1950 Volkswagen Beetle 1100 Deluxe

Sold for $27,500 at 2006 Gooding & Company. Heinz Nordhoff, the head of Volkswagen at the time, had always intended a cabriolet version of the Beetle to be produced. He did not feel that the best place to create the cabrio was at the factory but rather to outsource the work to talented coachbuilders. He turned to Wilhelm Karmann and his company's Osnabruck factory. They had been building custom bodies since the mid-18th century with their first creations being applied to carriages and wagons. In 1901 they created their first body for a car. Karmann was given factory approval to produce the Cabriolet version of the Beetle, known as the Type 15. The first example was created in June of 1949 and was one of a thousand that was created for Volkswagen to satisfy their initial order. Within a short period of time, even more were ordered. This 1950 Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet was offered for sale at the 2006 Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, Ca. It was offered without reserve and estimated to sell between $40,000-$50,000. It is equipped with a 1311-cc flat-four cylinder engine that can produce 25 horsepower. It has a four-speed manual gearbox with a dry-plate clutch and four-wheel drum brakes. It was constructed during the first year of official production and believed to have been built in July of 1950. In 1994 the car was treated to restoration that brought it back to original condition. It has color combination L19 which is Atlantic Green main body paint with L11 Pastel Green side color. The Green canvas top is color code V3. At auction the car was sold for $27,500. By Daniel Vaughan Hebmuller 14A Cabriolet Coachwork: Hebmuller Joseph Hebmuller started building horse-drawn coaches in 1889. In 1919 his four sons succeeded the father and began doing custom coachwork for cars. After World War II, the company created new bodies for Volkswagen Beetles. Some 700 were produced before a fire destroyed the company's facilities. Hebmuller would not return to business until 1952 and on a smaller scale. Meanwhile, production of re-bodied Volkswagens shifted to Karmann, which already was building convertibles for VW and for 1956 added the Karmann-Ghia. This 1950 Hebmuller 14A Cabriolet was restored in the mid-1990s to the car's original specifications. Source: Internet

1949 Volkswagen Beetle

Convertible Sedan Coachwork: Hebmuller Chassis Num: 1-0132694 Engine Num: 1-0163723 The owner of this early Volkswagen Beetle Convertible spent 10 years locating original parts and researching the history of this car for its restoration. The green and cream over Cognac car has not been shown for three years, but prior to that it appeared at the Art Center and the Quail, and it has been featured in Auto Aficionado magazine. As a 1949 model, this car is representative of the initial output of Volkswagen's revitalizing Wolfsburg factory after the war, when the capture facility restarted, initially under British Army control. Source: Internet

