Hi all....
I hope that i am posting this in the right place ....
i have an 11 window 55 kombi that i am restoring ... and have this half baked idea that at some distant stage in the future it would be nice to have a "matching" 55 beetle ...
so even tho i'm not really 'in the market" right now - as i need to finish the bus first - i have been regularly keeping an eye out for a 55 beetle here and on ebay (i would really prefer to buy one already FULLY and well restored)...
problem is ... in about 6 months of regular checking i have NEVER seen a 55 for sale ..... seen lots of 54's and 56's ... but never a 55 ....
is there any reason for this .... or is it just my good luck that ones not going to turn up until exactly when i am ready 😂
can anyone tell me if 55 was a holiday for the importer or something .... are there any 55's around at all? .... and if so, what size engine, and different "model" options were available that year ....
just curious at this stage, but any feedback appreciated ...
regards
A|T
I've never looked at numbers, but there are definitely '55s around.
It is a year of change, the early ovals had many things in common with the split window beetle eg ribbed doors, plus their own unique items such as heart tail-lights. The 'early ovals went from '53 to '55.
In august '55, the new oval came out with many changes such as different doors, different seats, internal chrome strips, tail lights, steering wheel, hand-brake cables blah blah.
So if you want a beetle built in '55, you have two potential models. You need to look at chassis numbers, a car built in November '55 will be known as a '56 model. Most ovals built before August '55 will be known as '54 models amongst VW nuts as it distinguishes them as an early model.
I'll have a look at production numbers later, to see if August '55 to July '56 was a lean year in Australia at least.
Angus
as per above i have had several 55s both the early type like the 54 and the later type like the 56
I've got an early '55, which as has been said, shares everything with a '54. There is not as many '55s around as '54s or '56s as you see alot of them pop up for sale, and quite a few people seem to have them, there certainly does seem to be less '55s that come up for sale or at shows etc.....for what reason, I don't know.
But I guess you need to decide if you want an early or a late, as I reckon there would be a decent price difference between the 2 as one shares alot of the older, more sought after parts and one shares the more common later oval parts, but I guess it depends on how complete it is and how complete and correct you want it to be aswell.
I got one of each 54 and 55, one standard and one turbo. Sorry neither will be for sale in the future. You got to love the early shape and ribbed doors.
t54
C'mon kids gather round,
there's a new sensation hitting town,
It's moving straight, low to the ground,
it'll pick you up when your feeling down.
mmm ... thanks for that ....
so it's possible that some of the 54's that i have seen advertised are in fact a 55 .... 🤪 ....
i am not sure of the exact month of my 55 bus - it's definately not too early in 55 as it's not a barndooor ... and i think that the last few barndoors were built in early or mid march 55 .... so it's gotta be later than that ....
and i think it was built in the Wolfsburg factory ... which means that it was built before Nov 55 (as after November 55 ALL buses were built in Hanover) ... i THINK that it might be a May 55 or possibly July or August 55 build - those three months seem stuck in my head ...
i can't remember exactly now, so i will need to check on the exact date ......
in the meantime ... it sounds like i had better look at the 54's a little close ... if anyone ever sees a really well restored one come up for sale at a reasonable price ... please let me know ....
one more big question ... can anyone please give a link ....or post a few pics that show the main differences between the 54 and 56? beetles ... that would be great .....
thanks everyone for all the very helpful replies ... i think tha i understand more clearly now
regards
A|T
depending on which exact month you want the easiest difference is the doors n floorpan
the heater knob is behind the handbrake lever on the 54/55s and forward of the gear shift on the later
