Newbie ( my 1st beetle)

[therusty]

Hello Members,
I just purchased a beetle , not sure if its 57 or 58 , I haven't picked up the car yet . The previous owner purchased it years ago drove it on sundays . Never bothered to restore it . He himself isnt sure if its 57 or 58 , he just says title is 58 .
Sure members here will help me with this.

some info from the VIN
VW 1/11
1110 (kgs)
450 (kgs)

1766815
1 block is blank
660

142 805 (this no. is stamped on the body shell between data plate & made in W Germany plate)

I do not have the engine no. right now , If members here help me which year is my bug .

Rear glass is not oval has added the confusion .

[parker007]

oval back window or larger one?

[therusty]

It has a large window

[mukluk]

A rectangular rear window means it is not a 1957.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Busstom]

[therusty]

the rear deck lid has the W shape with a pope nose.

the tail lamps are the small ones with snowflakes pattern on them

again the dash is not of oval but the steering wheel is of a oval .

as per the VIN no.s I have posted I just wanted to know which year my car is .

Thank You.

[Sharp64]

Click on the technical tab at the top of the page. Look up “Type1” Vin codes. You’ll see the vin you provided dates to Dec 1957 making it a 58 model year. Model year begins in August of the previous year. I.e. a June 67 car is a 67. A Nov 67 car would be a 68. Plus your title says 1958. Decklids and steering wheels can easily be swapped out.
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
1985 Westy Money Pit
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine

[janerick3]

Your VW is 1958 model year, assembled in early December 1957.

The bodyshell was completed a few days earlier, at the end of November.

For your engine to be original, the serial number will be around 2120000.

Please post some pictures.
_________________
Thanks,
Jan K.

[67 Florida Deluxe]

Post lotsa pics in your gallery when you get the car!

Meantime, get this (if you haven't already!)

_________________
-Kent (BaT "daleallen")

OG member of the '67 Posse

A few of my toys, past and present
'56 Oval, '66 KG Conv't, '67 21-Window, '67 Bug, '79 SuperVert, '55 Pre-A Continental

[therusty]

Thank You , doubts cleared , once car is home will wash the bug and post some pics .
Yes have ordered this particular book , Any other book or tools which helps to keep the bug running ?

[67 Florida Deluxe]

I also have the Bentley manual. On rare occasions, I have found discrepancies in procedures between the two. When/if that happens, post your question on the forum. Lots of knowledgeable folks here!

Oh, and band-aids. Stock up on band-aids.
_________________
-Kent (BaT "daleallen")

OG member of the '67 Posse

A few of my toys, past and present
'56 Oval, '66 KG Conv't, '67 21-Window, '67 Bug, '79 SuperVert, '55 Pre-A Continental

[mukluk]

The Muir book has a rather good section outlining the various tools you'll want to have depending on how in-depth you wish to get with your repairs, I'd recommend giving it a read before buying anything beyond a basic metric toolset.

For broad-spectrum maintenance on your car you can't go wrong picking up a copy of the official service manual by Bentley covering your year model Bug, as suggested. Along with the Muir book, or Idiot Manual as it's often called, they will give you the best information to tackle most jobs within the realm of a home mechanic. Other books will start to come in handy past those two when you want more task-specific or part-specific guidance, as well as references to broaden your knowledge of parts identification and interchange. I'd recommend browsing through the Technical section of this site and downloading a copy of the owner's manual if you don't already have one, as well as copies of the various VW service booklets covering items such as ignition system adjustment and carburetor tuning.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Busstom]

Many knowledgeable folks here, but for sure one guy that's an expert on pretty much everything with your car is 'jays58s' , you can PM him and I'm sure he'd be able to answer any of your model-specific questions, including interior fabrics and unique nuances, if you're interested in correctness and to know what's been tampered with.

[therusty]

A big THANK YOU everyone who replied with valuable answers .

Yes I do have some tools but not the special tools required for the bug .So would like to have them and wrench myself .

Books yes would be getting them soon .

the Samba looks like a familly or should I say VW familly.

[Rome]

rusty, here's the VIN plate from an unrestored '58 Beetle sedan I found in the Gallery.

Translations from German; Left side:
-zul. Gesamtgewicht kg stands for the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating in kilograms (car weight plus occupants plus luggage). The zul is abbreviation for zulaessiges
-zul. Achslast vorn kg is maximum front axle load

Right side:
-Fahrgestell-Nr is chassis number (Nr is abbrev. for Nummer)
-Baujahr is build year
-zul. Achslast hinten kg is maximum front axle load

The title is Volkswagenwerk (Volkswagen factory) Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung = limited liability. In the German language, nouns are always capitalized even if in the middle of the sentence.

My first Beetle was a '60 back in the mid '70's. I also installed a W decklid which was oval-era.

[KTPhil]

[therusty]

yes the VIN pic posted & the translation explains a lot , but looks like I missed to note down the 2 block on the right ( year ) , Once the car reaches home will get my doubts cleared.

Regarding the books , the Muir is quiet popular on Amazon too. When typed VW books , its a sure to come by , I trying to figure out the Bentley one now.

Thank you members

[Sharp64]

[therusty]

a few doubts as I am new and the car is not at my place yet . Why does the 2nd block on the right hand side have no numbers. (VIN plate)
or I didnt notice.

[Sharp64]