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Mon Feb 18, 2013 12:19 pm

Hey everyone

I just recently had a family member pass and this family member helped me build my first car - 66 VW

I was pretty young back then and I am looking to purchase and build a custom bug. I am particularly interested in a 66 but if I can find a earlier bug - sweet.

My question and concern is how can you tell by the body markings that distinguish a particular year of a bug? So if and when I am out looking I know what years had what and what years had changed certain things.

Looking to be a pretty active member and have a good friend who drag races a 63 Gia.. No future plans to drag but definately going to make it a point of upsetting a few JDMs and those want to be ricers :)

Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:37 pm

38-53 Split rear window
53-57 Oval rear window
58-64 Larger rectangular shaped rear window , perfectly vertical door vent window posts.

65 and newer slightly curved windshied and larger back window with angled rearward door vent window posts.
1967, (including last above) Bumpers with over riders continued (last year) , and narrow body molding.
1968 and newer , non over rider fat bumpers, Fuel door on the RF quarter panel.

Ill stop there... as this is the 58- 67 forum.. more changes on the newer ones after 71.. though not much, plus the addition of the Super Beetle Model in 71..

Now these notes are not the only changes, but the easiest to spot in most cases, and are fror US models... other countries vary.
It may be just alot easier to scroll through the GALLERY, and punch in the years... and make notes.

Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:39 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/66what_year.php

Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:40 pm

61SNRF wrote: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/66what_year.php

Hmm... Never knew that ^^ existed.. where were you 5 minutes ago...?? :lol:

Here is another resource... or 2.. or 3..

http://www.vw-resource.com/years.html

http://www.airheadparts.com/vw-spotters-guide-and-model-year-changes

http://www.thebugshop.org/bsrbyrs.htm

Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:45 pm

Ty for the quick replies gents ^.^

I also know that (body wise) you can distinguish the year based on the gap on the driver and passenger side between the door handle and the bottom of the windows.

As this will also tell if any doors or fenders were replaced :)

Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:48 pm

My simple ways are:

67, 12 volt system a sticker on the door jamb and new style headlights,
66, 1300 emblem on the rear decklid
65, 66/67 sized side windows, no 12 volt or 1300 emblem
64, smaller side windows but similar sized signals on front fenders
63, smaller side windows, smaller signals on front fenders and smaller decklid light, last year of soft sunroof
62, similar to 63 but still has wolfsburg crest on hood
61, 56-61 style rear tail lights, smaller with glass lens
60, first year of push button outside door handles
59, hmmm, not sure?
58, larger windshield than 57, first year of small front signals on top of fender
57, last year oval window and bullet fenders, smaller sunroof than 58
56, first year of bumper over riders
55, last year of inside ribs on doors (mid way 55)
54, last year of glass on license light, starter button removed from dash
53, split window up to march 10th 53,

Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:25 pm

If you want a detailed list of almost every change to each year, you can get this book:
http://www.amazon.com/VW-Beetle-Specification-Guid...=vw+beetle

I have this book and after you read through it a couple times, determining the year of a bug is a little bit easier. :wink:

Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:08 pm

VOLKSWAGNUT wrote: 61SNRF wrote: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/66what_year.php
Hmm... Never knew that ^^ existed.. where were you 5 minutes ago...?? :lol:

:lol: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/type1.php

Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:25 pm

bwaz wrote: My simple ways are:

67, 12 volt system a sticker on the door jamb and new style headlights,
66, 1300 emblem on the rear decklid
65, 66/67 sized side windows, no 12 volt or 1300 emblem
64, smaller side windows but similar sized signals on front fenders
63, smaller side windows, smaller signals on front fenders and smaller decklid light, last year of soft sunroof
62, similar to 63 but still has wolfsburg crest on hood
61, 56-61 style rear tail lights, smaller with glass lens
60, first year of push button outside door handles
59, hmmm, not sure?
58, larger windshield than 57, first year of small front signals on top of fender
57, last year oval window and bullet fenders, smaller sunroof than 58
56, first year of bumper over riders
55, last year of inside ribs on doors (mid way 55)
54, last year of glass on license light, starter button removed from dash
53, split window up to march 10th 53,

