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Hoffman Cars - Ok.. and Im looking for Information.. :)
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52HoffmanSplit
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:59 pm    Post subject: Hoffman Cars - Ok.. and Im looking for Information.. :) Reply with quote

Hey all.. First off.. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.... Smile

I wanted to see if anyone can give me any additional info on my car. Im looking to document its life here in the USA.. and seeing as there are so many Cali old timers reading the Split section I figured this would be a good place to start.

I think most of you know the car... 1952 Split.. Hoffman Car.. Built July 3rd 1952... Left the factory on July 5th 1952.... has its original numbers matching pan and engine.... original full crashbox tranny is long gone. Birth certificate shows delivered to Hoffman VW, NY NY and has engine number (only because i gave it to them! and they confirmed it was correct)..

Here's what I know. Car was owned by Larry Rick back in the 1970's in Glendora CA... Larry was a member of Der Selten Kafers.. and the car still has a DSK sticker on the back fender (never to be removed.. Smile) Larry held onto the car until a gent in LA area bought it in like.. 1989??? No idea of this guys name.... or where he was.. He kept it in his garage, was going to restore it, but didnt do so. Ultimately it was on Oldbug (Randy you still have pics?? or the text of that auction/for sale ad).. It was traded or sold to a Car Dealer named Rick here in Phoenix for a Porsche Kit Car I think, Rick is a friend and I bought it from him.

So here is the older history. Larry Rick or a friend (insert name here).. found the car supposedly in Roseburg OR. There it was owned by Dave Brock (anybody know this guy?? still into VW's?) Dave I gathered owned it from like 1969 to 1977. Im interested in confirming most of this as I'd like to see if the car started its life on the east coast and was moved to Oregon.. or if it was sold in OR originally.... Been trying hard to suss out the full provenance.. so anybody who has anything to add.. please feel free it will help a great deal.

To connect with the previous owners would be cool.. After seeing all the great pics of VW's in the "Cool Vintage Photos" thread, I would love to find pics of it on vacation.. etc... etc..

Thanks!!

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DB

9/1950 Hoffman Standard
11/1966 Porsche 912
10/1966 Porsche 912
7/1968 Type 265 Double Cab
10/1958 Type 117


Last edited by 52HoffmanSplit on Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:43 am; edited 1 time in total
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Stock Steve
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Happy Thanks-G to 52-Hoffman, and everyone. That's one *gorgeous* car, by the way--congrats to you!

We have a '50 Bug that we feel is a Hoffman car, based upon what we have been able to discern about VWs coming into the US at that time.

Our '50 is a Deluxe model (11c), VIN 1-0185699, which, according to a letter from Volkswagenwerk archives that the previous owner received in response to his inquiry, was produced on August 17, 1950, and delivered on September 6, 1950 to New York. At that time, Hoffman evidently had sole US importation rights for the Volkswagen. In the letter that the previous owner received from Volkswagenwerk, it was stated: “Since the car was delivered to New York in September 1950, it might well be that it belongs to those imported by Max Hoffman. However, we are unable to tell you definitely.” Given everything, we do feel reasonably confident that our ’50 VW is a Hoffman.

Anyway, I'm presently going thru some old files, and photos, and want to try & assemble some sort of presentation about our '50, which we've owned since 1988, but kind of "lost touch with" in recent years (though it's never left our garage, thankfully). It's also pastel green, by the way. I'll try to post a photo or two later on (but don't get your hopes up--ours is pretty much a "beater"--solid, but a beater...).

Sorry to hijack your thread a bit here. The "Hoffman" reference definitely caught my eye. Is there a registry of Hoffman car owners anywhere?

Thanks again & best to all,

Steve
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Last edited by Stock Steve on Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:03 am; edited 1 time in total
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52HoffmanSplit
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stock Steve wrote:
Our '50 is a Deluxe model (11c), VIN 1-0185699, which, according to a letter from Volkswagenwerk archives that the previous owner received in response to his inquiry, was produced on August 17, 1950, and delivered on September 6, 1950 to New York.
Steve


Steve, if your birth certificate says NY.. then its definitely a Hoffman car... I had also read that an inordinate amount of Hoffman Cars came in Pastel Green, rather than the other colors available. Also, typical of Hoffman Cars are Cyclone Air Cleaners. Mine has one and I can confirm it had one as far back as 1977. It has 2 other M options.... MPH Speedo, and also the colored beltline shift knob.

