/16
then - 4 inches
then - 4 inches
then - 3 3/16
then - 1 9/16
then - 3 7/16 (not sure why this one is 3 7/16 - I would mark them off first and make sure you have enough room at the end)
then - 4 inches
then - 4 inches
then - 3 3/16
then - 1 9/16 (with this last hole in the middle of the metal and is about 3/4 of an inch from the end).

These are not perfect but should get you really really close. Good luck!"

Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:53 am

suboval --- thanks for spending you time on this. With german running boards, repo braces,repo mat covers, repro split wide trim and now the rivet spacing and powdercoating. We should all be able to clone split running boards.

The only problem you will have about $500.00 in your running boards.

Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:00 am

hebman wrote: suboval --- thanks for spending you time on this.

With german running boards (you will have to weld up sloted hole)
repo braces
repo mat covers
repro split wide trim
repo clips
and now the rivet spacing
and powdercoating.
We should all be able to clone split running boards.

The only problem you will have about $500.00 in your running boards.