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67 Florida Deluxe
Samba Purist
Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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 Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:43 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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Something to look for... The mounting screws for the inspection covers and the mounting strap on the brake fluid reservoir are unpainted from the factory. If there is paint on the screws, that's a sure giveaway of post-factory painting. Of course, the covers could have been removed and sprayed body color, then reattached with the unpainted screws.
Note the red screw:
| Jürgen wrote: |
These are from my 1964:
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_________________
-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
Last edited by 67 Florida Deluxe on Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:56 am; edited 2 times in total |
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67 Florida Deluxe
Samba Purist
Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:51 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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Sloride, the inspection hole to the left of your washer fluid reservoir appears to have the rust painted over. Can you tell if that's the case? Have you removed the plates to see if there evidence of overspray underneath?
My '56, '60, '63, '65 and two '67s had black inspection plates.
Random pics from the 1964 gallery. Note that they're all black with unpainted screws (absolute proof that ALL were black in 1964, no. But it would be odd that a handful of cars received body colored plates one year only)
_________________
-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
Last edited by 67 Florida Deluxe on Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 33999
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:55 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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Some look original, although it was very un-VW-like to leave bare or premiered metal, for example under the body-colored inspection plates.
Did VW start assembling cars outside of Wolfsburg about then? Maybe a second plant had a different practice (for a while) before reverting to the old black cover practice?
Speculation, but it does seem confined to SOME '64s, not others. Anyone have a history of non-Wolfsburg production dates? |
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67 Florida Deluxe
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Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 11:01 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
Some look original, although it was very un-VW-like to leave bare or premiered metal, for example under the body-colored inspection plates.
Did VW start assembling cars outside of Wolfsburg about then? Maybe a second plant had a different practice (for a while) before reverting to the old black cover practice?
Speculation, but it does seem confined to SOME '64s, not others. Anyone have a history of non-Wolfsburg production dates? |
I thought the same thing, but if these are all US spec cars I would imagine they all originated from the same production facility. If not, that could explain variations.
_________________
-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 |
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67 Florida Deluxe
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Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 11:08 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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I just looked at my BCs and unfortunately they do not provide information about the production facility. If they did, that would be a great way to compare notes on suspected original body colored inspection plate covers and from where they originated. If all from the same place, yet a different plant than black plated cars, then, voila! But that'd be too easy 
_________________
-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 |
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rsthj
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2015
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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I think the evidence shows some 64's got factory painted inspection covers. Which is news and surprising to me. There was recently a blue 64 in this thread that also had painted covers:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=703680&highlight=
Picts have since been deleted but user mojan-n bought the car so maybe he/she can chime in if they see this. It was exactly the same situation: '64, painted covers, unpainted VIN tag and paint code sticker, and no obvious evidence of a respray. |
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60ragtop
Bonneville Belt Bitch
Joined: March 13, 2006
Posts: 7800
Location: Big Wonderful WYO 82401
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 3:22 pm Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| 67 Florida Deluxe wrote: |
Something to look for... The mounting screws for the inspection covers unpainted from the factory.
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only if they are black and not body colored 
How ironic is this ? I have another 64 one family bug in my garage right now that I'm doing some engine work on. For shits and grins I pulled the spare tire and look what I found 
This bug even has the original VW logo'd windshield in it.
To many of these to say it is not from the factory. JMHO
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986
| tasb wrote: |
I've restored a large number too, but I don't toot my horn quite as loud.
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| sb001 wrote: |
| maybe he just snapped cause his car sucked |
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67 Florida Deluxe
Samba Purist
Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| 60ragtop wrote: |
| 67 Florida Deluxe wrote: |
Something to look for... The mounting screws for the inspection covers unpainted from the factory.
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only if they are black and not body colored |
Are you absolutely sure about that? A couple examples don't make a rule. In my review of some gallery photos since, I've seen unpainted screws with body colored plates. Thus, my post at the top of the page stands corrected; not all screws are unpainted. So touche' on calling that into question 
And what's ironic? You conveniently neglected to quote where I stated that my comment and posts of black covers doesn't prove that NO '64s were painted body colors. 
Here ya go
| 67 Florida Deluxe wrote: |
| . Note that they're all black with unpainted screws (absolute proof that ALL were black in 1964, no. But it would be odd that a handful of cars received body colored plates one year only) |
So yours is one that would fall under the "odd" category that was discussed in subsequent posts. Not ironic, just another example of outside the usual  . Thus further stoking the curiosity of why is this anomaly found in '64s.
_________________
-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 |
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60ragtop
Bonneville Belt Bitch
Joined: March 13, 2006
Posts: 7800
Location: Big Wonderful WYO 82401
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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Ironic meaning I have another 64 in my garage today that has body colored covers. Another one family bug with no accident history that can be traced back to the original sale date.
This has been puzzling me for 30 years.
As stated, to many examples for me not to think it was anything but factory on a few random 64's.
Just posting information and pictures to try and solve the mystery.
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986
| tasb wrote: |
I've restored a large number too, but I don't toot my horn quite as loud.
