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txoval Samba Member
Joined: January 23, 2004 Posts: 3540 Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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I wish some of the Oval gurus would chime in, but the fact that your car has bullet turn signals indicates to me it should have over riders to be "stock"
European Beetles kept semaphores until 60 I believe.
Early 1955 US Beetles had semaphores as well...might do a search in here for "1955"
Lots of good data/arguments over this stuff. VW changed a lot of little items randomly. Heck I found that my Nov 54 beetle has a 3 month only Speedo...why did VW do that? Who knows |
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Westy Steve Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006 Posts: 1095
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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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txoval wrote: |
I wish some of the Oval gurus would chime in, but the fact that your car has bullet turn signals indicates to me it should have over riders to be "stock"
European Beetles kept semaphores until 60 I believe.
Early 1955 US Beetles had semaphores as well...might do a search in here for "1955"
Lots of good data/arguments over this stuff. VW changed a lot of little items randomly. Heck I found that my Nov 54 beetle has a 3 month only Speedo...why did VW do that? Who knows |
The answers I'm coming up with is that I should have overriders and snowflakes, but the snowflakes should be mounted low....so they will be well hidden behind the towel bars. The car was probably made May 3rd in '55. _________________ Have nice 914, want nice Bug |
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Westy Steve Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006 Posts: 1095
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry for belaboring this, but can any of ya'll read this? Is the Vin number 1081xxx or 1087xxxx ???
I ask because the car is light beige, but that color was discontinued before 1087XXXX came out. It would make sense if it was 1081xxxx
Pay no attention to the body number (or underlying color) because the tire well was apparently replaced:
_________________ Have nice 914, want nice Bug |
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txoval Samba Member
Joined: January 23, 2004 Posts: 3540 Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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What does the pan say under the seat? |
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sconord Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2005 Posts: 704 Location: Dallas Texas
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like 1-0872 to me _________________
beatleeater wrote: |
you're a freaking genius |
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txoval Samba Member
Joined: January 23, 2004 Posts: 3540 Location: The Woodlands, TX
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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I'm trying to figure out how you got a January 1954 Body Number/front clip. The May explain no over rider holes in your apron...
That VIN suggests early May 1955... |
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Westy Steve Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006 Posts: 1095
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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I think the spare tire "bucket" was replaced back in the '50's following an accident.
All I can make out under the seat are the last five digits of the tag shown. (so the "1" or "7" isn't visible) But since the last five digits match the tag there is only a one in 10,000 chance that they are not the same number.
Interesting ya'll think it is a "7". The paint index indicates that they stopped painting them light beige before the VIN numbers with 7's were produced. Light Beige was discontinued at 1-823xxxxx
Anyone have a 7 or a 1 in their VIN for comparison?
edit: Is my car Nile Beige???
Steve _________________ Have nice 914, want nice Bug |
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Jonnyla Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2013 Posts: 101 Location: Mesa, AZ
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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It's a 7. My May of '55 is within 700 cars or so of yours. Starting
with 1-0872xxx as well, the last three number fall just shy of the five hundred mark. _________________ '55 3 fold sedan, stock with lower stance (project)
'57 sedan, future old speed outlaw style (project) |
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Westy Steve Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006 Posts: 1095
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, check this out. I'm going with the concensus opinion its a seven. Then the color in the trunk might be the stock color. I assumed it was a respray.
Does it look like Nile Beige?
Editx2: GRRRR! I got to thinking it might be Nile beige (with a stretch of the imagination), but then I read this thread ( http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=188310&highlight=nile+beige ) and I'm confident nobody really knows....even if I order the birth certificate, I can't trust it. I can say that my doors look like they have the original paint, and they look light beige to me. I guess I'll go with light beige....that seems to be the best match.
_________________ Have nice 914, want nice Bug
Last edited by Westy Steve on Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:13 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Westy Steve Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006 Posts: 1095
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Jonnyla wrote: |
It's a 7. My May of '55 is within 700 cars or so of yours. Starting
with 1-0872xxx as well, the last three number fall just shy of the five hundred mark. |
That's really weird. My car's VIN falls just above 500. But below 550. Our cars are less than 100 apart, and likely made the same day! _________________ Have nice 914, want nice Bug |
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Jonnyla Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2013 Posts: 101 Location: Mesa, AZ
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 10:06 am Post subject: |
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Nice! we may actually be within 150 cars. How fun! Wish I could help answer some of your questions. I have been researching the same issues over the last 8 months. I will share my observations with you.
