Body number confirmation help

[scottf1887]

Hey guys I was wondering if I could get some help to identify what year I have. I just bought what I was told was a 56. It's got almost incorrect everything but it does have a clearly stamped body number in the front apron. It's showing 489082. My research tells me this is a 53. Any help is appreciated, the pan is much later and it's missing any early oval stuff, like tails that I know about. If this is true it would be awesome, except my parts search just got much harder!! Thanks.

[TheLadyBug]

Looks to me like body is Oct '53.

You'll have fun finding correct parts; when you do, you may hope you're sitting down as some of it is ridiculous expensive.

Aside from tails, you'll want ribbed doors, ribbed fenders, batwing steering wheel, speedo, seats, gas tank, door handles & window latches, headlights, and a bunch of other things are early oval specific. Also, an early 30hp engine dressed correctly; round regulator, engine tin, pulleys and fuel pump are obvious giveaways aside from case stamp.

Does the car have semaphores? Or were they filled in?
_________________
Charmaine
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1954 Beetle - because I can
2016 Golf highline - hubby’s daily
2016 Golf R - my daily

[jason]

Its on the wrong pan, make it whatever year you want it to be. Only major difference would be rear apron and door pillars. Pictures of those would say.

[scottf1887]

I'll post some pics in a little bit. Its missing every single piece that makes a 53 a 53, this is gonna be fun...What is different in the door pillars, that might be all I have left. Thanks guys!

[TheLadyBug]

Door pillar should have the slot for a semaphore on each side, just in front of the rear quarter window. This area is thicker on early cars to accommodate; even if it's been filled in, the size of this area is tell-tale. Later cars had a thinner b-pillar.
Rear apron should have no exhaust cutouts.
_________________
Charmaine
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1954 Beetle - because I can
2016 Golf highline - hubby’s daily
2016 Golf R - my daily

[57BLITZ]

On a bare body shell (or a car that has had parts swapped), check for the location of the interior heater vents.
If the heater channels have not been replaced, these can be important clues to determine the year of the car.

'55 and older has an oval-shapped heater vents with mesh screen inside.

'56 has one-year-only heater channels . . . louvered heater vents way up by the front bulkhead.

'57 and newer has louvered heater vents close to the hinge/door pillar.

As you know, the front sheet metal could have been replaced and has negated the stamped body number.
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Jesucristo es mi Señor y Salvador!

[scottf1887]

Cool, looks to be a legitimate 53 then! What are your guys' opinions. Is it worth the time and money making it correct if it's never gonna have the original pan?

[57BLITZ]

[57BLITZ]

[TheLadyBug]

[TheLadyBug]

[57BLITZ]

[scottf1887]

Is it possible that the car never had semaphores? I haven't stripped the paint on the pillar yet but I see no signs of semaphores

[TheLadyBug]

A 53 would have always had them... I'm thinking your car may be pieced together. Are you sure you're reading the body number right? Im
guessing likely feb/57....

57blitz- I knew semaphore cars extended well into the 50's in Europe but for some reason i thought the pillar became thinner much sooner. My bad!
_________________
Charmaine
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1954 Beetle - because I can
2016 Golf highline - hubby’s daily
2016 Golf R - my daily

[56Cabrio]

[57BLITZ]

[oldsplitvw]

[jason]

Look for the door wedges on the pillars. It could have had the front clip replaced early in its life when earlier beetles were in the junkyards.

[Izzygt500]

Like stated before, i think you have a 57. Any pictures?