Looking at a Beetle, chassis number is 5317654.

What year model is it?

I can supply pictures of the engine/back of the vehicle. But not the front as it's parked into a shed.

Thanks for the help everyone.



Smiley

Hi Smiley

That chasis number suggests that it is a '63.

Cheers

Yes, the 1963 chassis numbers ran from 4846836 to 5677118. That indicates that this one was made towards the end of the '63 model year.

In Germany that would have been before and up to August 1963, but the Australian model year lagged by up to six months where '63 models were made up to about February 1964. I'm guessing this one was probably made in the last few months of '63. Have a look at the back of the speedo, and on the wheel centres of all five wheels (between the wheel bolts).

Thanks Phil.

I was a little confused, I found the article you wrote here http://hapkido.netro.com.au/~vwcc/mathews.htm 

Reading through it says this "When a fuel gauge became standard on the Beetle in late 1961, it was electric rather than mechanical. At the same time, the US-style "towel-rail" bumper bars became standard"

The car doesn't have a fuel gauge, just a tap. It also has standard bumpers without overriders or towel rails.
Skinny front blinkers and the larger rear tail lights, seat belt mounting holes, and sprung bonnet.
It also has trims down the side of the car but rather than full chrome they have a black rubber insert along the middle of them, this lead me to believe they were added afterward.

The vehicle has been sitting in a shed since 1983 and by the looks of it has never been modified or altered. Can you shed any light on this? I have more pictures I took, but unfortunately the car is a long way away so I am unable to check the speedo etc.

It might just be a bitsa, but I was hoping not.


Smiley

1963 was the last year for small front blinkers...
it should also have a narrow number plate lamp..
and the same lights as a 67 model beetle..

normally 63 models had over riders and fuel gauges...

sounds like a later standard or custom beetle

but they did NOT have a glovebox lid...

or interior lamp or switches..

not sure when the standard beetles came out.. I thought 65


LEE

It would be one of the aussie standards, you'll probably find it has no glovebox lid or full headliner and the "coles cafeteria" upholstery

Lee, the standards started in late 62 I think inline with the new 63 model.

I forgot about that article! There's a more recent and detailed Australian VW history at the Club Veedub website, here: http://www.clubvw.org.au/history/history.html  I'm in the process of expanding and updating it now, should be twice as big in a month or so when the updated webpage launches.

Yes my comments for the '61 refer to the Deluxe Beetle, which was the only model available in Australia initially. But as Lee and Joel have spotted, yours seems to be the Standard model that was introduced in August 1962 (the month after the release of the upgraded 1962½ Deluxe model).The Standard was released to try to counter the price threat from the Mini 850. At the time the Deluxe sold for about £950; which was quite expensive. The Standard was mechanically the same as the Deluxe (except for no steering damper), and a lot of the Deluxe parts were left off it to save money. As Joel said, no glovebox lid, no interior light, no chrome trim on the dash, no chrome horn ring (there was even no steering wheel centre cap, so you could see the wires poking out!), no fuel gauge, no grab straps, only one sun visor, no windscreen washers, only basic headliner with lots of painted metal showing and plain trim. Outside there was no chrome trim, only the plain blade bumper in grey painted steel, and grey hubcaps. It was listed for £849 initially and was later discounted to £799. From the chassis numbers, that one looks like late '63. Australia didn 't use the German August-July model year; we were usually February-January but this often varied.

The Standard was sold alongside the Deluxe, so the Australian VW buyer had a choice of two models (actualy 3 - you could order a Sunroof Deluxe too). In 1966 the Deluxe went to 1300cc but the Standard stayed 1200cc. In 1967 the Standard was upgraded with a few more Deluxe touches such as chrome bumpers (blade only, no overriders) and chrome hubcaps, and was renamed the Custom. It was made until September 1968 (as a 1967 model) when local manufacture ended. The Deluxe ended in March 1968.

The Standard was popular with buyers in country regions who didn't need the Deluxe touches, and was often used as work vehicles or runabouts on farms. The Standard was also the model of choice for motor racing, being lighter than the Deluxe. All the Beetles that raced at Bathurst in 1963 (coming 1-3-4-5-8 in class) and in 1964 (7th in class) were Standards.

HI Phil

I am sure the custom had stainless steel bumpers
I can remember the adds...

these looked much better then the standards
I also remember white standards having a red paintline instead of a chrome strip
and the painted bumpers and hubcaps looked terrible...
no interior lamps ..

I used to see these while walking to school .. lol

LEE

Hi Joel
Yes spot the truck lights on the front guards...
instead of vw lamps..
chrome strip on glovebox?? glovebox lid??
no chrome strip on running boards... [rare] most have had them fitted.
also the original hubcaps also very rare now...

most had chromed strips/hubcaps/bumpers fitted so they looked like a delux,,,
custom allso had the custom badge...

Lee

Ok. Thanks again for the help Phil and Joel.

I'm fairly sure that the vehicle is a standard model. But it has got a glovebox lid, horn ring and centre cap.


I've got a few pictures here that I'm going to throw up.

First one is the interior. Note the lack of a fuel gauge. It also has no interior light fitted. You can see that the glovebox lid has the chrome trim but the rest of the dash does not. Clearly it has been added afterwards. Also has the grab handle, and horn bits. I'm not sure if the car has a headlining fitted or not, I forgot to look up!





Here's a picture of the engine. 28 carby. Everything looks very original.





A side shot. Has the narrow front blinkers and painted hubcaps and bumpers. Someone has added an aerial mount in the centre of the roof, I found this a little odd as the car has no radio fitted.
Also note the side trims I mentioned earlier. I do not believe them to be factory and I guess they were added with the glovebox lid etc, to make it look more like a deluxe model. I'm not sure if the trims are just glued on or if holes have been drilled into the body. One more thing to check next time I'm there.





So what do you pros think? Late 1963 standard model that's been prettied up a little?



Smiley

BAJA IT!

Yep she's a text book aussie standard but there is a few things that have been swapped out.

Looks more early 64 rather than 63 which also ties in with the chassis number.

Front indicators arent original, those are the universal ones that trucks have on the cab roof.

It's had a respray inside and out which was probably when the Glovebox lid and oh shit handle have been added in.

you can see the side strip holes on the front quarter panel with the hood up, another sign its a 64 not a 63.

Quote:

Originally posted by bajachris88 BAJA IT!

resprayed original colour, cant really tell if its turquoise or birch green though

Cool. Thanks for all the help.


Smiley

no interior light switches... no strip on running boards..

deluxe steering wheel and chromed horn ring..

chrome strip on glove box lid... [lid??]

rare painted hubcaps..

chromed ring around speedo..

M-A-N MERCEDES truck [ROOF] front blinkers

Lee

The side body moulds are stick on aftermarket.

Great car to chop top.

Hi

My first Beetle was one of these, every pay day I would go to the wrecker near work and buy deluxe bits for it, fuel gauge, glove box lid, interior light etc.

Steve