Unfortunately my '55 had been Baja cut long ago by a PO. My plan is to return it to stock with as much OG metal as possible or quality sheet metal panels from a few select guys like Mika, many here know about the high quality of his stuff.
Is it possible your car was a "special order"? Probably no way to find out even with a birth certificate. Was thinking since '55 is such a crazy production year that maybe someone ordered you car with the color that was being discontinued? Was thinking even the same with the over riders (Ram Protection). I know it became standard for US models right around then, (I have the date at home as per the production change documentation list thingy, ). So maybe it was ordered when that was an option rather than a required or standard item? Again just a thought and obviously open to debate. I swear I have seen some vintage photos on here that appear to be a '55 US model with bullets and snowflakes without the ram protection.
Anyways, wish I could help eliminate some possibilities for you but may have just added a few, sorry.
If your rear apron is original that does help me decide weather I needed to go with or with out the exhaust cut outs. leaning more toward the lack of cut outs now that you have posted. Thanks for that.
I'll be following you project for sure and I'll add anything else I may find, with documentation next time, haha.
Jon _________________ '55 3 fold sedan, stock with lower stance (project)
'57 sedan, future old speed outlaw style (project) |
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Westy Steve Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006 Posts: 1095
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 10:33 am Post subject: |
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Jonnyla wrote: |
Nice! we may actually be within 150 cars. How fun! Wish I could help answer some of your questions. I have been researching the same issues over the last 8 months. I will share my observations with you.
Unfortunately my '55 had been Baja cut long ago by a PO. My plan is to return it to stock with as much OG metal as possible or quality sheet metal panels from a few select guys like Mika, many here know about the high quality of his stuff.
Is it possible your car was a "special order"? Probably no way to find out even with a birth certificate. Was thinking since '55 is such a crazy production year that maybe someone ordered you car with the color that was being discontinued? Was thinking even the same with the over riders (Ram Protection). I know it became standard for US models right around then, (I have the date at home as per the production change documentation list thingy, ). So maybe it was ordered when that was an option rather than a required or standard item? Again just a thought and obviously open to debate. I swear I have seen some vintage photos on here that appear to be a '55 US model with bullets and snowflakes without the ram protection.
Anyways, wish I could help eliminate some possibilities for you but may have just added a few, sorry.
If your rear apron is original that does help me decide weather I needed to go with or with out the exhaust cut outs. leaning more toward the lack of cut outs now that you have posted. Thanks for that.
I'll be following you project for sure and I'll add anything else I may find, with documentation next time, haha.
Jon |
Thanks. Pretty sure that if my serial number has the "seven" in it, (and the concensus is that it does...plus it is titled that way), then I'll just assume it was made in May and restore accordingly. Based on that, it must be light beige because (as I have learned), they didn't make any other beige colors until August of that year. The more I see pix of light beige cars with red accents, the more I like them. I have learned Flat4 be making a new horn button with St. Christopher and a red accent...that should look perfect. I'll supplement with a red and white blumenvasen...that'll go well with the red interior too.
Sounds like I'm supposed to have overriders, which started in May, or April. From what I've read, cars before then didn't have the overriders. I have a really nice set of bumpers I've been saving for a good occasion, so this will be the car I'll put them on.
I also plan to leave my taillights alone, but I'll add a supplemental red light on my back bumper...probably something that looks vintage, but has an LED, that will light up when I hit the brakes only.
I'll take a good look at my rear apron and try to get photos. The research aspect of these cars is really fun to me...and it surprises me how little is documented clearly.
Lets see a photo of your car. Yeah, try and find a rear clip for it. One thing I've realized lately is that it pays to just pay people to do certain jobs for you. Find a rear clip and get it done!
Steve _________________ Have nice 914, want nice Bug |
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65ghia Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2001 Posts: 224 Location: Hayward ,CA
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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My April 55 has overider bumpers , bullet fenders,batwing,ribbed doors ,later tail lights non semiphore car. Oh yeah and 3 fold. Welcome to the crazy 55's
_________________ 1955 3fold oval 2165cc 45 dellortos
1958 ghia 1955cc 45 dellortos
1965 convertible ghia 2110cc 48 ida
1975 porsche 914 2 liter |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:41 am Post subject: |
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Red would go with the Nile beige but that sure looks closer to Light Beige L275 to me.
Always tough with photos unless you put in a colour wheel reference though. _________________ .ssS! |
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