VW Model years - Production year versus model year.

[earlywesty]

1955 has long been my favourite year of VW production. So much change going on across the lineup. Even cooler its a short year!

[cdennisg]

Well, that pretty much settles the debate right there.
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[Lind]

From a 1964 Salesman's manual. The chassis numbers are for beetle, but it clearly states when the model year starts, which is on August 1st starting in 1955 for the '56 model year.

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[BarryL]

[BulliBill]

My '55 Sunroof Beetle was originally titled in California when first sold, and yes, they used the motor serial number instead of the chassis number. Stupid 1950's California DMV! Anyway, when I bought it in 1993 and brought it back to Missouri, I had to make an appointment with the Missouri Highway Patrol vehicle inspector to inspect and verify on a DMV form the VIN chassis number, and then it was easy to get the new Missouri title corrected to use the chassis number. All is well now in "paperwork land". Most States should have the same or a similar process.

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!

[EverettB]

My old '54 Single Cab from CA was titled to the engine #.
But the previous owner sold the original engine before I bought it.

I have heard it was very common for California to title cars by the engine number around that time.

It was easy to fix.
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[cdennisg]

[thom]

[VWLooseNuts]

[CaLiBus]

[Clara]

Since I make interior panels, I look at fitting panels to buses.

For interior panels, and replacing many parts, it makes sense for the 55 model year to start in 3/55. There was a huge re-design of the VW bus then.
Though it is strange to call a Feb 55 bus a 54, and people generally don't.
It seems like that document retroactively defined the 1955 model year start as 3/55 to make it easier for the parts department.

The same interior panel shape was used 3/55 through early in 1960, so in one way I look at that as one long ' late fifties model year'. A 56 SC used the same set as a 9/59 SC.
easy

But if you have a 60- 64 buildt bus it can seem... messy.
There were fusebox changes, and various other changes, most not at 'model year' changes. They weren't at calendar year changes either.
One of the changes was intermittent, and for about 60,000 buses it could be either way. For that we can't tell by the VIN, you have to look at the bus.
Since I am unsure of how exact the recorded VINs are for changes (often a few hundred off between parts list and PR, which is a different discussion) if a bus was close to a change, I ask which version it is, just to be on the safe side.

If someone wants interior panels for a 64 SC, I have to find out which version they want. Which door panels? Which heater outlet?
Calling it a 64 is not as useful as calling it a November 63.
If someone wants an interior for a November 63 SC, I know what fits.
It makes it easy for the Parts department. VW said to use the VIN when ordering parts, probably because model year was not as useful.

For the April 61 through July 64 buses, microbuses were available with como green or basalt interior. 2 choices, right? Wrong.
The shape of the panels changed many times.
IIRC, there were at least 7 (seven) changes in panel sets for that time, plus color choices, ( plus options like w/t, double doors both sides, sliding door.)
Two (2) of the changes were at model year change: the bulkhead change, and the change from small to big hatch.

In May 64 the shape had settled down and they kept it the same through 67 model year.

So I could see it as

* one model year for late fifties
* ~ten (+) model years for '60 through mid '64, and
* one model year for mid sixties. (May 64 through 67)

Does 'model year' matter? Is it even useful?
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[Clara]

[BulliBill]

Hey Lind! Did "mightymouse" ever pay off with a beer at the Red Barn event?

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!

[Big Bill]

Reading just the last page of this thread makes my head hurt. In the Pre-Samba days info like this was pretty nonexistence for people back then, and I also think sometimes the DMV would get the date of manufacture wrong on a Pink Slip or Registration.
I had what I thought was a 58 Double Cab because the Registration or Pink(cant recall which) said it was. It really was a 59 as I found out years later.

[cdennisg]

They don't put a model year on the birth cert. because it was not an established thing at the time of production. Model year was based loosely on production dates versus delivery dates. Somewhere in the mid 60's (I'm sure it's buried in this thread somewhere) they started calling the start of model year August 1st. That is common practice today.
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[Ran When Parked]

Why doesn't VW put the model year on the birth certificates?

They have everything else on it.

I found this thread right before I was going to start one, "Build Year vs. Model Year". I noticed the topic mentioned in other threads and some debate. I wanted a definitive answer (that my Oct '55 is a '55 - as that sounds cool!)

Thank to all for doing the research.

[mightymouse]

[jeremy57ride]

Correct me if I am wrong...doesn't this all come back to the Beetle in 1955?
Sorry if I missed it here, but I know I read somewhere that VW put the chrome towel bars on the bumpers to compete with the amercan chrome of the day...and the small "egg" tailights on the 55 were very hard to see. So the production was rushed to put the higher snowflakes out in Aug of 55...but they were sold as 1956 (Aug 55 build date).

So the bus folks are innocent bistanders. He we are 56 years (ironically) later debating model years.
WHO CARES? If anyone buys a 56 year old anything and is misled because of this mess...they should've done their research.
I wanted a split camper for years...you think I would've bought a 67 BAY window...because I didn't understand the model year? Nope...not me, I'm very crafty...and also observant, I can tell a split from a Bay even in bad light.

[hugheseum]

right on lind........so this thread still is about nothing then right?
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Have a great day!

[Lind]