i have a baja chassis number 6129699 would that be a 1962 model the floor pan is rusted out so i got a good one chassis number 1525591 would that be a 54 model any help would be great

try vwfools website it will give you years to your no.s

yeah vwfools site

http://www.vwfool.tk 

From my book it would be from between mid to late '53...

31 March '53 -1 454 951 / 31 Dec '53 -1 575 414

Your original seems to be an early '64 by the book?

31 Dec '63 - 1 6016 120 /31 Jul '64 - 1 6502 399

cheers thanks for help

They were beetle chassis numbers

...from 'The Beetle - Production history of the people's car'

http://www.vintagepartsinc.com/Type1chassis.html

[Edited on 8-8-2004 by jenz58]

Thanks for that Jenz, I normally have to look up one of My VW Books.. that makes it easier...

although the changes are for German made VWs only...
VW Australasia in Clayton Victoria didn't do many changes from 1964 on... No Large glass in 1965
No vertical headlamps until 1968...
Also We didn't get the IRS suspension in 1969.. only on Super Beetles from 1971 model year...
Some books list the "actual month" they were made, rather than the "model year" as 68 beetles were made from the latter half of 1967..

Do You have one for Engine numbers Jen?

cheers Lee

A link?...I'll look

That book I got this week has them all...engine and chassis numbers....it's so cool

Plus all the little changes from year to year.....and it was on sale $20 cheaper!!!! I'm very happy!!!:thumb

.......engine and chassis numbers

http://www.lightner.net/ybdb/serno.html

[Edited on 8-8-2004 by jenz58]

There are real differences....The Beetle - Production history..... book I have says the beetle went from an oval to the larger window in '57

Then the exterior door handles went from lever type to button in '58

Bel has the larger rear window with the lever type exterior door handles..

I've gotta go check her chassis number again..by her VIN #...she's probably a late '57

It gets so confusing

Here some numbers from Mick Motors...the ones I original used when I first started to get into VW's

http://www.mickmotors.com.au/vwchassisnumber.htm 

....maybe I should be jenz57...and Bel's new plates should be GVW 157 .........:cry

It's all too much......Night!!:sandrine

[Edited on 8-8-2004 by jenz58]

When You have one reference, its easy....
but after You have a few.... it gets downright confusing...

I looked at a 1970 SuperBug a few months ago...

I always thought that Supers came out in 1971....
so the books say... MODEL YEAR that is... it was probably made in the last half of 1970 which is after VW did its yearly changes ....
If We can all stick to MODEL YEAR and Not the year made it will be a lot easier..... IMHO anyway...

Good Nite Jenz.... Lee

So she's a 57?...When the change happened?

The copy I ordered turned up yesterday-I'm thinking that I have seen that cover before-sure enough it's one I have had for quite a few years and have read many times.Looks like I know what my brother is getting for Xmas now.Still waiting on another I ordered at the same time which is just about to come from the printers- Volkswagen Military Vehicles of the Third Reich.

i thought the lever handles went till 1959 and changed in 1960?? for australia that is

Yes that sounds correct-lost the ice pick ext. door handles along with semaphores and flat steering wheel at the same time-60 got all the modern stuff????????????Can't remember when a fuel guage appeared though.Someone please help-memory is taking a beating these days.

Perhaps I should get my book out and have another read.There seems to be conflicting info on some points in relation to our cars.The Yanks got Oval cars with no Semaphores and towel rail bumpers 4 to 5 years B4 us?

I believe the US got towel rail bumpers much earlier than Us, they did get Blinkers on the top of front mudguards in 1958, before that,[1955] they were on the side of the front guards like the 61 kombi front blinkers.. [bullet type]
I also believe the Australian made Beetle received the towel rail bumpers in 1962 ...

My Father had the option to buy an early 1960 Beetle with lever door handles, green sun visors and Trafficators [what the yanks call semaphores] & a flat steering wheel..
and a late 60 Beetle with Padded sun visors, push button door handles , blinkers & a dished steering wheel....
[including the rare new tail lamps]
it may have had an auto choke too, cannot remember??

My Book says that the US got towel rail bumpers in 1960, but I believe they may have got them earlier....

I bought a VW book on ebay recently, then I found I already had it.. so now I check....

[Edited on 3-9-2004 by 68AutoBug]

Here is a photo of the Australian late 60-1961 Tail lamps made by Hella in Germany...
They were mounted low [I believe using the same holes as the 1959 tail lamps]

Lee

I got a bit carried away there Jenz..

Yes I think You are correct with Your 58 Beetle...
as We had the pull out door handles until late 60....

August 1st 1960 they changed to Push Button Door Handles.

VW must have made different Beetles for different Countries..
same as with Electrical Circuit diagrams ....

but imagine making bodies with & with out trafficator Slots..
with & without push button door handles....
I wonder if they ever made a Beetle with a push button on one side and a lever door handle on the other....????

Lee

On the issue of when they got the fuel guage, my research a few months ago showed they appeared in '60 as well.