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1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan
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sled
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 6:44 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

why is that decklid a different color?
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55rover
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:00 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

Good catch, Front view, not sure this is original deck lid. Also not sure what VW color this is?

sled wrote:
why is that decklid a different color?

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*Darren
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:23 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

Repair work to the hinges as well. Inside looks like Nile beige or prairie beige. You don't have the early v spring plate. Got the spring handy? Post up. I think that is a replacement lid. Likely a replacement steering wheel as well if it looks boogered.
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sled
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:38 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

I don't think that car is OG paint..
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*Darren
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:51 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

sled wrote:
I don't think that car is OG paint..


Ugh, I'm gonna ask. Photo of rear apron and spare well needed.
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Keith
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:10 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

henry roberts wrote:
when was the change from semaphores to front blinkers? eggs to snowflakes? ribbed doors to smooth? and early pan to late pan?

this car is an interesting mix of early and late oval features.

could we please get a picture of the engine lid spring mount?


No, ALL ‘55 models had a batwing. ‘56 and up was semi-batwing. ‘55 production was a short run. ‘55 and down was Jan-Dec. It wasn’t until Aug’55 that they started the Aug previous year-Aug current year production we know, so an Aug ‘55 is actually a ‘56 and ‘56 was the changeover year which was different than ‘55 and down.

Jan to end of July is the ‘55 production making them 7 month only cars that had 2 major changes within those months, early models had semaphores and blade bumpers with either heart taillights or egg tail lights that were lower mounted regardless of destination. 3 months into production, the U.S. bound models went to bullets and towel rail bumpers as well as higher mounted snowflake taillights.

Ribbed doors, ribbed interior handles, smooth rear apron, 3 fold ragtop, H pattern seats, batwing steering wheel, etc ended when ‘56 model year production started Aug ‘55. Only ‘55 and down have those features.
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Last edited by Keith on Sat Aug 25, 2018 8:04 am; edited 6 times in total
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Keith
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:12 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

motofly196 wrote:
A friend of mine just found me a 7/55 semi-bat wing as you call it. Progressive refinements lists the steering wheel change as 4 Aug 55. My steering wheel is original paint and is the darker beige color like a bat wing.
I agree, your car should have a bat wing. Is there a date stamp on the metal hub of your wheel? Some have it, some don't for whatever reason.



Aug ‘55 is the 56 model year. That’s why it has the semi-batwing. ‘56 isn’t the same as a ‘55 they are different. ‘55’s never had a semi-batwing.
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*Darren
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:52 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

Keith wrote:
motofly196 wrote:
A friend of mine just found me a 7/55 semi-bat wing as you call it. Progressive refinements lists the steering wheel change as 4 Aug 55. My steering wheel is original paint and is the darker beige color like a bat wing.
I agree, your car should have a bat wing. Is there a date stamp on the metal hub of your wheel? Some have it, some don't for whatever reason.



Aug ‘55 is the 56 model year. That’s why it has the semi-batwing. ‘56 isn’t the same as a ‘55 they are different. ‘55’s never had a semi-batwing.


Keith,
You missed what motofly said. Friend supposedly has 7/55 car which should have the early steering wheel.

This car is also 7/55 and has ribbed doors. Looked at the photo on page one. Ribbed door. So why the later wheel. That's why I asked for photos of the front and rear areas. Just a hunch.
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Keith
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 3:19 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

*Darren wrote:
Keith wrote:
motofly196 wrote:
A friend of mine just found me a 7/55 semi-bat wing as you call it. Progressive refinements lists the steering wheel change as 4 Aug 55. My steering wheel is original paint and is the darker beige color like a bat wing.
I agree, your car should have a bat wing. Is there a date stamp on the metal hub of your wheel? Some have it, some don't for whatever reason.



Aug ‘55 is the 56 model year. That’s why it has the semi-batwing. ‘56 isn’t the same as a ‘55 they are different. ‘55’s never had a semi-batwing.


Keith,
You missed what motofly said. Friend supposedly has 7/55 car which should have the early steering wheel.