Kevin (Wiggy) was putting togther a Hoffman registry,, but he has been far too busy over in the Oval section teaching the natives about 1955's and their peculiarities.... Kev....... how we coming on that Hoffman Registry?
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9/1950 Hoffman Standard
11/1966 Porsche 912
10/1966 Porsche 912
7/1968 Type 265 Double Cab
10/1958 Type 117
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WM971252
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Hoffmann registry would be great. We are trying to find the one car that was made before ours (50 standard made 9/4) as we know of the car made after and 2 before. All are import gray standards and shipped to NY on the 11th.
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Wiggy
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

52HoffmanSplit wrote:
Stock Steve wrote:
Our '50 is a Deluxe model (11c), VIN 1-0185699, which, according to a letter from Volkswagenwerk archives that the previous owner received in response to his inquiry, was produced on August 17, 1950, and delivered on September 6, 1950 to New York.
Steve


Steve, if your birth certificate says NY.. then its definitely a Hoffman car... I had also read that an inordinate amount of Hoffman Cars came in Pastel Green, rather than the other colors available. Also, typical of Hoffman Cars are Cyclone Air Cleaners. Mine has one and I can confirm it had one as far back as 1977. It has 2 other M options.... MPH Speedo, and also the colored beltline shift knob.

Kevin (Wiggy) was putting togther a Hoffman registry,, but he has been far too busy over in the Oval section teaching the natives about 1955's and their peculiarities.... Kev....... how we coming on that Hoffman Registry?


X2 - All cars delievered to the US in the 1950, 51 and 52 are "Hoffman" cars. Most of them had CYclonic air cleaners as pointed out.

I have a listing of a number of Hoffman cars, I'll post it up this evening.

I own a 51 Hoffman ragtop.
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Stock Steve
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We got ours with a T air cleaner, though I have no idea if the previous owner bought the car that way. We have an MPH speedo also. What does "colored beltline" mean (ref. shift knob)--ours has an ivory dimpled shift knob.

Here is my earliest photo of the car, that I took on October 27, 1984, at the "Holbert's VW Octoberfest" car show in Warrington, PA.

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It was owned by the previous owner at the time of this photo. The poppy red '53 Sunroof Bug next to it I believe is now owned by a collector in NJ, but was owned by someone else at the time of this photo.
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Stock Steve
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:41 am    Post subject: Hoffman fun Reply with quote

WM971252 wrote:
A Hoffmann registry would be great. We are trying to find the one car that was made before ours (50 standard made 9/4) as we know of the car made after and 2 before. All are import gray standards and shipped to NY on the 11th.


Hey, very cool, Clay! We know of another pastel green '50 that is *3* serial numbers away from ours, now based on the west coast, and looking sharp in Bordeaux Red (owner's preference); it came from *Meriden, CT*, and I saw it--in Pastel Green--once in Meriden--two or three owners before the current CA owner!

And I think Chuck P's pastel green '50 is somehow or other very close, either in serial number and/or production date; I don't recall discussing Hoffman with Chuck, though--I'll have to touch base with him on that some time...
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Stock Steve
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wiggy wrote:
52HoffmanSplit wrote:
Stock Steve wrote:
Our '50 is a Deluxe model (11c), VIN 1-0185699, which, according to a letter from Volkswagenwerk archives that the previous owner received in response to his inquiry, was produced on August 17, 1950, and delivered on September 6, 1950 to New York.
Steve


Steve, if your birth certificate says NY.. then its definitely a Hoffman car... I had also read that an inordinate amount of Hoffman Cars came in Pastel Green, rather than the other colors available. Also, typical of Hoffman Cars are Cyclone Air Cleaners. Mine has one and I can confirm it had one as far back as 1977. It has 2 other M options.... MPH Speedo, and also the colored beltline shift knob.

Kevin (Wiggy) was putting togther a Hoffman registry,, but he has been far too busy over in the Oval section teaching the natives about 1955's and their peculiarities.... Kev....... how we coming on that Hoffman Registry?


X2 - All cars delievered to the US in the 1950, 51 and 52 are "Hoffman" cars. Most of them had CYclonic air cleaners as pointed out.

I have a listing of a number of Hoffman cars, I'll post it up this evening.

I own a 51 Hoffman ragtop.


Appreciate the followups, 52Hoffman and Wiggy! Happy to be a part of this special fraternity!
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Wiggy
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is what I have. I have additional infomration on some of these cars, but it wouldn't fit right in the post.