1943 Volkswagen KdF-Wagen

This car is the oldest known Beetle in the United States and the 5th-oldest known Beetle in existence. All 600 Beetles made during the war were delivered to high-ranking military and party officers. This car was delivered to Kanzlei des Fuhrers (Hitler's personal chancellery) in Berlin. The 'KdF' in KdF-Wagen stands for Kraft durch Freude - 'strength through joy.' The town where the Beetle factory was built was named KdF-Stadt, now known as Wolfsburg and remains the home of Volkswagen today. This black over salt-and-pepper car was restored in 1999. The Beetle is perhaps the best-selling car of all-time. Truly, a recognizable shape that has stood the test of time. The vehicle is still being produced in Mexico, continuing the long-time running record. Adolf Hitler was searching for a people's car that was capable of transporting three children and two adults at speeds of sixty miles-per-hour. The car was to be inexpensive, costing the same as a motorcycle. Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to produce such a vehicle. There are many theories as to where the designs originated from. Some believe Hitler designed the vehicle. Some theorize that it was Joseph Ganz's 1920 design that was the true inspiration for the Beetle design. Porsche had created designs for the Mercedes-Benz 170H, which played into the design of the Beetle. Inspiration for the Beetle had been drawn from the Tatra vehicles, mainly the T97, that had been designed by Hans Ledwinka. Due to the similarities, Tatra launched a lawsuit which never really materialized due to Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The lawsuit was later re-opened after World War II and Volkswagen was forced to pay Tatra 3,000,000 Deutsche Marks. This left Volkswagen with little money for development of new Beetle models. The Volkswagen Beetle first came on the scene in 1947, but they were known by a different name. KdF, short for Kraft durch Freude meaning 'power by joy', was designated to these small, gas-friendly vehicles. In English, the name Beetle was used. In German, they were known as Kafer, and in French they were called Coccinelle. These little bundles of joy featured mechanical drum brakes and a gearbox void of synchromesh. In 1949 the Volkswagen logo was placed on the rims. The engine was expanded to 1131 cc and was capable of producing 25 horsepower. The models that were produced after October of 1949 could be started without a 'starting crank'. Two convertible options were offered by Volkswagen in 1949. The two-seater design, designated 14A, was penned by Josef Hebmuller. The four-seater Type 15 version was designed and produced by Karmann of Osnabruck. The four-seater was vastly more popular and stayed in production for 30 years. The 14A was stylish and attractive, with the major shortcoming being a fire that destroyed the factory where they were being produced. The two-seaters featured a rear deck nearly identical to the front hood. The strength of the car, lost by removing the roof, was amplified by a stronger windshield frame and dual Z-section girders located under the floor. In 1953, the last of the Hebmuller rolled off the assembly line, after only 696 examples were produced. In a time when practicality ruled over style, the four-seater cabriolet was king. The Karmann company had a long history of designing and building cars. In business since 1901, was familiar with assembly line production, benefits and features of different types of metals, and the styles of multiple markets. The mechanical, cable-driven brakes were replaced with hydraulic brakes in 1950. During the 1950's the Beetle saw exterior and interior improvements. 1951 saw the addition of arm-rests which were discontinued just a few months later. In 1952, 2nd-4th gears became synchronized. The dashboard was redesigned with a glove compartment. In 1955, the bumper was improved and electrical direction-indicators were installed. A second tail-pipe was added. The front seats became wider and could be moved to three different seat-back adjustable positions. In 1956, the tires became tubeless. Near the end of '56, side view mirrors became standard on all Beetle models. In 1957 the front window was increased by 17 percent while the rear window received a 95 percent increase. A new dashboard, rear view mirror, radio, and a speaker appeared. The turn signals would now turn-off automatically. Up to this point, a roller pedal had been used to initiate acceleration. This was the year that the gas pedal replaced the roller pedal. In 1958, ivory disc wheels were offered. In 1960, an engine capable of producing 34 horsepower was offered. The speedometer was increased from 74 mph to 87 mph. A windshield-wiper washer system became available. The front directional light was changed from white to amber. A gas gauge was added in July of 1961. In 1963, the seats were changed from wool upholstery to synthetic. The VW emblem located on the hubcap was no longer painted. The safety of the vehicle was once-again enhanced with the enlargement directional lights. There were minor changes in 1964. The windows did, however, become larger. In 1965, the front axle was improved. The ongoing saga of incremental improvements received another chapter - A defroster vent was added to the center of the dashboard. The Beetle continued to be sold in the United States until 1978 with the convertible version was sold until early 1980. Sales continued in Europe until 1985. Developing countries, such as Mexico, have been developing the Beetle since 1964 and the vehicles have remained in production since that time. By Daniel Vaughan Source: Internet

The 1957 Volkswagen Beetle received tubeless tires for the first time. The horizontally opposed, overhead-valve four-cylinder air-cooled engine had a light alloy block and finned cylinders. It displaced 72.7 cubic-inches and produced 36 SAE horsepower. They had a four-speed manual transmission, worm and nut steering, and hydraulic drums at all four corners. Another new addition to the Beetle was the adjustable striker on each door. The front heater outlets were moved toward the rear which was done to improve heat distribution. The Volkswagen Beetle was available as a 2-door sedan, 2-door sedan with a sunroof, or as a convertible sedan. Pricing ranged from $1500 - $2000. By Daniel Vaughan Source: Internet

