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The Bugshop FAQ pt5
Part 5 of 6 of Bug Shop's guide to buying a Beetle (many of its parts apply to any aircooled, or indeed any car), is reproduced by kind permission of the author, John S. Henry of the Bugshop USA. About Chrome This section was a late entry to this article. I realised just how important good chrome is (and how hard it is too find) as I started to re-assemble my '57. Not too long ago, good Beetle chrome was taken for granted, either because it wasn't that old and (on a driver) had been kept nice, or because good chrome spares were readily available. Now that isn't so much the case anymore. So I thought I would add this section and go over the chrome "bits" (as the English would say), front to back, and comment on availability and stuff. The thought being that someone scoping a Beetle for sale and seeing something rusted to nothingness or missing altogether might like to know the difference between "Not to worry, its an $8 part" and "Ha, you'd have better luck finding a T-Rex skull than one of those with good chrome". As usual, this stuff is kind of "skewed" toward older Beetles, remember that I have never owned anything newer than a '68. And some of the stuff mentioned is body accents and trim which are actually not chromed but other metals. Exterior Parts: þ Bumpers (both ends)- Early (pre '68) original bumpers with good chrome are very hard to find.
Original thickness replacements for the '67 and earlier bumpers are not available. "Cheapy" bumpers, not of original thickness, are available for as little as $50 each, new. They are easily identified by plastic grommets between the overriders (tubes or "towel bars"), the vertical upright's fit against the blade is pathetic and the blades rust on the backsides within minutes if you get them wet. A few vendors recently have come out with "show quality" bumpers for around $300 each. While the chrome is better (multi-plated), the prep-work done better (mirror chrome, shave in front of your car if you want) and the fit is such that grommets were not used, they still were not "original thickness".
So the real Holy Grail is a pair of original bumpers. Original bumper's blade metal is around 90 thousands (.090") or 2.28mm whereas most of the aftermarket bumpers are around 60 thousands (.060") or 1.5mm. You can make these measurements quite easily with a micrometer along the edge of the blade near one end. You have to feel for a pretty "square" edge, most of the edge has a bit on a lip on one side from the shear that cuts the stock. Allow just the tips of the micrometer to "grasp" the metal, slide them in too far and you will get a false reading if the micrometer isn't perfectly square with the metal surfaces.
While I have little experience with the later bumpers, it is my feeling that the available repros are better and good, used pieces are more plentiful. þ Horn Grilles ('67 and earliers)- Good replacements readily available cheap, no worries. These are the little slotted, oval grilles below the headlights in the front fenders, actually polished aluminum, not chrome. And the right side one is supposed to have a plastic or metal (early ones) "block off" plate behind it as there is no horn on that side. Because the little tabs that hold them on break off super easily and they are so cheap, "used" ones are hardly worth buying. þ Hood handles- Good replacements readily available cheap Even for the early hoods, no brainer. Also common in good or better condition at the swaps. Know your "new" price when bargaining. þ Body molding- (Chrome strips) Good replacements readily available, not real cheap, stainless steel is even more. Virtually all Beetles had them, there are actually 9 pieces in all. One on the hood, one on each of the front quarters, one on each of the doors, one on each of the rear quarters and one on each running board edge (earlies). I am told that the '67 was a one year only design, with a slight difference in the finished shape of the ends. Correct early moldings (early 50s) may be hard to find. Sets are available in aluminum, and also stainless steel. Although the moldings were never stainless from VW, they are very nice. I even put them on my '57. Much stronger (harder to dent) than the aluminum ones and with a real lasting shine. The clips for them are also plentiful and cheap. Better quality (German) running boards come with the moldings on them, but some later years may not have the molded running boards. "Used" sets are usually not much of an option, most all used stock is dinged and/or bent up a bit. þ Hood emblem- Good replacements readily available cheap The earlier "pressed" kind (vs. the later aluminum cast ones) are bit more spendy, but plentiful. Common at the show swap meets too, the cast ones are pretty indestructible. þ Fendertop turn-signal housings ('58 and up)- Usually not much of a worry. Replacements are available but quality not as good as originals. But good used stuff is pretty easy to come by. For some reason, you hardly ever see rusty one. þ Exterior rear view mirrors- Good replacements readily available Lots of repros of the early mirrors are available, but some are real junk. Good repros run $20-$25. Not a "worry" item. þ Door handles (exterior)- '59 and earliers are tough, laters are pretty plentiful Same as the bumpers, original early door handles (lever type, to '54 with ridged face, '55 - '59 flat face) with good chrome are a real plus. Repros have just become available for around $30 with keys, but I am told that the quality is not all that great (never touched one). NOS or mint originals sell for $75 - $150 each, and used ones with good chrome are scarce. Check the undersides of the handles, they usually pit there first. Note that originally in the '59 and earliers, only the driver's handle had a lock. The passenger side handle was flat. Also, the '54 and earliers, are not interchangeable with the later ones. In '61 the push-button handles were introduced. These seemed to be much more impervious to rust, and I think good new stock is available. Also pretty easy to find in the swaps. The exception is the '67 handle, which is a one year only. This handle had a round push-button instead of a square one. Good '67 handles are a real treat, but not impossible to find. '68 and on the "trigger" type handles were used. Replacements and used stock are readily available. þ Door window separator- '64 and earliers are tough, laters are pretty plentiful This is the vertical chrome piece between the vent and main windows in the doors. It is chromed on both sides. IN the '64 and earlier doors, it is a separate piece with a bracket welded to the bottom, well inside the door. This piece is tough to find with good chrome. I took this piece for granted with my '57. When I found one of my originals to be junk, I had a real tough time finding a good one. Left and rights are different, but you can "make" a left a right, or vice versa, by drilling off and re-welding the bracket on the bottom (so if you find one with great "inside" chrome, but bad "outside" chrome, you can reverse it with the good side facing the outside of the car). I looked in to having my original re-chromed and was quoted $60 for the one piece! In the '65 and later doors, this vertical is wider and is part of (and removed with) the vent window frame. Good replacements are easier to find. þ Door window moldings- Replacements are available, but replacing them involves total disassembly of the door
These are actually not chrome, but polished aluminum. They are attached to the outside "scraper" in the door (the rubber lip that touches the glass on the outside, in the window sill opening) even though they loop up the back edge and over the top of the opening. Replacements vary in cost from $25 to around $40 for each side depending on year. If you are doing a full resto on the door(s), these can be done. If you are not planning on a full resto on the doors, plan on one if you are going to replace these as you will completely disassemble the door to get them out/in. They are fastened under the felt U channel in the back and top of the opening by tiny sheet metal screws (earlies) or the clips that hold the U channel in (lates). See my "Doors" article for detail on disassembly/re-assembly of the doors including the scraper/moldings.
þ Hubcaps- Good repros available pretty inexpensively, but originals are originals Reproduction hubcaps, virtually all years back to the early 50s, are available for $5-$15 each, and the quality and fit is pretty decent. Original hubcaps with perfect chrome, especially on the early cars, are all but non-existent. Most people just accept that they will buy a new set. If you find a car with useable originals, make sure you tell everybody.... þ Decklid handle- Not too hard to find good used/repros, but a good chrome, early "T" handle is a find The early engine lids ('52-'64) had the "T" handle. These are not being repro'ed that I am aware of, but good used ones at the swaps are pretty easy to find. A locking one with a key is a bonus. The later model push-button kind are plentiful, easy to get good used (chrome seems longer lasting) and I think NOS ones are still around and affordable. þ Taillight chrome- Pre-'62 lights, look close, others don't worry too much The early glass taillights ('55-'61) had a chrome trim ring that was clipped into the housing and surrounded the glass lens when installed. Look close at this ring, good used ones are getting tough to find, the chrome can pit to uselessness pretty fast. (I was lucky enough to find a pair of NOS ones at the swaps for my '57, cost me $45) The trim used on the later lights is easier to find and, like the other stuff, the chrome seems to be longer lasting. Interior Parts: þ Speedo Bezel- Not too big of a deal, same part '53-'67
This is the chrome bezel that is clipped into the metal dash, and stays in when the speedo is removed. I guess I never checked to see if the vendors sold these, but since they are the same for a wide range of years, I think they are pretty easy to get. þ Speedo retainer ring- A good speedo is a good speedo This is the ring on the speedo that effectively holds the glass on the face. A tiny bit of it shows when the speedo is installed. It is the same on virtually all the early speedos (up to '67 anyway), but note too that it is difficult to remove without destroying it. Fortunately, like most interior chrome, it holds up pretty well.
þ Speaker Grille ('52.5-'57 Oval dash)- A decent repro is available pretty cheap, but a good original one is a find This is the Oval dash speaker grill. repros are available for around $25, but the metal thickness and chrome quality is noticeable poorer than the original. Still not a bad repro. NOS ones at the time of this writing, if you can find them, are going for around $100 or more. þ Ashtray trim-(Oval dash) No repros that I am aware of, supply of good used is dwindling This one is often overlooked, it is the chrome trim ring around the oval dash ashtray. Look close. It is possible to find good used, but prices are creeping up on this one. þ Glovebox Door Latch-(Oval dash) Not too hard to find, but they are getting scarce These aren't quite as rare as the ashtray trim, but not too far behind. No repros that I am aware of, but the chrome holds up pretty good and they are still out there used. þ Dash molding-('58-'67) I think repro stuff is available, and good used is too. No too tough an item, but make a note of it when scoping a car. þ Interior release handles- Depends on year, earlies are getting scarce To '54 are ribbed handles, these are getting rare. They tend to pit very easily, especially along the bottoms. These have a "crease" running their length in the middle (hence "ribbed") '55-'66 are pretty plentiful, but some really perfect ones are getting spendy. There are repros of these, but I am told the quality is barely adequate. The repros may be prone to the splines stripping. '67 and up are a dime a dozen in great shape at the swaps..... þ Window winder handles- Depends on year, earlies are getting scarce To '54, same as the release handles, should be ribbed. These are just as hard to find in good shape, no repros available. '55-'66, same as the release handles. Never seen the repros, but am told quality is weak, knobs break off real quick. Good originals are keepers, still available in the swaps. Examine chrome closely. '67 are dime a dozen, repros are fine and cheap. þ Door panel mouldings-Look close! (earlies) The early door and rear quarter panels had a chrome (or polished aluminum) "spear" molding near the top. These are not reproduced, tend to get scratched up, and are pretty hard to find. Look close if you are scoping an oval. Not sure how late these moldings were used... |
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