Another Late 55 fender question

[AlteWagen]

I have seen several "late" 55s (bullets, snowflakes) where the tail lights are very low, almost the same as hearts or eggs where the bottom of the taillight is at the same level as the rear bumper. What confuses me is there were no bumper guards (american) so maybe it is an earlier 55 with the turn signal option prior to it becoming standard? Somewhere I read progressive refinements lists the "snowflake" position is higher on the fender for 56 production year. Is this correct?

So is this fender the rarest of all if real?
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[water guy]

I had a July, 1st 1955 car, and the snowflakes were very low. If you stood behind the car you could hardy see the lights from behind the overiders. My VW letter stated that the car had U.S. spec bumpers as an option. I'm sure 56 cars had the lights raised. I took the fenders off and put them in my attic and put on repops so I would'nt get hit.
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'55 Porsche Continental
'63 Firetruck

[AlteWagen]

If not too much trouble, could you take measurements or a pic to get an idea of placement??

thanks
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[David]

I think you're onto something.
Here's some examples of light placement.

1955 Three Fold w/ Bullets & Snowflakes:

1956:

1957 w/ Semaphores - no Bullets:

1957

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Cheers,
Dave

*October '54 Ragtop

[AlteWagen]

how many of those rear fenders are original "dimple" type. The first two look like standard 55-61 export light placement. Are the second two original placement or repro fender?

The ones I have seen are euro bumper so the rear lights are LOWER than the first two but are not obstructed by the export overiders.

A few years back in HVWs mag there was a 60 euro vert in rock gray with the same Lower snowflake position. Is this just a euro thing?

Here are some pics from the gallery of heart/egg placement, imagine the bottom of the heart is the same as the bottom of the snowflake housing. The ones Ive see are closest to the egg placement

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[HerrrKafer]

The lights were moved up 60mm up for 56. So a good estimate of the early position would be 60mm lower than indicated on this chart.
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Evan H.

[thebucket]

I'd love to see a pic of a OG car with the flakes mounted right. I have a 55 3 fold flake car. And always assumed I oughta mount them like a 56.
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ITMC-El Presidente
OG 55 bullet 3 fold....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150858&highlight=thebuckets++++fold

[Mark Evans]

[bally]

[thebucket]

Here is a late 55 with ribbed doors, no semi's, etc. It is thought to be OG paint.

Notice the taillight height in the 56 position. And the single tip muffler without apron cutouts.
Discuss.......
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ITMC-El Presidente
OG 55 bullet 3 fold....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150858&highlight=thebuckets++++fold

[AlteWagen]

maybe my monitor is off but is the left side lower than the right? Could you get a lower pic from behind?
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[Frostbyte]

Greetings all....first time posting here. I've got a '55 Euro vert. Been doing a lot of research on the tail lights. Apparently the Euro models with Semis had the tail lights mounted lower than the export models. The export models initially had lower mounted tail lights that were slightly obstructed by the over-riders. Shortly afterwards the export models had them raised (DOT somehow got involved and raised the safety issue). So, as anyone who has a '55 already knows...it's pretty much a wierd or bastardized year model. A mish-mosh of '54 thru '56 stuff. You'll have the over-riders with low mounted tail lights if it is an early model year...it could have the hearts or the eggs. Then they were moved up for visual and safety reasons...Then late that year they went to the snowflakes.

It really all depends on the day it was made. If it was early '55 you'll see '54 items (such as the hearts) and lower mount tail lights. Then later that year you'll see them raised. Then you'll see the snowflakes. However, if you've got an early year '55 and they have low mounted snowflakes....it'd be incorrect. I'm no expert...just what I've researched and come to believe. If I'm wrong, by all means correct me.

Now, if you've got correct low mounted lights but it is a later model, then you've got a Euro model that didn't have the over-riders. If you have over-riders on it...then that would be incorrect.

[Der6VoltFahrers]

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=336586

[AlteWagen]

[Frostbyte]

[Bruce]

[AlteWagen]

Here is a pic from a bio diesel post for an original prototype that is in the Porsche museum.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=348121&start=40

looks like a 55 due to triangle flange for spring on decklid.

Snoflake lense and no over riders at all. Still pretty low..

Ram protection option would TOTALLY cover the lights.
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[GLHTurbo]

[Ninamashr]