The Volkswagen Beetle

The Beetle is perhaps the best-selling car of all-time. Truly, a recognizable shape that has stood the test of time. The vehicle is still being produced in Mexico, continuing the long-time running record. Adolf Hitler was searching for a people's car that was capable of transporting three children and two adults at speeds of sixty miles-per-hour. The car was to be inexpensive, costing the same as a motorcycle. Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to produce such a vehicle. There are many theories as to where the designs originated from. Some believe Hitler designed the vehicle. Some theorize that it was Joseph Ganz's 1920 design that was the true inspiration for the Beetle design. Porsche had created designs for the Mercedes-Benz 170H, which played into the design of the Beetle. Inspiration for the Beetle had been drawn from the Tatra vehicles, mainly the T97, that had been designed by Hans Ledwinka. Due to the similarities, Tatra launched a lawsuit which never really materialized due to Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The lawsuit was later re-opened after World War II and Volkswagen was forced to pay Tatra 3,000,000 Deutsche Marks. This left Volkswagen with little money for development of new Beetle models. The Volkswagen Beetle first came on the scene in 1947, but they were known by a different name. KdF, short for Kraft durch Freude meaning 'power by joy', was designated to these small, gas-friendly vehicles. In English, the name Beetle was used. In German, they were known as Kafer, and in French they were called Coccinelle. These little bundles of joy featured mechanical drum brakes and a gearbox void of synchromesh. In 1949 the Volkswagen logo was placed on the rims. The engine was expanded to 1131 cc and was capable of producing 25 horsepower. The models that were produced after October of 1949 could be started without a 'starting crank'. Two convertible options were offered by Volkswagen in 1949. The two-seater design, designated 14A, was penned by Josef Hebmuller. The four-seater Type 15 version was designed and produced by Karmann of Osnabruck. The four-seater was vastly more popular and stayed in production for 30 years. The 14A was stylish and attractive, with the major shortcoming being a fire that destroyed the factory where they were being produced. The two-seaters featured a rear deck nearly identical to the front hood. The strength of the car, lost by removing the roof, was amplified by a stronger windshield frame and dual Z-section girders located under the floor. In 1953, the last of the Hebmuller rolled off the assembly line, after only 696 examples were produced. In a time when practicality ruled over style, the four-seater cabriolet was king. The Karmann company had a long history of designing and building cars. In business since 1901, was familiar with assembly line production, benefits and features of different types of metals, and the styles of multiple markets. The mechanical, cable-driven brakes were replaced with hydraulic brakes in 1950. During the 1950's the Beetle saw exterior and interior improvements. 1951 saw the addition of arm-rests which were discontinued just a few months later. In 1952, 2nd-4th gears became synchronized. The dashboard was redesigned with a glove compartment. In 1955, the bumper was improved and electrical direction-indicators were installed. A second tail-pipe was added. The front seats became wider and could be moved to three different seat-back adjustable positions. In 1956, the tires became tubeless. Near the end of '56, side view mirrors became standard on all Beetle models. In 1957 the front window was increased by 17 percent while the rear window received a 95 percent increase. A new dashboard, rear view mirror, radio, and a speaker appeared. The turn signals would now turn-off automatically. Up to this point, a roller pedal had been used to initiate acceleration. This was the year that the gas pedal replaced the roller pedal. In 1958, ivory disc wheels were offered. In 1960, an engine capable of producing 34 horsepower was offered. The speedometer was increased from 74 mph to 87 mph. A windshield-wiper washer system became available. The front directional light was changed from white to amber. A gas gauge was added in July of 1961. In 1963, the seats were changed from wool upholstery to synthetic. The VW emblem located on the hubcap was no longer painted. The safety of the vehicle was once-again enhanced with the enlargement directional lights. There were minor changes in 1964. The windows did, however, become larger. In 1965, the front axle was improved. The ongoing saga of incremental improvements received another chapter - A defroster vent was added to the center of the dashboard. The Beetle continued to be sold in the United States until 1978 with the convertible version was sold until early 1980. Sales continued in Europe until 1985. Developing countries, such as Mexico, have been developing the Beetle since 1964 and the vehicles have remained in production since that time. By Daniel Vaughan Source: Internet

