1958-59 Export Model Interiors

[hootowls]

Although the 1958 and 1959 sedans tend to get lumped into the 1958-64 model range parts-wise, many of us know that there are many, many features unique to these two years that make them distinct (and all the more lovable!) Some parts are firmly planted as carry overs from the Oval era (door handles, steering wheel, etc) while others define them as more modern versions of the classic design (larger windows, redesigned dash layout, etc). Yet other parts live only two years (rear view mirror, engine drain tubes, etc) but their interiors stake out the most obvious territory that is unique to them.

In this thread I'll post a number of 1958 sedan color combination cards that show actual samples of the material used for interior surfaces. Though I don't have a complete set of cards for all the body colors for both years you can get a good idea of what any given combination looked like as VW mashed up these basic combinations over the two years they were used.

Use the color charts at Wolfsburg West to determine the proper combination for colors not shown.

It'd be great if people could also post their pictures of original 58-59 interiors here as well as any other pertinent 58-59 color information!

[hootowls]

L334 Glacier Blue

[hootowls]

L245 Light Bronze

[hootowls]

L243 Diamond Grey

[hootowls]

L240 Agave

[hootowls]

L225 Jupiter Grey

[hootowls]

L41 Black

[DLK550]

Your cards are consistent with my 1959 L335 Capri Deluxe beetles in that the rear area is carpeted in silver grey (looks almost tan) and the front area is a dark gray that I now guess is anthracite.

Both of my L335 Capri headliners are tan and not gray. My interior knobs are tan as well.

If a car has a gray headliner, then are the interior knobs gray also?

Thanks!
DLK550

[hootowls]

The 1959 color chart from JT Garwood's "The Car of the Century" lists the Capri Blue headliner as Light Grey and all of the knobs as Ivory. While Light Beige was the other headliner color used for that model year I can't find a reference for a knob color other than ivory for deluxe models. Anyone else?

[50ate]

i dont have a headliner in my capri 58 but my dash nobs are ivory..

[mario_0609]

hootowls, great pictures! Thanks for sharing!!

I can pretty much confirm the L41 Black chart.

My Oct 58 came with the blue-grey upholstery

But, other than described on the chart, it had the light beige headliner, not light-grey. Since i have removed the og headliner when i stripped the car down (regret that now sometimes, because it wasn't sooo bad) what should i put back in? beige or grey? I would tend to light-beige again ...

EDIT: gzzz, forget this above in italics and look here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4654432#4654432
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cheers, Mario

* 22 Oct. '58 export bug
* 27 June 72 Westfalia Camper

[hootowls]

Mario, it's interesting that beige headliners are turning up when all the charts indicate grey, which I suppose means the charts can't be entirely trusted. So I would say replace beige with beige, especially since you already know what that looks like for your car's interior.

Your seat material looks like it has survived really well!

[spectre6000]

Awesome!!!

Another '58-'59 carryover is the bars on the back of the rear seat. Are they supposed to be primer gray or match body?
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-'58 German Market Deluxe Beetle (in progress)
-'84 M1009 CUCV
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"Buy the best, cry once." -Gene Berg
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"Don't feed the Shitty Parts Monster!" -Me

[hootowls]

So far as I can tell there are three theories regarding seat rail color:

- same color as seat frames
- black
- same color as back of rear seat cardboard

Here's a picture from the gallery of a 59 that seems to support the cardboard color theory:

[john7]

i had a green seat with green bars that came out of an agave green 58
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[my59]

[Agave58]

[hootowls]

Aside from trying to salvage OG material for door panels and seat covers where can you get reproductions of these items? Most suppliers that I see omit the unique diamond pattern door panel inserts that belong to these two years and come up with a generically vague vintage look.

West Coast Classic Restoration seems to be referred to as the standard although I no longer see 58-59 material on the site. They use the diamond pattern material but also sew (rather than emboss) the door panel seams:

http://www.classicvws.com/type1.htm

I believe WCCR supplies Wolfsburg West (red, green and blue); they also have the chrome trim for the panels and also reproduce the luggage rails:

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/interior/headliner_seats/seat_covers.cfm

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/chrome_moldings/door_mold.cfm

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111885571

I haven't come across a supplier for the original seat fabric if you prefer that to 100% vinyl.

Anyone have pictures or experiences to share with regard to going back to the original style for this stuff? Other suppliers than I mentioned?

[Agave58]

When I first recieved this sample card from WW, I thought the grey hue for the door panel was way off compared to mine? Apparently the original grey turned a light beige when exposed to Sunlight for 50 + years??

Notice how the center looks more tan then grey? I want to restore these versus replacing.
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[Black58EuroBug]

You can buy vinyl dye from Eastwood to dye your panels back to original color. You can kinda see the original color gray is much darker and fades a great deal over the years as well as the blue, red or green color. Just look at the areas that were hidden from the light, areas that folded around the edge or covered by the chrome strip. I dyed mine with the vinyl dye back to the original blue and gray and it looks fantastic and both colors matched perfectly.

I had the seat fabric custom woven to match the original by a woman in Canada with German thread.