Need Help - 1980 VW Type 1 Convertible Body I found

[lmar]

Hello,

I was able to secure a new carcass for my daughter's project "Eloise" 2 hours up island. It apparently is in pretty good condition. Has not been in an accident and does not appear to be molested with patch panels.

Heading to pick it up this Saturday.

The guy who looked at it before me told the seller it was in remarkably good shape given its age and sitting outside.

I am told it is a 1980 model year. The seller is not a VW guy and is selling it for his friend who abandoned the project as he did not have enough time to work on it.

I thought production stopped in 1979. However, my research shows that 518 were produced in January of 1980.

Other than checking the serial number against the VW Germany production list, is there any outward visible sign that it might actually be a 1980? I know serial numbers are on dash and tunnel of pan.

Since there is no tunnel to check is VIN on dash my only reference?

Does it have any historical significance other than being possibly one of the last 518 built?

What is it worth?

I'll be swapping bodies for this one that has 120-140 hours of rework to get it to the state of the blue one.

Just wanting to get other people's opinion.

L

[Cusser]

1979 Convertibles were popular as folks learned Beetles were being phased out in USA. So VW kept making some more into 1980 as same as 1979 models.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Lost69Convertible]

The last model year for Beetle convertibles was 1979. These were built in Germany with final assembly at the Karmann plant. When the final year for convertibles was announced, demand went up. So Volkswagen cheated the emissions regulations (imagine that 😃) and built hundreds of “1979 models” in January of 1980. These cars were sold as 1979 models. Emissions regulations were more difficult in 1980 compared to 1979. The cars built in January 1980 met the 1979 regulations but did not meet the 1980 regulations.

The color looks like River Blue Metallic. That’s a one year only 1979 color. And it’s considered desirable by many people.
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1956 Beetle Ragtop: My Father's car
1969 Beetle Convertible: My first car. I loved it, I lost it, and I never got over it.
1979 Super Beetle Convertible

[lmar]

Here is a picture of the vehicle tag next to the latch under the hood.

Looked up various websites but cannot make heads nor tail.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[KTPhil]

That tag resembles the assembly date tags, but the format isn't quite the same...
https://sebeetles.com/production-plates/

[bnam]

The tag says it was built on a Monday in the 3rd week of Jan. It does not specify which year though as that would be on the other plate.
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1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL

[lmar]

Thank you for all your help. Will look for other tags when I get it home this Saturday.

[lmar]

We are hooped.

Found the other tag in the front of the vehicle today.
Top half is there - critical bottom half is not.

Since I don't have pan or engine, there is no other way to confirm year of manufacture.

Thanks for all the help.

L

[MuzzcoVW]

So, the VIN sticker is missing on the drivers door B pillar? Or did it get painted over? The manufacture date would be there

[lmar]

[lmar]

What a difference a year makes.

My daughter's 78 vs. the 79/80 has a some noticeable changes.

Other than the cheaper parts (i.e. 78 has steel bearing cage and raceway in steering column while 79 has plastic parts), there are two thread inserts at the top of the rear package shelf (in the corners). From the engine compartment side it appears as just a bigger version of the fender inserts.

For reference, the left hole is just above the Fuel Injection harness grommet. Right one is opposite (See rear package picture below).

Any idea of what they are used for?

Secondly, there is a big hole in the glove compartment of the 79/80. It appears factory as there is a faint outline of what I suspect was a plug filling the hole.

Why was it there on later model but not year before?