VW Microbus

Just after World War II, Volkswagen introduced the Microbus. Ben Pon, a Dutch Volkswagen Importer, sketched a design which ultimately led to the Microbus. His vision for these vehicles were inspired by motorized trolleys and he envisioned a vehicle that was basically a box on wheels built atop of the Beetle chassis. When Heinz Nordhoff became chief executive a year later he completed the design and put it into production. At the 1949 Geneva Motor Show the VW Microbus was displayed to the public. By 1950 there were ten Microbuses produced a day. Over its entire production lifespan of nearly four decades, the design was virtually unchanged. There were over five million examples produced. The vehicle provided its occupants with roomy transportation for eight. With the engine mounted in the back, the driver was undisturbed by the noise it produced. Offered at a low cost, the vehicles were a bargain. The Transporter, also known as the Type 2, was introduced in 1950 and was based on the Beetle floorpan. These were popular both with commercial businesses and personal recreation. From 1951 through 1958 around 1000 examples of the Volkswagen Camper were built by the Wesfalia Company. This model was replaced in 1958 by the Sonderausfuhrungen, commonly known as 'SO'. The VW Campers provided seating for eight and storage space for luggage. The seats could be removed which would provided additional room for hauling larger items. This 1952 Volkswagen 'Barndoor' Westfalia Camper was found in the basement of the Westfalia museum when daimler Chrysler acquired Wesfalia in recent years. It is a one-off creation and believed to be one of only three early buses fitted with a camping box interior. The other two are still in the Westfalia Museum and were created in 1952. It has undergone a restoration since new and finished in Dove blue exterior and white bumpers. It has been shown only once, and that was at the London, England Volkswagen World Show in April of 2006. It is equipped with a rare interior 'kamper kit'. The 1952 Volkswagen 'Barndoor' Westfalia Camper was offered for sale at the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA where it was offered without reserve and expected to sell between $70,000-$90,000. It is the oldest example of its kind in the world. Since it was offered without reserve, the vehicle was going to be sold regardless of the bid. Unfortunately, the top bid was $38,500 which means the seller was not as well accommodated but the buyer got a bargain. After World War II, Volkswagen has created a Van/Camper that has assumed many names and been produced in many markets for many markets. Names such as the Eurovan, Microbus, Westfalia Camper, Panel Van, Kombi, Samba, Pick-up, Westy, Multivan, Weekender, Splittie, 11-window, 13-window, 15-window,21-window, 23-window, Breadloaf, Bay-Window, Vanagon, VW Bus, Bully, and the list continues. During the years there has been much experimentation with this vehicle to include truck beds, campers, transporters, and more. This vehicle, in all its many facets, has had a sympathetic fallowing since its inception and has become a counterculture symbol for many generations. Its utilitarian shape has made it suitable for many scenarios and its low cost has made it economically viable. The Volkswagen Type 2 Van was introduced in 1950 and was the second production line of vehicles introduced by Volkswagen. The first model was the Type 1 Beetle. The idea for the Type 2 came from the Dutch VW importer named Ben Pon who created the designs in 1947. Many of the vehicles aerodynamic short-comings were resolved in a wind tunnel at the Technical University of Braunschweig. Three years later, the Type 2 began leaving the Wolfsburg factory. The Type 2 was produced from March 8th of 1950 through 2002 with many variations along the way. There were versions of the Type 2 constructed, such as the T1, T2, and T3, to name a few. This is where things get a little confusing. The Type 2 T1 was produced from 1950 through 1967 and was replaced by the Type 2 T2 which began produced in 1968 and continued in production until 1979. Production in Mexico continued in 1980 of the T2, and later in Brazil in 1996. Versions produced prior to 1971 are referred to as the T2a while those produced after 1972 are labeled T2b. The Type 2 T3 was introduced in 1979 and produced until 1991. There are many exceptions within these naming schemes with many alternate names. The Type 2 served many functions and could be purchased from the Volkswagen dealers as a refrigerated van, hearses, ambulances, police vans, fire engines and ladder trucks. Camping versions were available through Westfalia, the official name is Westfalia-werke Wieddndruck. Volkswagen commissioned Westfalia to construct Camper cars in the early 1950s and has remained in production until 2003. Other coachbuilders created camper versions of the Type 2 such as Dormobile, VW Riviera, and VW Sun-Dial. Westfalia Camper From 1951 through 1958, Westfalia created around 1000 Camper Box conversions. Following 1958, the SO models were introduced. SO was short for sonderausfuhrungen, meaning Special Model. Option packages were available on the SO models such as the SO-16, SO-23, SO-34, SO-35, SO-33, SO-42, SO-44 and SO-45. The SO-23 was produced from 1959 through 1961. The SO-34 and SO-35 were both available from 1961 through 1965. The SO-34 was a laminated white interior while the SO-35 was a finished wood interior. Standard Equipment for the Westaflia Campers included electrical hookups, curtains, screened Jalousie Windows, laminated folding table, birch plywood interior panels, ice box or cold-box, and laminated cabinetry. Some models even came equipped with a sink as standard equipment. Optional was a pop-up top, tent, side awnings, camping stove, child sleeping cot, camping equipment, and portable chemical toilet, to name a few. With many United States service man serving in Germany during the 1950 and 1960s, many were purchased and brought back to the United States. In 1968 the Bay Window models were introduced which replaced the split screen style. Type 2 T1 The Volkswagen Type 2 T1 was the first generation of the split window bus. It is commonly known as the Splittie, Barndoor, Kombi, Bus, and the Microbus. Production began in early March of 1950 and lasted until 1967. From 1950 through 