Hi

Just stripping my 60/61 bug down getting ready for paint and noticed a blue ckd stamp behind the dash and one by the washer bottle.

I was to believe that from 1960 on the beetle was 100% manufactured in Clayton Melbourne and not from knock down kits supplied from Germany .

Has this stamp any signifigance on how my bug was built ?

thanks in advance

Tony

do you have a picture of the stamp

Hi

Hopefully this picture will shed some light ?

Tony

Well the 1960 Beetle was indeed the first model to be 'manufactured' in Australia (as distinct from assembled), but it wasn't 100%.

It was a gradual process to increase the local content, which VW had agreed to do from 1960 to meet the government's 'Plan A' minimum tax requirements - this required a local content above 90%. It couldn't be done straight away. Two separate factory expansion projects were started, the second larger one in 1964 to build a non-ferrous foundry to make alloy parts. VW was hoping to reach the 90% figure by 1965 and even 95% by 1967. However in reality local content didn't get above 80%, and Plan A was dumped in 1968.

The simpler panels like the floorpan, roof, sides, doors, bonnets and mudguards were the first to be locally pressed. It may have taken a year or two for all the body parts to be fully locally stamped, with a mix of Aussie/German panels for a short time. Still, that doesn't explain your CKD stamp, which must have been applied AFTER the car was painted. I can't think of a reason they would have done that for an otherwise locally manufactured vehicle built after 1960.

Can you narrow down when your car was built? You say 1960/61 - do you know which it is? What's the chassis number? What is the date stamp on the back of the speedo? Also check each of the five wheels - there are date stamps on the centres in between the wheel bolt holes. I'm wondering if yours is slightly older than you think?

I have been reading a book called "Volkswagen in Australia. The Forgotten Story, by Rod Davies & Lloyd Davies".
This is verbatim from the book and refers to the early 60's ;

"Locally manufactured Sedans and Type 2s were now growing in local component content, as VWA worked towards its second phase of exporting Australian-made CKD packs or built-up units to the Pacific and South-East Asian countries. The organisation experienced anti-German attitudes at some ports and docks, leading to minor vandalism."

Speedo stamped 11/60

Wheels 5/60

Chassis nmber 3273817

50/50 tailights

its a 60/61 for sure !

Maybe it's an Aussie CKD that has found its way back from wherever it was exported to, it could be an interesting story.

The plot thickens ! I was led to believe by the 2nd owner the car was originally a NSW car from new.