[71Convertible]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Here are a few pics of some bugs and a Karman from the Ludhiana's first road show. So What are the years of these bugs ?

The first blue and white one is pre-67, but has the large side windows which I believe came in 64 or 65. So that would make it a 64/65-66. The second blue and white one is a 68-on (note the four bolt wheels and the door handle and smaller trim).

The yellow one (not the super) is a small window car so that would be pre-64/65 I think.

B

[harit]

Originally Posted by 71Convertible

Could be that it was a NA/US spec car that was taken delivery in Germany. This happened a lot. VW (and other German marques) had a tourist program where you take delivery in Germany and drive it during your vacation in Eur and then they ship it back to the US. Also, could have been bought by a returning serviceman. The destination on Birth Cert does not necc indicate the country it was specced for. My RHD super birth cert also shows Germany as destination.Byas

Originally Posted by inderpalgill

hi super, i do have the plate,and the badge reads the same as the certificate does,and as per my knowledge majority tourist prog cars were delivered via hamburg ie hamburg being the port of destination then other parts of germany as is the case with my rhd westfalia bus ,which interestingly has the sliding door on the drivers' side(RHD)

In the 1960's and owards, it was possible to order, and then pick up a car directly from the manufacturer for export. So you got a brand new German car in Germany from the works and did not pay local taxes. My memory says that local dealers did not supply such cars, only directly the manufacturers. All such cars were given that famous white oval "Zoll" (customs) number plate. These cars could be driven around for a short while, and then had to leave the country. And leave the country anyhow and from anywhere. Our car was shipped from Rotterdam, I remember my uncle having to drive our car all the way as the ship was leaving from there. So the car left Germany by road.
I also remember that many cars sold in customs auction had these oval embossed plates, and many kept these, just painted them over and used with new Indian number. Many cars with failed TUV, like equivalent to the British MOT were issued such customs plates and travelled all over the world. Many many were seen in Goa. Many of the old German Deutz busses travelled between Khatmandu and Goa on these plates.
These cars picked up for export could always be ordered with special features. Like RHD, tropicalised, tougher suspension suitable for junglee conditions (a favourite for cars coming to India) , airconditioned (not at all common at that time) and so on. These cars will all show destination as Germany itself as the manufacturer was not involved in shipping the car.

Cheers harit

[IndrojitSircar]

Another very well restored bug . What year is this ?

[kishorelal]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Another very well restored bug . What year is this ?

indrojit sir,
is this some sort of Q and A session on beetels?

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by inderpalgill

...this beetle belonged to Mr.Yadwinder singh Aidhy, a young collector and restorer at delhi, a wonderful and hardworking man, he sold off her few months back and is a 1970 1300, borrowing bumper guards from the fiat,

inderpalgill, saadi ae gustakhi maaf karaan, but if you are referring to the blue Beetle, number UPB 6406, in my humble opinion, I think it's clearly a 1200 - the front horn grilles just above the bumper are telltale signs of that. Your passion for automobiles is truly admirable and am a fan of your VWs and the Toyota Corona. Plus you are also a knowledgeable person who doesn't pretend to know it all. That's the reason I took the liberty of replying to your post; hope you won't mind. Some of the other stuff going on here make me want to only keep away otherwise.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by kishorelal

indrojit sir,
is this some sort of Q and A session on beetels?

Not at all sir , Just for my own knowladge how to judge and get the exact year.

[ajay99]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Not at all sir , Just for my own knowladge how to judge and get the exact year.

for that please read the book""Volkswagen model Documentation-Beetle to 412"".

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by ajay99

for that please read the book""Volkswagen model Documentation-Beetle to 412"".

Looking for that book but in the mean time others could also learn if it is here and why not have more and more pics of different cars ?

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Looking for that book but in the mean time others could also learn if it is here and why not have more and more pics of different cars ?

Buddy, thats a 1969 VW Bug.

You can see the vents on the Bonnet. 1969 Bugs came with them

[71Convertible]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Another very well restored bug . What year is this ?

Quite difficult to say with only one pic on this one. The vented hood and upright headlights are actually 68-on.

The low back seats would indicate a non-US car (if 68-on)

However, this has the smaller windshield than the 65-on cars. And if you look carefully, the door surrounds around the window are the thicker size indicating the smaller side windows (again pre-65).

So, this could be a pre-65 that was updated with 68-on hood and fenders.

Or: Brazil and Mexico beetles continued to use the small window beetle bodies into the early 70s. So, this could be a Brazilian or Mexican 68-early 70s beetle.