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| sb001 wrote: |
| maybe he just snapped cause his car sucked |
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 33999
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:01 pm Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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In a thread I started about German plants and production, Helfen stated:
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| The Emden plant, established in 1964, initially concentrated on Beetle production, especially for the North American market. |
This timing gives some credibility to the idea that a factory change may be responsible for the difference in plate color. |
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HippyTom
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2013
Posts: 676
Location: Florida, West Pasco
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 2:28 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| Perhaps the dude that painted in the VW plant got hammered every weekend and on Monday mornings he was so hung over he didn't feel like taking the plates off before he painted the trunk area. He said "screw it" (in slurred half-drunk German) and just shot over them. |
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60ragtop
Bonneville Belt Bitch
Joined: March 13, 2006
Posts: 7800
Location: Big Wonderful WYO 82401
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 4:59 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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pics of the covers removed to show paint lines
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986
| tasb wrote: |
I've restored a large number too, but I don't toot my horn quite as loud.
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| sb001 wrote: |
| maybe he just snapped cause his car sucked |
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62ItalianRagtop
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Joined: August 18, 2007
Posts: 1354
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 5:37 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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All three plate must be black
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LOOKING FOR 62 ENGINE WITH NUMBER FROM 6.904.xxx TO 6.915.xxx
http://tettodistraccio.blogspot.com/ |
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67 Florida Deluxe
Samba Purist
Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:44 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| 67 Florida Deluxe wrote: |
| KTPhil wrote: |
...Did VW start assembling cars outside of Wolfsburg about then? Maybe a second plant had a different practice (for a while) before reverting to the old black cover practice?
Speculation, but it does seem confined to SOME '64s, not others. Anyone have a history of non-Wolfsburg production dates? |
I thought the same thing, but if these are all US spec cars I would imagine they all originated from the same production facility. If not, that could explain variations. |
| KTPhil wrote: |
In a thread I started about German plants and production, Helfen stated:
| Quote: |
| The Emden plant, established in 1964, initially concentrated on Beetle production, especially for the North American market. |
This timing gives some credibility to the idea that a factory change may be responsible for the difference in plate color. |
I saw his post, too, which goes to our suspicions. Since no controversy over inspection plate covers existed on MYs other than '64, this Emden facility could explain the anomaly. Although my BCs do not state the production facility, perhaps it was a "given" that they came from Wolfsburg and, as such, don't reflect that info. It would be interesting to have owners of these anomalous cars look at their BCs to see if there is any reference to the plant of origin. Otherwise, note any closeness in VINs. Perhaps VINs between xxx and xxx were assigned to Emden?
_________________
-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 |
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60ragtop
Bonneville Belt Bitch
Joined: March 13, 2006
Posts: 7800
Location: Big Wonderful WYO 82401
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:33 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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The VIN of the 64 java green I have in my garage is 6190***
and the red 64 according to Andy was built in Feb 64
second pic is posted for Andy to see the cover orientation.
No BC for either of these bugs so that is a good question of being from different factory 
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986
| tasb wrote: |
I've restored a large number too, but I don't toot my horn quite as loud.
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| sb001 wrote: |
| maybe he just snapped cause his car sucked |
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ZENVWDRIVER
Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2008
Posts: 3340
Location: N.E. Oklahoma
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:57 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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I can't help but think most were originally black as I have many spares taken from an old all-VW salvage, closed 20 years ago, with many of the old bugs there already for 20 years = 40 year old bugs with only black covers -
i'll simply continue to think of them, restore them in BLACK... not saying that none were ever painted the body color - am saying most were black -
Mosta' my black covers have always been black - you wanna paint them, the same as the body color - knock yourself out, doing so.
one thing, I have learned in this VW world - there are exceptions to every rule - but the inspection-cover rule is - black is beautiful.
_________________
5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON
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splitjunkie
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Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 4091
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:05 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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The only way this makes sense would be for the screws to also be painted. The plates were clearly painted while installed in the car. No way they would have swapped out the screws after painting them. I would agree with the theory that Emden did this for a while before going back to the black covers.
The underside under the trunk and the under the rear of the car didn't get painted. They were spraying the body using an electrostatic process using an automated robotic spray system and those areas were not painted. There was a black '64 with something like 12 miles that surfaced a couple of years ago. These areas were clearly still in grey primer.
This is from 1960.
Undercoating was also not a factory option. That was a dealer installed option only.
_________________
Chris
You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld
Last edited by splitjunkie on Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:08 am; edited 1 time in total |
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67 Florida Deluxe
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Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:06 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| 60ragtop wrote: |
The VIN of the 64 java green I have in my garage is 6190***
and the red 64 according to Andy was built in Feb 64 |
So, early-to-mid March and sometime in Feb. Close in bug production. Of course if Wolfsburg and Emden were producing US-market cars simultaneously, it may be more likely that they allocated VINs on an odd-even or some similarly allocated basis. Speculation, of course but it would make sense.
_________________
-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 |
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67 Florida Deluxe
Samba Purist
Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 7987
Location: Gainesville and Tampa, Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:15 am Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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| splitjunkie wrote: |
| The only way this makes sense would be for the screws to also be painted. The plates were clearly painted while installed in the car. No way they would have swapped out the screws after painting them. I would agree with the theory that Emden did this for a while before going back to the black covers. |
There are several examples with the screw heads still painted and some not. Over the years and the occasional removal/reinstall, the paint on those screw heads could have chipped off giving the appearance of not having been painted. That would make sense.
| splitjunkie wrote: |
| There was a black '64 with something like 12 miles that surfaced a couple of years ago. These areas were clearly still in grey primer. |
Was the screw painted or not? 
_________________
-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 |
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splitjunkie
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 4091
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: inspection plate cover colors |
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Emden was opened in '64 but does anyone know what month?
The '64 model year ran from August '63 to July '64 so if the Emden Beetles had the painted covers then they would at the most fall in the last half of the production year.
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Chris
You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld |
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