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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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 Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:09 pm Post subject: December 1959 Karmann convertible questions |
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I am in the process of buying a December 1959 Karmann convertible (VIN 27602xx). The car is partly taken apart and does not have the original engine but it is 95% complete and comes with an Eberspacher heater. I am also discussing a full body off restoration by the VW specialist who offers the car for sale (unfortunately I do not have the time nor the skills to do the restoration myself).
The car was shipped to the US originally and was offered on E-bay several months ago and came with a 1960 Californian title.
Here are some pictures of the car in current condition
And this is an idea of how I would like it to look after the restoration (picture courtesy of KaliKabrio, love this car!)
I have some questions regarding the December 1959 (model year 1960) convertible.
-The car will not be totally original but I would like the appearance to be period correct. The color should be mango green and from all the color charts I can find I know it is correct for a 1960 Beetle but it looks like it was only offered for sedans. Was it possible to order this color for a convertible in 1959/1960? Can anyone show any proof?
-I also like the fabric color Caramel for the interior. Was this ever offered for Beetles (I know it was for buses)?
-Were 1959/1960 Beetles offered with pearl white running boards or only black?
-What would be a period correct fuel gauge (pictures please)?
-What would be the correct Wolfburg crest?
Thanks for reading and replying!
Marcel |
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glutamodo 
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
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Location: Douglas, WY
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the quick reply and the very usefull info, Andy!
Do you or anyone else here know if it was possible to special order Mango green on a convertible at that time?
Thanks
Marcel |
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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I used to own a Sargasso green 2/60 vert (vert-only color)- and a hunch might be that it replaced mango as a desired green vert color for that year. I do not know if you could special order a color on any Karmann beetle- but your car may be one. Why do you think your car is mango? Are you going off the BC- or do you have lots of OG paint for proof?
My car also came with a dehne thermometer-style fuel guage- correct for that car as an accessory. There have been at least 3 different Motometer fuel guages in use in '60 VWs as well- more gallery research.
If you are already talking about changing the factory color of the car- paint it what you want! It's yours. If your car ends up looking half as nice in Mango as the car you aspire to- do it! Nobody who matters will say a thing. I printed that exact pic of the KaliKabrio car when I was debating mango on my '62 vert. Wrong color- right car! I am sticking with the factory gulf blue- but I'd paint it mango in second.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
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AlteWagen
Troll
Joined: February 23, 2007
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Location: PNW
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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were the round gauge grills year specific? Mine has vertical cutouts that surround the gauge while the one in the brochure has cutouts that are squared off.
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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| hitest wrote: |
I used to own a Sargasso green 2/60 vert (vert-only color)- and a hunch might be that it replaced mango as a desired green vert color for that year. I do not know if you could special order a color on any Karmann beetle- but your car may be one. Why do you think your car is mango? Are you going off the BC- or do you have lots of OG paint for proof?
My car also came with a dehne thermometer-style fuel guage- correct for that car as an accessory. There have been at least 3 different Motometer fuel guages in use in '60 VWs as well- more gallery research.
If you are already talking about changing the factory color of the car- paint it what you want! It's yours. If your car ends up looking half as nice in Mango as the car you aspire to- do it! Nobody who matters will say a thing. I printed that exact pic of the KaliKabrio car when I was debating mango on my '62 vert. Wrong color- right car! I am sticking with the factory gulf blue- but I'd paint it mango in second. |
Thanks for the reply hitest. The red in te picture is probably the original color (must be my bad English which made you understood the original color was mango) but I do not like red on these old cars, it's more a 70s color to me. I guess you are right if I don't go with the original color I can paint it whatever I want.  I still would like to know if it was an option though.
Can you tell how the fuel gauge is hooked up to the fuel tank? The car I am looking at has the neck on the left (standing in front of the car) and has a hole on the right 
It looks like some fuel 'thing' above the hole but I did not examine that when I took these pictures. The next time I can see the car is next Thursday and it's about 1.5 hours from my home. |
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glutamodo
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26309
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Every fuel gauge offered needed a specific sending unit to make it work. Electrical or mehchanical, additional hole cut into the top/body of the tank or something that went in through the filler neck. |
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AlteWagen
Troll
Joined: February 23, 2007
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Location: PNW
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| Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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Gas heater...nice! |
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:21 am Post subject: |
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| derluftwagen wrote: |
Gas heater...nice! |
Yep Eberspacher. So now that you noticed that; is that 'thing' above the yellow plug in the tank needed to hook up the heater to the tank?
Another question: should the tank be painted body color or black on convertibles of this year? |
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AlteWagen
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Joined: February 23, 2007
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:53 am Post subject: |
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Not sure on the heater, never fortunate enough to have one. Since its a gas heater it should have a feed from the tank. I think there are owners manuals on line somewhere.
Early vert gas tanks were painted body color from Karmann. What color red is it? Poppy red? |
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: |
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Thanks luftwagen! Found a pic from a manual; it's from the heater
I'm not sure about the color but it could be poppy red. Will check next week when I see the car again. |
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:53 am Post subject: |
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| derluftwagen wrote: |
| Early vert gas tanks were painted body color from Karmann. What color red is it? Poppy red? |
How early? Should a December 59 vert have a body color gas tank?
BTW I bought the car yesterday and made a deal on the restoration. I will start a full body off restoration thread hopefully soon. |
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AlteWagen
Troll
Joined: February 23, 2007
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 10:47 am Post subject: |
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| It was my understanding ALL coachbuilts had body color tanks. |
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GüteAndTite
Early Convertible Güru
Joined: June 16, 2005
Posts: 2144
Location: Low So Cal
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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all verts up to end of 1960 model had body color painted tanks. In Aug 1960 , when the the 61 models came out with new flat gas tanks, the tanks and everything in the trunk area remained black. your 59 built -60 model vert should not only have a poppy red tank to match the car (painted red top and bottom) but also the trunk liner, wiring cover, steering box covers, shift rod cover, dash support behind the speedo, and the bumper brackets and over rider support tubes should all be painted red as well. this phenomenon is ONLY on CONVERTIBLES, but is on every convertible from 53 to 60. hope that helps!
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GüteAndTite
Early Convertible Güru
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