Correct grab handle?

[53 0val]

[joshbuchan]

so what gary is making is the part between the alum and the dash??

[53 0val]

[Brezelwerks]

[53 0val]

You will notice that in this picture, there appears to be very little "dish" to the handle ends.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=393140
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[AlteWagen]

Just to clear up some info, the only factory install of dash handles prior to 61 was for Karmann convertibles. Sedan handles were generally installed by the dealer.


Left handle is for 58-60 Type I sedan

Middle is for 53-57 sedan and convertible Type I AND 55-60 Type II

Right is for 58-early 60 convertible bug

Left 53-57 Type I AND 55-60 Type II

Right is for 58-60 Type I sedan

I have 3 of the oval era handles, one came with my 56 vert, the second I pulled off a horizon blue 57 and the third I pulled of a 58/59 bus.
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[0nebadbug]

Another question about the dash grab handles...

Do all 4 grab types have the same shape 'U' spacers that fit to the backside of the dash?

Hoping someone could make a drawing or tracing of all profiles of both left & right pieces? ...with measurements?

When I removed my original handle somehow I managed to lose both of them. Though, I do remember when I took them off that the left & right sides were different sizes when I put them next to each other and follow the slight taper on the dash lip... From looking at the dash from the front seat, the left side was slightly larger than the right one and also weren't reversible if you flipped them around ...

Tried making a set but none of my profile gauges will fit up into that area to trace their profiles...
(If you scroll up, I have the middle handle shown as being correct for 53-57 sedan is the ones I'm actually looking for)
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[BulliBill]

I've got several of those Oval dash grab handles lying here. Centerline to centerline of the threaded M8 posts, looks like 190mm. Are they Happich GHE? Are they Happich? Or are they GHE? It's my understanding that these came standard on Oval Kabrioletts and were an optional accessory for a Sedan or Sunroof model.

I also have one here with the much more curved "interface" with the dashboard, and with that curvature (as seen in Dave's photos above) it must be an accessory dash grab handle for a 1958 and onward to ?? Beetle dash. This handle has a long M8 pair of mounting studs. I think this Square-windshield Beetle handle has a metal backing plate that goes forward of the dash (in the trunk) and spans the two handle mounting studs for more fastener rigidity?

One more question. On the Oval handles with a very slight curve on the interface with the dashboard, there is a slight angle to the face of the plastic insert. Is there a correct angle to mount the handle? Oh hell, while we are at it, what mounting hardware was used? I'm guessing a split-lock washer and a 14mm hex head nut. Sound correct?

Bill
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[56Cabrio]

Hey Bill my grab handle that came on my vert had star washers, here are some NOS ones I found in the classifieds. One shows star washers one shows no washers. The bottom pic is for 58 and up.

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1956 Rag Top owned since 1988
1956 Convertible owned since 2000
1963 Hard Top

RIP Dad 4/20/1951 - 2/4/2023

[BulliBill]

Awesome Dave!

I'm buffing out the best handle and plastic insert to eventually get to live on my "project" '57 Kab. I hand buffed out the aluminum part of the handle and scrubbed and cleaned the original plastic inserts yesterday and now I'm just trying to get the "correct" fastener stuff organized. A year or two ago I bought the Brezelwerks reproduction of the two plastic end grommets. The hex nuts on all of my handles are 14mm and the handles that still had lock washers were "split-type" lock washers. It looks from your upper Oval handle photo that the lock washer is one of those fancy internal serrated lock washers. Oddly, neither of those photographed kits included the metal bracket that I asked about above. I'll try to post a photo of that bracket soon.

I guess the answer to my question above about exactly who made 'em is answered by the kit envelopes in your photos which have both the Happich and GHE logos on them.

I don't know why I put myself through this detail shit sometimes, but trying to get it right is kinda satisfying.

Bill
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[56Cabrio]

I think i know what metal bracket you are talking about, If i remember correctly its maybe v or u shaped and goes on the back side of the dash ? I have one also but i think it came off a 58 & up grab handle or maybe off my vert I will have to look for it in my bins or maybe its on my vert. Still dealing with Covid brain fog ugh
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1956 Rag Top owned since 1988
1956 Convertible owned since 2000
1963 Hard Top

RIP Dad 4/20/1951 - 2/4/2023

[BulliBill]

Sounds like the one I have too, kinda "V" shaped down the length of it. I suspect it fits the '58 and up Beetle dash ridge better than it would the barely curved dash shape of the Oval Kabriolett dash.

Bill
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[BulliBill]

Here are a couple of photos of the metal backing bracket I have which I believe must go on the accessory version of this Happich GHE dash assist handle shaped for the 1958-60? Beetle.

Without a bunch of home alteration/carving to the interface surface of the aluminum handle to the dashboard profile, this particular bitchen handle does not go on an Oval Beetle dash. Thoughts?

Bill Bowman
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[56Cabrio]

Now i have to go look for the one i have I'm thinking mine might look different but probably the same.
FYI
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2211558
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1956 Rag Top owned since 1988
1956 Convertible owned since 2000
1963 Hard Top

RIP Dad 4/20/1951 - 2/4/2023

[BulliBill]

Those end seals "look" nice, shape is a little different, but if you don't have any end seals, there you go! I have a pair of the end seals that Brezelwerks made a while back, they look right on correct in appearance. I saw that Nancy and Dick Nortleson ordered a pair of the new seals for their Oval and they had issues (too stiff, cracked when handle tightened). I wonder if they have fixed that issue?

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[56Cabrio]

[BulliBill]

Damn Dave! Your handle on your Sedan looks great! My '55 Sunroof is "handle-less" just as she came from Wolfsburg. My project '57 Kabriolett is the one that I have at least three Happich GHE handles for. Yes, I wish someone would come out with a nice reproduction for the insert plastic strip. Luckily all three of mine are a bit discolored (a little darker) but none are cracked or broken which is about all I could hope for from over 60 year old original parts.

I did carefully take two of those handles apart this week to clean them. I picked the one that will soon reside on the '57 Kab's dashboard, disassembled it, and broke out my favorite old detailing toothbrush and using Dawn detergent, gingerly and carefully scrubbed the holy shit out of the fine grooves of the the plastic. Surprisingly it cleaned up pretty nicely, lightening in color a bit as patina and hand oils, dust and dirt were washed away.

Then I took the aluminum handle and painstakingly hand polished the aluminum with that blue colored (Blue Magic?) aluminum polish until I could almost see my reflection in it. Then I carefully reassembles the insert into the handle, and tucked the whole affair back into it's storage bag and onto the shelf to await the restoration. It looks much nicer now.

Was Gary ever making the long insert plastic strip? I know he made the end seals (I bought a pair). So you installed the other ("project Therapy") reproduction's end seals which look nice in your photo. Any kind of issues with flexibility like the Lorntson's had? I might want to buy one more pair of those for one of my other handles. Maybe I'll consider adding a handle to my '55?

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[56Cabrio]

Bill that’s a picture of my vert, notice the door and the locking glovebox. The gaskets i have no idea where i got them, maybe i did get them from Gary.
They are soft gaskets not like the ones project therapy sells. When i first started this thread 13 years ago i was talking with Gary back and fourth about making some inserts, he said the only problem would be making the hole to run the metal wire through and i suggested we can just epoxy them into the channel and that is as far as it got. Maybe someday someone will reproduce them, hopefully. Have you ever tried using Wenol for polishing parts ?
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1956 Rag Top owned since 1988
1956 Convertible owned since 2000
1963 Hard Top

RIP Dad 4/20/1951 - 2/4/2023

[tisius]

[tisius]