56 RHD oval ragtop

[fig]

sorry fig, did I miss what all the stuff is on the right of the speedo?

mine does not have all that cool stuff

Yes, that space is just crying out for a few extra gauges. All the gauges are aftermarket adds. Things like the Dehne fuel gauge are very sought after and valuable, and I think any oval era accessories are valuable. I especially like the oil temp gauge (I've never had one in any of my ACVWs before!).

[vannman]

sorry fig, did I miss what all the stuff is on the right of the speedo?

mine does not have all that cool stuff

Yes, that space is just crying out for a few extra gauges. All the gauges are aftermarket adds. Things like the Dehne fuel gauge are very sought after and valuable, and I think any oval era accessories are valuable. I especially like the oil temp gauge (I've never had one in any of my ACVWs before!).

cool, thats the little one at the top, right?

[fig]

sorry fig, did I miss what all the stuff is on the right of the speedo?

mine does not have all that cool stuff

Yes, that space is just crying out for a few extra gauges. All the gauges are aftermarket adds. Things like the Dehne fuel gauge are very sought after and valuable, and I think any oval era accessories are valuable. I especially like the oil temp gauge (I've never had one in any of my ACVWs before!).

cool, thats the little one at the top, right?

Which one?

The fuel gauge is the little thermometer looking thing to the left of the speedo. The first gauge to the right of the speedo is a VDO clock, and the second one is the oil temp gauge (I couldn't read the maker's name; will have to try in better light ). Above those two small gauges is a magnetic trip odometer to record mileage at the last fuel fill-up (this was a universal knick-knack from back in the days before fuel gauges were universal). And below all that is an accessory persoanl ash tray for the driver. All the little metal blobs like the one above the accessory ash tray are lights.

[vannman]

wow
wow
wow

did you see i offered to trade?

[splitfan]

Some interior pics:

I forgot to mention the Dehne fuel gauge

ovaldashclose.jpg

ovalradio.jpg

ovaldash.jpg

ovalinside01.jpg

ovalinside02.jpg

Ohh the agony ! ohh and did i mention we found a Faberge egg behind the spare wheel *sigh* Jou Bliksem !
Cool car Fig

[vannman]

is it just me, i can not see the pics above or open them

[lowlight]

Agnee man mr & mrs fig I like.

[fig]

So I discovered that the reflectors on the fenders were covering the holes for the US-style bumper mountings. I recently replaced the missing towel rails and overriders. Most SA-assembled ovals have the Euro blade bumper with small overrider, and the US-style bumpers only became standard in SA for 58 onwards Beetles, but the holes in the fenders mean this oval was originally ordered with US-spec bumpers. 1956 was the first year for the towel rails and big overriders on Beetles.

[Klaus]

Tihnk you need to take it on a nice cruise down by the coast - sure that ragtop will be amazing on a cruise by the beach on a nice sunny day !

I want one ! (Soon)

[fig]

Tihnk you need to take it on a nice cruise down by the coast - sure that ragtop will be amazing on a cruise by the beach on a nice sunny day !

I want one ! (Soon)

Unfortunately coast and exposed metal don't go together ...

[karmakoma]

I see the wheel rims are also painted silver, with the (what I presume) spare wheel rim painted white.
According to the ACVW sources out there, the rims should have been colour coded to the car, white and black combo, or white and green etc. Was silver rims another way the SA ACVW cars were different to the Euro/US ones ? OR, is it pure coincedence that my 58 also has silver rims with a white spare?

[fig]

I see the wheel rims are also painted silver, with the (what I presume) spare wheel rim painted white.
According to the ACVW sources out there, the rims should have been colour coded to the car, white and black combo, or white and green etc. Was silver rims another way the SA ACVW cars were different to the Euro/US ones ? OR, is it pure coincedence that my 58 also has silver rims with a white spare?

I don't think SA assembled cars got two-tone wheels, although I'm not certain. The silver on the wheels does not look original, though it may be. The spare is a different pattern (slotted) and it's black IIRC. I don't know if it's original to the car; can't quite tell if the date stamp is 6/56 or 6/66. I'm guessing the off-white wheel on the RR was replaced after the right front collision.

I will probably have the wheels repainted to get a matching set; I may even do them two-tone.

[lowlight]

Will say Ivory inside and same colour as the car.

[Dutch_Diver]

Not always.....I agree ivory on the inside but they didn't always match the outside to the car. It's strange I know but I did a lot of research when I did Bobbie. Fig, do you know the original colour?

[fig]

I've just had a close look at the wheels. The ivory one has been repainted. The silver wheels all look to be in original paint. Wherever there is wear they only show black below. All VW wheels were first painted black all over, then only the face was painted the final colour.

I've seen lots of old beetle wheels in silver; I'd guess that most SA-assembled beetles had silver wheels, not two-tone.

I can't see the date stamps on the wheels, but I'll look in better light. I did notice all the silver wheels are for tubeless tyres, while the ivory wheel is not. Tubeless tyres became standard on beetles some time in 1956.