OK, tell us what year you think this car is?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/511658.jpg
http://www.cc356c.com/43a20060.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/520414.jpg

And what year is the beetle on the left (of your screen) with the slotted wheels?
http://www.pismoderelicts.com/photogallery/new%20format%20843/images/p1090855.jpg

Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:09 am

Well it's safe to assume that the first set of images of the blue beetle is a 66

Only year the bugs received a stamp that indicated the size of the stock motor and was the first year the bug went from a 6v to a 12v

Again - taking a shot in the dark on the egg shell colored bug

That it too is a 66 based on the size of the turn signals on the fenders and the size of the square rear window

Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:39 am

bwaz wrote:
57, last year oval window and bullet fenders, smaller sunroof than 58

Where did you get this info? '56-'63 sunroofs are the same size;the only difference is the early '56 cover has square rear corners instead of round :wink:

Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:48 am

Nightlife Customs wrote: Well it's safe to assume that the first set of images of the blue beetle is a 66

Only year the bugs received a stamp that indicated the size of the stock motor and was the first year the bug went from a 6v to a 12v

Again - taking a shot in the dark on the egg shell colored bug

That it too is a 66 based on the size of the turn signals on the fenders and the size of the square rear window

The blue beetle is a 1966 type 115 a rag top sunroof 1200 "A". Which also uses the small licence plate light and as the name signifies a 40hp 1200 .
The white beetle is a deluxe 67 6 volt 1300. In Europe for 67 there are three basic beetle models, the 1200"A" 6 volt, the 1300 deluxe 6 volt and the 1500 12 volt with disc brakes. The 1967 Mexican beetle uses the old 1958-1964 body. Many people don't realize that the very last beetle produced in Germany in January 1978 was a 12 volt 1200 40hp with swing axle.
The point I'm making is two fold. One, the samba is read all over the world, I recently posted on a thread that came from Germany. Two, if you post a list like the one below from a earlier post here it can become very confusing to someone from another country or even from a person in the U.S. who happens to have either a grey market car or a car that was brought in by a U.S. citizen for personal use. Believe me when I say confusing. When I bought my 1965 "A" standard in 1968 I would go to the dealer for parts for a tune up and they would say you've got a 36hp engine instead of a 40hp engine and someone must have made a swap. They never could explain how a 36hp could be having a fresh air system with 40ph muffler. It wasn't until I met a mechanic that was from Germany who set me straight on what parts to ask for when I needed something. So the statement below doesn't apply.

bwaz wrote:
My simple ways are:

67, 12 volt system a sticker on the door jamb and new style headlights,
66, 1300 emblem on the rear decklid
65, 66/67 sized side windows, no 12 volt or 1300 emblem
64, smaller side windows but similar sized signals on front fenders
63, smaller side windows, smaller signals on front fenders and smaller decklid light, last year of soft sunroof
62, similar to 63 but still has wolfsburg crest on hood
61, 56-61 style rear tail lights, smaller with glass lens
60, first year of push button outside door handles
59, hmmm, not sure?
58, larger windshield than 57, first year of small front signals on top of fender
57, last year oval window and bullet fenders, smaller sunroof than 58
56, first year of bumper over riders
55, last year of inside ribs on doors (mid way 55)
54, last year of glass on license light, starter button removed from dash
53, split window up to march 10th 53,

Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:19 pm

bugguts wrote: bwaz wrote:
57, last year oval window and bullet fenders, smaller sunroof than 58

Where did you get this info? '56-'63 sunroofs are the same size

...late 56-67 ragtop sunroofs are the same size... (64-67 Standard Sunroof = ragtop)
Note late 1963 ragtops started using one piece rails....

Tue Feb 19, 2013 7:27 pm

Most of these posts are referring to cars straight off the assembly line.

When someone asks me what year my car is, I have to ask which piece they are talking about.

If it has an oval rear window, Ball joint front, 40 hp engine, what year is it?

Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:36 am

vwsteve wrote: If it has an oval rear window, Ball joint front, 40 hp engine, what year is it?

If you dont know maybe you should ask Johnny Cash... he'd know... :lol: