TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1967 Beetle - Differences between Euro Spec and US Spec.

Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:49 am

Hey guys, still kind a newbie here but not a newbie to aircooled Bugs. I had a nice 68 bug a few years ago.
A little over a month ago I purchased a 1967 Beetle Euro Spec. It still has the stock "F" block 1300 engine in it. It also has drum brakes. The bumpers could possibly been swapped out for the US spec bumpers? Anyways, I'll note below what the owner went over on the car with me that are possibly all the euro spec differences atleast that he or I may know of. I've read through the 67-only stuff and pretty "67-only-educated" but just want euro spec vs. US spec stuff pointed out. I know there's a couple things that aren't original on the car such as wheels and some polished trim parts, etc. so I'm not worried about that.
I've looked online for more info and there isn't much that I could find. So where's all the expert Bug guys that can help me out here? Please correct me if I'm wrong here, thanks for your help once again guys.
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What I do know about the car from the paperwork. There was about 8-10 pages of shipping documentation on the car as far as it being shipped out of Germany in 1991 by a marine sargeant named John Trent. It was shipped into, if I remember without having it in front of me, South Carolina on a Japanese ship. From there it was shipped to the owner I think by truck but I'll have to look at it again. I have a freind who speaks German who wants to help me translate the papers. After that I have an inch thick stack of receipts for maintenance and repairs from the last 15-20 years. I even have what looks to be the original owner's manual which is printed in German. That's the short story.

1967 Beetle 1300 Euro Spec

- 1966 front fenders with sloped glass headlights
- amber top tail light lenses
- Speedometer reads in KMs
- 1300 engine - euro spec only?
- "VW1300" decklid emblem (US spec should be "1300" or "VOLKSWAGEN"?)
- 6 Volt system (Although mine has been converted to 12 volt if true)

There may be more that I just don't know. Here's a link to my FQuick page showing pics inside and out. Again, I like that it's got a few tasteful modifications and I know they aren't stock. Click on the thumbnails to access all the pics for each album.

http://www.fquick.com/garages/viewgallery.php?carid=30298

Thanks,
John

Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:37 am

The VW1500 in Europe in 1967 was the model that got the front disc brakes. The 1200 and 1300 models carried on with the drums. And yes, it would likely have originally been 6 Volt as well.

In the Owner's Manuals section, there happens to be a 1967 Euro-spec manual that covers 1200, 1300 and 1500. If you have an original manual, this might very well be the same.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/manualsbug67.php

Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:45 am

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=187814

Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:49 am

I think he said he read that thread...

JohnnyEuro wrote: I've read through the 67-only stuff and pretty "67-only-educated" but just want euro spec vs. US spec stuff pointed out.

Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:15 am

Yes I did. I got through about 75% of it. There was a couple euro spec points. I will finish reading the last couple pages I haven't gotten to yet. Would it be worth it to have a Euro spec beetle sticky? Maybe a Euro vs. US spec for all years? I've been to a couple local meets and I haven't seen another one locally yet.

John

Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:18 am

You might have a look over on the Vzi forum - which is pretty much the British equivalent to TheSamba. Unfortunately their site is sometimes slow to respond plus their search function leaves a lot to be desired.

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/forumdisplay.php?f=11

Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:18 am

I have a friend who brought her 67 with her when she moved to California from Bremen Germany. She bought the car new. The car has old style headlamps and fenders, a "F" case 1300, a 6 volt system and three point seat belts. It also has towel rack bumpers. In Germany a deluxe beetle could have Euro chrome single blade or deluxe towel rack bumpers. A standard beetle (1200A) could have painted Euro blade (that was standard) or could order chrome single blade or even towel rack deluxe bumpers.

Don

Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:56 am

It shouldn't have a Hazard Flasher system and may have the column starter switch without the hole in the dash for the USA dash mounted starter switch. The engine lid script should be "VW1300" not "VOLKSWAGEN". Back up lights were optional and if it didn't have them would have a threaded plug in the transmission not the switch.

Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:34 pm

This is good info. Yeah the one thing that throws me off on the whole car is the hazard switch. You can see the switch above the tach(Tach came with the car, actually nice to have so I can see RPMs. and yes i got the shift light to go off a couple times LOL!)
Here's a few pics of mine....

Here's all the paper work that came with the car. The 8-10 pieces of paper closest to the bottom is all the shipping documents bringing it here to the US from Germany. There's more paperwork confirming in the laminated sheet.

