Ferdinand Porsche And His Creation

This nice historical picture recently sold on eBay showing Ferdinand Porsche standing next to a VW38 prototype. The selling price of this picture was 56 euro which is quite acceptable for such a piece of history. I’ve seen KDF pictures go for a lot more. Too bad I’m not the licky winner as my highest bid was 50 euro. Notice the long sunroof. Very nice! What happened to this one? Will it be found too like the one they recently found in Lithuania. Wouldn’t that me great, or what?

Complete Set Of Ten KdF posters

Last week a complete set of ten KdF posters ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10) was auctioned on eBay. Talking about a rare opportunity to get them all at once but then you had to spend quite a sum of money. I think it’s the third complete set I’ve seen auctioned on eBay over the past five years. These ten were in perfect condition. I had my eyes on some of them but those last second snipers outbid me. Too bad as I have already five of them and I want to make my collection complete. Hopefully there will be a next time.

ATV – All Terrain Volkswagens

1938 Prototype?

An interesting topic is going on on TheSamba.com about a car found in Lithuania in the summer of 2008. Severe butchering has been done to the car although it still has some very unique details (for instance the rear decklid) which could make it a pre-war VW prototype but is it? That’s the question we all like to know. Will it be restored? Who knows… It will be a real challenge to get this car restored to its former glory. At least I’m going to follow this thread for sure and if it turns out to be a real prototype it would be the rarest find ever!

Showing Off His Split Beetle

This guy is definitely showing off his standard Split Beetle. Well, I can’t blame him if your driving such a nice Split. It looks like a post July 1949 Split but it still has the ‘football’ type mirror. I thought these changed somewhere mid ‘49. I can’t determine if this beetle has the thin aluminum trim or the thick chrome trim around the lens of the tail lights. From mid 1949 through very early 1950, Beetles used the thin aluminum trim version. The thick chrome trim ones were used on pre mid 1949 Beetles. This car also has the non embossed deck lid, small VW logo hubcaps and new style bumpers instead of the ‘banana’ style bumpers. All visible features making this a post July 1949 Split Beetle. Of course it can be modernized which was very common back then.

For Sale: 1948 Swiss Split Beetle

This is a nearly perfect and very original 10/48 deluxe Beetle that’s up for sale on TheSamba.com. The car was one of the first officially exported Beetles to Switzerland (AMAG) in 10/48. It was in regular use no longer than approx. the late ’60s. In the mid ’70s the car was restored by a founder of the Swiss Split Window club. At this time the Beetle had only done 31000 km! So it is no wonder the car was very complete and had nearly no rust. There is no new metal welded in! Nearly all the parts were still in place. The engine, gearbox, front axle all have matching numbers. Since completion of the restoration in 76/77 with repainting it with its initial dark blue colour and complete rebuild of all mechanical parts using NOS parts the last owner (ownership 1975-2008) had only driven 700 km (!). It has never seen rain and was parked in a climate controlled show room. Underneath it is as clean as the outside paint and is waxoiled. The speedo now reads a little more than original 32000 km. This Split was not shown at any VW meeting since ever except at the local autumn meeting of the German Split Window club in Munich 2008 where it ran down a storm. In the early ’90s it was shown at a special display at the famous Geneva Auto Show.

At the moment this car is located in Munich, Germany.

Price: € 35000

1947 US-Zone Split

 Any information regarding this early Split from 1947 would be much appreciated. If I’m not mistaken this picture was taken in Southern California. I’ts the only picture I’ve ever seen of this car. I’ve got a few unanswered questions I’d like to see answered. For instance, is it still in SoCal or has it left the States? Is someone restoring it right now? What’s the story behind this car? Any numbers known? Does anyone have more pics of this beauty?

Vintage Volkswagen Horror!

Precious Metal

I’ve spotted this car for the first time at a Vintage Volkswagen meeting in Belgium. A 1948 Split Beetle from Belgium, all original and unrestored! Amazing, isn’t it? The complete history of this car is known. The car once had an accident (front left side) in the early ’50s but was repaired with correct an original parts by a VW dealer during that time. They did a great job back then because you could not see it was repaired. The rumour goes that the current owner will keep it like this and will never restore it. This is what we call precious metal!

Real Investments

Looking good huh? This very nice speedometer from March 1948 has been recently auctioned on eBay and fetched a final price of € 715.  If you think the speedo’s expensive, just take a look at the next auction. A KDF headlight lens sold for a stunning € 1565. Yes, split parts from the ’40s are becoming real investments these days. Come to think of it, that we’re in the middle of an economic crisis. I wonder how the sellers must have felt like when the auctions ended? Probably like winners?