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Early Beetle Tail light questions?

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DubbyFan Wolfsburg Wizard

518 posts · joined Nov 2010 ·

#985422
I am amused by all the different types of tail lights that were fitted to Beetles over the years. To the extent I have a couple of questions for those with knowledge please, sorry if this is trivial!

1/ Heart tail lights what year Beetles were these fitted to and were they fitted on Aust assembled cars or imported cars only? What was the idea behind the upward facing heart light, I realise for upward facing red light but why?

2/ Snowflake tail lights 1954 to 1960 is this correct, again imports only or were they on Aust assembled cars?

3/ 50/50s Italian and Aust assembed cars 1961 only is this correct?

Thank you......

bushed Wolfsburg Elder

3,541 posts · joined Dec 2006 ·

#985436
DubbyFan wrote:you must be a youngin ha ha different types of tail lights were fitted to Beetles over the years as cars got bigger the lights did too more due to more traffic!! 4 safety! Evolution may be the word...
1/ Heart tail lights were not fitted to Aust assembled cars as they started assembly in Aus. in 1960?

the idea behind the upward facing heart light was that was the standard of the day...

Snowflake tail lights 1956 to 1960 is correct, imports only and some on 1960... as they were bitzers using leftover stock from Germany on Aust assembly lines to start them off.

3/ 50/50s German and Aust assembled cars 1961 only is correct.

I have a complete set of snowfalkes btw & spares...1956 (post heart)... B
want any vw bits old but like me, Made in Germany!!!

farkengruven Seriously Crusin Dubber

167 posts · joined Jan 2006 ·

#985471
Really, hearts were not fitted Aust assembled cars????? I wonder where the 54 and 55's get them from then.
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Governor Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2008 ·

#985482
bushed wrote:
DubbyFan wrote:you must be a youngin ha ha different types of tail lights were fitted to Beetles over the years as cars got bigger the lights did too more due to more traffic!! 4 safety! Evolution may be the word...
1/ Heart tail lights were not fitted to Aust assembled cars as they started assembly in Aus. in 1960?

the idea behind the upward facing heart light was that was the standard of the day...

Snowflake tail lights 1956 to 1960 is correct, imports only and some on 1960... as they were bitzers using leftover stock from Germany on Aust assembly lines to start them off.

3/ 50/50s German and Aust assembled cars 1961 only is correct.

I have a complete set of snowfalkes btw & spares...1956 (post heart)... B
Also the 50/50 tail lights were not used in Germany but the original poster was correct, Italy and Australia

DubbyFan Wolfsburg Wizard

518 posts · joined Nov 2010 ·

#985903
Thank you, that's great.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#985915
of course hearts were on pre '55 in Australia and everywhere else. I'm not 100% on when they started but I think late '52/53, after the round tail-light of the split beetle. The heart lense is the brake light, the snowflake patterned vertical lense is the tail-light and reflector.
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Undis Casual Dubber

38 posts · joined Feb 2009 ·

#986503
"Heart" tail lights first appeared as a feature of the newly re-designed beetle in late 1952. This was the so called Zwitter beetle as it still had the split rear window but the rest of the body was already the new "oval" design. Australian built cars of '54 to mid-'55 had the "Hearts" just laike the rest of the world. The upwards facing "heart" is the brake light and the vertical lense is the running light/reflector.

Snow-flake tail lights were on mid-'55 to '60 model cars in all markets.

The 50/50 lights were unique to Italian and Australian markets in '61

* of course there are more detailed variations between different markets but this is a pretty general description.