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usariemen Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004 Posts: 1745 Location: Germany
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:58 pm Post subject: The first official US imported export model split |
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I got this magazin from April 1949.
There is a little note about the first official export split that went to the USA.
That was before the export models where even sold in Germany.
The text says:
"The first new export model of the Volkswagen was recently, packed in a woodbox, sended to the USA. There shall the car at the german export exhibition in New York in april be shown to the american audience.
Its general shape stayed untouched but the vehicle got a whole new face by a splendid interior, a pastellgreen exterior, lots of chromed parts and a beautiful gloss."
I assume the car stayed in the USA. Is anything known about it?
Does it still exist? _________________ Master of my domain!
Last edited by usariemen on Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Hacksaw-BoB Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2009 Posts: 778 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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b]Yes, the VW stayed in the USA and it exists in my Vintage VW collection[/b]
_________________ Hacksaw BoB
http://www.VintageVolkswagenModels.com
Collector of Vintage VW Toys
BoB's Restor-Version Shop |
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janerick3 Samba Member
Joined: June 04, 2006 Posts: 1879 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Quite a lot is known about the first VW imported into the US by Ben Pon (except its fate and color--rumored to be dark blue w/red rims), but this the first time I've seen anything about the second VW imported in 1949. _________________ Thanks,
Jan K. |
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usariemen Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004 Posts: 1745 Location: Germany
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, but the pic known of Ben Pon with a car getting loaded on a ship shows at best a so called "early export".
A standard wich got a bit pimped up with some chrome parts.
But still no side trim and with black three spoke and speedo pod, etc.
For this exhibition a true export model was sended as it was sold then on from june 1949.
I googled it and the show was held from the 9th of April 1949 in the Rockefeller Center and was called „Military Government German Exhibition Industry Show“ _________________ Master of my domain! |
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Blue Baron VW Aficionado
Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 24119 Location: Southeast USA
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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This is car No. 2 of the fabled two VWs officially exported to the U.S. in 1949. It was exhibited at a "Germany 1949" trade show in May or June of that year, attended by Heinz Nordhoff. This was Nordhoff's first trip to the United States after the travel ban against him was lifted for beiing a "war industry leader." Nordhoff managed Opel's Brandenburg truck factory during the war, the largest in Europe.
The fate of car No. 2 is unknown, but I believe its chassis number has been documented.
If you look closely at the photo, the car appears to have carsten trim. _________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff |
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Blue Baron VW Aficionado
Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 24119 Location: Southeast USA
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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usariemen wrote: |
I googled it and the show was held from the 9th of April 1949 in the Rockefeller Center and was called „Military Government German Exhibition Industry Show“ |
Okay, I was close.
It would be interesting to know if Maximilian Hoffman attended the show. _________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff |
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usariemen Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004 Posts: 1745 Location: Germany
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Blue Baron wrote: |
If you look closely at the photo, the car appears to have carsten trim. |
Oh yeah, of course, the famous Carsten trim.
I had already almost forgotten that it got baptized.
Well, could have been this car.
_________________ Master of my domain! |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22668 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Blue Baron wrote: |
This is car No. 2 of the fabled two VWs officially exported to the U.S. in 1949. It was exhibited at a "Germany 1949" trade show in May or June of that year, attended by Heinz Nordhoff. This was Nordhoff's first trip to the United States after the travel ban against him was lifted for beiing a "war industry leader." Nordhoff managed Opel's Brandenburg truck factory during the war, the largest in Europe.
The fate of car No. 2 is unknown, but I believe its chassis number has been documented.
If you look closely at the photo, the car appears to have carsten trim. |
It got slammed by a pothead and is now on a Carousel in Santa Cruz.
Okay, that wasn't really useful and was a bit cynical too....bad day. _________________ .ssS! |
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DDub Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2005 Posts: 307 Location: central pa.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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Pretty sure I remember VW doing an article back in the '60's. They found one of the two original cars on a farm being used to herd sheep in the mid west. It was in the Small Wonder magazine. |
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Blue Baron VW Aficionado
Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 24119 Location: Southeast USA
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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I'm thinking you're thinking of the contest to find the oldest VW in America, which turned out to be a '45 sedan owned by a Nebraska farmer. (Actually, there was some debate over who the actual owner was.)
It was a 1960 promotion by VW to celebrate the 500,000th VW imported to the U.S. There was an article in Foreign Car Guide, and a mention of it in the book Small Wonder.
The car was restored by the Vintage VW Club of America and I believe resides in the REME museum in England. (No carsten trim on that one, though.) _________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff |
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DDub Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2005 Posts: 307 Location: central pa.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Nope, different car. This was one of the first two '49's to be sold here. MIGHT still have the article somewhere. |
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Blue Baron VW Aficionado
Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 24119 Location: Southeast USA
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Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 11:53 pm Post subject: Re: The first official US imported export model split |
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I recently found this a nice large print of the famous photo of Ben Pon offloading the first officially exported VW to the States.
(Click on the photo for full size.) Pon is on the left.
This was in January, 1949, and the car has some interesting features. Note the Dutch registration. This is an indication that
the car was most likely sent by the factory to the Netherlands before being shipped to the U.S. Also, note the grooved bumpers,
coming months before they appeared in regular production.
The reason Dutch importer Pon was selected is it was felt that not being German, he would have more luck interesting U.S.
importers. Turned out he had no luck at all, and ended up selling the car and his spare parts to pay his hotel bill.
It's great that photographic evidence of these two cars still exists.
_________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34013 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 8:18 am Post subject: Re: The first official US imported export model split |
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If it was packed in a crate for shipment, why is it in the open when being offloaded? Maybe supports the theory above about it being shipped (in a crate?) to Netherlands, and then (in the open) across the Atlantic?
Also, the trim (or lack of it) isn't consistent. We must not be talking about the same car.
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splitjunkie Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 4094
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 10:55 am Post subject: Re: The first official US imported export model split |
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Blue Baron wrote: |
I recently found this a nice large print of the famous photo of Ben Pon offloading the first officially exported VW to the States.
(Click on the photo for full size.) Pon is on the left.
This was in January, 1949, and the car has some interesting features. Note the Dutch registration. This is an indication that
the car was most likely sent by the factory to the Netherlands before being shipped to the U.S. Also, note the grooved bumpers,
coming months before they appeared in regular production.
The reason Dutch importer Pon was selected is it was felt that not being German, he would have more luck interesting U.S.
importers. Turned out he had no luck at all, and ended up selling the car and his spare parts to pay his hotel bill.
It's great that photographic evidence of these two cars still exists.
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It also appears to have a black rear ashtray screwed to the blank pod depression where the VW emblem would be. _________________ Chris
You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld |
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Blue Baron VW Aficionado
Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 24119 Location: Southeast USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 12:08 pm Post subject: Re: The first official US imported export model split |
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KTPhil wrote: |
We must not be talking about the same car.] |
We are not. The car shipped in the crate was the second VW officially exported to the U.S., which was an early Deluxe model sent over for a trade show in April. The first VW sent over in January is shown being offloaded by Pon. Sorry for the confusion. _________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff |
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Schwing Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2009 Posts: 2506 Location: Centreville, MD
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Blue Baron VW Aficionado
Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 24119 Location: Southeast USA
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:17 pm Post subject: Re: The first official US imported export model split |
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328 Sedans.
Convertibles N/A. _________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff |
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Schwing Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2009 Posts: 2506 Location: Centreville, MD
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