Yes the alternator isn't stock and I am moving the fuel filter. Original "F" block 1300 engine.

"VW1300" emblem on decklid

Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:20 pm

the very original 1 owner euro 67 i worked on
has a 1300cc engine
drum brakes
locking column
km speedo
early front fenders
blade bumpers
amber top taillights
shoulder belts only no lap belts
it is 6 volts but the generator is the size of a 12 volt one and has a paint
stamp on the backing plate that says 6V
the flywheel is 180mm but has 130 teeth like a 12 volt one
the starter is 6 volts but has a matching gear for the 130 tooth flywheel

Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:19 pm

Think I'm going to do the birth certificate for my bug. Might help clear up some history on the car.

Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:26 pm

The Hazard switch in your car is not where it belongs so consider someone added it sometime later in the car's life. Factory installed in 1967 the switch would have been on the main part of the dash above your ignition switch.

Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:50 pm

....I just noticed that - I was wondering if it was added! The plot thickens.

Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:02 am

Reviving an old thread here as I continue to collect the correct parts for my euro 67.

IIRC, euro spec 67s had a blank thumb button on the passenger side door handle, ie: no key hole. I haven't seen this mentioned regarding the OPs bug. Maybe he'll see this thread again and reply. I picked up a NOS 67 door handle with a blank button which was listed as a "euro spec door handle - RARE" (very over-used word to sell parts, but whatever). I'm just wanting some confirmation on this. Either way, I think it's a cool piece since all I've seen on 67s (in person) is that both door handles have key holes.

Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:11 am

Critter1 wrote: Reviving an old thread here as I continue to collect the correct parts for my euro 67.

IIRC, euro spec 67s had a blank thumb button on the passenger side door handle, ie: no key hole. I haven't seen this mentioned regarding the OPs bug. Either way, I think it's a cool piece since all I've seen on 67s (in person) is that both door handles have key holes.

Conserning the blank door handle.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=406971&highlight=handle

Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:08 pm

JohnnyEuro wrote: DrDarby wrote: The Hazard switch in your car is not where it belongs so consider someone added it sometime later in the car's life. Factory installed in 1967 the switch would have been on the main part of the dash above your ignition switch.

....I just noticed that - I was wondering if it was added! The plot thickens.

Not 100% sure on LHD euro bugs but RHD never got hazard switches till 69 so it may have never had one to start with.

Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:51 pm

I now own the 67 VW that is shown in the photos posted previously by JohnnyEuro. The passenger side door does not have the lockable button in the door handle. This bug has been converted over to 12 volt; it could be that the hazard pull switch was added at at time, but I can not confirm it. It was shipped over to the US in 1992 when the owner (USAF) was returning from Bitburg AB, Germany.

I just checked the 1967 Beetle manual choices in thesamba.com's Technical section. I will contact Everett about scanning the original handbook so that it can be posted in that same section. Then handbook is in German, but even if you don't speak the language, it could at least be a source for photos and diagrams to see what differs from the US version.

Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:21 pm

One thing I would do is get the Birth Certificate to see what factory it left from.
There are differences for sure, with trim, engine and little details of course. What I'm most curious of at the moment is whether or not Euro spec Beetles were assembled in Wolfsburg, versus US Beetles of which most I think were assembled at Emden. I see that issue as a major difference worth more discussion.
I've owned both '67 1200A and a 1500, but never a '67 1300. It would be so cool to have those cars back and get the Birth Cert on them now :cry: I have a few pictures of both and would be glad to offer any help, but most of it has been covered.
I have spotted a Euro '67 1300 in town, and it is an all original daily driver owned by a local photo artist. Met him at next door at a gas station and got a fair look at it, but don't recall anything but the major highlights. To me it looked like a cross between a US '66 and a US '67. Ruby Red with Platinum interior that looked like '66 door panels but had '67 inner door pulls. Weird but cool. It has also been converted to Alternator, so I don't know the original Gen size, but imagine it could have been the big 6 volt like a '66 Type II. Hopefully I'll run into him again when I have a camera handy.

Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:30 pm

Quite often the distributor on European beetles are different part numbers than the ones that came over here. In any case you would want to change out the 009 and the fuel pump.

Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:18 pm

Really sweet looking ride but god remove those cheap Brazilian U.S. Specification bumpers and put the correct European blade bumpers on if you haven't already.