1956 it was produced in Wolfsburg. After 1956 it was produced in Hanover. Versions created until 1955 were known as the T1a. These versions are often called the 'Barndoor' versions due to their large rear engine cover. The T1b were produced from 1955 through 1963. These versions had a smaller engine cover and smaller, 15-inch wheels. The T1c was introduced in 1963 and produced until 1967. These versions had a wider rear door. The standard bus had 11-windows. Deluxe models had 15-windows. The sunroof deluxe versions had eight skylight windows and is known as the 23-window. A 13-window and 21-window version were produced starting in 1963. The Type 2 T1 was powered by an air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine mounted in the rear of the vehicle. This made engine noise and fumes nearly non-existent for the driver and front passenger. The 1.2-liter unit produced a modest 25 horsepower and was capable of carrying the Microbus at highway speeds. Getting up to speed took a while and going uphill was sometimes a challenge. In 1955 the engine was modified to produce 36 horsepower and later increased 40 horsepower in 1959. The 40 hp unit proved to be unreliable so the factory issued a recall and replaced them with another 40 hp versions. The T1 was produced in Germany until 1967. Brazil produced the T1 until 1975. The T1.5 was produced in Brazil from 1975 through 1996. Type 2 T2 The T2 was the second generation of the Type 2 and introduced in 1968 and stayed in production in Germany until 1979. Mexican began production of the T2 in 1980 and Brazil in 1996. Type 2 vehicles produced before 1971 are known as the T2a with those produced after 1972 called the T2b. The first visible change over the T1 was the removal of the split window in favor of a single piece of glass. This is the reason why the T2 is often called the Bay-window. The rear suspension was improved and the vehicles weight increased. To help carry this extra load, Volkswagen powered the T2 with a 1.6-liter engine which produced 48-DIN. In 1972, larger engines were available in 1.7-liter and 2.0-liter sizes. To accommodate these larger power-plants, the engine bag grew in size, as did the cooling air inlets. These larger engines are commonly known as the Type 4 engine. The Type 4 engine had been designed for the Type 4 automobiles. Since the Type 2 used the Type 1 (Beetle) engine, there is no Type 2 or Type 3 engine. The Type 4 engine still did not produce an overwhelming amount of power but they were good for lots of low-end torque. They were also remarkably reliable and robust in comparison to the Type 1. An automatic gearbox came available in 1973 but only with the Type 4 engine option. In 1974, the engine displacement of the Type 4 increased to 1.8-liter and produced 68-DIN. Horsepower in the 2.0-liter version increased in 1976 to 70-DIN. Type 2 T3 The third distinct generation of the Type 2 was the T3 which was built from 1979 to 1991. In Britain and Ireland, these vehicles were known as the T25. In the United States, these were often called the Vanagon. The T3 had the same length and height as its predecessor but increased in width by 12cm. Overall weight of the vehicle once again increased. The big changes in this vehicle were the ones unseen. Most of the mechanical components were all new, including the suspension. The rear door of the vehicle grew in size. Many changes were made to comply with increasing safety regulations such as increasing the front crash protection. The design changed as well, becoming more square in shape. Initially, the same engines used to power the T2 were used to power the T3. It was not until 1981 that a water-cooled diesel engine became available as optional equipment. Three years later, option water-cooled gasoline boxer versions were used to replace the air-cooled ones. The T25 was available with a 1.6- or 2.0-liter air-cooled engine. A 1.9-liter water-cooled engine in various power outputs soon replaced the prior versions. A 2.1-liter unit with fuel-injection was offered as optional equipment for part of the production lifespan of the T25. Diesel and turbo-diesel options were also used. The T3 Syncro was a full-time four-wheel-drive version of the T3. Power was sent to the front axle by a viscous coupling when required. Most US-spec vehicles were not outfitted with a front and rear pneumatically operated differential locks; most European versions did. T4 Eurovan The Eurovan was a big change in comparison to the vans produced in prior years. It had its engine mounted in the front; the first production front-engined van produced by Volkswagen. Some were sent to Winnebago Industries to be converted into Campers. Just as the Type 2, the Eurovan was offered in many different configurations such as the seven-passenger GLS, Weekender, Camper, high-roof panel van, and more. There were two-wheelbases available. With the engine mounted in the front, the TDI diesel engines with direct injection were able to be used to power the vehicle. This greatly increased the vehicles performance and put it on par with some other models available on the market. The T4 was produced from 1990 through the early 2000s when they were replaced by the T5. This was only one major change during the production lifespan of the T4 which occurred in 1994 when the front end was re-shaped. This changed allowed the VR6 six-cylinder engine to be mounted in the engine bay. This move greatly improved the vehicles performance. Those vehicles that were given this re-shaping were called the T4b with the versions retaining the original look being dubbed the T4a. T5 In 2003, the Volkswagen T5 Transporter entered the market, but is not available to North American consumers. Microbus Concept In 2001, Volkswagen introduced the Microbus Concept at the North American International Auto Show. It was designed by the VW design studio in California and featered a design similar to the early Microbus vehicles, but with its engine neatly fitted in the front. This Volkswagen was successful worldwide and reached cult status, especially in the USA, with the name Microbus. This design study redefines this cult with an up-to-date expression of personality and freedom. Production nearly commenced on the concept, but was halted due to cost problems. Source: Internet

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