Fun souvenir I found in a drawer

[René R.]

I had forgotten about this well-worn treasure:

This is the original key to the '62 Beetle I learned to drive in. The car was totaled in 1970 when a truck broadsided it while my father was driving. (No injuries, fortunately.)

I remember deciding to keep the key as a souvenir. I'm amazed to discover that I still had it tucked away almost 50 years later.

Comparing it to the SG key in my '54 it looks like there's enough remaining metal to (possibly) allow cutting it to match my current key. I can't decide whether it's worth attempting or if I should just keep this for what it is -- a memento of the first car I drove.
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Gone but not forgotten: 1950 Hoffman split (restored in 1966) - another 1950 Hoffman split (restored in 1996)

[KTPhil]

[far rider]

Good memory. I love thinking about my first drives. I Couldnt wait to be 17 Maybe just hang the key in your 54? Anyway good luck
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67 zenith blue sunroof

Contentment; when what you have is what you want.

[hitest]

I'd definitely keep it as a souvenir and not recut it. Send it to the chrome shop along with your split bits and when it comes back, hang it from a "volksbaggin" keychain made of material that matches your '62's interior!
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[Bug-nut]

I agree. Don't recut it. If it were mine I'd just keep and display it somewhere where you can see it and remember the memories.

P.S.
(On a related note, that poor Beetle looks so sad, I can't help but feel sorry for it. I gotta ask, did y'all have a name for it back then?)
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1959 Fjord Blue Volkswagen Beetle
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=

1962 Austin-Healey Sprite

[mark tucker]

[René R.]

Thanks for the input, guys. I'm taking your advice and just putting on my regular keychain as a memento. (I have a separate keychain for my '54 keys.) I cleaned this key up a bit with 0000 steel wool and it looks way better.

@Bug-nut: my father (and I) always loved cars but my family was never sentimental enough about them to give any of them names, though I did consider it for my current one. (Marlene? Ingrid? I never did decide.)

It was a bummer when that '62 was totaled. My father was crazy about that car. He did replace it with a later one but somehow it was never the same.
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Gone but not forgotten: 1950 Hoffman split (restored in 1966) - another 1950 Hoffman split (restored in 1996)

[itskyle]

You're not the only one.

I've found keys for all of my really old vws. The 74 superbeetle, the 73 squareback, of course, the 66.

With some oddball VW-themed keychains from the 80s as well.

I know, I know, pictures or it didn't happen.

Been interested in re-using these keys on my existing VW. not sure about going about doing this.

Kyle
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69 or 72 Autostick Bug current
66 Bug (We both miss it)
74 SuperBeetle Auto Stick (I miss that car)
73 SquareBack, Straight Stick (Wife misses this one.)

[iowegian]

Don't re-cut the key. Remember what the man said------"they're only original once".

[Jakeg1999]

That's a great key, you aught to find a way to display it!

[jason]

Looks pretty worn for an 8 year old car.

[hopkin]

I kept the VOLKSWAGEN script from my first car, a '71 SB (scrapped around '81). I put in on the speaker board of my current ride:

Here's a photo of me working on my '71, taken in '78 or '79: