1945 beetle front

kdfkid · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:30 am Post subject: 1945 beetle front

Hi,
at the moment we are restauring our 1945 beetle type 51.Does someone have picts of the front ( inside ) with the section were the number is ?
I also want to know why they changed for some months the front section - our 1945 looks like the section from beetles to 1949 but our early 1946 has a complett different section. The 2 big metall lines( on top and below ) are missing and so the front clip with the number looks differnt than the later 1946 one. It looks like if they took a plain pice of metall and just pressed the body number und put the ID plate. It is orginal and not has been changed later . I saw now 3 other cars with the same front clip.
I hope someone can help.
Bye Christian

Skim · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:18 am Post subject:

Resto Johnny might be of some help, I believe he went thru a similar experience with his 43.

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erioco · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:27 am Post subject: 45 front

Christian, this is of interest to me as well.

Pls post pix of what you are talking about as 'very different from the earlier and later cars' is.

I believe that the two piece front with the round gas tank changed in late 43/44 ??? to the single plate accross, but it still had no direct full width contact with the area of the gas tank. Whatever the date was for the 8 gal tank must be the date for the fully integrated flat front panel.

I believe that that was in 1944 some time. (My info is quite thin, but based on pix in books and other publications):

The flat panel seems to have had several versions of cross bars for strength over time, some with only one low bar, others with two, one up high the other low,, and one at the top just below the lip with the second down low and the bars are varied in width. I have seen pix of two bars, one bar down low (wide) and a very thin at the top. Early bars were rectangular in cross section, later were "C" sections.

I have some pix from Australia for cars from 45, 46, 47, (have to find them on my backups)

Pix in books:
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"People's Car" (ED Karl Ludvisen Volkswagen 1938 - 1946 The BIOS report based on a late 45 or very early 46 sedan from Britiash run VW Sedan delivered to Humber 18 Feb 1946 See photo # 111 in second part of report open front lid, no spare shot one low wide bar. (Lots of shots of one car)

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"Volkswagen Beetle (The Rise from the Ashes of War) Simon Parkinson

Pix & text on 1945 through 48 more or less. Pix in my copy rather dark, but very interesting, all about the factory and production .

P 75 Pix of production bottom right a stack of new front plates on the floor, seen from behind.
P 77 bottom right type 51, no specific date, (other shots given as 46 mixt type 51s and regular 1946s) open front lid front panel visible, but unclear, no bar at top.

P 78 very good and clear shot of "early 1946 and type 51s coming off the line" only one wide bar below round access plates.

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Vauxhall Motors LTD Experimental Dept Report # 1244/2 (ie part 2 !947

TESTED A TYPE 11 AND A TYPE 51,
Shortly after the BIOS report
SEE www.KdF-Wagen.de
Second to last photo, shot of underside of complete body w/out pan, shows back of front plate. All other pix are very interesting.

If you can get a a high grade copy of the whol report I would pay for a copy.copy. Car in question was built 1946, chassis number 1.054375, engine # 1.79590 NO SEMAPHORES.Received by Vauxhall 26 April 1946

The condition of the car which was sent straight from the factory to Vauhall is very poor, I think that the factory did that purposely to keep interest in dismantling the factory at a minimum. Otherwise why send a car with bad compression, broken parts etc.

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"Volkswagen Sedan TYPE II" (Technical Instructions) Operation - Organizational-Field and Base Maintenance
Headquarters European Command

The "Volkswagen Manual" Covering type 11 Volkswagen as used by the United States Forces in the European Command is published for the Information and guidance of all concerned

E.E. MacMorland
Brigaier General USA
Chief, Ordinance Division

May 1949

This is dated May 49, but I wonder if it is just an update of earlier versions, Pix are excellent.

Page 42 shows a later version of front plate (partial) with rounded cross bars, just below access holes and slightly above the access holes. (Photo is upside down in original).

Need to find earlier versions if possible.

Copies available from Frank in NL will send info on him later.

___________
Eric

Would like to keep in touch on REME cars I am working on a copy of the Radclyffe Roadster based on aearly 47 chassis. E.
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Radclyffe Roadster Replica proj based on an April 47 chassis

restojohnny · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:43 am Post subject:

My old 49 split and 46 split both had the 2 lines one top and one bottom and the # was stamped below the first line in the middle. I wish I had a digital back then Crying or Very sad

But I'll dig up some old photo's and take pic's of those and post them Wink

Or I'll just visit the Kohrogi's since they still have my old 49 split in their garage Very Happy

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erioco · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:02 am Post subject: 45 front

Look at the photo in the BIOS report noted above. The front plate is simple, with one cross strengthenr below the access holes, but as far as I can tell from the middling photo there is only the tag attached and I assume the body number but no cross hatching or short thick ribs above or below the bodynumber.

This car was delivered to Humber on 18 February 1946, so It is an early 46 most probably.

Eric
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kdfkid · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:06 pm Post subject: 1945

Hello Eric,
thank you - tou helped me already a lot. When you find the picts of the 45 please send me them.
I mean our 45 has the 2 bars to strengh the front and the early 46 does not have them . I want to know why and when they changed that.
Bye Christian

erioco · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:45 pm Post subject: 45 front

Christian,

Two people might help on that besides the VW research people.

1) Simon Parkinson (sic) see my long deal above, he wrote the Up from the ashes and seems to know alot about why things happened in that early period. He is a Dr. in England. I am trying to get in touch with him myself, if I get him I'll let you know too. Evidently the production was dependent on materials and power and other odd siuations, ie maybe the machine the did the bending for the bars was down. I don't know, or they were trying to use less material and it did't work so they went back to the earlier way.

2) Chris Barber who just published a year ago on the early, thru 45 prototypes. He may know who to talk to.

Regards
Eric
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Radclyffe Roadster Replica proj based on an April 47 chassis

nlorntson · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:09 pm Post subject:

If it helps any...this is an october 1949 front.

rarefinds · Samba Member Joined: March 21, 2005 Posts: 312

Pictures of the 46 (if this helps)

kdfkid · Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:19 am Post subject: 1946

Hello,
thank you this is exakt the front our early 1946 has - when and why was this used ( without the two strenghbars on top and below )
Our 1945 has the 2 bars
Bye Christian

erioco · Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:36 am Post subject: 45 front

deleted no pix
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Radclyffe Roadster Replica proj based on an April 47 chassis

erioco · Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:42 am Post subject: 45 front

2nd try 45 front from Vic in Australia

ππ

The 47 was much more finished in look, ie no open gaps around gas tank ares, etc. I am still trying to find a valid email for Vic to see if he has a vin # and or build date on this car, or if he still has it
.
Will post 8 pix all from my files, sorry no sources known for these only that they are labelled 1946, by those who posted them all are said to be in US I think, But as usual take it all with a grain of salt
Hope this helps Christian,
Eric
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Radclyffe Roadster Replica proj based on an April 47 chassis

erioco · Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:22 am Post subject: 45 front