John



It is great that you now have Rattle Trap, there can't be anyone more deserving of it and Tony would be overjoyed to see it belonging to someone who is doing all he can to perpetuate the story. But let's not use it as an opportunity to take credit away from an elderly American Man who spent his free time driving his '63 VW round and round the ring road purely for the love of driving his car...

Mike 😎

ps: I'll try and hunt out that clipping but it might take some time :shock:

Mike Peckham wrote:

Well said and an interesting point that there was no pretence about Albert's car.One thing is certain, although very different people with different designs to there high mileage, both Tony and Albert were devotees to there car.
Strange thing is that both cars shared the same fate.
:beer:

Sunroof53 wrote:

Body number 115511 (below – yes I need a better camera) checks out as 1950. Chassis number, difficult to read it, but it looks like 1-0183703, and certainly NOT an Oval ('55) chassis as you mention :?

Standard split wrote:

I've found the chassis number of my old large window 1964 Beetle, CGT 847 B, that is 115093101, and it checks out on the Samba as early September 1964 but I cannot find the copy of the V5 registration document which I kept for my archives, to confirm the UK registration date.

Even back when I owned it, I thought that it was an unusually early large window Beetle, and even wondered if the body had been changed. This must have been one of the earliest large windows in the UK – it would be good if someone still has the car, or if it still exists.

I'm guessing, but as I remember, it was registered here in April 1964, but if the Samba is right it couldn't have been :?

Standard split wrote:

"Date of Liability 01 04 1989
Date of First Registration 05 11 1964
Year of Manufacture Not Available
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1192CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour RED"

November '64, then. '65 model. Big windows correct.

64rotbox wrote:

Rattletrap still has his original chassis as far as I can see, or what's left of it (mainly the backbone/tunnel).

Standard split wrote:

Body Nr. 115511 could be any of these....

May 1950 50 Split
Dec 1955 56 Oval
Oct 1957 58 Square different where washer bottle attaches.

Mike

kdf38 wrote:

John

The reason I believe that Rattletrap has a later chassis, is because Tony said as much him self in the September 1991 issue of VW Motoring;

After having taken Rattletrap to Wolfsburg for a thorough inspection, the original chassis was replaced at the Volkswagen (GB) Ltd premises at Plaistow, East London. At the request of the then Public Relations Director, Philip Stein, the then Overseas Sales Manager at Wolfsburg, Ian Mentiply, found and sent over a chassis from somewhere in Belgium I believe, that would be suitable. That chassis remained with the car until Baz did what ever he has done with it.

Tony's registration of Rattle trap in the Ancient Beetles Register predates this event, so the chassis number he quotes is probably that of the original, which appears to belong to an early '53 zwitter.

It is also apparent from the photographs that the car now has a much later chassis with the forward mounting of the heater control and handbrake cable adjustment on the handbrake leaver itself.

I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore about whether or not Mr Klein's beetle was written off due to age and decay or whether it was involved in an accident, as I haven't yet been able to find the mention in VW Motoring. Although I found the above quote whilst I was looking :wink: . My feeling is that it was written off in an accident but I can't be sure.

Hope that helps

Mike

Mike Peckham wrote:

John

We shall never know whether or not Volkswagen had a place in their Museum for Mr Klein's Beetle as it was written off in 1997, there was a small note to that effect in VW Motoring at the time.

Sadly the car was gone before the days of the internet and Mr Klein wasn't interested in publicising it.
Mike 😎

Mike Peckham wrote:

It gets more complicated. I can't understand why they (VW) would have wanted to change the chassis. Surely they would have fitted new pans :?

Standard split wrote:

After having taken Rattletrap to Wolfsburg for a thorough inspection, the original chassis was replaced at the Volkswagen (GB) Ltd premises at Plaistow, East London. At the request of the then Public Relations Director, Philip Stein, the then Overseas Sales Manager at Wolfsburg, Ian Mentiply, found and sent over a chassis from somewhere in Belgium I believe, that would be suitable. That chassis remained with the car until Baz did what ever he has done with it.

Mike Peckham wrote:

If this car no longer exists then that must leave Rattletrap as the world champion Beetle :shock:

Ovaltine wrote:

It gets more complicated. I can't understand why they (VW) would have wanted to change the chassis. Surely they would have fitted new pans :?

Standard split wrote:

If you don't mind knowing and it would end a mystery for me, I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated if we delved just a little bit deeper into what happened since new and when he was rebuilt at Hazelocks.

55Kab wrote:

If this car no longer exists then that must leave Rattletrap as the world champion Beetle :shock:

Ovaltine wrote:

I have found a pretty good news cutting from Albert Klein's local press.

No threat to rattletrap as it wasapparently was written off as said earlier. This is from July 1987. Cant tell if this is a 63 or 66, (small or big window), the pics poor copy and doesnot show much glass area:?

Too big to upload though, will try later :?

Ovaltine wrote:

Cant tell if this is a 63 or 66, (small or big window), the pics poor copy and doesnot show much glass area:?

Ovaltine wrote: