G'day all.

I have recently bought another beetle and during my ownership i have had a thought that the car is not the same year as what the owner has told me. Which is fine it's just i want to know exactly what year it is.

The owner has said that it is a 1963 but from my checks with the RTA and such I think its a 64.

My main problem is that i can't seem to cross refrence my chassis number with any of the numbers on the Samba and such.

So if anyone could help My VIN no. is 196142063.

also here is a link to ebay where pictures of the car can be seen. the license plate light housing indicates its a 64 but i'm not sure on other areas. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT...

so thanks in advance, Brad

66

thats an aussie built chassis number which is why it wont show up on the sambas list

is there a list on aussie built chassis numbers somewhere.

When i check with the RTA against the VIN number and old rego number it said it was a 1964 but i suppose that they could have their information wrong too.

Ta, Brad

The first three digits are the key.

1 = VW Type 1 (Beetle)
9 = Australian manufactured car. German Beetles have a '1' here. 9 means it was manufactured in Clayton, Melbourne. This only applies to cars after 1965, as the chassis numbering system was introduced then, and only up to 1968 as after that the cars were made from imported German CKD kits. This digit is what overseas sites will not recognise. Even the Wolfsburg museum gets confused if you write to them for a 'birth certificate'. They may reply 'no such number'. Wrong - it's an Australian number.
6 - 1966 model. Australian model years generally begin in February-March, not the previous August like the German model years.

Aussie 1964-65-66-67 and even early 1968 cars are very much the same. Blinkers and number plate lights are the same. 1964s had 1200 engines and flat-top front seats. 1965s had round-top front seats - the top of the seat back was rounded. The rear seat folding arrangement was changed to allow flat folding. 1966 cars had 1300 engines and a '1300' badge on the engine lid. 1967s had '1300 Deluxe', and an ashtray without a pull knob. That's about it. The new 1500 12v model was introduced in March 1968 (semi -auto) and June 1968 (manual).

You have to use US and UK sites with a grain of salt, as they know nothing about Australian VW manufacture.

as per Joel n Phil its a 66 aussie model and wont show up any where even in Germany

thanks phil, that feb-march info is gold.