'55 original build - Black Sabbath

[Hazza6542]

EDIT: Discovered it's a '55 not '54, so that '55 engine might be matching!


Well my '61 has to go. I found my dream, called up and forgot to even haggle because I loved it so much. This is my new oval dream beetle.

It's all original minus the engine, from a 55. Everything is there except a fuel tank cap, and everything else is in an understandably ratty condition, it's 63 years old after all. Has the original wheels also. Will pick it up within a week hopefully and post my own photos. Comes with replacement panels for almost everything, I'll have to source a front guard to weld in a bottom patch, but if it's black then it won't be too hard to just paint the graft with a bit of black spray.

Build will progress faster later in the year, will probably go on my 61 pan so I can move it about while I restore the '54 pan properly in the background and get the '55 motor restored as well. The 1776cc is already started so I could probably drive it around on my pan and motor then go back to original and justify another aircooled for the 1776 to slot into.

Any way, photos!

Will have photos soon from picking it up and the long drive home. Then we begin! It's more rust free than any other I've seen this old, nothing else in the body is rotting and paint under the bonnet and decklid can get cleaned up nicely.


So for anyone willing to help, what kind of things do I need to look out for first on a '54 and what is the general consensus on putting lap belts in a beetle without any belts?

[D-train]

Make sure the bonnet, engine lid/spring are correct and seats are correct, there's a great thread on the 54/5 engines whats correct or not!

Great find!!
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shiny paint doesnt make it worth any more

[Gwdghiaguy]

[vwnut1]

Great find! It appears to be fairly solid and original. Purchase a new roll of wire for your MIG welder, your going to need it for welding in new A-pillars, floor pans, repairing tear in fender, metal work at bottom of passenger fender, etc.
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1957 VW Oval Resto Mod

[Hazza6542]

[Srecko]

pm me, I might be interested in purchasing your 61 beetle - does it have 50/50 tail lights?
congrats on your purchase, 54 oval is special and to find an original example is rare.

[Mildoval56]

Nice find, I saw this on Gumtree and loved it! If I didn't already have a '54 in the shed I would been seriously interested. Look forward to your updates.

[Hazza6542]

[Mildoval56]

Couldn't agree more. Picking up your new project and driving it home is a great feeling and a great road trip! How far do you have to go?

[Hazza6542]

[pig-pen]

love that plate!
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1954 L227 Type 113
1964 L31 Type 265

[Hazza6542]

So I need some help decoding the chassis number on the car, which matches the body number. Keep in mind this is an Australian delivered car, so that might make some sort of difference, maybe.

Chassis # 1-0806139

# on the front vin plate is the same as the chassis number according to PO. Next question is, the body doesn't seem to have a body number stamped in it under the tag but rather another tag entirely saying 'MADE IN WESTERN GERMANY'. So I think this isn't an import, quote from ClubVW AU:

"From 1954 to 1959 Australian Volkswagens were assembled from German CKD parts. The components were made according to the German model year, but completion in Melbourne could often be up to six months later, due to the shipping time for the CKD crates to arrive in Melbourne, be railed to Clayton and unpacked, prepared, assembled and finished (joining with the various Australian-made components such as tyres, batteries, glass, paint, upholstery etc)."

From what I can tell from the Chassis # it's a '55, but I'm not %100 certain and not an expert on these things, I'm only new to oval's now. If anyone could shed some light on this I'd appreciate it. Some more photo's I got today also.

Correct H apron

Really nice original wiring, don't think I'll bother with a new loom!

[67ctbug]

That chassis vin looks dangerously like it's been replaced
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'67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016

[Mitchvwnut]

Awesome score!! Yeah going by that chassis number it should be Jan/feb 1955.
If it's an Australian built car it should have a number starting with MKA below the vin plate (it looks like the 'made in western Germany' tag is mounted over the top of this number)

[Hazza6542]

[Hazza6542]

[Mitchvwnut]

There's not a whole heap of differences between 54 and early 55's
off the top of my head the early 55's didn't have the luggage rails behind the rear seat in the parcel area.
I wouldn't worry too much about the vin being changed, those numbers look perfectly original. I think he was referring to the way the vin plate is mounted as the screws aren't original, but if the number on the plate matches that on the tunnel it's alright

[Mitchvwnut]

The vin number references on the club vee dub site aren't very clear about each month. If you Press on the technical icon at the top of this site and then press on the vin/chassis icon and it'll come up with a spreadsheet of what chassis number started and ended each month

[Mitchvwnut]

The vin number references on the club vee dub site aren't very clear about each month. If you Press on the technical icon at the top of this site and then press on the vin/chassis icon and it'll come up with a spreadsheet of what chassis number started and ended each month

[Hazza6542]

Cheers for that. I'm guessing the plate was originally riveted on not screwed? Not too worried about it being '54 or '55, it's a black og oval, that's been the dream for a long time.