This car is also 7/55 and has ribbed doors. Looked at the photo on page one. Ribbed door. So why the later wheel. That's why I asked for photos of the front and rear areas. Just a hunch.


Nope, didn’t miss what he said at all. Making a clarification as to what should have semi-batwing and what shouldn’t.
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55rover
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 6:35 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

*Darren wrote:
sled wrote:
I don't think that car is OG paint..


Ugh, I'm gonna ask. Photo of rear apron and spare well needed.


Specs out as a May 1955.

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Keith
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 6:47 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

55rover wrote:
*Darren wrote:
sled wrote:
I don't think that car is OG paint..


Ugh, I'm gonna ask. Photo of rear apron and spare well needed.


Specs out as a May 1955.

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It’s a ‘55 body. You got the wrong steering wheel. At some point over the last 63 years someone replaced the steering wheel.
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henry roberts
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:15 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

thanks kieth. i didn't know about the march 55 change to over riders, blinkers, snowflakes etc.

i just assumed it was a 55 to 56 model change like the heart to snowflake change was in australia. (we got the whole lot at once afik)

btw 7-55 in motoflys post = july. Smile
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laneven28
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:53 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

*Darren wrote:
Repair work to the hinges as well. Inside looks like Nile beige or prairie beige. You don't have the early v spring plate. Got the spring handy? Post up. I think that is a replacement lid. Likely a replacement steering wheel as well if it looks boogered.


I'm not confident this car should have a V spring plate as it seems the transition from big spring to little happened in May 1955. PR says the transition happened on May 3, 1955. Looking at this other 55 transition thread, May 55 cars seem to be mixed on which spring they have. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=20
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:39 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

True, this is a 7/55 car as noted by the rib doors & 3 fold and what the owner stated. However, the decklid is NOT black, but beige, the hinges have been worked on, the front fenders at least appear to be clearcoated, but the body appears NOT to have been cleared (not 100% sure), the steering wheel has been changed. So I wanted to make sure that other things had not been changed. The history for the last 37 years is known, before that not the case.
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Keith
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 8:00 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

henry roberts wrote:
thanks kieth. i didn't know about the march 55 change to over riders, blinkers, snowflakes etc.

i just assumed it was a 55 to 56 model change like the heart to snowflake change was in australia. (we got the whole lot at once afik)

btw 7-55 in motoflys post = july. Smile


Yes, I know what month July is. Not sure what that comment is about. Aug was the changeover to the ‘56 model year which would have the semi-batwing and all the changes as mentioned. If his buddy has a semi-batwing too in a July ‘55 bug, it is wrong, that’s the point I made. I’m not sure where the confusion is here in my statement.
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motofly196
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 10:43 am    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

Wow...this really got misunderstood. I have a semi-batwing steering wheel (7/55). It is for an early August 55 car. I was simply using this for reference that ALL pre 4 Aug 55 cars should have a Batwing wheel. I am in agreement with you Keith.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:57 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

I had not looked at the seats. It looks like at least the fronts are not original. Pulled the red seat covers and found cream colored seats. The back seat looks like it was recovered by not easy to pull off and see what is underneath.

Question: Any opinion what year these came from.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 3:06 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

Those front seats are 58-64. Are you sure you have a 55' pan? Those seats mounted on a 55' pan will have the front of the seat tilted forward. I can't remember if you posted pics of the pan.

What does the rear seat look like?
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:30 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

Matching 1955 pan. It looks like I am going to have to find some 55 seats.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:10 pm    Post subject: Re: 1955 USA Deluxe Beetle Ragtop (three fold) restoration plan Reply with quote

55rover wrote:
Matching 1955 pan. It looks like I am going to have to find some 55 seats.

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Get ready to have a heart attack when you find out how much bare seat frames that need work cost. ‘55 and down seats are pricey as all hell.
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"If you do anything to your car someone will hate on you for it. People absolutely love to complain and find fault with others. Don't let it bother you. Just live and have fun."- Lind
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