Byas

[inderpalgill]

Dear prabal ji,i must say that i never mind , because i have no mind ha ha, any ways thanks for the words, and iam just happy to see the quiz competition going on,good day,remain in touch


dear 71 convertible, i really appreciate your information and iam sure you all guys will help me crack down the life trails of my car, any ways i must let you know that i replaced the front bumper and the original is with me and is without indicators, i did so as i was dented much and was worth paint not chrome, so i opted the one with indicators as the car looks beautiful in the evenings when the lights are lit (my choice may be)also the rear lamps were not the elephant foot and were changed by previous owner, and i did the same with hella,also pointing out the rear deck lid didn't have vents, i bought a new decklid from US @ 125USD painted and fitted for better ventilation as the temp today here is 47C,usually touches 50 every year,now lets hunt what car is it, the dash plate will post pic soon has a vw logo and the vin no,and reg the from vents they are original.


and Indrojit reg the cars the blue white, small boy wiping belongs to me and is a 65 1200,was an embassy car and has some deluxe functions, eg rear open able glasses, the roof light in the middle (same side, but some what towards the back seat),second one is 72 1300, belongs to my mechanic is a RHD ,yellow one comes from Goraya ,Jallandhar, was a UNICEF car with health dept again RHD but sadly powered by a gypsy engine,the karman is too running with gypsy engine,with many irreversible modifications,i wonder why some people (in my state,don't know about the rest)think the vw aircooled to be a flop technique and say" it always overheats as it has no radiator" ha ha,why does it needs a radiator ?when its using air, even the radiator needs air and so porche directly used air,as simple as that,and so how did a flop technique made a world record? they simply smile away,thinking me to be a hard core fan of a funny looking car,

[71Convertible]

Originally Posted by inderpalgill

dear 71 convertible, i really appreciate your information and iam sure you all guys will help me crack down the life trails of my car, any ways i must let you know that i replaced the front bumper and the original is with me and is without indicators, i did so as i was dented much and was worth paint not chrome, so i opted the one with indicators as the car looks beautiful in the evenings when the lights are lit (my choice may be)also the rear lamps were not the elephant foot and were changed by previous owner, and i did the same with hella,also pointing out the rear deck lid didn't have vents, i bought a new decklid from US @ 125USD painted and fitted for better ventilation as the temp today here is 47C,usually touches 50 every year,now lets hunt what car is it, the dash plate will post pic soon has a vw logo and the vin no,and reg the from vents they are original.

No problem. I enjoy the puzzle, plus helping out a fellow enthusiast.

Regarding the tail lights, I did not mean to refer to elephants foot tail lights, but the tombstones. Hard to believe, but the tombstones came in 2 sizes. From 68-70 there was one size used everywhere. In 71-72 US used a tombstone that looked alost exactly like the older ones, but they were in fact larger. You can only tell my measurement (pls take one on the vertical ht of the lenses). Europe continued to use the smaller size tombstones in '71-72. In '73 both US and Europe went to the elephants foot.

So far the evidence gathered:
1. Front apron vents -- these were standard only on the NA (US/Can) cars in 71-72
2. Larger front indicators -- agaon std only on NA cars
3. Head rest on front seats -- std only on NA cars
4. No disc brakes -- NA only (for 1600 supers)
5. Vin plate near the windshield -- NA only
6. AE engine code -- NA code. Eur engines were AD code
7. VIN sticker on door jamb -- NA only
8. No option codes for #1,2,3,4,6 on the birth certificate -- indicating they were standard fitments and not special options. Some items could be special ordered in Eur (head rests for example and possibly some of the other items -- though I've not seen a disc brake delete m-code in the m-code (options) lists.


Ignoring the non-vented rear decklid (that's an incorrect later addition).

The above would strongly point to a US/Can spec car that was picked up in Germany. If the speedo is in KMH, the car is Canadian spec, if MPH, it is US spec.

Byas

[IndrojitSircar]

Hi guys

These are pics of a car from Chandigarh but now i am abit confused with the model here. If we look at the back of this car it looks like a 1973 model by looking at the elephant foot type tail lamps. The front with the shape of the lights and the horn grills leads me to think its a mid to late 1960's car. So experts what do you say ?

[karlosdeville]

Elephant's foot tail lights are a common addition to many earlier bugs. It is unlikely that the headlights were changed to the present ones, so I would assume it to be pre 67.

Then again that rear decklid I think is a 67 only. Byas, your imputs please?

[71Convertible]

Karlos is right -- it's a 67. Note the door handles -- the round shaped push knob is '67 only -- the earlier was square. The side chrome trim is the thin type which is also a change in '67.

Wrong bumpers. and wrong rear fenders (or modified) and lights.

Byas