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jmt512
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2003
Posts: 4
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 Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 4:52 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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I know probably everybody out there knows what one is, but not me.
anybody help me? |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2002
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 4:56 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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A Zwitter was produced from October 52 to around mid-53. You can tell its a zwitter because it has the split rear windshield but the dash is that of an oval window car (instead of the dual gloveboxs of a regular split). Also has a lot of other Zwitter only parts.
Pretty rare cars and parts are hard to get since they were around for only 6 months.
Kevin |
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jmt512
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2003
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 4:56 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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thanks, I appreciate the info.
JT |
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LeeStahlecker
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2002
Posts: 343
Location: NorCal VW Scene
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:49 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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| you may also hear zwitter's referred to as "oval-dash splits". |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2002
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2003 1:10 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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| what does it mean? German word? |
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jmt512
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2003
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2003 1:12 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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You may want to start a new thread and ask that question. I don't know if it is a German word or what. Sorry.
JT |
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oldovaldriver
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2003
Posts: 265
Location: Mid-Atlantic
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:16 pm Post subject: What is a Zwitter? |
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Actually in German it means hermaphrodite, hybrid, or mongrel. In this case the zwitter is equal parts split and oval, or "brezel" und "ovali" (in German).
-Paul |
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My57Oval
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2005
Posts: 624
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 3:56 pm Post subject: Bastard |
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| It basically means bastard. |
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Rick
Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2003
Posts: 1539
Location: Soquel, California
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 7:26 am Post subject: |
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| my question is who gave it the zwitter name? Given the translation I would think the proud germans wouldn't want to demean their own car, so is this a case of the public giving it a nickname and it sticking? Or is the whole thing "lost in translation" and in germany the word doesn't have the negative implications that it has in the US? |
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kafer53
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2004
Posts: 904
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Rick wrote: |
| my question is who gave it the zwitter name? Given the translation I would think the proud germans wouldn't want to demean their own car, so is this a case of the public giving it a nickname and it sticking? Or is the whole thing "lost in translation" and in germany the word doesn't have the negative implications that it has in the US? |
As far as I have been told, the "zwitter" name came about through an English VW Club in the 1970's. It is strickly a nickname given for these rare 6 month only cars as they are a combination of both spilt window and oval window beetles. I guess it stuck and we in the hobby have been using it ever since. I don't know if the germans refer to them as zwitter's or not. |
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Springer
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2004
Posts: 37
Location: Isle Of Man
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 5:50 am Post subject: |
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If you look at my picture postings you will see the South Afircan Zwitter
Oval dash, deluxe kit and split window. Running SA SP 14" rims (relatively rare) not my favourite but have pressed rims awaiting some time and paint.
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“Don’t teach pigs to sing, it wastes your time and it annoys the pigs” |
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 10835
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:46 am Post subject: |
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"As far as I have been told, the "zwitter" name came about through an English VW Club in the 1970's. It is strickly a nickname given for these rare 6 month only cars as they are a combination of both spilt window and oval window beetles. I guess it stuck and we in the hobby have been using it ever since. I don't know if the germans refer to them as zwitter's or not."
Sounds logical. I also do not know if VW fans in Germany refer to these as a Zwitter. That word is a legitimate word in general German vocabulary. I have not spent enough time around the vintage VW gurus in Germany to remember what they called them; in general though, as mentioned above, in the German language, a split-window is known as a "Brezel", or "Brezelfenster". That includes all built from '38 thru March '53. |
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mr matt
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2005
Posts: 1024
Location: southeast Pa
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Now that I know what they are there are 2 in a junkyard about 50 miles from me, however the proprieter will not let them go - although they have been turning into rust for the past 15 years I've been going there - I was just there last week, and he has piled so much metal crap on them - it's very sad. don't understand his thinking at all
matt s |
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Dave Haviland
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2005
Posts: 322
Location: Burlington, Vermont
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:11 pm Post subject: zwitter |
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Most likely going to restore them someday.  |
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bill may
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Joined: August 27, 2003
Posts: 14160
Location: san diego,ca
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passoa55 
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 576
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:49 am Post subject: |
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A cheap looking split?  
_________________
1950 Hebmuller #458
1952 Azure blue crotch cooler ragtop
1953 original paint oval ragtop
1955 lowlight lizard green
1955 original paint oval
1956 1600 super V-sunroof Porsche
1958 lowlight ghia black
1967 SO42 westy
1969 original paint Westy
1970 one owner 1300L bug |
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53 0val
Samba Professor
Joined: July 03, 2003
Posts: 11396
Location: Irvine, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:38 am Post subject: |
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| passoa55 wrote: |
| A cheap looking split? |
You could look at it as an "unrefined" oval. 
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vwwitch
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2005
Posts: 74
Location: hagerstown maryland
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| mr matt i was wondering if u could say where the junk yard is ... im looking for some parts for my zwitter ... if the guy wont sell the cars maybe he will sell the parts ... if wanna get ahold of me directly u can e mail me ... [email protected] |
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bugman56
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2007
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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yeah i could use a speedometer from one...
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1956 semaphored ragtop deluxe |
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max2919
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2005
Posts: 82
Location: Sweden
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| Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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| passoa55 wrote: |
| A cheap looking split? |
No, best looking split
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