1950 1-181543 11G
1950 1-182800 11a
1950 1-185699 11c
1950 1-185703 11c
1950 1-192747 11G
1951 1-221683 11C
1951 1-231348 11c
1951 1-237408 11a
1951 1-266008 11A
1951 1-266201 15A
1951 1-291675 11G
1951 1-310840 11c
1952 1-316333 11c
1952 1-319992 11g
1952 1-348799 11a
1952 1-369200 11c
1952 1-370776 11a
1952 1-390643 11c
1952 1-409328 11a
1952 1-413681 11a
1952 1-417064 11c
1952 1-423576 11G
1953 1-428936 11c
1953 1-429218 11c
1953 1-429593 11a
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52HoffmanSplit
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stock Steve wrote:
What does "colored beltline" mean (ref. shift knob)--ours has an ivory dimpled shift knob.


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Here is an example (Brezelwerks reproduction shift knob... thanks Gary!)... mine has traces of black paint still in it.

Gary covers the subject in his ad quite eloquently... here's the link..

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=120915
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9/1950 Hoffman Standard
11/1966 Porsche 912
10/1966 Porsche 912
7/1968 Type 265 Double Cab
10/1958 Type 117
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Wolfsburg Classics
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:31 pm    Post subject: Hoffman Reply with quote

Guys
This is an interesting topic and one I have been keen to see a registry started for years.
I have an October 1951 15A Kabrio,chassis number 1-291837 and it was delivered to Hoffman/VW Distributing New York on the 25th October 1951.
Colour is Black & Ivory with Red leather interior.The only M option was M20 which was MPH speedometer.
This car has a very interesting history that so far have traced back to 1977 when it was donated to a musuem in Cleveland by VW dealer Fred Vincent VW,the list of previous owners includes,Dennis Hobday,Steve H Wood(RIP),Perry Urena,Jim Barrington of Gmund Porsche fame.
I have all the Hoffman brochures and also the original Hoffman Dealer Plate from 1951.
Hoffman is a passion of mine,and in fact I just had my first child and we called him Maximilian......
Would love to find out more about other Hoffman cars that are still out there,or if anyone ese knows some history on my car.
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Wiggy
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have a documented Hoffman car, I would love to hear about it.

Collecting the following info:

YEAR
CHASSIS#
TYPE
BODY#
ENGINE#
Current Location
Date Produced
Date Delivered
Special comments about your car (options, colors, condition, etc)
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73sports
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1952
Chassis #1-0 409 331
11C Sedan de Luxe
Engine #1-0 495 641
Body #348967
Currently in Wrminster, PA
Built 11-4-52 left VW 11-5-52
Shipped to VW- Distributing Co., New York/USA
Not sure when it got to the US
M018, M020, M010, M068

This car was once owned by Lake Underwood back in the 70's and 80's

The odometer reads 49,001 and might be the original milage on the car.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1951
Chassis- 1-0221683
11 A Sedan
Engine 1-0267409
Built Jan 8,1951
Shipped Jan 11,1951
Shipped to VW Dist Co, NY

Orignally owned by Alfred Hudak in Dallas PA bought on 03-07-1951


Current location NJ
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[email protected]
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I belive I have a 50 Hoffman car as it's been here since 1950 bought of the og owner estate, It has the made in germany tag that I am told only came on export cars and mph spedo ect.The color is L51 bordux(sp?)red. I should send the info to vw but I'm to lazy plus the charge now.
Back in the day when I sent the info on my other cars it was free, and you got a nice vw letter with your info.
My 52 deluxe bus was sent to Ny distribiting in june 52 as stated in my leter from vw so it must be a Hoffman car.
Should any vw sent to Hoffman be on the list or is it just for cars?
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All hoffmans are welcome, but I really want to add ones to the registry (splits) that are confirmed through VW.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

what do I need to do to confirm?
I think my bus is as confirmed as any car can be as it has the vw letter with shipping to NY.
Maybe you could add the few cars that problyare but with not confrimed yet?
Anyway if you want my cars Id numbers pm.
btw both vw's have the cyclone air filter as well as og engines.


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Wiggy
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PM them to me.

If you have the birth certificate from VW saying it was delivered to NY, thats all you need. Its worth the money to get the info.
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p horvath
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:42 pm    Post subject: hoffman Reply with quote

my last split was a hoffman. it was an april 50 car. birth cert. says delivered to ny. it is a numbers matching car and is still in nj. it was originally from pa.
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wiggy wrote:

X2 - All cars delievered to the US in the 1950, 51 and 52 are "Hoffman" cars. Most of them had CYclonic air cleaners as pointed out.

I have a listing of a number of Hoffman cars, I'll post it up this evening.

I own a 51 Hoffman ragtop.


All cars delivered up until mid-'53 in the US were Hoffman cars too. It wasn't until mid-late '53 when VW ordered a shake-up of the US VW sales network and appointed the infamous Will Van Der Kamp in charge of the East coast distributor network.
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